Our text (Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists by Salvo and Anderson) reports to us that the cause of osteoporosis is low estrogen levels resulting in less calcium. Many nutritionists and alternative medicine experts might have different thinking about the causes of osteoporosis. In her book, Better Bones Better Body, Dr. Susan Brown points to many more causes than just lowered calcium levels. She reports that even though in many cultures worldwide there is less calcium, osteoporosis is not nearly as prevalent as in the US. Dr. Brown points to many lifestyle issues as well as lowered calcium as being causal in osteoporosis. Among the causes of osteoporosis, she lists are acid/alkaline balance (most of our lifestyles lead us to be very acid which would tend to use up mineral electrolytes such as calcium), high sugar in the diet, history of dieting, caffeine, stress and weak adrenals, and lack of exercise. It is good to remember that one thing that most everyone can do to counteract the effects of their tendency toward osteoporosis is to engage in weight-bearing exercise, which signals the body to build more bone. As massage therapists, we can encourage our clients to do what they can to prevent disease processes.
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