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What Does Acupuncture & Traditional
Chinese Medicine Treat? |
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Sports-Related Injuries/Orthopedics
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Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease that gradually weakens bones making them increasingly fragile and more likely to break. Good quality bone is both dense and flexible. Density is not enough to guard you against fractures. As we age, we generally become more stiff - in other words we are losing flexibility.
Osteoporosis is not a disease that affects women of other cultures like it does Northern Europeans and their descendants. Perhaps it is because women in other cultures are more active in life and for longer – especially those cultures that are largely agrarian, unlike our service-based industry, which is classically sedentary. Also, lifestyle factors like smoking and nutrition play a large role in determining if a woman will develop osteoporosis.
It is ironic that in cultures where dairy consumption is low, there are less cases of osteoporosis, even though the dairy industry campaigns that drinking copious amounts of milk will save our bones. In countries that consume plenty of dairy, the osteoporosis rates are incredibly high. Clearly calcium intake is not the only factor in bone health.
The following are risk factors for osteoporosis: Caucasian or Asian ethnicity Thin women or small bones
Low body fat (Thin women often have low estrogen. The more fat
Gray hair before age 40 (50% of hair) History of fractures (stress fractures) History of dieting Anorexia or bulimia Chronic gastrointestinal problems Relatives with osteoporosis Early menopause Multiple pregnancies Extended lactation Inadequate exercise Excessive exercise Excessive exercise with lowered body fat and amenorrhea Amenorrhea for an extended period of time Hysterectomy with or without ovary removal Kidney disease with dialysis Hyperparathyroidism
Also, certain lifestyle choices can directly affect the density and quality of your bone. The following are a list of such factors:
Lifestyle Risk factors of Osteoporosis History or smoking – particularly in formative years History of heavy alcohol or drug use Heavy caffeine intake Carbonated drinks High salt intake High protein intake Chronic antacid use Vitamin D deficiency (Inadequate exposure to sunlight) Low calcium intake Fluoride – brittle bones Broad spectrum antibiotics Medications: corticosteroids, thyroid medications, Dilantin
Holistic care: What can you do? There are a myriad of supplements, dietary changes, and lifestyle changes that have been proven to build the quality and density of the bone, like weight bearing exercise. To learn more about what you can do to protect your bones, you can email me or set up a complementary consultation. |
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Traditional Chinese Medicine
Monica Bloch, M.S., L.Ac. |
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