Nutrition And Bone Health

• Healthy bones are a sign of good health,
• Unhealthy bones are a sign of poor health.

Health Facts About Our Bones

• Bones are living tissue, they provide structural support, and protect vital organs
• Bones are made up of:
  – Calcium
  – Phosphorous
  – Protein
  – Magnesium
  – Vitamins and other minerals in smaller amounts
• The average adult skeleton contains over TWO POUNDS of calcium (more for taller people).
• We need calcium to develop teeth and bones, and also to regulate heart and muscle, and clot blood
• When we are young, we store and build bone effectively.
• Most bone (85% to 90%) is made before age 20.
• As we get older(age 35 to 45) bones begin to break down faster than they are formed.
• Small changes in diet, exercise and medication can help prevent a broken bone.

Bones and Age

How Much Calcium Do We Need? What the Experts Say

Life Cycle of Bones

Building Bones

• Ages 9 to 18 years are a key period in life for growth
• In these years, you’ll grow faster than any other time other than infancy.
• Ages 12 to 18
  – About 85% of our adult bone mass is made
  – Up to 80%of our adult weight is achieved
• What if the materials needed for this growth are not available, what happens…an opportunity lost?

Calcium Goes with Vitamin D

• Vitamin D allows your body to absorb calcium
• Where do we get Vitamin D?
  – The Sun
  – Egg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver
  – Fortified dairy products
  – Supplements
• Need 400 International Units (IU) a day
• UV rays from the sun reach the skin and vitamin D is made in the skin then sent to the blood circulation
• 30-60 minutes of sun on the arms and face each day should do it
• Sunscreens above SPF8 will block vitamin D formation on the skin

Why So Much Vitamin D?

High risk of deficiency for those with:

• Advanced age
• Malabsorptive issues
• Chronic renal insufficiency
• Housebound individuals
• Chronic illness
• Limited sun exposure

Disorders from poor bone nutrition

• Rickets
• Osteomalacia
• Osteoporosis

Causes of Insufficiency

• Absolute lack (poverty, famine, war, ignorance)
• Inadequate ingestion
• Inadequate absorption
• Inadequate utilisation
• Increased requirement
• Increased loss

Osteoporosis

• A major public threat for an aging population. 80 % are women.
• One in 2 women and One in 8 men over 50 will have an osteoporosis related fracture.
• The estimated cost for osteoporotic and associated fractures is $38 million a day

What is it?

• A disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break.
• Breaks usually occur in the hip, spine and wrist.
• Hip and spine fractures are a major concern.
• Hip fractures almost always require surgery and hospitalization.
• Spine fractures have serious consequences such as loss of height, severe back pain, and deformity.

Little Old Lady’s disease

What causes osteoporosis?

• Scientist have not yet learned all the reasons this occurs.
• When you are young your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bones.
• As you get older, this process slows down and you start losing bone density.
• The risk for osteoporosis depends on how much bone mass you attained between ages 25 and 35 and how fast you lose it.

Risk Factors

Certain people are more likely to develop this disease than others.

• Female
• Thin and/or small frame
• Advanced age
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Post menopause
• Anorexia nervosa or bulimia
• Diet low in calcium
• Use of certain medications
• Low testosterone levels in men
• An inactive lifestyle
• Cigarette smoking
• Excessive use of alcohol
• Being Asian or Caucasian

Are your bones healthy?

Rickets

12 year old girl. Presented to faith specialist hospital with bent legs.

See the transformation 3 months after undergoing surgery at Faith Specialist Hospital

Foods to take

• Meat
• Fish
• Milk (Including Breast)
• Crayfish
• Egg
• Fruits
• Vegetables

I’m Just A Teenager – Why Should I Care Now ?

• During the teen years, most of the adult skeleton is formed
• Fewer than 15 percent of teenage girls get enough calcium!
• If you build your bones when you’re in your teens, you will be less likely to fracture your bones when you’re older.
• AND…very thin girls, especially girls on diets, can get a type of osteoporosis while they are still YOUNG

Exercise is Also Important for Building Bones

• It’s not just calcium
• It’s not just vitamin D
• Bones also need weight and movement. Exercise!
• Physical activity increases bone mass by an average 3%
• Both weight bearing and resistance exercise are important
  – Resistance training strengthens existing bones you’ve already made
• Weight bearing exercise is best to stimulate NEW bone production
  Examples:
  – Walking
  – Basketball/Volleyball
  – Running
  – Gymnastics
  – Tennis
  – Cheerleading

What Else is Important for Bones ?

• You should not use tobacco to keep your bones healthy
  – Smoking interferes with the body’s use of calcium
• You should limit caffeine-containing foods and beverages, such as colas and coffee
  – Drink three cups of coffee or two cans of soda, per day at most
  – Caffeine causes the body to leech out calcium.

From the Bible

Some factors which produce healthy bones

• THE FEAR OF THE LORD = Produces bone marrow.
  “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones“ (Proverbs 3:7-8).
• A GOOD REPORT = Makes the bones fat.
  “The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat“ (Proverbs 15:30).
• PLEASANT WORDS = Brings health to the bones.
  “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones“ (Proverbs 16:24).
• PEACE AND COMFORT = Causes our bones to flourish.
  “And when you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: …“ (Isaiah 66:14).

Some factors which produce unhealthy bones

• ENVY = Brings rottenness to the bones.
  “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness to the bones” (Proverbs 14:30).
• A woman of indiscretion
  “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones” (Proverbs 12:4).
• A BROKEN SPIRIT = Dries the bones.
  “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).
• GOD’S CHASTENING = Produces strong pain in the bones.
  “Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed” (Psalm 6:2).
• GRIEF AND INIQUITY = Cause to bones to be consumed.
  “For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed” (Psalm 31:10).
• SIN’S CURSE = The bones are out of joint.
  “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels” (Psalm 22:14).

Summing It Up

• Building strong bones before age 18 is the best defense for bones…for a lifetime
• Choose:
  – A balanced diet rich in calcium and Vitamin D
  – A healthy lifestyle with no tobacco
  – Engage in weight-bearing exercise