Improving Bone Density with diet and exercise – the story continues.
The below table shows how my bone density has improved in 18 months using a combination of diet and exercise. I realise this plan is not for everyone but hope this may encourage others in a similar position to mine to believe it can be done.
As background, I can say a very bad reaction to a single Fosamax pill, prescribed in May 2021, prompted me to eschew the pharma option and try something more natural. The results speak for themselves. I have never felt so healthy.
I am now 59 years old, I weigh 54 kg and I am 162 cm tall.
Date. Spine
T-score Z score
May 2021 -2.8. -1.5
Dec 2021 -2.1. -0.7
Dec 2022 -1.8. -0.4
From early June 2021, I embarked on a low glycaemic index 80:20 alkaline diet with regular exercise, including brisk walking (8 km with some hills), arm work with resistance bands and yoga.
The aim was always to promote improved bone density: my goal was not weight loss, or going “totally alkaline” or anything gimmicky – I was fully focussed on encouraging bone development.
How did I start ?
1. By cutting out the bad stuff.
I greatly reduced, but did not eliminate, from my diet the following: meat, wheat, sugar, dairy, eggs, caffeine, salt, processed foods and fizzy drinks. I limited my alcohol to 1 or 2 glasses of wine every 3rd day.
And
2. Promoting the good stuff.
I consume between 7-9 pieces or portions of vegetable or fruit daily (fruit is usually only 1 or 1 ½ portions of the total). There is a world of veg out there - it is easy to vary the diet and eat a wide range of vegetables.
Legumes and fresh seafish (mainly salmon and sardines) are my main sources of protein.
Snacks are mainly of or derived from seeds and some nuts – for example: home-made energy balls using tahini, oats and almonds. I also enjoy cholcolate at a minimum of 70% cocoa solids or a few cacao nibs.
I drink a minimum of 2 litres of water daily.
As I progressed with the programme, I found I drank less alcohol and nowadays have perhaps one drink every couple of weeks or so. I have gone off red wine (not a sentence I ever thought I would write!). I could not say I have quit alcohol but my consumption is minimal.
Coffee – I have a decent cup of coffee every 7-10days. This is my only caffeine intake apart from the chocolate.
I won’t go into too much detail here, but I do invite anyone who has questions to drop me a line.
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skinnykangal
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Congradulations skinnykangal for the results of your dedication to your dynaminc duo....diet and exercise. If your supplementing with magnesium consider including boron, search on nothing boring about boron for an overview, it can also help prevent loss of height and annatto tocotrienol, a form of vitamin E from the annatto seed promiting bone health, protecting the liver in addition to health attributes for skin and possibly cancers. It should be separated from supplements containing tocopherol for several hours as they compete for absorption. Always consult your health care professional before using any supplement.
This is so inspiring, thank you. I’ve previously read bits and pieces here and there and it was all doom and gloom for me, even though I’m still going to fight this ‘thing’ without drugs! I’m more scared of the drugs than having another fracture. Sounds strange, but I am allergic to so many things and I know I would be one of the unfortunate people who would get a bad reaction.
I too would like to know what supplements, if any, you add to your healthy food.
Hi Jenny, I don't know your circumstances but if your osteoporosis isn't too bad I would recommend trying the alkaline diet and exercise programme. Good luck.
Hi skinnykangal. My osteoporosis IS bad. Hope you don’t mind me asking but when you say you would recommend trying the alkaline diet and exercise program if it’s not too bad, are you suggesting it won’t work if I’m too far gone? Unfortunately it’s the only thing I have left to cling to.😢
The alkaline diet you’re saying about, is that what you have written at the beginning of this post? Also, I’d appreciate your thoughts on Basica. It’s an alkalising and multi-mineral formula that a friend told me about.
Now a bit about me….I’m 72 years of age and have been caring for my 64 yo husband for the past 7 years who SUFFERS with Parkinson’s disease.
I knew my BMD wouldn’t be great but didn’t have time for me, so typical of most women. In June 2021 my T-scores were hip -4.2 and lumbar -4.6 and showed fractured L2, L4 and L5. That was a bit of a shock. So I began my research and started supplements and exercise through an exercise physiologist.
I became a bit slack and didn’t do much for 3 months, other than daily walking, and I resumed my exercises again. Unfortunately I fractured in the thoracic area and was just getting over that having mainly bed rest with the intense pain, then I sneezed!! You guessed it! So after total of approx 5 months, I am now able to walk again, albeit not far, but I’m walking!
I had another BMD a few weeks ago, expecting the worst as I have had so many months in bed, off and on. My t-scores are now hip -4.4 and lumbar -5.4.
I’m finding it hard to work this out. So my hip is worse by .2 but my lumbar is worse by .8?? So confusing. And yet it is the thoracic area that still gives me grief.
I would love your energy balls recipe if you care to share. I make one with medjool dates and different seeds and nuts, but it would be nice to have a change, one made with tahini would be delish! I basically already do the alkaline diet, but I could do better!
Sorry this is so long, I hope you’re still reading this 😜
Hi Jenny, yes I read all the way to the end!! 🙂. You sound amazingly strong and resilient - a good example to us all. Hang in there.So, the reason I said 'if the OP is not too bad' etc is because I am not a medic and nutrition is not my speciality - microbiology was my field.
I feel there must come a point where the more conventional medications could be taken in combination with an alkaline diet and an exercise programme. Of course it is the deciding where that point is that is the tricky part! Perhaps it should be a combination of our T and Z-scores, our age and an evaluation of our current quality of life?
I know there are alternatives to the dreaded bisphosphonates - I've heard of some people having a monthly injection and others an annual injection - but they were not clear on what they were being given. Perhaps you could consult your doctor on that? It could help make you stronger.
Re the energy balls -
I adapted a recipe I found on the BBC Food website. It was published by Matt Pritchard of The Dirty Vegan. These energy balls have become a much-loved part of my diet. I don't use a blender, I chop the dates small then squidge everything together by hand in a bowl.Ingredients
6 dates, pitted
150g nuts (almond, walnut, cashew)
50g ground oats
75g tahin
2 tbsp grape molasses
1 tbsp coconut oil
As required chia seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds or raw cacao powder, for coating.
I refer to them as Tasty Shapes rather than energy balls as it gives me latitude to make other shapes like sausages or discs😁
Hi, re supplements and dosages.In Dec 2022 I was prescribed a daily Calcium and vit D3 supplement. The Calcium is 600mg, the D3 400I.U. I am continuing with this for now.
Between April - Dec 2022 I took no supplements at all.
Between July 2021 and April 2022 I had been taking an OTC supplement of Calcium and vitamins D3 and K2. In April 2022 I was found to have some liver problems and stopped taking them.
A blood test in Dec 2022 showed clear improvements in the liver. I cannot say for sure if the liver problems were related to the OTC supplements as I also (mostly!) stopped drinking alcohol at the same time.
My aims in quitting both supplements and alcohol were a) to immediately bring relief to my liver, and b) see whether my bone density would continue to improve with just diet and exercise. So, whilst I can't say either way for sure, the fact that I had such a clear improvement suggests to me that my diet and exercise plan is working. I decided to take the Calcium and D3 prescribed by the doctor in Dec as it is winter and my skin isn't getting much sunshine.
I hope that is clear. I am happy to answer any further questions.
Congratulations on your amazing bone density improvements. Great work! Could I ask how you managed to get DEXA scans at 7 and 12 months rather than the normal 2-3 year intervals?
I am allowed annual bone density scans.For the interim one I asked a doctor to make a special request for an 'extraordinary circumstances' scan. She was willing to do that and it allowed me to see how I was doing.
Hello Skinnykangal, well done, such an inspiration, everyone is different but this does make sense and as there are no baddies in the suggested plan it doesn't look as if it can do any harm, well worth a try at least.
Would you kindly share your health ball snacks with us, we all snack and to have a healthier option has got to be good.
Hi 15Bella, I adapted a recipe I found on the BBC Food website. It was published by Matt Pritchard of The Dirty Vegan. These energy balls have become a much-loved part of my diet. I don't use a blender, I chop the dates small then squidge everything together by hand in a bowl.Ingredients
6 dates, pitted
150g nuts (almond, walnut, cashew)
50g ground oats
75g tahin
2 tbsp grape molasses
1 tbsp coconut oil
As required chia seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds or raw cacao powder, for coating.
Thanks for sharing your story which I find very encouraging. I have just started taking Alendronic Acid having agonised over whether I should or shouldn't. I felt if I didn't and the situation got worse, in hindsight I would wish I had so should 'give it a go'. Only taken one dose and ok, so cautious optimism about tolerating it. But I would prefer a natural approach, so perhaps I should think again??? Ref Dexa scans, if a GP won't 'play ball' the Nuffield do them privately, but apparently it still needs GP approval. It Is Said that the radiation level is less than a flight to the US so if that is what the GP gives as a reason for not doing one, perhaps it's a 'smoke screen' for they don't want to spend their budget on it!
As you say, doesn't work for everyone. My own case recently showed to be significantly worse despite a clean pro-bone diet (very similar to yours), daily load bearing exercise (I don't have time to go nuts over it tho') and generally being active, and supplementing with Vit D.
I'm ready to take the medication now as my risk of fracture is greater than the side-effect risks from taking meds (even though some other problems put me at greater risk of those side-effects). Unless I have a really bad reaction to them.
However, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop taking the same "natural" measures. I'm hoping that the medication will bring my T score to a better level (I had a lower T score than you when I was first diagnosed) and after a few years maybe I can just do the natural measures. I'm looking at a LIV device too but it's so expensive.
Hope the success continues for you and look forward to hearing about it.
well done you! There’s not enough on these forums about diet and exercise for all sorts of conditions. E.g. I stopped having any antacids with subtle changes to diet. Although I had a good diet with loads of fruit and veg it was yeasty bread and white flour products the main culprits so a change to Sourdough worked wonders. With some weight loss my arthritic knees improved no end. I do have problems with getting enough exercise as I get bored and distracted easily by birds, trees, insects, flowers!
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