FOODS TO BOOST BONE HEALTH IV

This is the final post in this series on bone health. Prunes. Don.t snurl your nose, prunes really aren't that bad. For a while now, I have been eating 2 prunes a day to counteract a medicine I have to take. I have come to look forward to eating them! Actually, prunes are a bone-strengthening powerhouse. Prunes contain vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants that support bone strength, according to Dr. Raj Dasgupta., who says, "studies suggest prunes may slow bone loss in postmenopausal women."

Dr Jennifer Brown said, "It's a good idea to incorporate 50 grams, equivalent to five or six prunes, into your diet daily. She went on to say, "I would advise women to introduce them gradually to avoid unpleasant GI side effects," such as cramps, gas, or bloating.

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FOODS TO BOOST BONE HEALTH II

Following up on yesterday's post about osteoporosis and foods that boost bone health, we come to canned sardines. If you are like me, you say, "No way." I do have osteoporosis and I do try to take good care of my bones, but I will be honest and admit I do not and will not eat sardines. Many people like them, obviously by the number I cans I see in grocery stores. My dad enjoyed them and ate them often, so to you who do eat them, way to go!

Honestly, sardines are one of the best foods for bone health. According to Jennifer Brown, M.D., "Canned sardines are an excellent choice for helping to prevent osteoporosis. Sardines are a good source of calcium, vitamin D, protein and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are vital for optimal bone health. Vitamin D is especially essential because it helps the body absorb calcium more effectively."

Dr. Brown recommends women who want to incorporate sardines into their diet aim for two to three, 3-oince, servings a week. She finds that King Arthur Sardines in olive oil is a good option that's relatively low in sodium.

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SOME FOODS TO BOOST BONE HEALTH

"Osteoporosis is a chronic condition that causes bones to become weak and prone to breakage," Jennifer Brown M.D., a board-certified physician in family medicine and obesity medicine. Dr. Brown went on to say, "It usually occurs in postmenopausal women as estrogen levels decline." A diet rich in essential nutrients can help one avoid painful breaks. It is important to make sure you are getting calcium, magnesium and vitamin D in your diet.

One of the foods that should be in your diet includes LEAFY GREENS. Leafy greens (such as spinach, kale and collard greens) provide both calcium and magnesium. Calcium strengthens bones, while magnesium supports muscles and helps keep bones healthy. These greens are easy to add to meals and can help maintain bone strength naturally," says Raj Dasgupta, M.D.

Dr. Dasgupta recommends eating one to two cups of leafy greens daily. You can enjoy them cooked or raw. If you can't stand the thought of eating leafy greens, try adding a handful of baby spinach into a smoothie. You will get the benefits without even realizing the spinach is there.

Our next post will be about another food to help boost bone health.

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MELONS AND OTHER FRUITS FOR OSTEOPOROSIS

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or want to protect your bones from it, consider adding more fruit to your diet.  Fruits contain potassium which is important in protecting bones.  To keep your bones healthy be sure your diet includes honeydew and cantaloupe melons, bananas, plums, prunes, raisins, and other fruits.  What a tasty healthy tip!

FOODS TO HELP PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS

Disclaimer: I have osteoporosis and over the last few years, I decided to take my rheumatologists advice and take an oral medicine one day a week. This was after a broken hip that I realized it was time to try medications. The trauma surgeon did say my bones actually looked pretty good for my age (late 70s) so I will continue this treatment. At my last test a couple of months ago, my numbers were slightly better so I will continue this regimen. This post is about eating to prevent or slow down osteoporosis. Knowing what to eat (or not eat) is important in fighting any health problem. Here are some tips for eating to prevent or slow down osteoporosis:

• You need calcium. That is probably the number one thing everyone knows about osteoporosis. It is best to get said calcium from the foods you eat and here are some good examples - fat-free plain Greek yogurt, fat-free milk and cheese, white beans, kale, collard greens, broccoli, almonds, and soybeans. Include some of these in your diet every day.
• Get plenty of lean protein. Examples are lean meats such as turkey, chicken, pork tenderloin, lean beef, legumes, peanut butter, beans, low-fat milk and cheeses. Avoid too many protein bars and shakes. That is not the best way to get healthy protein.
• Vitamin D is important, too. Actually, calcium needs vitamin D to help it travel to the bones and where it is needed. Sunshine helps the body to produce vitamin D but that requires too much time in the sun so supplement with the following foods: Fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines and herring. Soy milk, yogurt, and egg yolks also contain vitamin D. Since the list of foods rich in vitamin D is slim you may need to discuss a vitamin D supplement with your doctor (I do take a daily vitamin D supplement as recommended by both my primary care doctor and my rheumatologist).
• Magnesium is also beneficial in preventing and fighting osteoporosis. Magnesium helps the body absorb calcium to help maintain a strong bone structure. Magnesium is found in seeds such as pumpkin, sesame, and flax, brown rice, Swiss chard, spinach, sweet potatoes, beans, wheat germ, etc.

This is a short list of foods that will help you prevent or slow down osteoporosis. There are more but if you make a point of including several of the above foods in your daily diet you will be well on your way to preventing this bone disease.

WHY THE BODY NEED WATER?

The human body needs water more than anything else, except oxygen. At as little as a 2% loss of water, our bodies become fatigued. As little as a 10% loss can cause serious problems and a week without water can be fatal. Check out the following facts and you will understand why water is so important:

• Water makes up 83% of our blood.
• Water composes 75% of our brain.
• Water accounts for 22% of our bones.
• Water makes up 75% of our muscles.

The average adult needs around 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of water a day. If you are large, very active, or if you drink a lot of caffeine products which act as mild 

diuretics, you will need more.

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SESAME OIL AND BONE HEALTH

According to a report in Science  Reports  sesame oil can build bone strength due to its phytoestrogen compounds. Phytoestrogens contain compounds that mimic natural estrogen. Our natural estrogen drops as we age. Those tiny little sesame seeds are also healthy. It is important to do what we can to keep our bones healthy so you might want to use some sesame oil and seeds in your kitchen.

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WANT TO BOOST YOUR LONGEVITY?

If your answer is yes to the title question, and you normally have a glass of orange juice with your breakfast, try switching to pomegranate juice. This switch can slow, maybe even reverse, the aging of your brain, heart, muscles, and bones. Italian scientists say the phytonutrients in pomegranate juice energize anti-aging genes in every cell of the body.

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WALKING TO LOSE WEIGHT

If you want to shed a few pounds but you hate dieting, and who doesn't, try walking 4 times a week. According to Dr. James Rippe one can lose about 18 pounds a year by walking for 45 minutes 4 times a week. An added benefit will be other health improvements from walking. It is known to strengthen bones, so that is a good side benefit. Walking is inexpensive, easy and better than dieting any day, in my opinion. If you are dieting, add walking to your daily routine. It will enhance your dieting. I suggest you wear a good pair of shoes when walking.

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TAKE CARE OF YOUR FEET

This post is a little different but important. I think most of us have heard the saying, "When your feet hurt, you hurt all over".  It is no wonder that seems true. Did you know that a quarter of all the bones in your body are in your feet? That's right. Each foot has 26 bones which means your feet contain 52 bones. In addition to bones the feet and ankles also have 33 joints and more than 240 muscles, ligaments, nerves and tendons.  And we keep all those things busy. The average American will have logged approximately 75,000 miles on their feet by age 50. So don't just take your feet for granted, take good care of them.

Ladies are four times more likely than men to have foot problems. The experts say this is probably due to shoe choices. If the shoe hurts or doesn't fit properly, don't wear it! "Listen" to your feet when they try to tell you something.

Important tip: Feet naturally swell in the afternoon so buy shoes in the afternoon to avoid buying shoes that are too tight.

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WATER AND THE BODY

 Water is one thing the body must have to survive. The body needs water more than most anything else except oxygen. Did you realize that as little as a 2% loss of water, the body becomes fatigued. As little as a 10% loss can cause serious problems and a week without water can be fatal. Consider the following:

• Approximately 90% of the blood is made up of water
• Water composes 75% of the brain
• Water accounts for 22% of the bones
• Water makes up 75% of muscles

The average adult needs 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of water a day, more if they are large, very active physically or drink a lot of caffeine products which act as diuretics.

Make sure you drink enough water to keep your body is good condition.

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BONES IN THE FEET

Do you know how many bones are in each of your feet? The number might surprise you! Each of your feet have 26 bones, both large and small ones. Would you believe that almost one-fourth of the body's bones are found in the feet? One of the easy ways to take good care of your feet is to wear sturdy shoes that fit well.

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INTERESTING INFO FOR ASTHMA SUFFERERS

Over twenty-six million Americans have asthma. If you are one of them, ask your doctor about a bone density screening as you may be more prone to develop osteoporosis. A study of over 7,000 asthma patients published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology found that some asthma treatments, such as oral steroids, can raise a person's risk of developing osteoporosis, Osteoporosis is the brittle bone disease. In addition to the steroids, some asthma patients refuse to walk, jog, dance, etc - all bone strengthening exercises - because they are afraid of having an asthma attack. Asthma patients should be sure to get plenty of calcium and vitamin D.

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LEAFY GREENS FOR THEIR BONE-BUILDING BENEFITS

Are you one who likes to pass up the green leafy vegetables such as Swiss Chard, Kale and Spinach?  Think of them for their bone-building benefits, They are packed with vitamin K, a bone-building vitamin. In a 2020 study published in Bone Reports it found that 200 grams, about 1 1/2 cups, daily improved bone integrity in middle-aged adults in as little as four weeks. If you don't like eating these green leafy veggies, try adding them to salads, soups and casseroles. You can also try roasted kale chips.

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SPINACH FOR YOUR BONES

As many of you know I have osteoporosis, so I am paying lots of attention right now to anything concerning the bones. Thankfully, spinach is one of my favorite foods and I plan on adding a lot more of it to my diet. Here are some 'good for your bones' facts about spinach:

• 1/2 cup of spinach supplies you with 122 mg of calcium
• Spinach provides the body with bone-building magnesium
• Spinach provides the body with bone-building vitamin K

Protect your bones! If spinach is not currently a part of your diet, make a point to start including it often, at least weekly. You can sauté spinach, eat in in a salad, drop some into soup, use it on a sandwich, etc. There are many tasty ways to work spinach into your diet.

 

YO-YO DIETING AND BONES

Yo-yo dieting is not good for your body and can be harmful to your bones. This is not a post against dieting, many of us should do more of it. This is for those who choose to diet, lose a lot of weight and then gain it and more back, diet again and repeat the process over and over. Here is a warning for those who yo-yo diet.

When you take off pounds, especially a lot of them, you lose muscle mass along with the fat tissue. The less muscle you have, the weaker your bones will ultimately become. When you yo-yo diet, you have less time to rebuild muscle and may be setting your bones up for problems later.

HOW ESSENTIAL IS WATER TO THE BODY?

 The photo below should answer that question.

EAT TO PROTECT YOUR BONES FROM OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis is sometimes referred to as "the silent disease" because many times it is only discovered after a person suffers a broken bone.  It is estimated 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 44 million are at risk for this devastating disease. There are foods you can eat that will help to protect your bones from this disease but don't wait until you are diagnosed with osteoporosis to start eating these foods.  Make them a regular part of your diet today!

• low-fat dairy products
• dark leafy greens
• salmon
• oats
• tofu

I'm sure there are more but this is a good starting point.

In addition, walk and do other weight-bearing exercises.  This will help to prevent falls and fractures.

If you are concerned about your vitamin D and calcium levels ask your doctor to test them the next time you have blood tests.

Your doctor can also do a bone density test if you are at risk.

Did you know the following may be signs of early osteoporosis?

• loss in height
• decreased strength in your hand grip
• weak and brittle fingernails
• cramps, muscle aches, bone pain

MORE ON BANANAS

 

Since yesterday's post was about bananas, I thought it a good idea to follow up with this chart.

BENEFITS OF COLORFUL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PART II

Yesterday's post was about some of the benefits of eating colorful fruits and vegetables.  Today we will continue by discussing orange and green fruits and vegetables.  Remember these lists are partial but give you the idea of how color in your diet is beneficial.

• Orange - Carrots are one of the best foods for heart health.  Scientists have found that people who eat at least one serving of carrots a day are 60% less likely to have a heart attack!  Remember if you are diabetic, cooked carrots are higher in sugar than raw carrots.
• Sweet Potatoes are excellent sources of vitamin A.  One baked sweet potato provides 262% of your RDA of vitamin A.  One of the benefits of vitamin A is to keep your skin looking young by forming new cells.
• Cantaloupe gives your immune system a big boost.  One cup of cantaloupe has 113% of the RDA of vitamin C.  Vitamin C fuels infection-attacking while blood cells.
• Green - Broccoli is known for its' healthy benefits.  But did you know that compounds in broccoli reduce redness and inflammation from UV rays by 37%?
• Limes cancer-fighting properties remain in the bloodstream up to 24 hours after consumption!
• Spinach is packed with vitamin K.  One cup of spinach has 1,000% of the RDA for vitamin K.  Vitamin K is a nutrient that bonds calcium to bones and slows cell breakdown.

If you aren't including color in your diet on a daily basis, you are missing some vital vitamins and minerals!

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