It's more of a matter of personal choice and how you want to treat osteoporosis. I was diagnosed April 2024. I decided to try to reverse (even a smidgen) or at least maintain my scores through other means instead of meds. I'm not ruling out meds but I decided that this was my plan for the next year or so. I had planned on getting a DEXA this April to see if my lifestyle changes are working but my new endocrinologist suggested waiting 2 years to determine if it's helping or worsening my osteoporosis. I take a multitude of supplements, carefully curated by me after extensive research and made significant dietary changes.

I can't tell what's going on with my bones throughout all this without a DEXA at the moment but I do see other changes which I (and my endocrinologist) find very interesting. My hair was always super thin and had a significant bald spot near my hairline, has now grown a lot of new hair (no more bald spot!). Even my hairstylist asked me where all this new hair is coming from. More significantly (and perhaps more bone related) is the fact that in September I developed a significant vertical crack in my front tooth. In the beginning it wasn't too noticeable and it didn't compromise the tooth. By Thanksgiving, the crack worsened and could be seen clearly in photos. I kept putting off going to the dentist because my schedule was insane last Fall. Then by January I noticed something peculiar. The crack was beginning to slightly fade and has continued to do so. It's now March and there is absolutely no crack at all visible in the tooth. In addition, the lower part of my top teeth which were very transparent have now completely solidified. In other words, my teeth remineralized due to the increased calcium and phosphate in my saliva which is due to the increased supplementation.

For years (decades?) I always battled high cholesterol by eating a Whole Foods/Plant based diet 80-90% of the time. I ate beef only a few times a year and occasionally would eat salmon. I did this to avoid taking a statin and was successful in keeping my cholesterol levels low. The downside: I consumed very little calcium (hello osteoporosis!) and very little animal protein. Now I take calcium supplements (dose dependent on how much dairy I consume daily) and am fanatical about monitoring my protein intake which includes a fair amount animal protein.

If you're interested in trying more natural approaches for osteoporosis, take a look at the Facebook group "Osteoporosis Natural Remedies". Between this Mayo Clinic group and the Facebook group, you will find so much valuable information and support. Also check out Margaret Martin's website "MelioGuide" and of course Dr. Keith McCormick's "Great Bones" which is the most extensive book written on the subject by someone who had osteoporosis himself.