“Youth is wasted on the young.” Ever heard that? Vancouver Disc Centers supposes that there’s
a little truth in that for all of us - and especially
our Vancouver spines - as we age. When we are young, our
bodies need8 our attention more than we realize. Our young
bones and spines and bodies require proper nutrition so
that our older bones and spine and bodies are in good shape
when we desire living our lives less painfully and more
fully. Vancouver Disc Centers reveals what Vancouver
chiropractic patients can do now to deal with bone mineral
density (BMD) issues, regardless of their current age.
BMD AND OSTEOPOROSIS: BUILD BMD WHILE YOUNG
Optimizing peak bone mass early in life may reduce
osteoporosis risk later in life. A new study stated
that Vitamin D and calcium in females positively affected bone mineral density
into young adulthood. Intakes of phosphorous and the calcium:phosphorous ratio
at adolescence for females negatively affected BMD in young
adulthood. Calcium intake in adolescent males strongly negatively influenced
BMD in the lumbar spine at young adulthood. Other leading
factors were body weight at adolescence and young adulthood which positively affected
BMD. (1) Vancouver Disc Centers can’t emphasize enough just
how important nutrition is for their future well-being.
BENEFITS OF IMPROVED NUTRITION BEYOND BETTER BONE MINERAL
DENSITY
Osteoporosis is a disease of older people that stems
from youthful (in)attention. Low serum levels of vitamin D in osteoporotic
women tend to have an increased chance
of having any type of cancer and breast cancer. (2) Calcium intake during
the teen years of life is important to decrease the
risk of osteoporosis later in life. Teen girls absorb calcium better: 326mg in teenage girls versus just 73mg in older women of 1332 mg taken daily.
Even more problematic is that teen girls’ daily intake
of calcium is way lower than what it should be. Enhancing
bone mass by only 5% drops the risk of fracture
by 40%. (3) Getting healthy bones hinges on more than just calcium and vitamin D though.
Deficiencies of vitamins B, C, E, and K as well as retinol compromise
the health of bone. (4) Vancouver Disc Centers shares
these statistics to encourage us all to boost
intake of nutrients to build bone mass initially and support it
later to keep it healthy.
IMPROVE ABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS
Vancouver Disc Centers knows that kids and their
families want to be sure that their nutritional efforts will pay
off. TIP: Dietary fiber may raise the body’s
absorption of calcium but does it in different ways for older
men and women. Higher intake of dietary fiber and fruit fiber was
protective against bone loss in men but not women. Fiber from vegetables was
protective against spine bone loss in women but not men. Cereal fiber or nut
and legume fiber increases didn’t relate to bone loss in either men or women. Higher dietary fiber may decrease
bone loss in men. (5) Who would have thought that fiber would
have anything to do with bone mineral density? Vancouver Disc Centers supposes
that many of our Vancouver chiropractic patients would not
have!
FIBER’S DEFENSE OF MEN’S BMD
Fortunately, some most observant doctors and
researchers did notice that fiber intake was a protective factor of
lumbar spine BMD in men 18-45 years of old but not in women. In men over 65 years, nutrient
intake indicated no effect on BMD. In women between 18 and 45,
fiber didn’t show a significant effect
on BMDs, but daily fat intake significantly increased
BMD. (6) An interesting side note: A new study
refutes the thought that BMD may be a risk factor
for lumbar disc herniation in youth, but a recent study discredited that
thought. (7) However, medical literature points out that the general
benefit of nutrition - and now fiber intake in men - on the well-being
of the body, its bones and its spine.
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Nike Taylor on The Back
Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she helps a patients with
chronic low back pain with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your next Vancouver chiropractic
appointment with Vancouver Disc Centers where your spine, body and its bones are well understood
in their current age whether they were treated well in their youth or not!