Osteoporosis – there is a lot you can do to prevent and reduce its effects!
Before I introduce our mineral superhero, I’d like you to take a little quiz. Actually, it’s so little it’s only one question. But, the answer could change your life.
If you were told by your doctor that your bone density was low and they were worried about osteoporosis, what one food item listed below, would you choose to eat a whole lot more of?
A. Whole Milk
B. Cucumber
C. Sirloin Steak
Ok, now remember your choice and we’ll come back to the answer in a minute. Osteoporosis is a prevalent disease in our society, but it doesn’t need to be. When you hear the word osteoporosis, do you immediately think about calcium deficiency? Chances are good that calcium deficiency is not the main problem. This is a fallacy that really needs to be corrected, or the prevalence of this disease will continue to increase. In societies that have a diet high in calcium and meat protein, rates of osteoporosis are the highest. For example, the Eskimos have the highest dietary calcium intake of any people in the world – more than 2000 mg. a day from fish bones. Their diet is also the very highest in the world in protein – as much as 250 to 400 grams a day. (The negative effects of a high meat protein diet, I will leave for another blog. ) And yet, the native Eskimo people have one of the very highest rates of osteoporosis in the world.
In order to create healthy, strong bones, we don’t just need calcium. We need calcium and magnesium in proper combination, vitamin K, vitamin D, and also, the mineral that I’m highlighting today, which is SILICA. The majority of Americans have no shortage of calcium in their diet, but one of the key bone-building components that they commonly don’t get enough of is SILICA.
Why is SILICA so important?
Silica is indispensable when it comes to building strong bones. It plays an important role in initiating the calcification process, thus helping us to maintain strong, flexible bones. Silica is required for collagen production and is the essential component making up the collagen matrix upon which calcium is deposited. This relationship is so fundamental that it is truly impossible to form bone without both calcium and silica. Silica is especially concentrated in the areas of active bone formation. In fact, your bone mineralization takes place in negatively charged areas in the bone. And, it turns out that the negative charges come from silica crystals that react to physical stress on the bone.
Osteoporosis sufferers commonly show significant loss of silica. It has been demonstrated time and again that adding silica into an osteoporosis or bone-healing protocol has offered significant and often miraculous results.
All right, you’ve waited patiently for the answer to your quiz. What is the correct choice?
If you haven’t guessed by now, it’s (B) the amazing CUCUMBER!
Cucumber helps combat osteoporosis in two ways. First, the cucumber is known as a vegetable with high silica content. Eating a cucumber a day will go a long way towards keeping your bones strong and healthy! Cucumbers are also one of the most alkaline vegetables. In case you weren’t aware, the more acidic your blood, the more calcium is stripped from your bones in order to buffer it and return it to a safer, more alkaline pH. The cucumber is amazing for helping you balance your pH. And bonus, like cinnamon, cucumber improves your body’s response to insulin and is a must-have for anyone suffering from diabetes.
Other foods and herbs high in silica are green beans, spinach, nettle leaf, horsetail, oat straw, and rose hips.
I hope you’ve learned something useful in today’s blog, and perhaps you might learn to love this underutilized, but a wonderful gift from nature – the CUCUMBER!
If you’d like to get an herbal boost in fighting osteoporosis or balancing your blood sugar, I do carry and recommend two wonderful formulas, Osteo-8 for bone health and Equilibrium for balancing blood sugar.
I hope you have found this information helpful.
If you’d like more personalized help with your health, I’d be happy to help you get started on the road to vibrant health. You can email me with any questions, or you can sign up for an initial free Vitality Breakthrough Strategy Session and I can help you determine your next best steps to health! If you’re ready to get started now, check out my health coaching and training services. They are available in-person local to the San Francisco Bay Area, or distance coaching and training is available for non-local clients.
With love, Holly