OSTEOPOROSIS
Osteoporosis or ‘brittle bone disease’ is caused by calcium leaching from our bones, leaving them weak and prone to fractures. It can occur in both men and women but women are much more vulnerable to it, partly because they tend to have less bone mass in the first place but mostly because the female hormone oestrogen plays in an important role in the body’s ability to use and retain calcium. Loss of calcium from the bones begins around 30 years of age and increases dramatically when the body stops producing oestrogen after menopause.
You are most at risk if you are white, slim and small-boned; if your menopause is early; or if your mother or grandmother suffered from the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, thyroid problems and certain asthma drugs are other risk factors, and caffeine, nicotine and alcohol all accelerate loss of bone mass.
Because it replaces the oestrogen in the body after menopause, hormone replacement therapy can protect you against osteoporosis.
But prevention is better than cure. It is important to make sure you include plenty of calcium in your diet throughout life, not just at menopause, along with vitamin D to aid absorption. 700-1000mg of calcium daily is recommended before menopause and 1000-1500mg after.
Recently, it is been proposed that Vitamin K may play a role in preventing osteoporosis, and it may be a good idea to include foods rich in this vitamin in your diet — turnips, greens, broccoli, cabbage, liver and cereals. The trace element boron may also help the body avoid loss of bone mass; it is found in apples, pears, grapes, leafy vegetables, pulses and nuts.
A high intake of protein, particularly animal protein, may make the problem worse, so cutting down on meat after menopause at the same time as eating more vegetables and cereals is probably wise.
Gentle weight-bearing exercise will help strengthen and thicken your bones; you don’t have to run or jog — just walking will do, and T’ai chi is another possibility. Exercising throughout your life is the most effective strategy, but it’s never too late to start. One study of women aged 65 to 69 found that those who exercised for half an hour a day three times a week over three years increased the bone mass of their arms by 4.3%, compared with a 2.5% loss in a control group. Before you start a new exercise regimen, it’s a good idea to consult a health practitioner, especially if you already suffer from osteoporosis or heart problems.
*27\69\2*
ST JOHN’S WORT AT WORK: ADELE’S STORY
Adele is a woman of approximately 50, whom I have treated for the past eight years. Although extremely intelligent, she has had learning difficulties since childhood – although she has mastered these sufficiently to complete university and graduate school successfully and become an educator herself, teaching others how to teach. Despite the many good things in her life – a loving husband, children of whom she is proud, good looks and physical health – Adele has suffered long stretches of time during which she has felt tired, tearful and, above all, anxious. During these times she loses interest and initiative, has trouble sleeping, is unable to concentrate on her work and devalues herself.
These episodes of depression and anxiety would come and go over the years, sometimes apparently with the seasons, sometimes in response to stress, and sometimes for no good discernible reason at all. And over the years I have treated Adele with a series of anti-depressants, all of which have created problems that, sooner or later, would come to a head so that she would elect to discontinue the medications rather than suffer the side-effects. Prozac caused her to itch unbearably. Wellbutrin made her edgy and irritable. Lustral stripped her of her sex-drive and ability to have orgasms. Light therapy in winter was of some help but not sufficient in itself. Psychotherapy helped her to deal with some of her life issues, many of which were the result of childhood sorrows and traumas, but didn’t resolve the symptoms of her underlying depression – fatigue to the point of exhaustion, sadness and, always in the background, all-encompassing anxiety.
After my experience with Malcolm’s self-treatment, I finally began to take the European literature on St John’s Wort more seriously. I was eager for Adele to try the herb, as her depressive symptoms seemed to fit the profile of those who had most frequently benefited from the drug. I gave her some samples of
Jarsin, the type of St John’s Wort used in most of the European research literature and now available under the brand name of Kira™, with instructions based on the advice of my German colleagues. Neither of us could have hoped for a happier outcome. On St John’s Wort (300 mg twice a day) Adele began to feel more confident, content and optimistic. Her anxiety disappeared and, best of all, she experienced no side-effects. The return of sexual feelings and the ability to express and enjoy them were extremely welcome developments. Although her job had been a longstanding source of conflict for her, suddenly she felt that it offered her new opportunities which she had not previously appreciated. As far as Adele is concerned, St John’s Wort has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for someone who has fought a long and painful battle with depression and anxiety.
Since my work with Adele I have treated numerous patients successfully with St John’s Wort and have answered their many questions about the herb. The herb is now widely available to the public and many want to use it but lack the latest information on how to go about doing so. This book is written for all who may be interested in trying the new herbal remedy in the hope that it may lift the clouds of depression and bring joy back into their lives again.
*3\75\2*