Overview
Libby was diagnosed with polycythemia vera (PV) in 2016 but has also had to combat osteoporosis and breast cancer. Her PV is now well managed, and her breast cancer is in remission. However, her osteoporosis is an increasing concern, especially as it can be exacerbated by the hormone reduction therapy she must take for ongoing breast cancer treatment.
So feeling conflicted about what her options were, Libby focussed on doing everything she could do to improve her bone density naturally. And she’s had remarkable success. She has achieved this by weight bearing exercise under the supervision of a physiotherapist and most importantly, increasing her calcium intake. Libby has managed to do this without eating mountains of dairy. She has kindly agreed to share her story …
Libby’s story
‘These are my personal thoughts and experiences and they are not supported by any scientific proof.
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis about 15 years ago.
In order to try and manage (or stabilise) my osteoporosis I increased my exercise routine by going to the gym which incorporated weight bearing exercises. I continued to walk on most of the days I didn’t go to the gym, aiming for between 5km and 10km a day. I also adjusted my diet to incorporate more calcium and was prescribed calcium and vitamin D tablets by the GP.
In December 2019 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was 68 years old. I had surgery and radiation treatment early in 2020 for this, with 5 years of hormone reduction therapy to follow. I was rather disappointed to learn that the hormone reduction therapy medication I was prescribed for breast cancer treatment would have a negative effect on osteoporosis.
In mid-2022, I sought advice from a well-regarded dietician and nutritionist as to how I might be able to slow the increased level of osteoporosis. She suggested that I needed at least 4 serves of calcium a day. I tried this, having 4 serves of milk/cheese/yogurt a day and found this didn’t work for me.
When I realised that I couldn’t manage 4 serves of calcium/day over and above the calcium supplement I was taking, I decided to try fortifying the milk that I consumed with skim milk powder. This had the effect of increasing the calcium content of the milk I was having each day by about 50% and was for me, very manageable as I could use the milk in cereal, beverages and cooking in general.
To fortify the milk, add 35gm skim milk powder to 500ml (a bit over 2 cups) of low-fat milk. Give it a good shake and it’s ready to use. You can buy skim milk powder from most supermarkets. This will give you 500mls low fat milk that is nutritionally equivalent to about 750mls (3 cups). In some states you can buy milk with extra calcium from the supermarket milk cabinet.
I have been consuming fortified milk for about 18mths now. I have annual dexa (bone density) scans. The scans are on the same machine each time. I’m pleased to say that my bone density has improved over the last 12mths, the bone density in my femoral neck (hip) increased by 9.2% and my spine by 1%.
My spine is now osteopenic, however my femoral neck remains in the osteoporotic range. I’m hopeful that with continued fortifying of the milk that I consume and targeted exercise, I will continue to improve the osteoporosis in my femoral neck and spine.’
