Help for Osteoporosis and Bone Loss

Bone loss is common as we age, and unless you’re taking certain medications that cause this (like acid blockers/proton pump inhibitors!), usually this weakening in our bones is due to hormonal changes as we grow older.  Chances are you know someone who is dealing with either an osteoporosis diagnosis (or osteopenia, a lesser degree of bone loss), a bone fracture, or possibly you’ve noticed the beginnings of a distinct slouch, which is called kyphosis.

I was looking into this for a reader recently and thought I’d share my suggestions…

Note that there are several options to try below, that way if you want to hit it from all sides you can.  However, if you're on a limited budget, read through and see what most resonates with you.

Just a reminder that I'm not a doctor or anywhere close, and the following are just ideas for what to try from my research and from anecdotal evidence I've heard about from many of my readers.  Be sure to look into this yourself and don't just blindly trust whatever I share here.

Help for osteoporosis and bone loss:

• If possible, it’s good to get a bone density test so you can compare later after implementing the following remedies.  This is the only way to know for sure if you have osteoporosis, and to know if you're improving.  (Update later:  I've recently read that these tests are actually not an accurate picture of bone health AT ALL and are often only used to sell you scary drugs to “increase bone density”…)

• You should definitely be taking this Colostrum, it's from grassfed cows, it's NOT denatured like other brands (where they actually brag about taking the fat out, which is where most of the good stuff is!), it's tested for pesticides etc., and is certified true colostrum before it transitions to milk, so it's absolutely loaded with nutrients.  Also here are ways to get more into your diet.  If you'd like more reasons to take it for bone health, go look through a few of the studies here.  (Note that the 2# bag is the least expensive price per ounce and it lasts a looooong time.)  Learn more here about colostrum.

• You (and everyone!) should also be taking this vitamin K2.  Here’s why:  vitamin K2 is the calcium police, it tells calcium to go to your bones where it belongs instead of to other areas in the body that we do NOT want it, like in the arteries or urinary tract–trust me, you do NOT want that.
  • Question:  Can K2 help if you've already been diagnosed with osteoporosis?  Can it slow down bone loss and maintain bone health?  
  • Answer:  K2 CAN slow down bone loss, because it slows down the activity that pulls calcium off the bone to use in other places.  K2 also CAN put some calcium back on the bone and rebuild the strength of the bone.  The Nurses Health Study in Japan with tens of thousands of patients showed Vitamin K2 reduced fracture risk by 80% or more, which is the biggest concern with osteoporosis.  Another study in Japan studied vitamin K2 intake, and found that those who get more vitamin K2 from Natto have 50% less fracture risk than other parts of Japan where they don’t have as high of a K27 intake.  Since Natto is so disgusting, I’ll stick to this vitamin K2 that is made FROM Natto (unlike other brands which are synthetic k27) and it also has the co-factors along with it that help it to be utilized correctly:  zinc, magnesium, vitamin K1.
  • Get the K2 here and use the code KOP for a discount.

• Remember to drink up your real bone broth (<– learn how easy you can make it yourself at that link) and raw milk for nutrients in their natural form that build up bone health.  
  • Scroll down here to read a story of a woman healing her osteoporosis after only one change:  adding in raw milk to her diet.
  • Want to find raw milk near you?  Go here to find your local WAPF chapter and they can help you.
  • Want to supercharge your raw milk benefits?  Use it to make dairy kefir, which is loaded with natural probiotics that'll build up your gut health, which improves your health in every way!  Also check out this study that tells how dairy kefir increased bone density, and that study was almost surely not done with raw milk, so your benefits would be even greater making it with fresh milk from a farm that you trust!!

• More on which foods provide calcium in our diets:

“Only a rich, wholesome and varied diet can supply the many nutrients needed for the complex process that maintains the integrity of our bones. Dairy products, vegetables, nuts, meat and old fashioned bone broths supply calcium. Dr. Spencer’s research indicates that post-menopausal women need about 1200 mg of calcium per day–400 more that the recommended daily allowance of 800 mg.¹⁴ One quart of whole milk, or six ounces of whole natural cheese supply the optimum 1200 mg of calcium. Individuals with a poor tolerance to milk products must take extra care to obtain sufficient dietary calcium. Fish, chicken or beef broth, prepared with a little vinegar to pull calcium from the bones, are excellent sources, and have supplied easily assimilated calcium to pre-industrialized peoples throughout the globe. Leafy green vegetables and grains, nuts and seeds are also good sources if properly prepared. Vegetables and grains should be consumed with animal fats like butter or eggs; and nuts, legumes and grains should be soaked, sprouted or sour leavened to neutralize phytic acid, a substance that can block calcium absorption.¹⁵“.  Source.        (Note that sourdough is the healthiest bread there is!)

Also:  “Consumption of lacto-fermented foods such as yoghurt (and dairy kefir) and old fashioned sauerkraut promotes the growth of beneficial flora in the intestines, and hence contributes to healthy bones.”      Source.

Note: Watch this video that explains why no one needs to take extra calcium supplements.  And check out this book, The Calcium Paradox.

• Get as much sunshine as possible (without burning of course) to get enough vitamin D, and the best way to do that in the winter time (and really you should be taking it all year round), is by taking this cod liver oil daily, this is also huge for bone health!  CLO is also great as an anti-inflammatory and mood booster.

• Get low-impact exercise–walking is my favorite.  Read my post on the benefits of walking vs. running and how walking brought my peace back.  Also in this interview I heard that walking with a weighted vest like this one​ can reverse bone loss.

• This collagen powder is also very good for bone and joint health (also to decrease wrinkles and other fun parts of aging) and has no taste so it's easy to slip a scoop into smoothies, sauces, gravy or any liquid.  ***It's the only collagen that is certified glyphosate free!  Read more about collagen benefits for bone health here.  (Use the code KOP for a discount.)

• Check out my older post on the GAPS Diet for arthritis and osteoporosis.

• Important:  homeopathics can also be a huge help for osteoporosis and bone health, including building your bone density back up!  Here's how:
  • Always read this before beginning any homeopathic remedies or protocols.  Or check out my affordable homeopathy self-study class to learn more.
  • Begin with this on day one:  Take ONE dose only of Camphor (200 potency) – this “clears the slate” as Joette says.
  • On day two begin the following remedy:  Calc Phos 3x or 6c potency, twice daily, one dose in the morning and one in the evening.  (You may also notice better sleep with this remedy.)  Go to that link to buy the brand I love because it's more economical.  This is a chronic remedy so it will likely work slowly over time.
  • I'd just start with that remedy and the above supplements, however, if you're familiar with the Banerji Protocols, you may be interested in what the protocol for osteoporosis from this book said:
    • First line (take these 15m apart):  Symphytum 200C, 2 doses daily, Calc Phos 3x or 6c, 2 doses daily, Hypericum 200C one dose hourly as needed if there’s pain.
    • Second line (if first line doesn’t bring improvement):  Ruta 200C, 2 doses daily, Calc Fluor 3x or 12x, 2 doses daily.

• Lastly, AVOID steroids as they're known to weaken bones (and cause other major health issues), and also acid blockers/proton pump inhibitors mentioned above, these negatively affect cognitive health, heart health, bone health and gut health!

That's all I've got from my most recent research on help for osteoporosis and bone loss.  

More good stuff that you might like:

• See my other post on bone health here:

• See a VERY thorough and comprehensive article on osteoporosis from a medical doctor here (a trustworthy one), including other causes and treatments that I didn't mention here.

• Article:  Do high protein diets cause bone loss?  (Hint:  no!)

• How to add more SUPER to your superfood smoothies.  (These are an easy way to get in the superfoods mentioned above like colostrum and collagen.)

• How to Fight Depression and Anxiety Naturally: 20 Helpful Tips for Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue

If you have anything to share, please feel free to do so in the comments, and thank you!