There’s a treatment for osteoporosis that’s quite popular, and it appeals to those who prefer more natural methods. This treatment mimics a substance in your own body, a substance that, when you have low levels of it, can contribute to lower bone density.
So getting more of this substance makes sense, right?
Not so fast…
Osteoporosis is associated with aging. And part of aging involves decreased hormone levels. This is a natural part of aging, but the medical establishment would have you believe that these natural hormonal shifts, known as menopause in women, are some sort of disease that must be “cured.” Aging is also looked at as some sort of disorder that must be staved off for as long as possible.
Enter Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
In an effort to recapture youthful levels of key hormones – particularly estrogen – drug manufacturers have developed medications that contain hormones (or synthetic substances that mimic hormones) to replace the ones you’re making less of as you age.
But natural hormonal changes are not a “disease” that needs treatment. There’s plenty of proof that tampering with the body’s natural hormones is problematic – take this list of side effects of taking estrogen, for example:
- Flu-like symptoms
- Increased risk of stroke
- Hot flashes
- Leg cramps
- Deep vein thrombosis (blood clots)
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Increased risk of breast cancer
Feeding Cancer
The last side effect listed above – increased risk of breast cancer – is particularly disturbing. Estrogen actually “feeds” breast cancer cells – most tumors in the breast are estrogen-receptor positive. This means that breast tumors receive “signals” from estrogen that stimulate them to grow. Putting more estrogen in the body would increase the number of signals to the estrogen-receptor positive cancer cells, effectively “feeding” the cancer.
But What about Bioidentical Hormones?
There seems to be the impression that hormones used in hormone therapy that are derived from plants and therefore more “natural” are safer than their synthetic counterparts. Known as bioidentical hormones, these are just as risky if not riskier than the hormones used in conventional HRT (hormone replacement therapy). More importantly, bioidentical hormones fall into the same category as conventional ones: they simply are not necessary.
Not Worth the Risk
Taking any sort of estrogen as a way to treat osteoporosis just doesn’t make any sense from a risk-factor standpoint. Why risk your health to take hormones to treat a condition that isn’t even a disease? When you consider that menopause and the associated drop in estrogen levels are designed by nature, then fighting that process (especially at great risk to your overall health) makes little sense.
What does make sense is the latest information on breast cancer treatment and prevention through natural means. Such information has been top secret…until now. Thanks to Lee Euler and Susan Clark, this valuable information is now available to all. I'll explain, but first, you need to know about…
The Big Cover-Up
Since there’s no way of profiting from natural substances and protocols that can’t be patented, much to our detriment, natural breast cancer treatments have been “shelved” by Mainstream Medicine.
Let (Graceful) Aging Happen
Our culture is youth-obsessed, most likely because aging is associated with chronic “diseases” that can take a real toll on your quality of life. And then, doctors prescribe toxic drugs to “treat” those “diseases”… Ah, the magic of one little neatly packed pill!
Fortunately, you know better.
You know that as you journey through the different stages in your life, you can feel and look fantastic, and that once you take your health into your own hands, it’s easy to attain wellness.
And as I write in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, try to let go of the urge to be perfect. Think about whose standards you’re measuring yourself against – your own, or society’s? Society would have you think that aging means that you can no longer do what you were easily doing before, that aging is a “problem”. But aging is a natural process; it’s how we’re designed, and it should not be confused with an illness. So eat a balanced diet, exercise, and enjoy life no matter what your age.
Stay healthy!
I am dealing with metastatic breast cancer (estrogen receptor positive, her2 negative) and have been advised to take letrozol blocking all estrogen in my body. I already have osteoporosis and am hesitant to take letrozole along with vibrance an oral chemo. Any suggestions about how I can protect my good estrogen and stop the bad estrogen?
I am not a fan of western medicine and becoming more and more skeptical of naturopathic medicine everyday. I will however say it seems hypocritical to actually say that the medical industries are witholding known health information because they are unable to profit from it, when you are only willing to offer it through purchase of your products. I also see no evidence or research studies to support any of your suggestions and i think its a bit strange for a doctor to use a scare tactic in choosing which disease is worse (cancer or osteoporosis) while downplaying the severity of osteoporosis as “graceful aging” when in reality suffering a hip fracture from this condition has been linked to higher mortality rate within one year. I’m not saying you dont have good ideas or suggestions, just that this site seems very gimicking and i as a potential consumer I would appreciatiate more factual information with links to back up your claims and less heavy marketing strategies and pictures of ppl in lab coats.
This article fails to mention the tens of thousands of women who have been oopherectomized and hysterectomized and are not in “natural” menopause. I lost both ovaries when I was 33 years old in 2005, hardly a natural part of aging. Without HRT, I could and can not function. I started out with a T score spine -3.2 one year after my hysterectomy and eventually it dipped to -3.8 T score spine by 2014. I was on the Vivelle Dot patch, full dose, almost the entire time (except the first two years). I also did stints of natural progesterone cream but could not tolerate it. I started on Prolia in 2014 due to my rapidly declining bone density and chronic bone pain and stress fractures. My scores have improved tremendously, however, I am having chronic back pain and brusing on my spine 2.5 years into Prolia, and have had two back to back colds lasting two weeks in duration both times, one in January, the other towards the end of February. never in my life have I had two colds, let alone one, in the span of two months. My immune system is shot. Very frustrating. I am also taking loads of supplements, eat very healthy, exercise a lot. I was doing more strength/weight bearing for a long time but with my back pain/injuries it is nearly impossible right now without making it worse. Which will lead to further decline in bone strength. This disease is horrible. Knowing what I know now, I would NEVER have had a hysterectomy or allowed anyone to take my ovaries unless I was dying of ovarian cancer.
I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis and osteopenia. I am told it is because I refused HRT after my hysterectomy in 2001. My doctor is advising I should start HRT now for 2years followed by bisphosphonates. Will save our bones programme help me as I am terrified of using HRT and bisphosphonates. Would appreciate any advice.
Simi, I don’t advocate HRT because certain hormones naturally dwindle with age. You certainly do not have to take any drug or synthetic hormone that you are not comfortable with! I welcome you to this site where you can get all kinds of excellent information to help your research efforts. I know you will make an informed decision!
Thank you Vivian for all you’ve contributed to helping us save our bones naturally. The discussion on bio identical hormones is enlightening and of concern. I so appreciate knowing that they are not as safe as we’ve been led to believe. I would not want to take them systemically but my vaginal dryness is so bad at age 58 that I’m starting to have incontinence. My gynecologist is very concerned about what will happen to me in the next 10 years and has recommended compounded estrodil to be inserted vaginally. Do you know if using it this way (topically is how she describes it) is much safer? I”m sure there are others who may have a similar question. Thanks for all the time and caring you give to all your readers.
I do not eat soy and try to avoid it because it is an estrogen. Everything has some soy in it and it annoying to try and buy food without this additive.
Vivian, I have just purchased your book and am reading the additional info you have posted here. At 51 I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and would like to know your opinion of “Fosteum”. It is classified as a “super food” and therefore not covered by my insurance. However, I am more inclined to go the expence rather than risk the side effects of Boniva or others.