by Lawrence Wilson, MD

HEALTHY BONES

The bones are among the most interesting structures in the human body. They are light-weight, yet extremely strong when they are well-nourished. They not only support your weight, but they contain the marrow where blood is formed.

They are also storage sites for minerals, and storage sites where the body may place toxic metals out of the way to some extent, where they will do a little less damage. However, when the body stores metals in the bones, it weakens the bones terribly, in some cases.

This can lead to bone deformities such as bowed legs, narrow dental arches and narrow faces. It can also lead to easy fracturing of the bones, and to osteopenia and osteoporosis. These are identical, except osteoporosis may be considered a more advanced stage of bone demineralization. Other bone conditions include cancers, cysts, and infections.

A critical cause of cone problems of many kinds is that most people today do not obtain nearly enough calcium in a readily available form. Let us discuss this factor in more detail.

CALCIUM DEFICIENCY IS AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM TODAY IN AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD

Pasteurization is evil. The main reason for calcium deficiency is the pasteurization of milk. This damages the calcium so that it is poorly utilized, in our experience. It also damages the milk in many other subtle ways.

Pasteurization was important 100 years ago, perhaps, when infections in milk were common and conditions of cleanliness at dairies were a problem. However, today certified dairies are very clean and no illness results from the use of raw, certified dairy products which are used the world over. The pernicious practice of pasteurization ought to be outlawed due to all the damage it causes to milk. Instead, raw certified milk is illegal in most American states and in some other entire nations. This is due to pure and simple greed on the part of the large dairies, that do not want to clean up their milk and they do not want competition from the small dairies.

Milk is a live and very delicate food. When it is heated during pasteurization, and then further damaged through homogenization, the calcium in the milk is rendered must less boavailable. As a result, one can drink milk and eat cheese, yogurt, kefir and other milk-based products, but the calcium is not as well utilized, in our experience.

Other sources of calcium. Excellent bioavailable sources of calcium besides raw certified milks are carrot juice, kelp, seeds such as sesame when made into tahini or sesame butter, and a little calcium is found in cooked green vegetables and a few fruits. For this reason, we insist that everyone drink 10-12 ounces of fresh or even bottled carrot juice daily. One can add some greens to this juice if one is making it at home. To make carrot juice, use a juicer, not a blender. The blender does not seem to release nearly enough of the calcium from the carrots. For more on this, read the article entitled Carrot Juice.

Calcium supplements. A brief not that we have found that most calcium supplements sold in supermarkets and health food stores do not work well. We do not know why this is so. It does not seem to matter if they are expensive or inexpensive. Also, it does not seem to matter what form the calcium is in, although calcium lactate seems to be a good form, as does some calcium chelate, but not all. If you feel your calcium supplement is not working well, consider trying another brand.

TOXIC METALS THAT PARTICULARLY AFFECT THE BONES

Most people today have weakened bones from the time they are children. In addition to calcium deficiencies, another critical reason for this is the widespread distribution of too much aluminum and lead, primarily. When the body is deficient in calcium, these toxic metals, as well as others, appear able to replace calcium in the bones to some degree. Other toxic metals that can affect the bone range from cadmium, copper, mercury and perhaps others as well.

For example, in most cases of osteoporosis, we find the bones contain too much lead. This will not be revealed on x-rays or bone scans, however. It only becomes apparent as it is eliminated, when it is often eventually revealed on hair mineral analyses. This usually will only occur when a person is diligently following a nutritional balancing program. Chelation, for example, will often not be able to penetrate into the bones to remove the lead. The body will remove it all by itself, however, as the body becomes better nourished and comes into a better overall biochemical balance. This may take several years to accomplish, however.

Aluminum appears to be more associated with fractures and bone deformity than it is with osteoporosis. Aluminum is very widely distributed in the environment of most nations because it is added to tap water and to table salt. It is also used in many industrial applications, and some soils are naturally high in aluminum, so it finds its way into the food supply easily.

OTHER NUTRIENTS AND YOUR BONES

Phosphorus. Bones are rich in phosphorus. This is found mainly in meats, eggs, and whole grains. Phosphorus found in soda pop is not helpful at all, however.

Manganese, zinc, copper and other trace minerals such as boron and vanadium. The bones actually require a wide variety of trace minerals, though they do not need a lot. However, if these minerals are deficient or biounavailable, as happens often today, this will affect the health of the bones. We use a product called MCHC or micro-crystalline hydroxyapetite crystals. This is a bone extract that contains some of these trace minerals, which can help restore and maintain the bones.

Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption and utilization. Low levels are very widespread due to the pasteurization and homogenization of milk, and for other reasons that are not clear to me or to medical science, as far as I know. Most people today need to supplement their diet with about 4000-5000 iu of vitamin D3 each day. Children need half as much, or perhaps less for very young children. Vitamin D has many other benefits besides helping to keep the bones strong and healthy.

Other vitamins required for the bones. These include vitamins A, B-complex, C and E. All are needed, and many of these are deficient in children and adults today because their diets are of poor quality. Also, their eating habits prevent them from absorbing all the nutrients in their foods.

OTHER FACTORS NEEDED FOR BONE HEALTH

These may include:

1. Some exercise, though it need not be vigorous to be effective.

2. Good attitudes. This may sound strange, but discouragement, for example, tends to harm the bones. Bones are your support, and when you do not feel supported, it can affect the bones.

3. Making the body more yang in Chinese medical terms. We do this using nutrition, mainly. This is important for the bones, that are very yang structures.

4. Getting rid of your traumas is very helpful for bone health. This is a psychological factor, but important.

5. The bone matrix must be strong. This is a protein matrix within which calcium deposits forming the bones. It is not enough just having enough minerals in the bones. The proteinaceous cartilage-like bone matrix must also be healthy. It requires dozens of nutrients for its health.

6. A balanced oxidation rate is very helpful for strong bones. This factor is explained in the osteoporosis article below.

7. As mentioned earlier, removing metals like lead and aluminum is imperative as well. Chelation will not remove them deeply enough. I don’t know of any way to do it as well as with a nutritional balancing program.

For more on osteoporosis, read Osteoporosis.

Courses | About Dr. Wilson | Contact Us | The Free Basic Program