“Youth is wasted on the young.” Ever heard that? Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn supposes that there’s
a bit of truth in that for all of us - and especially
our Ashburn spines - as we age. When we’re young, our
bodies require our attention more than we realize. Our young
bones and spines and bodies require proper nutrition so
that our older bones and spine and bodies are healthy
when we desire living our lives less painfully and more
fully. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn reveals what Ashburn
chiropractic patients can do now to address bone mineral
density (BMD) issues, no matter 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 wrote
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 influenced 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) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn cannot stress enough just
how important nutrition is for their future well-being.
BENEFITS OF IMPROVED NUTRITION BEYOND BETTER BONE MINERAL
DENSITY
Osteoporosis is a disease of older folks that results
from youthful (in)attention. Low serum levels of vitamin D in osteoporotic
women have a tendency to have an increased chance
of having any kind of cancer and breast cancer. (2) Calcium intake during
the teen years of life is vital to reduce the
risk of osteoporosis later in life. Teen girls absorb calcium better: 326mg in teenage girls versus just 73mg in older women of 1332 mg taken a day.
Even more concerning is that teen girls’ daily intake
of calcium is way lower than what it should be. Boosting
bone mass by only 5% cuts the risk of fracture
by 40%. (3) Getting healthy bones depends 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) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn shares
these stats to encourage us all to increase
intake of nutrients to build bone mass initially and support it
later to keep it healthy.
IMPROVE ABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS
Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn understands that kids and their
families want to be sure that their nutritional efforts will be of value. TIP: Dietary fiber may boost the body’s
absorption of calcium but does it differently for older
men and women. Greater 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 associate
with 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? Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn bets
that many of our Ashburn chiropractic patients would not
have!
FIBER’S DEFENSE OF MEN’S BMD
Luckily, some very observant doctors and
researchers did observe that fiber intake was a protective factor of
lumbar spine BMD in men aged 18 and 45 years of
age but not in women. In men over 65 years, nutrient
intake showed no effect on BMD. In women between 18 and 45,
fiber didn’t produce a significant effect
on BMDs, but daily fat intake significantly increased
BMD. (6) An interesting side note: It had been thought that bone
mineral density could be a risk factor for lumbar disc herniation in
young persons, but a recent study debunked that
thought. (7) However, there is
evidence in the medical literature that stresses the overall
benefit of nutrition - and now fiber intake in men - on the well-being
of the body, its bones and its spine.
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
Listen to this PODCAST
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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 Ashburn chiropractic
appointment with Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn where your spine, body and its bones are well known
in their current age whether they were treated well in their youth or not!