Bone Health Natural Care Options w/ Kevin Ellis

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are common health problems affecting a considerable part of the population, yet the pharmaceutical solutions to this problem are woefully inadequate. 

In this episode, I am joined by Kevin Ellis, commonly known as the bone coach. After an osteoporosis diagnosis in his early 30s, he realized the information gaps for people looking for stronger bones. He became a bone health advocate and founded bonecoach.com.

Bone Health Stats

But before we take a dive deep into what contributes to osteoporosis and how to comprehensively address bone loss naturally, let’s first look at some quick facts from the National Osteoporosis Foundation. 

• Approximately 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and another 44 million have low bone density. 
• One in two women and up to one in four men will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis. For women, the incidence is greater than that of heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer combined.
• Six months after a hip fracture, only 15 percent of patients can walk across a room unaided.
• Every year, of nearly 300,000 hip fracture patients, one-quarter end up in nursing homes, and half never regain previous function.

From these alarming statistics, we can clearly see that osteoporosis and osteopenia are serious public health threats. 

Yet many people don’t even know they have osteoporosis until they break a bone. It is often regarded as a silent disease because there are no symptoms. 

Understanding Bone Density Test and Results

Osteoporosis means porous bone due to excessive bone loss or inadequate bone formation. To make a diagnosis, you need a DEXA scan to test bone mineral density. This is a painless test, more like an x-ray but with lesser amounts of radiation. 

The test results are presented using a score known as a T-score. The score basically measures how your bone mass differs from that of an average 30-year-old. 

A score of zero means that your bone density is equal to that of a healthy young adult, and -1 is still considered normal and healthy. A T-score of -1 to -2.5 indicates you have low bone mass, sometimes called osteopenia. A T-score of negative 2.5 or lower is considered osteoporosis.

Luckily, bone loss is manageable. We can build bone strength at any age, only that the older we get, the less efficient the process becomes. But at the bare minimum, we can prevent further loss. 

Listen in 🎧 as Kevin takes us through everything about bone health. You’ll appreciate his vast knowledge of the subject. 

‍