A theme that keeps recurring in nutritional medicine is that degenerative diseases are caused, at least in part, by our modern diet, which contains too much sugar, fat, salt, refined flour, caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, and food additives. I routinely advise my patients, regardless of their specific medical problems, to try to clean up" their diet; that is, reduce their consumption of these junk foods" and to increase their intake of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans, and other unprocessed foods. The majority of people who follow that advice find that their health improves in some way. Many individuals report an increase in energy, less depression and anxiety, fewer headaches, better bowel and bladder function, and less fluid retention. They often sleep better, their joints do not hurt as much, and they are more alert and productive. Laboratory reports, such as serum cholesterol, triglycerides, liver enzymes, and uric acid also improve in many cases.

Specific medical conditions may also be relieved as a result of these general dietary changes. Patients with asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer, gallbladder attacks, acne, psoriasis, high blood pressure, diabetes, angina, or other problems frequently find that their symptoms are better when they eat a healthier diet. Part of the appeal of improving your diet is that, even if it does not help, it rarely causes harm.

Diet and Bone Health
Considering that bone is living tissue, just like the rest of the body, it is likely that what you put in your mouth will determine in part how strong your bones will be. Many people believe that, aside from its calcium content, diet has little to do with osteoporosis. However, that assumption ignores the fact that bone tissue has diverse nutritional needs and engages in complex interactions with the rest of the body. It is improbable that our modem-day diet could be sparing our bones while damaging the rest of our body. Although it is impossible to determine the precise effect of diet on bone health, there is at least circumstantial evidence that the typical American diet promotes the development of osteoporosis.

There are three reasons that our modem diet might not be good for our bones. First, many of us ingest too much sugar, caffeine, salt, and alcohol. Consumption of each of these substances is reportedly associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. Second, because of the way our food is grown and refined, today's diet probably contains much lower quantities of various vitamins and minerals than it used to. As you will learn later, some of these vitamins and minerals play a key role in maintaining healthy bones. Third, some of the processing techniques used by the food industry cause chemical changes in our food that may adversely affect the health of the tissues in our bodies, including bone. The possible influences of diet on bone health are reviewed next.