High protein, high fat, meat-based diets cause or contribute to the chronic health conditions we face, including bone and joint diseases like arthritis and osteoporosis.

One leading researcher in this area wrote regarding an osteoporosis diet, protein in particular, that "Eating a high-protein diet is like pouring acid rain on your bones."

How Does Protein Affect Bone?

We grew up being told that we need protein to build strong bodies. While this is true, adults only need about 50 grams of protein a day for good health. Any extra protein we eat over 50 grams in a day is not just wasted, it becomes destructive to our bodies.

It seems that meat products contain things that can change the acidity of the blood stream. This is known as a 'pH shift', or a change in the acidity of the blood. This measurable change of the normal blood acidity or pH is buffered or offset by calcium in the blood.

As calcium in the blood is used up in buffering the increased acid from the meat we ate, that calcium must be replaced - and calcium is removed from bone and put into the blood stream to keep things working properly.

The problem is that a high-protein diet can remove calcium from bone faster than it can be replaced, and the bones of the body are emptied. The weaker, more fragile bones of osteopenia and osteoporosis are the result.

What Are High Protein Foods?

The standard American diet is based around meat products. I grew up hearing that chicken, fish, and low-fat dairy products were health foods.

These popular beliefs remain today with most people. New information in the last decade is showing us that these comfortable foods are really anti-health foods because of the changes in body cells and tissues that result from eating them.

In fact, the more of these foods we eat, the worse is our health.

High protein foods include that contribute to osteoporosis and other diseases include:

• Dairy products
• Corn
• Meats
• Eggs

There are others, but these are the most damaging to our bones and joints because of the quantity we eat and how often we eat them.

These are common foods that are eaten every day by most Americans, and instead of 40 to 50 grams of protein we often eat 100 to 120 grams a day. Much of this protein is from meat, which also brings excess fat into our bodies, creating other health problems.

Power-lifting body builders often eat close to 200 grams of protein a day. Yes, they have big muscles, but when they stop power-lifting they rapidly lose their muscle mass and have health consequences to deal with.

An Osteoporosis Diet
Protein-Reduced

Four weeks without these foods, especially the animal-based foods, will often bring great relief from arthritis pain. This is an indication that the body's inflammatory responses to high-protein high-acid foods is calming down and getting better. Pain relief from arthritis is noticed quickly.

The body is normalizing at the same time in other ways that are not noticed because there are no symptoms. One of those changes is that the bone loss of osteoporosis is being stopped and reversed because the calcium in the bones is no longer being removed from bone to buffer the increased acidity in the blood.

What To Enjoy

• Brown rice
• Cooked or dried fruits: cherries, cranberries, pears, prunes (but not citrus fruits, bananas, peaches or tomatoes)
• Cooked green, yellow, and orange vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, chard, collards, lettuce, spinach, string beans, summer or winter squash, sweet potatoes
• Water: plain water or carbonated forms, such as Perrier, are fine.
• Condiments: modest amounts of salt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract are usually well-tolerated.
• Pinto beans, legumes such as peas, lentils are all high-protein plants; but they do not contain the sulfur compounds that meat foods do so they have far less negative impact. However, during this trial period, have small portions only.

What To Avoid

• All dairy products should be avoided: cow’s milk skim or whole, goat’s milk, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, etc.
• All meats should be avoided: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, etc.
• All soft drinks and sweetened beverages such as 'sports-drinks' must be avoided.

Try this for 30 days and you will notice changes. Your pain will go down, your energy will go up, your body will begin to function more normally.

Instead of returning to your previous normal eating habits, I suggest you not add meat back into your diet. If you do, add one of the old foods at a time, with two or three days before you add another food. Within two days of adding a problem food, joint pain will return, energy will go down, and you will know which food you must then avoid entirely.

You'll know the cause of the pain and what to do about it.

And you'll know you are helping your osteoporosis, as well.

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