Our bones are active and living tissue. It's constantly changing and remodeling to withstand the changing pressure from your body and its actions.

Bones reach their peak bone mass in our late 20's. From our 30's on, our bones slowly begin to lose its density. In females, bone density loss accelerates with menopause.

So how do we maintain a healthy skeletal structure?

1. Activity – Activity is one of the most important aspect of bone health. Without physical stress, bone growth is not sufficiently stimulated. Exercise should be gravity, weight-bearing activities for healthy bones 3-5 times per week.
2. Nutrition – Proper nutrition is the second of the two most important aspects of healthy bones. While calcium has been popularized for bone health, protein and omega-3’s are crucial. Click here for a list of calcium rich foods.
3. Supplementation – If nutrition is not optimal, supplementation is your insurance. Calcium carbonate contains the highest concentration. Calcium citrate dissolves best for people with digestive problems. People who require more than 1,000 mg/day should take multiple doses of 500 mg/intake due to the body’s absorption of calcium.
4. Sleep – Sleep is vital for maximizing development and maintenance of bone.
5. Sunshine – Sunlight provides Vitamin D which is essential for calcium absorption. Don’t get out into the sun much? A Vitamin D3 supplement is your best bet.
6. Body care – Because bone is constantly remodeling, it is important to maintain a proper body balance. Chiropractic restores optimal spinal and body alignment.

The best approach to optimal bone health is an active and preventative approach! 

Osteoporosis affects approximately 44 million Americans. It is commonly known that females are susceptible and statistics show 1 in 3 females will be affected by bone weakening. But, men are also affected! 1 in 5 males will be diagnosed.

Why are women more at risk?

1. Type of activity is often the obvious culprit. Women tend to do less heavy lifting for work and during exercise.
2. The second reason is due to menopause. During menopause, bone loss accelerates due to the hormonal changes that occur.

Risk factors don’t stop there for women and men!

1. Inadequate nutrition is a common cause. Process and fast foods lack vital nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, protein, and omega-3’s, which are all necessary for bone health.
2. Prescription drugs also decrease bone density:

• Steroid drugs for inflammation such as Prednisone have a strong link to osteoporosis.
• Anti-depressant (Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro) – Research has shown that these drugs alter the communication between the building and breakdown of bone tissue leaving the bones thin.
• Indigestion drugs (Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec)

3. Smoking – Research has yet to determine if bone thinning is due to nicotine itself or with the lifestyle factors that come with smoking such as smokers tend to drink more alcohol, are less physically active and have poor diets. Women who smoke also tend to have earlier menopause than non-smokers.
4. Alcoholism – Alcohol has multiple detrimental effects on calcium. Bones deteriorate due to a decrease calcium absorption into the bones.
5. Diabetes – Diabetes destroys the blood vessels that supplies bones. Without proper nutrients, bones will not develop or maintain proper density.