Dr Oz: Turn Back Time: Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Bone Spurs

Dr Oz spoke about how to turn back time on aches and pains.  You know all of those nagging pains that bother us more and more as we age?  Well, they can become much bigger problems if we do not nip them in the bud.  So how would you like to feel like you did 20 years ago?

How to Prevent Osteoporosis

Dr Oz said that the hips are a common place that Osteoporosis strikes since our bones begin to thin as we get older.  Dr Oz showed how the femur bone fits into the hip in a ball socket.  Sometimes when you get older, you can break your hip just by walking around.  When someone tells Dr Oz that they fell and broke their hip, his first instinct is that probably their hip broke and made them fall.  Doctor Oz offered a solution to prevent your hip from breaking (and to help fend off Osteoporosis overall), which is to do weight bearing exercise.  Dr Oz demonstrated an exercise where your hold onto the forearms of a partner and you squat while leaning back, which forces you to bear your own body weight.

How To Prevent Osteoarthritis

Dr Oz said that people often develop Osteoarthritis as they age, especially if they have extra weight.  If you lose just 11 pounds, your chance of getting Osteoarthritis is cut in half.  Dr Oz did a demonstration with two cymbals, one represented the tibia bone and one represented the femur bone.  Usually there is some foam between the two cymbals (or bones) and these are the meniscus that pad the tibia and femur from rubbing against one another.  However, if the meniscus gets worn out, then it is like banging two cymbals together without foam in the middle.  You can turn the time back by losing a little weight.  Dr Oz said that for each pound you lose, you reduce the pressure on your knees by 3 pounds.  Also, eat 1 tsp of ginger daily to help minimize inflammation.  Dr Oz mentioned that broccoli is also great for knee problems.

How to Prevent Bone Spurs

The final area that Dr Oz covered for aches and pains was feet.  Did you know that 75% of people have shoes that fit improperly?  As you age, your feet will get flatter and wider, which can make your shoes cause more friction and can lead to bone spurs.  You do not want to wear shoes where your foot is bulging out of the shoe.  Dr Oz said to prevent bone spurs, you should do the one finger test (you want a finger width or 1/2″ to 3/4″ between your longest toe and the end of the shoe).  Lastly, Dr Oz said you should make sure that you can not see your toe pushing into the top of your shoe.