The Menopause At Work Series

Bone Health

A nutrient-rich, phytoestrogen-rich, calcium and vitamin D-rich diet is critical to bone health, as are adequate weight bearing exercise, adequate sunlight exposure, and avoidance of habits that inhibit bone mineralization and increase bone loss, for example, cigarette smoking and soda consumption and prevention of falls.

Herbs should be considered as a support to bone health rather than a primary treatment.

Using herbs as foods is the most effective approach, be that using soy as tofu, tempeh, miso, and soymilk, and herbs such as nettles as a green vegetable along with other calcium rich greens.

Using supplements such as calcium, potassium and silica can also assist with bone health. Calcium and vitamin D supplements also reduce rates of bone loss and fracture.

Nettles, horsetail, milky oats, and dandelion are also good herbs for bone health.

Nettles: reported to be high in Vitamin A (as carotenoids), B complex, C, D, K, and in the minerals calcium, magnesium, manganese, boron, chromium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and silica, as well as chlorophyll.

Milky oats: rich in vitamins B, C, D, E, K, and carotenes as well as many minerals, including calcium, magnesium, chromium, and silica. Eating oatmeal as a breakfast cereal is a way to derive nutrients from milky oats.

Horsetail: has a high silica content.

Dandelion: the leaves are vitamin and mineral rich. Dandelion greens are especially rich in calcium, magnesium, manganese, boron, and iron, as well as potassium. They are best eaten raw in salads or steamed as a potherb. They can also be prepared as a vinegar extraction, along with horsetail, nettles, and many other leafy greens.

Teaa for Bone Health Herbs teas include oatstraw, horsetail, dandelion root.

The herbs can also be used in herbal vinegars made with red wine, balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Fruit and vegetable intake including in particular leafy greens are vitamin and mineral rich and are positively associated with bone density.