Response to "Is Diet a Red Herring?"

Hi All:
The reason I wanted to respond this way is two fold. The importance of the subject and the limitation of only being able to respond to one person at a time on the chat board.

A high level of total body inflammation (amount of circulating free radicals) is a bad thing for your heart, bones, joints, muscles and many other systems. It makes you age faster, shows up as pain, fatigue, etc. Simply put, inflammation comes from three basic sources:

1. Activity: either too much or too little increases inflammation
2. Dietary: few fruits, vegetables and water and too many chemicals, protein, etc. increases inflammation
3. Stress: high stress living, not enough rest, worry, etc, increases cortisol which increases inflammation

Lifestyle factors affect total body inflammation. Diet is one of those factors. But here is where you can get caught. If you only focus on what you eat or take and neglect managing your stress and activity, you can end up with osteoporosis. Exercising too much can change a healthy pursuit into a stressful one and pull calcium from your bones.

A healthy diet does consist of a greater % of calories coming from fruits, vegetables and legumes. It provides fiber, extra water and lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This is basically the Mediterranean diet and it works very well. With a few exceptions, it is also the basis of the acid/alkaline diet as well if you look very carefully. So the acid/alkaline is not really new and not miraculous. It is the same basic guidance presented another way.

First and foremost, in my opinion, diet is being taken out of context as to its significance over weight bearing exercise, vitamin D, stress reduction and all the other lifestyle factors that affect osteoporosis as well as total health. Many times over I have listed at least 5 lifestyle factors that are important for good bone health as well as total health. No one factor is more or less significant than another. Diet is one of them, but diet alone cannot fix osteoporosis.

Finally, your body craves balance. Part of the osteoporosis puzzle, just like most other diseases, is bringing your body back into balance. My experience shows that it takes a broad, balanced approach. Quick fixes don’t work amd chasing “wonder cures” does not either.

If you have further questions or if you want to join our support group please feel free to email me at bebonestrong@sequoiahealth.com.

Woody McMahon

By MotherGoose
Posted September 1, 2009 at 7:51 am
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Thank-you, Woody, for stressing moderation and "all bases being covered". Too often folks want and expect one single thing will make a difference in their health. We have several sytems in our bodies -- though they may seem separate, musculoskletetal. circulatory, digestive, respiratory, neurological, excretory, hormonal, sensory, etc -- they work together and work at their best in this way. Do we only put gas into our cars and expect them to perform despite bald tires, no engine oil, faulty muffler? Exercise and proper physical activity improve the function of all the other physiological systems, not just the bones and muscles. All our parts need proper nutrition and ridding of wastes. And so forth.
This particular drum has to be beaten over and over, doesn't it!?
Lucy Buckley PT aka Mother Goose

By verginia
Posted September 2, 2009 at 2:09 am
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Excellent response, Woody. I'm going to print it out and put it on my noticeboard so I can read it every time I get carried away on only one aspect of my health.

It is so easy to panic when one's osteoporosis is severe. There is a tendency to want to rush in and try to fix it immediately which, of course, is impossible and only causes stress.

We are all trying our best to help each other and we sometimes stumble in our enthusiasm to do so which is why we need your balanced influence.

From now on I will try to follow your advice and especially the 5 lifestyle factors you have recommended.

MotherGoose says: (This particular drum has to be beaten over and over, doesn't it!?)
It certainly does and speaking for myself, my bones might be thin but my head can be a bit thick at times so I need to hear good advice regularly.

Thank you Woody and MotherGoose

By bonafide
Posted September 2, 2009 at 8:46 am
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Exactly, Woody, it is all about balance.
It seems to be human nature to want quick fixes. We only have to look around us to know that is true.

I think the overemphasis on quick fix diets is because food is something we deal with from the moment we arise until bed time.
The Mediterranean, the Acid/Base diet, the diet our ancestors ate all have the common feature of LOTS of vegetables, fruit in season (or as preserves) and some meat.
The increase in meat consumption in the form of burgers and fast food has increased tremendously which is a reflection of our life style - quick, quick, quick which allows no time for quiet eating.

One of the main differences btwn Europe and NA is the WAY we eat.

The second thing is the amount they walk.
Walking relieves the stress and you are carrying your body around -
As you have suggested two wonderful things are happening - de-stressing and weight bearing.
Both essential for bone health.

There are no miracle diets alone that will stop osteo.
You said the best diet won't stop osteo if you don't consider the rest, the other way is true tho', too, if you don't have a decent diet, none of the other things will do it alone either.

By Eamenard
Posted September 5, 2009 at 11:57 am
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Dear Woody:

Thanks for your reply. What you say makes more sense in many ways. Many folks are offsetting their acid balance by taking lemon juice and measuring their urine with lithmus paper daily which seems like the wrong approach. What I am thinking is that a balanced diet with little meat(3-6 grams daily) and the remainder in carbs and fruits/vegtables(and little fat). Not sure if that would be 80/20 but it makes it easier than quantifying everything one eats.

What about the "green" powder that has been discussed in earlier posts? Does this add to the 80/20 balance in any significant way? It doesn't seem to add calories.

Cortisol measurement is rarely mentioned in Osteo tests. Why is this neglected? Is the test expensive or what? It appears to be a forgotten but important component. Any ideas as to why and how to get it integrated as part of an Osteo program? Like what is a good cortisol number? Maybe you could add a discussion on this subject or resurrect some of your earlier discussions.

By SequoiaHealth
Posted September 5, 2009 at 12:23 pm
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Hi Eamenard:
You raise many good questions.

“What I am thinking is that a balanced diet with little meat (3-6 grams daily) and the remainder in carbs and fruits/vegetables (and little fat). Not sure if that would be 80/20 but it makes it easier than quantifying everything one eats.”

I think you mean 3 to 6 ounces from above. Total protein is determined by body weight and activity. I have another earlier post on protein you should read. 3 would not be enough protein and 6 ounces be closer.

I do not agree with 20% fat. We need balanced fats especially essential fatty acids.
30% is going to be a better balance.

“Cortisol measurement is rarely mentioned in Osteo tests. Why is this neglected? Is the test expensive or what? It appears to be a forgotten but important component. Any ideas as to why and how to get it integrated as part of an Osteo program? Like what is a good cortisol number?”

No, cortisol is not hard to measure nor is CRP or homocysteine. I will write a discussion about it soon. Until then you can read this interesting article about cortisol as it relates to depression and BMD.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYD/is_12_39/ai_n6101590

If you have further questions or if you want to join our support group please feel free to email me at bebonestrong@sequoiahealth.com.

Take care,
Woody

By Loods
Posted September 17, 2009 at 8:53 am
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Thanks Woody for putting things into perspective. Sometimes I read these posts where they are meausring acid/alkaline etc... and I think "crikey, where has the enjoyment in eating gone?" I understand everyone is doing it for health reasons but you have to reach a compromise.

A good basic diet has to be the right way forward for your whole body not just your bones.

Welcome to Inspire!

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