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Osteoporosis - The Silent Stalker

A terrible disease that especially affect women is osteoporosis that means brittleOsteo Bones bones. "Half of all women over 50 are going to develop an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime." Even though America and affluent nations eat a lot of dairy they are not getting enough calcium for bone growth and for bone strength.  Anti-milk explain that milk and dairy products actually decrease the absorption of calcium and some plants are the best source.  Everyone should take calcium supplements so they don't wake up one morning and find that Satan has destroyed the foundation of their body.

U.S. government National Institutes of Health 

Maintenance of optimal bone health depends on an adequate supply of calcium and other essential nutrients. Current dietary intake data indicate that calcium intake is below recommended levels in most individuals. To attain the optimal calcium levels proposed, a change in dietary habits, including increased frequency of consumption of dairy products and/or calcium-rich vegetable sources, is needed. This approach of recommending the consumption of calcium-rich foods is consistent with current dietary guidelines (the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid), which includes 2-3 servings per day of dairy products and 3-5 servings of vegetables. Recommendations for supplements should be made in the context of the total diet since recommendations are for calcium from all sources. The task for individuals to meet calcium requirements on a continuing daily basis is a formidable challenge. For some individuals, calcium supplements may be the preferred way to attain optimal calcium intake. Calcium supplements are available as various salts, and most preparations are well absorbed except when manufactured such that they do not disintegrate during oral ingestion. Absorption of calcium supplements is most efficient at individual doses of 500 mg or less and when taken between meals. Ingesting calcium supplements between meals supports calcium bioavailability, since food may contain certain compounds that reduce calcium absorption (e.g., oxalates).

 

A large percentage of Americans fail to meet currently recommended guidelines for optimal calcium intake.

 

Osteoporosis affects more than 25 million people in the United States

Optimizing the calcium intake of Americans is of critical importance. Recent improvements in calcium intake have been reported for most age groups (phase 1 of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1991--NHANES III). However, contemporary 6- to 11-year-old children showed a decrease in calcium intake, as compared with those a decade earlier (NHANES II, 1976-1980). NHANES III also documents that a large percentage of Americans still fail to meet currently recommended guidelines for calcium intake. The impact of suboptimal calcium intake on the health of Americans and the health care cost to the American public is a vital concern.

 

Current dietary intake data indicate that calcium intake is below recommended levels in most individuals.

 

National Osteoporosis Foundations

national surveys have shown that many Americans are not consuming enough calcium. Many women, in fact, consume less than half of the daily recommended amount of calcium.

 

 

National Osteoporosis Foundation 

1996 Gallup Survey -- Findings On Men's Knowledge of Osteoporosis

 

SURVEY SHOWS MEN FAIL TO SEE OWN RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS DESPITE FRACTURES AND DEATHS CAUSED BY THE DISEASE

Even though American men over the age of 50 have a greater risk of suffering an osteoporosis­related fracture than developing clinical prostate cancer, and even though one­third of these men who suffer hip fractures will die within a year, the majority of American men view osteoporosis solely as a "woman's disease." These are the latest findings of a Gallup survey funded by the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). Moreover, among men whose habits and lifestyles put them at increased risk, few recognize the disease as a significant threat to their mobility and independence.

 

Gallup Findings ­­ What Men Don't Know

"In direct contrast to the opinions men expressed in this survey, they are not immune to osteoporosis," says Dr. Eric Orwoll, one of the nation's leading medical researchers of osteoporosis in men, and Chief of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Portland Veterans Administration Medical Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University. Dr. Orwoll worked with the Gallup Organization to construct this survey.

 

According to Dr. Orwoll, "In addition to the 1.5 million men who have osteoporosis, another 3.5 million are at high risk. The men most at risk are those who smoke, drink alcohol moderately, fail to maintain a calcium­rich diet, have a sedentary lifestyle, or have a family history of fractures. What's more, these men not only fail to see themselves at risk, often their doctors have not informed them of this potential hazard."

 

"In addition to the lack of attention American men have given to osteoporosis as this survey reflects," Dr. Orwoll continues, "there is no approved therapy for osteoporosis in men in the United States. In fact, there has never been a research trial to evaluate osteoporosis therapies for men."

 

Ironically, this survey shows that men fear most the kind of debilitating problems ­­ such as the inability to walk, reduced participation in everyday activities, and limited mobility ­­ that are exactly the consequences associated with osteoporosis. However, as the survey vividly demonstrates, men simply do not know this.

 

Lack of knowledge about osteoporosis and its consequences is particularly dangerous because osteoporosis is a disease with no early warning signs. Unless individuals understand that they are at risk and take preventive action, they may not discover the disease until they lose height as a result of vertebral fractures or break a hip or wrist.

 

Prevention Is Possible ­­ Education Is Key 

"It is crucial for everyone ­­ men and women, young and old ­­ to understand that while osteoporosis is not yet curable, it is preventable, detectable, and treatable if people understand their personal risk for developing the disease," says Sandra C. Raymond, executive director of NOF. "Since NOF's only mission is America's bone health, we want everyone to be armed with accurate information."

 

According to NOF, today 25 million Americans either have or are at high risk for osteoporosis. This disease leads annually to more than half a million vertebral fractures, 300,000 hip fractures, 200,000 broken wrists and 300,000 fractures of other bones. An estimated 37,500 people die each year following fracture­related complications. The disease takes an enormous personal and economic toll ­­ with estimated costs in excess of $10 billion annually for direct medical treatment.

Dieting

Nutritionists are against dieting. It took time to put on the weight and it will take time to take it off. Dieting turns into yo-yo diets. The best thing to do is simply eat correctly, exercise, and be patient.

 

Vegan

Vegetarians do not eat meat.  The sub category of vegetarians that do not any animal product is Vegan.  Vegans are a tiny minority, but they are often healthier than many other people.  In fact, studies show that vegetarians live longer than meat eaters.  I think it is simply because meat eaters eat so much saturated fat.  There are always exceptions to rules.  The Eskimos live on high saturated fat from fish, but the omega 3 in fish counteracts the negative high fat and Eskimos have little heart disease.  I believe God wants us to eat mainly plant food and if we eat meat is should be mainly fish.  Cows are destroying the earth as John Robbins teaches in his books and video.


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