Home Remedies for Osteopenia: Osteopenia is a condition affecting the density of your bone mineral. It is an early sign of bone loss and a sign alerting you on the condition of your bone health. If you suffer from osteopenia, it is important to take steps to prevent your bone mass from deteriorating any further. Fortunately, there are natural remedies that can help you with this. These are simple remedies that involve getting nutrients that you need to improve bone density and bone health, and work the best in combination with a medical treatment.
10 Home Remedies for Osteopenia to Treat and Prevent It Naturally
Here is a look at some of the best home remedies for osteopenia:
1. Calcium
When it comes to improving bone density, calcium is your greatest ally. It makes up most of your bones, so this nutrient plays a critical role in the prevention of bone-related diseases. In fact, a low-calcium diet contributes to low bone density as well as premature bone loss. For adults aged between 19 and 50, the recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000 mg. As for those over 50 years, they should get 1,200 mg a day.
- Include calcium-rich foods in your daily diet. Such foods include green leafy vegetables, low-fat yogurt, non-fat milk, tofu, salmon, sardines, dried fruits like prunes, and calcium-enriched breakfast cereals and other products.
- You can also take calcium supplements, but consult your doctor first before doing so.
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2. Vitamin D
Another important nutrient that supports bone health is Vitamin D. It plays a critical role in lowering the risk of osteopenia. It has been found that a deficiency in Vitamin D is a significant factor in the development of osteopenia and osteoporosis. This nutrient helps your body in improved absorption of calcium.
- Include more Vitamin D-rich foods in your daily diet, including eggs, fish such as swordfish, sardines and salmon, and fortified foods like orange juice and cereals.
- Enjoy the rays of the morning sun for 10 to 15 minutes every day to boost your body’s production of Vitamin D.
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3. Soy Protein
Soy contains a compound known as genistein that may help in strengthening bones, making it one of the best home remedies for osteopenia Soy protein may be able to help increase your bone density and this can go a long way in treating and preventing this condition.
- Incorporate soy protein into your regular diet. However, keep in mind that it is important to make sure that your body gets enough calcium too.
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4. Vitamin K
Vitamin K can significantly boost your bone mineral density level. It also helps the body produce proteins to keep your bones healthy and reduce the amount of calcium eliminated from the body. Although further studies are still required to examine the link between this nutrient and bone health, it is a good idea to eat more Vitamin k-rich foods to gain the benefits they have to offer.
- Support your bone health by eating Vitamin K-rich foods, including broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, prunes, turnip greens, and fermented dairy products.
- You can also opt for Vitamin K supplements. However, consult your doctor to find out the appropriate dosage for you.
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5. Increase Your Potassium Level
As you know, potassium plays a key role in muscle health, but did you know that it is also important for bone health? Potassium may help in neutralizing acids that eliminate calcium from the body, making it a nutrient that is extremely important for bone health. Apart from being good for treating osteopenia, this vital mineral may also prevent osteoporosis.
- Include foods rich in potassium to your diet including avocados, apricots, bananas, broccoli, carrots, dates, mangos, strawberries, kiwis, red peppers, spinach, Swiss chards, sweet potatoes, and oranges.
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6. Regular Exercise
One of the best home remedies for osteopenia and and its prevention is to stay physically active. It is vital to keep in mind that bone forms and remodels as a response to physical stress. Therefore, regular exercise helps in the prevention of loss of bone mineral density. Also, remember that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk for osteopenia as well as osteoporosis.
- Perform light weight-bearing exercises for at least 30 minutes for most days of the week.
- Activities like dancing, swimming, hiking and walking are also good activities to make sure that your body gets the exercise it needs and prevent osteopenia.
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7. Reduce Your Caffeine Intake
When consumed in moderate amounts, coffee offers some benefits in other aspects of your health. Unfortunately, any form of caffeine does not do any good for bone health. Taking caffeine in excessive amounts, especially, can interfere with the ability of your body to absorb calcium, the critical nutrient required for bone health.
- Do not consume more than 3 cups of brewed coffee a day, and for your own good, try to limit it to just a cup. Over consumption accelerates the loss of bone from the spine.
- It might also be a good idea to switch to decaf coffee to reduce your risk for osteopenia.
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8. Increase Your Magnesium Intake
Magnesium-rich foods are equally important in our list of home remedies for osteopenia. You should eat foods that are rich in magnesium every day to improve the health of your bones and reduce the risk of osteopenia altogether. This nutrient is required in more than 325 enzyme systems in the body that control countless chemical interactions. It also helps in stimulating calcitonin, the hormone that helps in preserving bone structure by drawing calcium out of soft tissues and blood back into the bones.
- Include magnesium-rich foods to your daily diet, including avocados, almonds, beans, tofu, bananas, walnuts, pecans, cashews, beans, soy milk, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, green leafy vegetables, whole grains and blackstrap molasses.
- You can also take magnesium supplements, but make sure that you consult your doctor before doing so.
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9. Lower Sodium Intake
It is known that salt causes excessive excretion of salt through the kidneys. In fact, excessive intake of sodium has been found to be a risk factor for bone fragility. Studies also show that a diet high in salt increases the risk of breaking a bone among post-menopausal women, irregardless of their bone density.
- Limit your salt intake to improve your bone health.
- You should take less than 1,500 mg of salt every day.
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10. Vitamin C
Like every other nutrient in our list of home remedies for osteopenia, Vitamin C is equally important in preventing loss of bone mineral density. The main protein in bones is collagen, and Vitamin C plays a key role in the synthesis of collagen. You should consume adequate amounts of this nutrient to improve bone density. This can result in strong bones that are structurally sound and reduce the risk of fractures.
- Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C, including citrus fruits, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, cantaloupe, kiwi, pineapple, and cauliflower.
- You can also take Vitamin C supplements. However, before you start taking one, you should consult your doctor for the appropriate dosage.
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There are many home remedies for osteopenia that can treat and prevent it at home. It is all about making a few lifestyle changes, like getting more physically active, and eating a healthier, balanced diet that contains the nutrients you need to improve bone density. As a bonus, you gain all the other health benefits that these remedies have to offer.