overwhelmed by so much (often conflicting) info on natural approaches

Posted by swuelfing1 @swuelfing1, Dec 3, 2023

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone else feels overwhelmed when researching what to do about dealing with osteoporosis naturally. There is so much good info out there which is great. It's just that often it gets sooo detailed such as in the area of supplements that it gets confusing or just overwhelming to decide what to do and narrow it down to a feasible plan. Also there are certain topics that there's controversy about - like yes/no on dairy, if dairy then which dairy, oxylates?, correct exercise? correct supplements, too much calcium? As you research you find several very credible and trustworthy resources who still disagree on so many topics. You could endlessly research and go down rabbitholes on every topic. Has anyone figured out any strategies to keep things manageable and decide what to do?

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@sallyj2

Unfortunately, the nato and prunes have caused me migraines.

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@sallyj2 Im assuming you were eating the nato and prunes for the K2? Do you think K2 supplements would do the same thing? I’ve just found this supplement , https://innovixlabs.com/products/vitamin-d3-k2, I’m trying. It has both forms of K2 as well as Vitamin A.

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@cpd54

@sallyj2 Im assuming you were eating the nato and prunes for the K2? Do you think K2 supplements would do the same thing? I’ve just found this supplement , https://innovixlabs.com/products/vitamin-d3-k2, I’m trying. It has both forms of K2 as well as Vitamin A.

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I’m not the one eating prunes and nato. Thorne labs has a combo K, which looks good, but I’m not presently taking. I did at one point, but had palpitations as one other person on this site mentioned. I may try a lower dose in the future. K , Mk-4, can also raise a cardiac marker, Lp(a). Dint know if it only affects the blood work.

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YES! It's really hard to know what to do and so many factors to be assessed (DEXA, TBS, hormones, thyroid, parathyroid, digestion, toxins, diet and food intolerances, exercise, sleep, stress management, relationships....) that there just isn't one right answer for everyone. I respect and honor everyone of you here trying to sort it out and improve!

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Pretty sure we're reading the same stuff! I have spent SO many hours researching since my diagnosis 4 months ago and all I've come up with is this , SO FAR...
I had a Zoledronic Acid infusion a few weeks ago (no side effects), second guessing that decision now.
Protein forward Mediterranean diet
Weight train 3 days/week, walk 1 hr/day (easy with a dog), and yoga 4 x week.
Calcium Supplement called Strong Bones and 2,000 IU Vitamin D as I am low Vit D according to blood tests.
Switched from oat milk to cow milk, lot of yogurt. Avoiding Calcium fortified foods in favour of natural food sources.
Avoiding sugar and processed foods. No alcohol.
I follow Dr. Doug Lucas (Optimum Bone Health) on Youtube and attended his Live masterclass today by Zoom (free). I feel he's trustworthy. However to be a patient for a year is about $12,000 USD I believe, but there is a lot of great info you can glean for free from his videos etc...
I'm considering seeing a naturopath to get some more in depth blood analysis on gut health etc.
On goes the battle with too much information. And then there are those those damn oxalates! SIGH.

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@andreamayo

Pretty sure we're reading the same stuff! I have spent SO many hours researching since my diagnosis 4 months ago and all I've come up with is this , SO FAR...
I had a Zoledronic Acid infusion a few weeks ago (no side effects), second guessing that decision now.
Protein forward Mediterranean diet
Weight train 3 days/week, walk 1 hr/day (easy with a dog), and yoga 4 x week.
Calcium Supplement called Strong Bones and 2,000 IU Vitamin D as I am low Vit D according to blood tests.
Switched from oat milk to cow milk, lot of yogurt. Avoiding Calcium fortified foods in favour of natural food sources.
Avoiding sugar and processed foods. No alcohol.
I follow Dr. Doug Lucas (Optimum Bone Health) on Youtube and attended his Live masterclass today by Zoom (free). I feel he's trustworthy. However to be a patient for a year is about $12,000 USD I believe, but there is a lot of great info you can glean for free from his videos etc...
I'm considering seeing a naturopath to get some more in depth blood analysis on gut health etc.
On goes the battle with too much information. And then there are those those damn oxalates! SIGH.

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andreamayo, calcium supplements may encourage plaque deposition in your arteries. you might check out K2 supplements.

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@gently

andreamayo, calcium supplements may encourage plaque deposition in your arteries. you might check out K2 supplements.

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Yes, I’ve read about that, again, conflicting takes on it and not enough studies. I just take 200 mg in a well rounded mix, the rest from food. The calcium in my supplement is from ground up bones, 🦴 Not human - LOL

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@andreamayo

Pretty sure we're reading the same stuff! I have spent SO many hours researching since my diagnosis 4 months ago and all I've come up with is this , SO FAR...
I had a Zoledronic Acid infusion a few weeks ago (no side effects), second guessing that decision now.
Protein forward Mediterranean diet
Weight train 3 days/week, walk 1 hr/day (easy with a dog), and yoga 4 x week.
Calcium Supplement called Strong Bones and 2,000 IU Vitamin D as I am low Vit D according to blood tests.
Switched from oat milk to cow milk, lot of yogurt. Avoiding Calcium fortified foods in favour of natural food sources.
Avoiding sugar and processed foods. No alcohol.
I follow Dr. Doug Lucas (Optimum Bone Health) on Youtube and attended his Live masterclass today by Zoom (free). I feel he's trustworthy. However to be a patient for a year is about $12,000 USD I believe, but there is a lot of great info you can glean for free from his videos etc...
I'm considering seeing a naturopath to get some more in depth blood analysis on gut health etc.
On goes the battle with too much information. And then there are those those damn oxalates! SIGH.

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I don't want to hijack this post and I have a "damn oxalate" question. Are they only a concern if you have kidney stones or are they to be avoided all together? I'm SO tired of learning about all of these contradictions with healthy foods that are off the OP list. UGH.

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@babs10

I don't want to hijack this post and I have a "damn oxalate" question. Are they only a concern if you have kidney stones or are they to be avoided all together? I'm SO tired of learning about all of these contradictions with healthy foods that are off the OP list. UGH.

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I find this frustrating too! After listening to so many videos and reading so many websites about oxalates, I have decided to make just a few simple tweaks and then stop worrying about it. Now I avoid spinach and kale in my salads, opting for other leafy greens like arugula and baby bok choy. When I have the occasional spinach salad, I make sure that I have a little more goat cheese on it. I have cut down on, but not eliminated, other suspects, like almonds, beans, chocolates. I think moderation is the key here, as with everything. Many of the oxalate foods are also good sources of protein, and since I do not eat meat, I rely on those. Ima Jennings has some good info on her website, but again, take it all with a grain of salt….but only a grain because salt is bad too!🤪

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@babs10

I don't want to hijack this post and I have a "damn oxalate" question. Are they only a concern if you have kidney stones or are they to be avoided all together? I'm SO tired of learning about all of these contradictions with healthy foods that are off the OP list. UGH.

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Apparently those of us with osteoporosis are best to avoid oxalates or cut back on them because "oxalates bind to calcium as they leave the body". Also a problem for kidney stones.
Problem is I love a lot of those foods. My daughters call me "Almond Mom" for being a bit of a health freak and eating yogurt and almonds every day. LOL
So, I have cut out kale and spinach, eating less beans. Less almonds. I might switch to walnuts if they are a better choice (more research needed). I LOVE almond butter, maybe I should switch to peanut butter or another nut butter.
Cutting back on grains is a work in progress as well.
To be continued....
Has anyone else found some nut and/or nut butter alternatives?
I should mention that I am seeing a naturopathic doctor in 3 weeks time. My MD has so very little time for me with 10 minute appointments and only allowed one health concern per visit! I will have 1.5 hours with the ND, pretty excited about that. It's my first time seeing a Naturopathic doctor, I'll ask for info on oxalates.

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@glojo

I find this frustrating too! After listening to so many videos and reading so many websites about oxalates, I have decided to make just a few simple tweaks and then stop worrying about it. Now I avoid spinach and kale in my salads, opting for other leafy greens like arugula and baby bok choy. When I have the occasional spinach salad, I make sure that I have a little more goat cheese on it. I have cut down on, but not eliminated, other suspects, like almonds, beans, chocolates. I think moderation is the key here, as with everything. Many of the oxalate foods are also good sources of protein, and since I do not eat meat, I rely on those. Ima Jennings has some good info on her website, but again, take it all with a grain of salt….but only a grain because salt is bad too!🤪

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LOL!

I watched a you tube video with Irma just yesterday! I think that's why oxalates are in the front of my mind. I had just made beets for calcium from an OP recipe to hear her say they are really high in oxalates. I hardly know what to eat anymore.

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