Tag: Kenzen BDZ™

Be Sure to Take Care of Your Bones While Housebound!

Published on by Nikken

As we are staying home more than usual during these unprecedented times, we tend to be less physically active. We need to make a special effort to get our bodies moving on a daily basis, not only for our health’s sake but specifically to keep our bones strong. Here’s why it’s so important to keep up the practice of Active Wellness:

  • When bones and muscles do not get adequate stimulation, that is, through movement and exercise, bone resorption quickens. Bone resorption refers to bone loss. 1
  • Vitamin D levels are critical for bone health, and staying indoors decreases exposure to the sun, the natural source of vitamin D.
  • We might be making fewer trips to shop for fresh groceries and eating fewer fresh leafy green vegetables, fruits, and dairy products, all good sources of calcium and vitamin D. Eating ready-made or processed foods may deprive us the nutrients that are necessary to help protect, build and maintain bones.
  • Strength-building and weight-bearing exercises provide great stimulation to the bone cells and help to increase bone mineral density and bone size. The good news is that these types of exercises can be accomplished by stair climbing, walking, lifting weights and dancing, all of which can be accomplished indoors.
  • Decreasing contact with others and staying homebound can cause mental stress. Social media shows evidence of increased smoking and alcohol intake by members of various age groups. Unfortunately, smoking and excessive alcohol intake contribute to bone loss and weakening of bones by reducing blood supply to the bones, slowing production of bone-forming cells and impairing the absorption of calcium.2

In summary, there are simple things to do to help maintain bone health. They’re the same habits we should form even when we have the freedom of going out whenever we want:

  • Eat a healthy diet that’s rich in calcium and vitamin D. If your access to fresh food is limited, remember that staples such as canned beans and canned fish contain calcium and protein.
  • Set aside 30 minutes a day to exercise. If you can go outdoors and enjoy sunshine for some of that time, even better.
  • Maintain your body at a weight that is comfortable for you. This is not a time to try and lose a lot of weight. In fact, being too thin makes you more likely to get osteoporosis, but carrying too much weight can increase the risk of falling or leading to a more sedentary lifestyle.
  • Ensure your home environment is free of clutter and any obstacles that may cause you to fall. Now more than ever, staying fracture-free is critical, especially if you already have osteoporosis.3 Minimize the need to go to a hospital.
  • Ensure a daily calcium intake that is age-appropriate.

If you don’t normally take a nutritional supplement to help boost your bone health, this may be the perfect time to start. Why not try Kenzen BDZ® and Kenzen® Calcium Complex? At Nikken, we call them“bone buddies”because they are formulated to work together. Kenzen BDZ™ helps the body absorb calcium with three patented blends that research has shown to help preserve bone structure and strength and to build healthy bones.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 

 

1, 2 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/what-do-we-need-to-know-about-our-bone-health-during-this-pandemic/articleshow/77588729.cms

3 https://osteoporosis.ca/your-bone-health-during-covid-19/

 

Men Need to Pay Attention to Bone Health

Published on by Nikken

Osteoporosis causes the skeleton to weaken and become brittle, making it easy to fracture or break. Too often, osteoporosis is a disease that is attributed only to women because men tend to have larger skeletons with bone loss starting later in life and progressing more slowly. Nevertheless, in just the United States, millions of men suffer from osteoporosis.1

Because osteoporosis often goes undiagnosed, it is especially important to prevent it. Known as a “silent disease,” osteoporosis may not exhibit any symptoms until a fracture actually occurs. Men in their fifties do not experience the rapid loss of bone mass that women do in the years following menopause; however, by age 65 or 70, men and women lose bone mass at the same rate as well as the decrease in ability to absorb calcium.2

There are two main types of osteoporosis: primary and secondary. The primary type is caused by age-related bone loss. The secondary type is caused by bone loss related to unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking and excessive drinking of alcohol, lack of exercise and a diet low in calcium. Although men of any race can develop osteoporosis, Caucasians seem most at risk as well as men who have chronic diseases that affect the kidneys, lungs, stomach and intestines.3

Since osteoporosis is often asymptomatic, both men and women need to be self-aware and see their physicians if they notice a change in posture, height or the onset of back pain. These are all signs of possible osteoporosis and a bone mineral density test can confirm whether the disease is present or in the precursor stages.

If a diagnosis of osteoporosis is made, the treatment plan may include calcium and/or vitamin D supplements, exercise and a change in diet. There are also medications that may be prescribed, but this is a source of much continuing controversy as there are risks of negative side effects, even though the drugs are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.4

There have been fewer research studies on osteoporosis in men than in women; however, the consensus is that both genders should take steps to preserve bone health. Here are some preventative measures:

  • Ensure a daily calcium intake that is adequate for your age. For example, recommended calcium intake for those 9-18 years old is 1,300 mg daily but it decreases to 1,000 mg for men 19-70 years old and women up to 50 years old. At 51 years for women and 70 years for men, the recommended calcium intake increases to 1,200 mg.5
  • Ensure an adequate intake of vitamin D. 600 IU daily is recommended, while men over age 70 should increase intake to 800 IU daily.6
  • Participate regularly in weight-bearing exercises in which bones and muscles work against gravity. An Active Wellness regimen is easy to start simply with walking, jogging and climbing stairs.
  • Incorporate resistance exercises into your daily routine. Start with lifting small weights and work up to heavier ones. Or use the resistance machines at a gym.
  • Some medications are known to cause bone loss, for example, those known as glucocorticoids.7 If you take them or other medications, check with your doctor for known side effects that affect bone loss.

Check out the Nikken Bone Health Pack. Composed of Kenzen® Calcium Complex and Kenzen BDZ™, these partner products deliver maximum support for the body’s skeletal system. Bone buddies are your best friends for life.

 

 

1,2 https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/men

3 https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/men#c

4 https://www.naturomedica.com/blog/news/osteoporosis/what-are-the-controversies-surrounding-osteoporosis-medications

5, 6, 7 https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/men#e