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Los Gatos Chiropractic and Wellness Center

October 2013 Newsletter

Our newsletters and website are written to provide you with tools and information you need to pursue better health. We invite you to contact our office with any further questions (408) 891-8222.

-Dr. Kate Fox and Dr. Jessie Young

Osteoporosis

Well, the statistics say that the chance of death from these two diseases is equal. Shockingly, hip fractures are one of the leading causes of death in people over 50, and over 80% of hip fractures are due to osteoporosis. The current US estimates put the number of people with osteoporosis at 60 million by the year 2020. This is a preventable disease and one that requires intervention and attention from a public health standpoint.

Most of us know about osteoporosis and understand that we should "eat right and exercise" to prevent this disease. And the most critical time in our lives to do this is from age 15 to 25. That's when our peak bone mass is built in the body. This is what you'll start with, because after age 35 bone loss is faster than bone building and we all start a long steady decline in bone density. This doesn't mean that everyone will get osteoporosis though.

The rate of bone loss depends heavily on three factors: Where you started (peak bone mass), exercise and nutrition. Since it's probably too late for most of us to change our peak bone mass, we have to work hard on the other two components to slow the rate of bone loss as much as possible. If you have children, ensure they get the best start possible.

Like most things in life, this is not a quick fix but a long term strategy. Bone turnover takes years, and to change the rate of bone loss, you have to maintain the proper exercise and nutrition over that whole time period, luckily it is a long term process, so it's OK to skip a few days and take a balanced approach. The more risk factors you have, the harder you may need to work to prevent this disease.

• Female with a small frame of Caucasian/Asian descent
• Early Menopause or prolonged hormonal imbalances
• Known calcium and vitamin D deficiencies
• Insufficient weight bearing physical activity in early life and currently
• Smoking, excess caffeine intake (more than 3 cups a day), more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day
• Regular use of certain medications (glucocorticoids, thyroid hormone, anti-convulsants, and aluminum-containing antacids)
• History of eating disorders

Good posture is the correct alignment of body parts supported by the right amount of muscle tension against gravity. If everything is just right, it requires minimal muscular and mental effort to maintain. Posture helps us the joints in proper alignment to reduce wear and allows the muscles to function efficiently preventing fatigue.     

 

Normally, we do not consciously maintain posture. Instead, certain muscles do it for us, and we don't even have to think about it. That's called a habit and of course there are good and bad habits. Several muscle groups, including the hamstrings and large back muscles, are critically important in maintaining good posture.     

 

To maintain proper posture, you need to have adequate muscle flexibility and strength, normal joint motion in the spine and other body regions, as well as efficient postural muscles that are balanced on both sides of the spine. Unfortunately, if you've spent a few years hunched over a laptop or an iPhone you've probably picked up some bad postural habits. If you have toddlers, check out how great their posture is and try to mimic it.

 

How to sit properly: 

• Keep your feet on the floor or on a footrest, if they don't reach the floor.  

• Don't cross your legs. Your ankles should be in front of your knees.

• Keep a small gap between the back of your knees and the front of your seat.

• Your knees should be at or below the level of your hips.

• Adjust the backrest of your chair to support your low- and mid-back or use a back support.

• Relax your shoulders and keep your forearms parallel to the ground.

• Avoid sitting in the same position for long periods of time.

 

How to stand properly:

• Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
• Keep your knees slightly bent.
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