We have orange juice and antacids that are fortified with calcium, yet we eat far less total food, take in less calcium, and get less exercise than our grandparents did. At same time we consume more animal protein and phosphate-containing foods, such as soft drinks. Obviously, we need to eat more of right foods and take high-quality supplements in some form as well.

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease of skeleton in which amount of calcium present in bones slowly decreases to point where bones become brittle and prone to fracture. In other words, bone loses density.

The term osteoporosis is derived from Latin and literally means "porous bones." Because of physiological, nutritional, and hormonal differences between women and men, osteoporosis primarily affects women. This debilitating disease afflicts more women than heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast cancer, or arthritis. 50% of all women between ages of 45 and 75 show signs of some degree of osteoporosis. Over a third of that group suffer from serious bone deterioration.

Unfortunately, bone loss causes no symptoms while it is occuring. It is very common for a woman to be totally unaware that she has osteoporosis until what should have been a minor accident causes her to break a bone, oftentimes a wrist or a hip. In advanced cases of osteoporosis, a simple hug can result in fractured or broken ribs.

As bone loss advances, vertebrae are subject to what are called compression fractures, crowding nerves of spine and various internal organs and causing a loss of height. It is this compression that causes "dowager's hump" that many women develop as they age. Osteoporosis can also be a contributing factor in tooth loss; when structure of jawbone weakens, it can no longer hold teeth firmly in place.

There are two basic types of osteoporosis. Type I, or high turnover, osteoporosis occurs in some women between ages of 50 and 75 because of sudden postmenopausal decrease in estrogen levels, which results in a rapid depletion of calcium from skeleton. It is associated with fractures that occur when vertebrae compress together causing a collapse of spine and fractures of hip, wrist, or forearm caused by falls or minor accidents.

Type II, or low turnover, osteoporosis is linked to dietary deficiency, especially a lack of sufficient calcium and vitamin D, which is necessary for absorption of calcium. Many women mistakenly believe that osteoporosis is something they need be concerned about only after menopause. Recent evidence indicates that osteoporosis often begins early in life and is not strictly a postmenopausal problem. Although bone loss accelerates after menopause as a result of drop in estrogen levels, it begins in premenopausal years.

Many people believe that osteoporosis is caused soley by a dietary calcium deficiency and that it can be "fixed" by taking calcium supplements. Wrong. While calcium supplements are important in dealing with osteoporosis, there are other considerations as well. Vitamins C, D, E, and K all play vital roles in battling osteoporosis, as does protein. Regulating amounts of certain minerals, such as magnesium, phophorus, silicon, boron, zinc, manganese, and copper, in body are also important in maintaining proper calcium levels. Exercise is another vital factor.

Natural healing involves moving from a state of non-health into health using only natural means. If we fast to cleanse body of mucous, seek massage therapy to ease aching muscles, or take herbal formulas to soothe an irritated throat, we are using a natural healing modality. Natural health modalities such as homeopathy, herbology, iridology, bioenergetic methods, and nutrition, are non-invasive methods of health practice, which are designed to stimulate and maintain body's intrinsic self-healing processes. Let’s take a brief look at each of these modalities.

Homeopathy - Homeopathy, as founded by Samuel Hahnemann, is based on concept of "like cures like" with idea that remedies and symptoms sharing certain similar characteristics work together to aid healing process.

Iridology - Iridology is study of colored part of eye, iris. According to Iridology, iris contains fibers and pigmentations, which possibly indicate states of physical and psychological health. By determining placement of fibers and variations in pigmentation in iris, physical strengths and weaknesses due to environmental reactions, past physical reactions, emotional patterns, and inherited physiological qualities can be used to maintain and improve general health.

Herbology - This is a health practice, which utilizes therapeutic applications of herbs and other botanical substances, such as roots, leaves, bark or berries of plants. These substances can be made into various forms of tablets, capsules, teas, lozenges, or poultices, and are generally sold over-the-counter in health food stores and neighborhood pharmacies.

Holistic Nutrition - Holistic Nutrition is science of using natural, whole foods and nutritional supplements to detoxify, rebuild, and balance whole person, with an awareness of how these dietary choices are interrelated with condition of our body, emotions, spirit and environment.