July 20. 2011 23:20

This is a fantastic site.  I've learned more here than any other source, including my osteoporosis physician at a major teaching hospital in our state.  I would love to see information about other causes of osteoporosis other than poor metabolism of minerals or loss of hormones.  I am really sold on the acidic alkaline balanced diet. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis before menopause.  I was told I have a very high urine calcium, kidney stone, and both calcium and oxylate crystals.  I wonder when we know if osteoporosis is due to defects with the kidneys themselves.  

D Feggestad

July 21. 2011 09:43

Dear D. Feggestad, We here at Better Bones are both gratified by your praise, and a little horrified by your personal story. The medical issues you cite should be red flags -- indeed, red rockets!-- suggesting a need for further investigation of what's causing your bone loss, but it sounds as though that investigation hasn't occurred. Please see Dr. Brown's articles on the site about the underlying causes of bone loss and the medical workup for osteoporosis here: www.betterbones.com/osteoporosis/secondaryosteoporosis.aspx, here: http://www.betterbones.com/bonehealth/medicaltestingforosteoporosis.aspx, and here: http://www.betterbones.com/bonehealth/understandingosteoporosistestresults.aspx. We strongly suggest you work with your doctor to discover why it is you are losing so much calcium in your urine. We also would suggest you take a look at Dr. Brown's posts and articles on vitamin K, which is an essential nutrient for binding calcium in the bone so that it does not wind up in the blood vessels. One key post is here: http://www.betterbones.com/blog/post/calcium-supplements-heart-disease-vitamin-K.aspx and another is here: http://www.betterbones.com/bonenutrition/vitamin-k/benefits.aspx. Best of luck to you!

Managing Editor

August 2. 2011 11:36

Not so easy to get off diet soda (coke or pepsi). it is very addictive to  many of us.  Easy to stay why it is bad and to stop but really no help or ideas out there on how to stop drinking it.

Joan

August 4. 2011 00:15

Joan, I went cold turkey on the soda and replaced with green tea about 10 years ago. I sweetened the tea with honey, so didn't have a problem switching.

Mary

August 11. 2011 09:46

Hi Joan,

Sugar can be addictive, but there are steps you can take to reduce its attractiveness. Some suggestions:

1) condition yourself to stay out of the soda aisle in the grocery store, and to always buy water or seltzer when you purchase drinks at restaurants. If you don't buy it, you can't drink it. This requires you to really be mindful of what you're taking into your body and not simply consuming sugar out of habit, and it can be the hardest step in eliminating sugar from your life.

2. Changing a habit can be done more ways than one. Mary's "cold turkey" method works for some but is too difficult for others. So try going cold turkey, and if you just can't manage it, then try instead a slow and steady approach. So, for example, if you are used to having something sweet for breakfast, make a point of having that sweet thing be fresh fruit instead of breakfast cereal, or make a smoothie from fresh or frozen berries, almond or coconut milk, some whey protein (or rice protein if it works better for you) and a few kale leaves. When you have successfully changed that sweetness habit, find another one to change -- maybe change your afternoon soda to an afternoon glass of iced tea (or hot tea, depending on season) and work on establishing that habit until you succeed. Every little bit helps.

3) Read the labels on your food and look for ways to substitute other sweeteners for sugar. Honey is a good one, as is maple syrup (make sure it's the real thing, though -- not maple-flavored high-fructose corn syrup). Xylitol, erythritol and stevia leaf are also options (and these do not raise blood sugar if that is a concern).

4) Mary's suggestion of green tea with honey is a good one, but if you must have fizz, an alternative is seltzer or club soda with lemon juice and honey, which has the added advantage of providing some alkalizing minerals. You can also add green tea if you need the caffeine, although of course caffeine has its own troublesome issues.

5) When dealing with a sugar addiction, Dr. Brown also recommends adding some chromium picolinate to your supplement regimen, if you have one. Chromium helps the body to regulate insulin, the hormone that manages blood sugar, and when you have a high sugar intake, chromium can be diminished in the body -- most people get about 50 mcg in their diet, when the needed amount is 200-1000 mcg. Read more about chromium here: http://www.betterbones.com/bonenutrition/chromium.aspx

6) Sugar cravings also may point to a deficiency in the neurotransmitter serotonin. Supplementing with vitamin C, B vitamins, and zinc can support serotonin levels to help reduce cravings. You can learn more about each of these nutrients (and the recommended amounts) in our article on the 20 key bone nutrients, here: http://www.betterbones.com/bonenutrition/20keybonenutrients.aspx

7) you might also consider acupuncture, which is often helpful for reducing cravings for addictive substances -- sugar among them.

8) take care to get enough sleep! we've seen that a soda habit frequently means that a person simply isn't getting adequate rest at night, and is propping him- or herself up with caffeine and sugar. Most people need at least 8 hours, and some need more. If that sounds like you, make a point of turning off your TV or computer no later than 8 pm and really work on getting a night of good, uninterrupted sleep.

Hopefully some of these suggestions will help!

Managing Editor