Here's how it happens . . . Bone is made up of living tissue, mostly collagen, which forms a framework for the bone. Calcium is a mineral which is added to this framework to make the bone hard and strong.

During childhood and teenage years, new bone is added faster than old bone is removed. After 30, this reverses. It's more likely to develop if you don't reach optimal bone mass during your early years. This is why treating osteoporosis naturally with the right calcium supplements along with minerals and vitamins can make an enormous difference and actually prevent it from happening in the first place!

In osteoporosis, the bones become brittle and porous due to loss of calcium and all of a sudden break. The bone density loss can occur long before the advanced symptoms and you may not even realize you've got it until a simple fall or accident causes a fracture. Natural osteoporosis supplements are well worth taking to avoid such pain in the future.

Symptoms in advanced osteoporosis are bone pain, joint pain and spontaneous fractures. Any bone can be affected but the most vulnerable and crucial areas will be the hips and spine.

Osteoporosis can strike at any age and affects approximately 60-70% of women and 30-40% of men. 50% of all women between the age of 45 and 75 show some degree of osteoporosis and out of those, 33% suffer serious bone deterioration. Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men because they lose bone tissue (through losing calcium) more rapidly than men, especially after menopause. This is why supplements for natural osteoporosis treatment are essential.

Osteoporosis is approximately the 12th most common cause of death (eg following a hip fracture). In the US alone it costs $3.8 billion to treat people with osteoporosis (and not using natural treatments). Compare that to the small cost of calcium supplements as a natural treatment for osteoporosis!

Preventing Osteoporosis - A Natural Approach

An overwhelming body of opinion favours calcium supplements as an alternative and natural treatment for osteoporosis. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and 99% of body calcium is found in the bones and teeth. However as you get older your body is less efficient at absorbing calcium and other nutrients.

The most recent clinical research clearly points out that our diets are critically deficient in calcium and the only way to get enough calcium to treat osteoporosis or prevent it is through using good, absorbable calcium supplements and a sensible diet.

• Supplement with a good source of calcium and other minerals (liquid is always best) - most people consume less than half the amount of calcium needed to build and maintain bones.
• A well balanced diet with plenty of green leafy vegetables.
• Exercise ? particularly weight-bearing exercises.
• Avoidance of processed foods, cigarettes, alcohol and carbonated drinks.

Detecting possible signs of osteoporosis is essential for prevention and cure.

A bone density test may be useful to detect signs of osteoporosis. However these are normally done on the large bones and it's the small bones that will actually give you the indication that you're losing bone tissue first.

A natural approach to treating osteoporosis is to first determine if you're suffering a calcium deficiency and are at higher risk.

In his book, ?Rare Earths Forbidden Cures? , Dr Joel Wallach lists the common signs of calcium deficiency: receding gums (osteoporosis of facial bones and jaw bones), kidney stones, bone spurs, cramps and twitches (e.g. eye twitches), lower back pain, Tinnitus (ringing in the ears is actually osteoporosis of the ear bone), high blood pressure can sometimes be a calcium deficiency, poor blood clotting, Arthritis, bad PMS, cracking bones and joints.

Highly active or athletic people ? if you sweat heavily, your loss of minerals, particularly calcium, will be much higher! You need to replace all those minerals you've sweated out!)

Risk factors:

• Women (especially post-menopausal).
• Age ? the older we are the more bone tissue we lose. Older men and women need to consume more calcium.
• Body size ? small thin-boned people are at greater risk because they have less bone mass.
• Lactose intolerance and celiac disease can lead to calcium deficiency.
• Diets high in processed food which are high in phosphorus and prevent calcium from being absorbed.

Treating Osteoporosis Naturally

Whilst there are a number of drug treatments offered by conventional medicine, the general consensus is that treating osteoporosis naturally with supplements and early prevention methods haven't been used to their full advantage.

When it comes to treating osteoporosis naturally, the use of nutritional supplements with calcium as a focus have produced spectacular results. The following supplements for treating osteoporosis naturally are recommended:

• Calcium & magnesium supplements from a high quality and highly absorbable source at 2000 mg and 1000 mg per day respectively for the first 30 days.
• Colloidal calcium, magnesium, boron (can be found in plant derived minerals) digestive enzymes taken 15 minutes before meals. (improves absorption of calcium from food and supplements).
• Vitamin D (lack of vitamin D can cause a calcium deficiency as it helps the body absorb calcium).
• Calcium is highly absorbable (up to 98%) in organic plant derived colloidal minerals and water soluble chelated form. (i.e. Liquid calcium supplements with vitamin D, magnesium and manganese are excellent).

Dietary Tips for Natural Treatment and Prevention of Osteoporosis

1. Natural sources of Calcium: some dairy products such as yogurt and cheese (milk is not a good source as it contains a high amount of protein and will prevent calcium from being absorbed), Dark green leafy vegetables (eg broccoli and spinach), Tofu, Almonds, Foods enriched with calcium (eg some orange juice is enriched with calcium supplements).
2. Natural sources of Vitamin D: Egg yolks, Salt water fish, Liver NB Your skin will make Vitamin D following direct exposure to sunlight.
3. Drink eight glasses of pure, filtered water every day (you need water to eliminate toxins).
4. Eat a variety of foods with a low fat, high protein intake.
5. Eat organic, fresh foods wherever possible.

Exercise and Lifestyle for Osteoporosis

Exercise is important as a natural treatment for osteoporosis because bones respond to exercise in the same way as muscles ? they grow stronger. (If you have osteoporosis, plan your exercise programme with your physician.

Weight-bearing exercise is best because the bones respond by becoming stronger (e.g. walking, hiking, jogging, stair climbing, weight training, tennis).

If there's one thing that conventional medicine and natural osteoporosis treatments have in common, it's exercise. Many accidents and falls will occur around the home since this is where you spend most of your time. If you have osteoporosis, keep your home uncluttered and obstacle-free. Have things within easy reach. Do use a walking stick or other aid for support. Make sure stairs are well lit. Don't rush! Treating osteoporosis naturally can start right in your own home!

Treating osteoporosis naturally - things to avoid:

• Smoking affects the lungs and is bad for the bones and bad for your osteoporosis.
• Excessive alcohol ? can contribute to bone loss.
• Processed foods (Many processed foods are high in phosphorous. Diets rich in phosphorous upset the phosphorous to calcium ratio and may result in calcium deficiency.)
• Some medications can cause bone loss, particularly medications prescribed for arthritis and asthma.
• Excess sugar and caffeine lead to a loss of calcium from the bones.
• Carbonated drinks neutralize stomach acid ? the result is decreased absorption of calcium into your bones.

Summary

1. Our risk of developing osteoporosis rises as we get older and affects men and women.
2. There are many warning signs for osteoporosis such as grinding joints, bone spurs, receding gums and high blood pressure - all signs of a calcium deficiency .
3. Treating osteoporosis naturally involves supplementation with liquid minerals - particularly calcium, magnesium and other trace minerals along with a good multivitamin.
4. Lifestyle is important - reduce your intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol (these all cause calcium to be lost from the tissues); increase your intake of fresh food - particularly green leafy vegetables.
5. Weight-bearing exercises such as yoga, light weights are an excellent strategy for preventing and treating osteoporosis naturally.