Osteoporosis, and how you can prevent it

     Osteoporosis, the silent disease of later life. Silent, in that there is usually no pain or sign included in this condition until it is very well advanced. A broken bone may be the first indication that your bones have become thin. Osteoporosis literally means porous bones. Although the entire skeleton may be included, bone loss is usually greatest in the spine, hips and ribs. Since these bones bear a great deal of weight, they are then susceptible to pain, deformity or fracture. Normally there is a decline in bone loss after the age of 40. This bone loss is accelerated in patients with Osteoporosis. Many factors can lead to excessive bone loss. For example, many endocrine diseases like Diabetes are linked to Osteoporosis. Certain drugs are also related to Osteoporosis like Alcohol, Steroids, and Methotrexate, to name a few. The most common form of Osteoporosis is seen in post-menopausal women.

     Is Osteoporosis preventable? Yes, definitely. Recently there has been an incredible push for supplementing calcium in an effort to halt bone loss. While this appears to be sound medical advice, Osteoporosis is much more than a lack of dietary calcium; it is a complex condition involving lifestyle, hormonal, nutritional and environmental factors.

     Lack of exercise causes weak muscles, which gives little support to the skeletal system and forces the bones to bear greater weight, as well as depriving the body of oxygen supply and circulation, which are needed for tissue renewal that slows aging. Physical exercise is vital in maintaining and restoring optimum bone density. A 45-minute to an hour walk, three to five times a week, is the minimum exercise for preventing Osteoporosis.

     The absorption of calcium is dependent on a number of factors, firstly it needs to be ionised in the stomach by stomach acid. It has been found that up to 40% of postmenopausal women have not sufficient stomach acids to absorb calcium carbonate, to any great degree. Patients with low stomach acid need to use Calcium citrate, Calcium lactate or calcium gluconate. About 45% of the Calcium is absorbed from Calcium citrate in patients with reduced stomach acid, compared to 4% absorption for calcium carbonate.

     Another mineral that is necessary for bone growth is magnesium. It seems that magnesium is as important as calcium for bone mass. Intake of dairy foods fortified with vitamin D, results in decreased Magnesium absorption. Again take Magnesium in a citrate form for best results. Calcium citrate 1gram plus Magnesium citrate 500mg every day is the recommended supplementation. Vitamin D is also essential for calcium absorption. Vitamin D is made in the body in the presence of sunlight, another good reason to get outside for a walk. Supplementation may be necessary if you don’t get enough sunlight, 400 IU of vitamin D daily.

     Vitamin B6, folic acid and vitamin B12 are also involved in the presentation of Osteoporosis. These vitamins are necessary to prevent the formation of Homocysteine which has been linked to many diseases. So take a Homocysteine modulation supplement to avoid high Homocysteine levels and Osteoporosis.

David Foley

MRCHM, MNIMH

Medical Herbalist

The Treatment Of Chickenpox

This is a viral infection that is spread easily among children, particularly those under ten years of age, by contact and droplets of saliva spread through talking, coughing or sneezing. A child is most infectious just before the spots come out, and remains so until all the blisters have dried up, which takes about a week. The incubation period is seventeen to twenty-one days.

    It starts with a headache a fever and general malaise. There may be swollen lymph glands. The spots start normally on the trunk and can appear on the face, the scalp, inside the mouth, anus, vagina or ears; the arms and legs tend to be the least affected. They appear in crops every three or four days, starting as little pimples and quickly developing into oval shaped blisters, which are filled with fluid. Gradually the spots dry up and scab over. The scabs fall off after about ten days, and may leave scars, some of which are permanent, especially if the spots have been scratched.

    The blisters can be very itchy, and it is important to discourage your child from scratching as much as you can. Not only does scratching leave scars, but it also introduces bacterial infection into the skin, which can lead to impetigo, conjunctivitis or boils.

    Rarely, chicken pox can lead to encephalitis or be complicated by Reyes Syndrome. If your child feels unwell again once the scabs have healed and has a headache, vomits or feels particularly drowsy, call your doctor immediately. If your child has blisters on the eyeball call your doctor also.

     The chicken pox virus is related to the one that causes shingles, and a child may catch chicken pox from an adult with shingles, but rarely vice versa. If you are pregnant and have been in contact with chicken pox and are not immune, contact your doctor.

    Treatment of chicken pox with Echinacea and or garlic, as with all infection, will speed recovery. Take 2.5-5ml three times a day of a good root Echinacea tincture in water.

    If your child feels only mildly unwell, but has a fever add Boneset to Echinacea tincture, give an equal dose of Boneset in warm water to the child to break the fever.

    Boneset is one of the best remedies for the relief of symptoms that accompany any viral fever. It will speedily relieve aches and pains and help the body deal with any fever present overall.

    Externally, to help relieve the itching and speed healing of the skin, wash the skin frequently with chamomile tea. Use cool infusions and apply then on cotton wool or a flannel, or add them to bath water. Distilled witch hazel is also very good at relieving itching, dilute and apply ice cold – it feels really good for the child.

    Once the blisters have dried and the scabs have fallen off, use comfrey ointment alternated with dilute lavender oil, to prevent scar formation and to heal the skin properly.

     If a baby has spots on the bottom, leave the nappy off as much as possible. Keep fingernails clean and short to stop infection caused by scratching.

    Give only a light diet, with mostly fruit, vegetables and soups, and plenty to drink.

David Foley

MRCHM, MNIMH
Medical Herbalist