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Osteoporosis is a phenomenon of bone loss, where the bone mineral density eventually declines to a state lower than the sustaining power for human body, the body will likely to encounter skeletal deformation and bone fracture. The density of bone eventually diminishes with a hollow, loose, vulnerable and susceptible to bone fracture.

Symptoms

There is no early symptoms but once appear, osteoporosis would have long taken place. Common symptoms include humpback, shortened height, low back pain, and bone fracture.  

Risk Factors of Osteoporosis

• Race: White and Asian have lower bone density and more likely to have osteoporosis.
• Sex: The likelihood of women suffering from osteoporosis is 6-8 times greater than that of men because of the lower bone density with women, massive loss of bone after menopause, plus the longer average longevity. Women with advancing age or those with late menarche, skinny bodies have higher risk of osteoporosis.
• Genetic Constitution: Those with family history in osteoporosis.
• Those have few intake of calcium, vitamin D from daily diet, such as women on diet or picky eaters lacking sufficient calcium from diet. 
• Underweight person: The body weight is one of the reasons for bone density to maintain stability.
• Those who smoke, drink wine and coffee.
• Persons sitting in the office for a long time, lacking exercise, and long-term bedridden.

Cause of Disease in Chinese Medicine

Osteoporosis is similar to the Atrophic Debility of Bones in traditional Chinese medicine. It is believed in Chinese medicine that lack of qi and blood, long-term over-labor, or the loss of vital essence after critical disease will lead to diminished bone. Its pathological mechanism is mainly related to kidney deficiency because Chinese medicine refers kidney as the organ governing the bone, where kidney deficiency leads to bone and tendon weakness; consequently osteoporosis often leads to bone fracture. Kidney deficiency leads to low back pain while osteoporosis symptoms consist mainly low back pain, which pathogenesis is also related to  kidney deficiency.

Prevention and Health Care

• Food and Drinks
  • Eat more vegetable and fruit, and avoid stimulating and spicy food such as coffee, strong tea, chocolate, chili, mustard, spicy pepper, garlic, onion, and gingers. Eat food with rich content of calcium and take Vitamin D supplement to help calcium absorption. The deficiency of vitamin D could lead to osteoporosis. Moreover, eat less food high in calorie, saturated fat and sugar but eat soybean protein with low saturated fat and without cholesterol. Reduce salt intake also.
  • Which food contains calcium?

Sesame, black moss, seaweed, kelp, oyster, small dry fish, dried shrimp, bean curd, and dark-green vegetable. Dairies such as milk, yogurt, butter, cheese are good source of calcium. Drink 1~2 glasses of milk.

• Which food contains vitamin D?

Cod liver oil, fish with high content of fat (i.e. salmon), and mushroom. The eggs produced by chicken fed with vitamin, and milk and orange juice added with Vitamin D.

Apart from the vitamin that can be acquired from food, get proper amount of sunlight every day because the UV in daylight will transform the precursor of vitamin D in food into usable vitamin D by the body.

• Psychology
  • Reduce stress: Excessive stress or persons with depression are likely to affect the hormone balance of the body and bone mass, spending up the loss of bone mass.
  • Develop good habits such as flower cultivation and painting, maintaining pleasant mood, and participating in outdoor activities and clubs. Pleasant mood and open mind will slow down aging and reduce pain.
• Suitable Exercises
  • Exercise more: Correct and suitable exercises such and walking, jogging and bicycling can increase bone mass. The latest research suggests that exercise therapy can become one excellent tool for preventing osteoporosis. The so-called exercise therapy refers to one weight-bearing aerobic exercise plus balance training and resistance training that require lifting. Some even require wearing weight vest, which purpose aims to enhance the intensity after compressing the muscular tissues around the bone. This exercise provides an additional weight to the bone, and this perception would stimulate the bone calcification and eventually enhance the intensity. Consequently exercise will enhance the bone mass, however excessive exercises should also be avoided.
  • Women aged 40 years and older can take the bone density exam, have regular health check-ups, pay attention to physical health care, maintain balance nutrient intake, and engage in proper exercise to stay away from the disease.