The Bones

Bones.  The bones of something often refers to its skeleton or inner structure that allows it to hold its shape and stature.  For example, a house...if the bones of the house are still sound, the house is considered salvageable.  Once the bones crumble, the structure in its entirety needs to be replaced.  This analogy makes most of us view bones as static, hard crystalline shapes within us that allow for an upright posture and movement.

Bones are anything but static, they are a living tissue constantly breaking down and building back up impregnated with a complex network of nerves and blood vessels to support this and other processes that take place inside.  The process of breaking down and building up bone, called remodelling, is rigorously controlled and in one year replaces 10% of the skeleton.  This means every decade you have a new set of bones. 

There is a myth of a bone woman who roams the hills collecting bones that are at risk of being lost forever.  She gathers the bones of the wolf and returns to her cave and assembles them in the likeness of a wolf.  As she sings over them, the bones come to life again, growing muscle, skin, and fur until the wolf springs from the cave and runs alive and free.  The bones in this story represent life and remembering.  In Shamanic vernacular, ‘remembering’ is the act of putting something back together in its whole form after it has been dismembered.  Each moment of the bones breaking down and building back up, they dismember and remember.  It is the bones which remain hundreds of years after death, a memory of life.

Anthropologist, Margaret Mead, is quoted as asking: “What is the earliest sign of civilization? A clay pot? Iron? Tools? Agriculture?...No, a healed femur”.  A broken bone means another would have to hunt, feed, and care for this fellow human.  Immobilization of a fracture is necessary for its recovery.  At the occurrence of a fracture, the richly vascularized bone bleeds and form a hematoma between the two bone ends.   Over two weeks this forms into a soft tissue which eventually transforms into hard, bony tissue.  This soft tissue, called a callus, must not be disrupted as it can result in another fracture or a non-healing fracture down the road.

According to the books Plants and Medicines of Sophie Thomas and Māori Healing and Herbal, two Indigenous groups in different bioregions, use almost identical methods to care for fractures.  The Sai'Kuz call this a Si-bed.  The Māori in New Zealand and Sai'Kuz in northern British Columbia, Canada dig holes into the ground, about the size of the person, line it with hot stones, place the injured person inside and bury them with therapeutic branches and herbs up to their neck.  A hot infusion, made with different herbs, is poured over the rocks creating a vapour bath as hot as the person can stand it.  The branches and herbs used in the infusion and to line the hole differ between the two groups.  This finding is especially fascinating as these two bioregions are on different continents, yet the sophisticated care for another’s bones, using herbal therapeutics, is the same.

The use of heat and aromatic herbs in these beds provide antibacterial action and promotes inflammation in the acute phase of healing.  Many of our modern practices, such as icing, compression, and elevation aim to reduce inflammation.  Inflammation is the body’s mechanism for healing itself and is critical in the acute phases of a fracture.  According to Medscape, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) have been shown to impede bone healing and are not recommended at the acute phases of fracture healing.  

Osteoporosis (decreased bone density) increases the likelihood of a fracture.  Osteoporosis also influences other parts of health.  The inside of spongy bone, which makes up about 20% of our total bone mass, resembles a honeycomb.  This intricate lattice structure provides a lot of surface area for cell production, both red and white blood cells.  Because osteoporosis breaks this tissue down, the surface area is reduced, which in turn also reduces blood cell production.  For this reason, osteoporosis can also increase the risk for anemia or decreased immune system responsiveness. 

Our bones play a big part in our overall health, and we can play a big part in our bone health.  To address bone health, we must first address the foundation of our health.  Nutrition (which includes a healthy digestive system), hydration, minerals, sleep, and movement are all basic pieces of health.  More specific support for bone health could look like:

Kidneys, endocrine system, digestive system: these three organ systems play a vital role in the break down and build-up of bone.  The digestive system allows for absorption of minerals and nutrients while the kidneys balance the minerals and hormones needed for bone.  The endocrine system secretes hormones which play a role in the tightly regulated system of bone remodeling.  A healthy endocrine system also maintains balanced blood sugars and an increased sensitivity to insulin which allows glucose into the bone tissue, needed for building.

Amino acids: a rich diversity of different varieties of protein provide the building blocks for collagen production which makes up about 30% of bone mass.

Bioflavonoids: you can buy a supplemental vitamin C with bioflavonoids and/or you can load up on berries, rosehips, and brightly coloured vegetables and fruits.  These bioflavonoids also aid in collagen production

Hydroxyapatite: bone health is dependent upon a balancing dance between calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D.  Calcium and phosphate oppose each other so supplementing one may knock the other out of balance, which is why it is recommended to supplement hydroxyapatite which contains both. Dark leafy greens are rich in calcium, as is canned fish with bones, and dairy products.  Phosphorus is more abundant in our diet and is found in meat, dairy, and grains.

Vitamin D: the best source of vitamin D is the sun.  If that is not possible it can also be obtained through cod or halibut liver and fatty fish, minimally from eggs, fortified milk products, and/or supplementation.

Genistein: a constituent which helps the building phase of bone remodeling can be found in red clover, kudzu, legumes and fermented soy products.

Naringenin: a precursor of genistein (the building block for this constituent) can be obtained through dried oregano, rosemary, and artichoke leaf.  It is most concentrated in citrus, such as grapefruit, kumquats, oranges, and yuzu, especially the peel.  Save your citrus peels and lay them out in a well ventilated space on a sheet pan.  Once dry store them in your pantry and grind or chop them up as you use them.  They are delicious in teas or added to soups or sauces.  You can also add larger chunks to your salt grinder as a condiment.

Kaempferols and Quercitin: these two nutrients help balance the cells which build up and break down bone.  They can be found in capers, oregano, arugula, Nappa cabbage, fresh cilantro, kale, fresh lovage leaves, mustard greens, red onions (skins can be put in bone broth), and watercress. 

Stress: increased cortisol activity directly affects bone health because it upregulates a protein that increases the cells that break bone down.  If this is out of balance to the cells which build bone up then bone density decreases.  Managing stress and keeping cortisol in check is important for all health but especially the health of our bones.

Weight Bearing: The process of building bone happens because it breaks down from the stresses of daily life.  Movement and exercise is key to sustaining a healthy bone density. Simple exercises such as walking  or swimming help maintain bone density, but adding weight bearing exercises such as weightlifting, walking uphill, or body weight exercises increase the effectiveness.

Bone is living tissue that is designed to withstand the rigor of daily impact and stress.  It is our structure, our scaffolding and protection, but it is also a hub for blood cell production and storehouse for essential minerals.  Our bones remain the memory of who we once were when we are long gone.  This crystalline architecture seems static and still but let us remember, stillness does not mean without life.

All my best,

Alison

REFERENCES:

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