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Life Fit with Laura Lewis: Can Anti-Depressants Affect More Than Mood
Being Life Fit is about your total health, including the health of all of your relationships. Life Fit is a journey, not a destination. It is a process of continuous growth: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Check in each Tuesday to Life Fit with Laura Lewis, author of "52 Ways To A Healthy You," as we explore our total life fitness. Then, weigh in with your own thoughts over at Laura's "Life Fit Chat" each Wednesday and Thursday for further discussion on the week's topic. Or check out "Ask Laura" every Friday for answers! For more information visit Laura at www.LauraLewis.com.With an estimated 10% of American men and women on some sort of pharmaceutical anti-depressant the question of whether or not these medications will have long-term negative side affects is certainly warranted. Recent studies suggest that one long-term effect of pharmaceutical anti-depressants is brittle bones and an increased chance of bone fractures. Not good news for the millions of aging Americans battling depression.
Leslie Spangler, a researcher at Group Health, a Seattle-based health plan researcher, found that post-menopausal women taking prescribed anti-depressants experience a significantly greater number of fractures to the spine, as well as to other bone fractures throughout the body. Spangler's research indicates that women are at a 30 percent greater risk of spinal fractures, and 20 percent greater risk of fracturing other bones.
Women taking anti-depressants need to be especially diligent in getting proper levels of calcium. In my book, 52 Ways To A Healthy You, I share with readers natural ways to maintain enough calcium through diet. Dairy products such as yogurt, acidolphilus, regular milk, and low-fat cheeses are excellent sources of calcium. But many people are not able to tolerate these foods. Fortunately, we can get calcium in other foods that few people think of as "high-calcium" foods. Canned salmon and sardines, collard greens, mustard and turnip greens, broccli, kale, soybeans, tofu, almonds, oysters, clams and shrimp are all excellent non-dairy alternatives for obtaining adequate amounts of calcium.
Leslie Spangler, a researcher at Group Health, a Seattle-based health plan researcher, found that post-menopausal women taking prescribed anti-depressants experience a significantly greater number of fractures to the spine, as well as to other bone fractures throughout the body. Spangler's research indicates that women are at a 30 percent greater risk of spinal fractures, and 20 percent greater risk of fracturing other bones.
Women taking anti-depressants need to be especially diligent in getting proper levels of calcium. In my book, 52 Ways To A Healthy You, I share with readers natural ways to maintain enough calcium through diet. Dairy products such as yogurt, acidolphilus, regular milk, and low-fat cheeses are excellent sources of calcium. But many people are not able to tolerate these foods. Fortunately, we can get calcium in other foods that few people think of as "high-calcium" foods. Canned salmon and sardines, collard greens, mustard and turnip greens, broccli, kale, soybeans, tofu, almonds, oysters, clams and shrimp are all excellent non-dairy alternatives for obtaining adequate amounts of calcium.
