“Youth is wasted on the young.” Ever heard that? Pflugerville Wellness Center supposes that there is
a bit of truth in that for all of us - and particularly
our Pflugerville spines - as we age. When we’re young, our
bodies need8 our attention more than we gave. Our youthful
bones and spines and bodies need good nutrition so
that our older bones and spine and bodies are healthy
when we want to live our lives less painfully and more
fully. Pflugerville Wellness Center shares what Pflugerville
chiropractic patients can do now to address bone mineral
density (BMD) issues, regardless of their current age.
BMD AND OSTEOPOROSIS: BUILD BMD WHILE YOUNG
Elevating peak bone mass early in life may decrease
osteoporosis risk later in life. A recent report 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 affected
BMD in the lumbar spine at young adulthood. Other leading
factors were body weight at adolescence and young adulthood which positively affected
BMD. (1) Pflugerville Wellness Center cannot stress enough just
how important nutrition is for their future health.
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 have a tendency to have an heightened chance
of having any type of cancer and breast cancer. (2) Calcium intake during
the teen years of life is important to reduce the
risk of osteoporosis later in life. Teen girls absorb calcium more
effectively: 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 far lower than what it should be. Increasing
bone mass by just 5% cuts the risk of fracture
by 40%. (3) Attaining 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) Pflugerville Wellness Center shares
these findings to encourage us all to boost
intake of nutrients to build bone mass early and support it
later to keep it healthy.
IMPROVE ABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS
Pflugerville Wellness Center knows that kids and their
families want to be sure that their nutritional efforts will be of value. TIP: Dietary fiber may increase 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 did not 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? Pflugerville Wellness Center bets
that many of our Pflugerville chiropractic patients wouldn’t
have!
FIBER’S DEFENSE OF MEN’S BMD
Fortunately, there are some very
alert researchers and doctors out there!
They found that fiber intake was a protective factor of
lumbar spine BMD in men 18-45 years of age but not in females. 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 enhanced
BMD. (6) A curious side note: A new study
refutes the thought that BMD may be a risk factor
for lumbar disc herniation in youth, but a new study discredited that
thought. (7) However, medical literature points out that the general
value of nutrition - and now fiber intake in men - on the well-being
of the body, its bones and its spine.
CONTACT Pflugerville Wellness Center
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 Pflugerville chiropractic
appointment with Pflugerville Wellness Center where your spine, body and its bones are well known
in their current age whether they were treated well in their youth or not!