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An osteoporosis diagnosis can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to take away your confidence, movement, or hope.
I hear it from women every day.
They get a DEXA scan, hear the words osteopenia or osteoporosis, and suddenly everything changes.
Can I bend over? Can I walk my dog? Can I lift something? Am I going to fracture?
My guest on Episode 186, Dr. Tomasz “Tom” Forfa, understands that fear personally. Tom was diagnosed with osteoporosis at only 37 after breaking 13 bones in 10 years. He had osteoporosis in his lower back, two compression fractures, and osteopenia in his hip.
Despite being a doctor, he found himself asking the same frightening questions so many women ask.
The Diagnosis Can Change How You See Yourself
Tom has since interviewed people around the world about what happens emotionally after an osteoporosis diagnosis.
Fear can cause us to stop moving and start protecting ourselves from life.
But that can create another problem.
If you move less, you lose more.
Your bones need appropriate challenge. Your muscles need to stay strong. You need balance, mobility, and confidence to help prevent falls.
The goal isn’t to become afraid of your body. It’s to learn what your body can safely do and progressively build from there.
Three Areas That Can Move the Needle
Tom shared a simple triangle for thinking about bone health.
The first side is your underlying health. Are hormones, gut issues, thyroid conditions, medications, or other factors contributing to bone loss? These are conversations to have with an appropriate healthcare professional.
The second is movement.
Research supports resistance and impact exercise for bone health, but that does not mean everyone needs to start deadlifting heavy weights or jumping off boxes.
Tom couldn’t.
After multiple fractures, he first had to rehabilitate his wrist and ankles. From there, he progressively became stronger—and eventually competed in powerlifting.
Start where you are.
The third side is fueling your bones with the nutrients they need. Protein matters. Minerals matter. Vitamin D and other nutrients matter. And so does your ability to digest and absorb the food you eat.
Progress Over Perfection
I don’t want women feeling defeated because they can’t lift heavy enough or eat a perfectly calculated number of grams of protein.
Make your meals protein-forward. Eat fiber-rich foods that support your gut. Hydrate. Move your body. Build strength progressively.
Do your best and leave the rest.
My Takeaway
A diagnosis should give you information—not take away your confidence.
You have options. You can educate yourself. You can ask better questions. And you can begin demanding more from your body at a level that is right for you.
Your next step doesn’t have to be enormous.
It just has to move you forward.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Oxalates, also known as oxalic acid, are naturally occurring compounds found in many plants, vegetables, and fruits. They are part of a plant’s defense mechanism against predators and can be found in high concentrations in foods like spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, tea, and certain beans.
Regarding bone health, oxalates can bind to minerals such as calcium in the gut, forming calcium oxalate. This compound is not easily absorbed by the body, meaning the calcium that could have been utilized for bone strengthening is instead excreted. This process can potentially lead to lower calcium availability for bone health, which can be particularly concerning for individuals at risk of osteoporosis or other bone-related issues.
However, for most women, dietary oxalates do not pose a significant threat to bone health, especially if their diet is balanced with enough calcium and they do not have a history of kidney stones.
Your gut is crucial for stronger bones for several reasons:
- Nutrient Absorption: The gut is where most nutrient absorption occurs. For bones to be healthy and strong, they need a variety of nutrients, particularly calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D. A healthy gut efficiently absorbs these essential nutrients from your diet and facilitates their transportation to the bones.
- Gut Microbiome and Bone Health: Research has shown that the gut microbiome (the community of bacteria living in your intestines) can influence bone density. Certain gut bacteria help in producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which have been shown to promote bone health. SCFAs can enhance the absorption of minerals necessary for bone strength and play a role in reducing inflammation, which can negatively affect bone health.
- Hormone Regulation: The gut helps regulate hormones that are involved in bone metabolism, including insulin, thyroid hormones, and sex hormones like estrogen. For example, estrogen is vital for bone density, and gut health can influence estrogen levels through the enterohepatic circulation, where estrogens are processed in the liver and intestines.
- Reducing Inflammation: Chronic inflammation, which can stem from poor gut health, is linked to many conditions that compromise bone strength, such as osteoporosis. A healthy gut helps to reduce systemic inflammation, protecting bones from inflammatory damage.
- Immune System Modulation: The majority of the immune system is located in the gut. An imbalance in the immune system can lead to autoimmune conditions, some of which affect the bones. Maintaining gut health helps to ensure the immune system works correctly, protecting against autoimmune reactions that could impact bone health.
In essence, maintaining a healthy gut contributes significantly to stronger bones by ensuring the effective absorption of vital nutrients, regulating hormones, reducing inflammation, and supporting a healthy immune system. Therefore, a diet rich in bone-healthy nutrients, prebiotics, and probiotics, along with lifestyle factors that promote gut health, is key to maintaining strong bones.