Dietary choices affect health in many ways.

Our lifestyle choices affect our health. I am an advocate of balanced nutrition, caloric restriction, fasting, and maintaining an alkaline body environment. Additionally, routine exercise (all types), toxin avoidance, and daily stress management provide a higher propensity for a long healthy life.

Vegans

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-vegans-have-a-higher-risk-of-bone-fractures 43% of bone fractures happen to vegans according to a recent Oxford University study. Three conclusions given were that vegans have a lower body mass index (BMI), mineral deficiency, and low levels of protein. BMI, calcium, and protein levels are linked to bone health.

The Study

https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-020-01815-3#:~:text=In%20previous%20EPIC%2DOxford%20analyses,completely%20when%20restricted%20to%20participants The study reviewed 30,000 meat eaters, 8,000 non-meat but fish eaters, 15,000 vegetarians, and 2,000 vegans. These 55,000 participants were tracked for 18 years.

Nearly 4,000 fractures occurred. Most of the fractures were in the hips. The next highest number of fractures (in order of highest to lowest) were in the wrist, arm, ankle, and leg. Speculation is that calcium bioavailability is lower in green vegetables compared to dairy. Likewise, the amino acid ratio of vegetable protein does not support calcium resorption and remodeling compared to animal protein.

Twenty more fractures occurred per 1,000 people who were vegans compared to the meat-eaters. This represents a risk of almost two and a half times higher compared to meat-eaters.

Another interesting finding was that fish eaters (no meat) had a higher risk of hip fractures. Both vegans and fish eaters can have and maintain healthy bones. Raw and fresh fruits and vegetables are preferred for health. Processed foods detract from bone health as well as overall health.

Balanced nutrition, the minimum daily requirements for over thirty nutrients the body needs daily is difficult to obtain on a vegan diet. It is not impossible, just difficult. Education and awareness are key to knowing the foods to eat daily to maintain bone and body health. Many vegan food options are now fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin B12, iron, and zinc are additional nutrients the body needs daily.

Calcium Supplement

https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2012/8/potential-danger-of-calcium-supplements Just adding calcium to your diet does not guarantee that it ends up in the bones. There are many chemical requirements that must be met to get calcium from food or supplement to the bones.

Magnesium

https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2016/12/magnesium-crisis Calcium needs magnesium to make it more bioavailable in the body. Over half the population of the United States is deficient in magnesium. Calcium supplements without magnesium can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin D

https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2018/6/link-between-bone-health-and-metabolism Vitamin D is required to get calcium into the bloodstream. Over half of America is deficient in vitamin D.

Vitamin K2

https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2019/6/enhancing-benefits-of-vitamin-k . Vitamin K deficiency or insufficiency is common in nearly 90% of older Americans. If calcium has made its way from a leaf of spinach and the body had enough magnesium to make it bioavailable to the body, and if vitamin D was present in adequate levels to scoop up the calcium and get it into the bloodstream, the next hurdle is vitamin K2

There are two places where calcium will go when it is in the bloodstream – your heart valves and arteries or your bones. Calcium going into your heart valves and arteries increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Calcium not going to your bones increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis

https://www.lifeextension.com/protocols/metabolic-health/osteoporosis This is one of the better sources of information that I have found for understanding osteoporosis.

Conclusion

Bone health becomes an issue for many older Americans. Lifestyle choices can encourage bone density degradation and future risks of bone fractures. A vegan diet can lead to a healthy life, but it is challenging. We are not taught the basics of body chemistry to know what happens when this or that nutrient is deficient or insufficient.

Live Longer & Enjoy Life! – Red O’Laughlin – RedOLaughlin.com

 

 

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