According to the National Library of Medicine, up to half of all women over 50 years of age will develop osteoporosis. Risk factors for this bone-thinning disease include aging, a slight frame and low body weight, low sex hormones, menopause, smoking and certain medications (cortisone and prednisone).

Natural prevention and treatment has largely focused on eating calcium-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, figs, oranges, tofu and yogurt, as well as taking vitamin D3 supplements. Other preventive measures recommended by the National Osteoporosis Foundation include 30 minutes a day of weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises, as well as exercises that address balance, posture and functions such as stair climbing.

Recently, Paivi Rauma and her fellow researchers at the University of Eastern Finland published study findings in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine that indicate high levels of life satisfaction in 1,100 Finnish women aged 60 to 70 helped protect against osteoporosis.

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) also helps promote bone tissue regeneration or improve bone density. PubMed published the results of a 1990 study on bone density changes in osteoporosis-prone women exposed to a short-term, 72-Hertz pulsating electromagnetic field for 12 weeks. This reparative technique, cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and most commonly used in the field of orthopedics for the treatment of non-union fractures and failed fusions, was noted as a promising treatment method for osteoporosis and other abnormalities related to bone loss. It is also a useful therapy for peripheral neuropathy.

Robert Gilliland, DC, practices at the Southwest Florida Natural Health Center, LLC, 27499 Riverview Center Blvd., Ste. 255, in Bonita Springs. To schedule a PEMF treatment, call 239-444-3106 or visit BonitaSpringsPEMF.com.