The topic of osteoporosis has generated a lot of media attention in the past couple of decades. So much so, that it has influenced a lot of women into a state of fear and panic about the state and health of their bones.

This has resulted in many, many women taking actions which they “think” or have been “lead to believe” are in the best interest of their bone health, but some which are actually causing more harm than good.

No one wants to be told that their bones are thin and brittle. No one wants to deal with the physical and emotional pain, as well as financial and other hardships due to a fall resulting in a fracture or break. No one wants to be told they lost a loved one because of such complications.

But are we then getting the right information when it comes to preventing the above events? Many think the answer is naturally ‘yes‘, when in fact, it is all too often ‘no‘.

Taking super high calcium supplements, loading up on dairy and resorting to pharmaceutical approaches are actually far from being the optimal approaches for keeping our bones strong and healthy.

Awareness and proper education is key, hence in this article we will examine the top proven ways to prevent and reverse osteoporosis naturally, easily and cost effectively.

Understanding Osteoporosis

When it comes to osteoporosis, most people are completely unaware of how bone naturally breaks down and rebuilds over their lifetime. All we are told is that as you age, bone breaks down, it is worse in women due to menopause and the hormones associated with that, less dense bones result in a greater risk of fracture and basically you need pharmaceutical medication to help you save your life.

But let us look at this topic with a little more clarity. What is the thing that really causes bones to break or fracture? Falling. Bones don’t just break or fracture out of thin air. What increases falling? First and foremost a person’s level of consciousness. Most of us move about our lives with a high degree of unconsciousness. Whether we call it clumsy, or not being careful, it stems from the same state.

Sure it can be argued that the weaker the bone, the more likely that a fall will result in more damage. But there are truly so many other factors to consider of why elderly people for example experience more serious injuries from falls, and having less dense bones is only one of those factors.

So while I will not get into a discussion on consciousness or other problems for increased falling, I would like to share with you a few ways of naturally preventing and even reversing osteoporosis that you can choose to make a part of your life today.

3 Natural Ways to Prevent and Reverse Osteoporosis

1. Exercise

This is by far the most powerful and proven method to build strong bones. It is the method that most people least want to hear, but the main reason I would say that osteoporosis was not an issue for people in the past. We as humans are meant to be moving, not being sedentary creatures. The average person today has way too little movement in their life early on, which already impacts bone density and gets even worse as they age, for most have never developed a habit of it in their lifestyle.

Bone builds and re-builds based on its needs. So if you don’t use them, you literally lose them. So what type of exercise are we talking about?

If you don’t have labor intensive work in your life on a daily basis, like farming, construction or other, then we need to generate other ways of getting the bones to feel useful. Part of this can include daily brisk walking, yoga and various cardio exercises, but the key really is having some resistance or weight training exercise. This is especially critical for women, and the exercise they are least likely to engage in. So whether you pick up some weights at home or in the gym, get some resistance training which will not only build your bones, but beneficial muscles to support optimal health as well.

2. An Alkaline Diet

In our society people drink coffee, soda, alcohol and eat fast, processed foods high in bad fats, protein, sugar and salt like there is no tomorrow. This creates not only a nutrient deficient body, but also an acidic one at that.

Bones are largely made up of calcium and phosphorus and also use a variety of other nutrients to form properly. An acidic state in the body needs a buffer to keep things in balance and prevent us from literally dying. The most common buffer your body uses, is the precious alkaline calcium that it finds in your bones.

So if you are concerned about losing bone mass, before you consider any pharmaceutical pill or supplement, go to the source and stop pulling calcium from your bones unnecessarily. Clean up your diet first and foremost, as there lies the power to build and repair anything and everything in your body properly. For more information on the acid/alkaline balance and way of eating check out Alkalize Your Health.

3. Vitamin D

Just as there are many myths surrounding osteoporosis, there are many myths surrounding the sun and vitamin D. We were told for long enough to avoid it like the plague and hence today we have a highly deficient population in vitamin D.

For proper bone formation calcium alone is not enough. Vitamin D must be present. So while some people think that as long as they are taking calcium supplements, they will be fine, nothing could be further from the truth. All the calcium in the world is not going to help, if vitamin D is not there to assist in the biochemical reaction.

Hence, we need to re-establish a safe relationship with the sun again. And if you don’t or can’t get enough sun, a vitamin D supplement is a must today, especially for those of us at any kind of risk for its deficiency. Talk to your natural health provider, or do your own research as to how much vitamin D is right for you.

And What About Calcium?

As I mentioned before, calcium alone is not enough. While it is super important and the main component that makes up your bones, there is much mis-information when it comes to calcium too.

For starters, today we are told to intake higher than ever amounts of calcium, which almost all people find impossible to do unless they take a supplement.

Supplements, especially ones high in calcium, or poorly digested or absorbable calcium, end up creating more problems inside of our bodies and where our health is concerned. For starters they throw off the body’s natural calcium balance, which makes it harder for the body to absorb what it needs properly from food. Secondly, they lead to all sorts of problems in the kidneys, including kidney stones, as excess calcium is constantly trying to be filtered out. Thirdly, they increase problems with our cardiovascular health, and hardened calcium deposits can accumulate in the arteries.

So while I am not saying not to take a calcium supplement at all, I am also not saying to take one. There is much more research that needs to go in for each individual, in whether they need a calcium supplement, what kind and how much.

And What About Dairy?

If dairy was the answer to the osteoporosis problems, then North Americans should have some of the best, not worst bones in the world for being some of the highest consumers of dairy.

Dairy is acidic to the body, does not contain the most bio-available calcium and has a whole slew of its own problems, in terms of why it is not the number 1, 2 or 3 choice for building strong bones.

While there can be some amazing and powerful nutrition in raw, organic milk, most people will not consider that. Instead they go for the processed, hormonally and chemically injected, pasteurized milk and cheese that is on the typical store shelf.

Conclusion

So in the end, know that your bone health, just as all other aspects of your health are in your hands. Do not let anyone else tell you what to do, unless you first have understood what your body truly needs and wants.

Your body will build you strong bones, right into a ripe old age, given the right diet, and most importantly only IF it feels you use them for it to invest its resources into building them.

So show your body how much you love and appreciate it by treating it right, and have it also give you everything you need to live out your healthiest and happiest life ever!