Bone Health

Our bones are the foundation of our health. How can we keep our bones healthy and avoid osteoporosis and other bone diseases?

Most people know about the role of calcium in bone health, but there are many other factors. Possibly the most important overlooked element in bone health is the role of vitamin D, even though a vitamin D deficiency has been known for decades to be the cause of the debilitating bone disease rickets. To prevent rickets is why vitamin D is added to milk. Unfortunately, the amount of vitamin D we get from drinking milk is generally not enough to ensure proper bone health. Although we can produce vitamin D if we get enough sunlight, the most reliable source of vitamin D is cod liver oil.

Even in sunny places, modern man does not produce enough vitamin D, as has been demonstrated through blood testing. One reason is that in some cultures we are "bath happy," which means we bathe frequently, removing oils from our skin that are necessary for the production of vitamin D through sunlight. Also, many people today are concerned about the harmful effects of the sun on their skin. It is pretty clear from observation of people who work in the sun, such as farmers, that the sun ages our skin, as it tans hides. However, it is also believed that a large amount of sunlight and the subsequent vitamin D produced by it can prevent diseases such as prostate cancer.

For the rest, please see Bone Health.