Osteoporosis is a condition of decreased bone mass. You may have had a bone density screening in the past to test for signs of osteoporosis. Normal bones have small holes throughout, but an osteoporotic bone has large holes or appears “porous.” These large holes or pores are caused by insufficient amounts of calcium in the bones and many factors contribute to this. Inadequate calcium intake is one factor, but other lifestyle habits can be leeching calcium from your bones as well. Even if you already have osteoporosis or are at risk for the condition, there are lifestyle changes that you can make now that will help make your bones stronger and help you prevent the bone fractures all too common with osteoporosis.

8 Simple Lifestyle Steps for Preventing Osteoporosis

1. Adequate Calcium Intake – You’ve heard it time and time again and this one is never going to change. You’ve got to get enough calcium folks! Calcium in milk has a greater bioavailability than calcium in supplements, but if you can’t do milk products, supplements will suffice. If you simply don’t prefer milk products, please at least split the difference. I recommend taking your calcium plus vitamin D supplement with milk. This is a simple way to try to fool the body into thinking that the calcium supplement is as bioavailable as the calcium in milk.

2. Vitamin D – Calcium is not absorbed as well without vitamin D available in the system. Those with low Vitamin D levels do not absorb calcium well. Make sure you get your vitamin D levels checked and keep them up. Make sure you take your calcium with vitamin D.

3. Watch Your Sodium Intake.  Sodium will leech calcium from your bones. Keep your sodium intake to less than 1500 mg per day. The salt shaker is completely off limits, folks. Strictly limit processed foods and limit eating out – both are terrific sources of sodium. Sodium does occur naturally in milk and meats; however, you need these in your diet (see #1). Meats are complete protein sources and they are necessary to build and rebuild muscle mass broken down with exercise. Try whey protein isolate (I like CardioWhey ). Whey protein is not only a complete protein with every amino acid, but is a terrific way to build muscle and contains very little to no fat and sodium.

4. Alcohol.  Limit your alcohol consumption to one drink per day at the most. Consuming more than one drink per day is a risk factor for bone loss.

5. Pump Some Iron.  Weight lifting is very important for preventing osteoporosis, but why? When you work your upper body and build a strong core, you are building a strong, stable body. The more muscle you have, the more your bones have to carry around all day – and this is a good thing! More muscles lead to stronger bones.

6. Skip the Elliptical and Stair Climbing Machine.  Instead, run walk or jump. Good “pounding” exercises like these will strengthen your bones while whittling your weight. Jumping is the most effective bone building cardiovascular exercise that we know. Jump rope, do jumping jacks, jump on the kids’ trampoline, anything will work.

7. Follow exercise with whey protein.  Use whey within one hour of your workout (before or after). Working out breaks down muscles and whey protein gives the body the tools it needs to rebuild those muscles.

8. Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables.  Fruits and veggies are incredibly important as they help to prevent the leeching of calcium from your bones. Fruits and vegetables help balance the acid: base ratio in your body. Junk foods like cookies, donuts and potato chips make your body more acidic and this promotes calcium leeching from the bones. Excess sodium, junk food, and even meats will increase the acidity of your body’s fluids, but colorful fruits and vegetables will help to balance it and in turn help keep calcium in your bones where it belongs.

For more information about osteoporosis click here.

By Joan and James O’Keefe

Omega 3 is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in Americans
today. For those at risk for or with diagnosed cardiovascular diseases,
it’s very difficult to get enough DHA and EPA (the two omega-3 fats
that benefit heart health and are found only in fish) from diet alone.
We recommend supplementing with 1,000 mg of DHA and EPA daily (more for
those with high triglycerides or other conditions – speak with your
physician regarding dosing). DHA appears to be the most important of
the two.

We have long compared omega-3 deficiency with sailors and scurvy. Years
ago, sailors discovered that limes cured/prevented scurvy. Of course,
we now know that scurvy is the result of severe vitamin C deficiency.
How many conditions/diseases will treating severe omega-3 deficiencies
prevent?

Most people get more than enough omega-6 fats in their diets. There’s
no reason to supplement with omega-6.

Omega-3 deficiency may be hurting our hearts (Read article from msnbc)

By Joan O’Keefe, RD and James H. O’Keefe, MD

Warning: the holiday season may be hazardous to your health.

Studies show that Americans typically gain about seven pounds over the holiday season each year, and some of it stays on permanently despite the New Year’s resolutions to get it off. Even more worrisome are reports showing increased risks of heart attack, dangerous cardiac rhythms and even death during the holidays. Emotional stress, depression, over-eating, not enough exercise, and too much salt and alcohol are all likely to be playing a role.

Make sure you and your family stay healthy and happy this year by following these rules for safely navigating the holiday hazards.

1. Never go to a holiday party or gathering with a ravenous appetite: it’s a recipe for disaster. Before you leave home, have a healthy snack like a scoop of whey protein powder stirred in a glass of skim milk, or an apple with peanut butter, or cottage cheese with strawberries. Also drink 16-24 ounces of bottles or filtered water.

2. If you are not able to have a healthy snack before going to a party, park yourself next to the vegetable tray and graze until you’ve overcome your compulsion to gorge on deep-fried cheese balls.

3. The first beverage you choose must be a non-alcoholic, non-caloric drink such as iced tea, sparkling water, water, coffee, etc. No sodas, even diet drinks, allowed all evening.

4. Remember good things first. Initially, fill yourself up with natural low calorie options; the mantra for the rest of the evening is portion control. If you love deep fried cheese balls or crab Rangoon, you can have just one. The goal is to stop eating when you’re about 80 percent full- not stuffed to the gills.

5. Pick the smallest plate available and fill it predominately with unprocessed food, still in its natural state (like salads, fruits, veggies, nuts, etc). When you’re finished loading it, it should have a flat contour like the Kansas plains, not the pyramidal profile a Colorado Rocky Mountain.

6. Enjoy a glass or two of wine with your mean, the drier the better.

7. For your dessert, choose a small portion of something redeeming nutritional value like dark chocolate, pumpkin pie, baked apple or a small scoop of ice cream with fresh berries. Wash it down with as much total decaf tea or coffee as you please.

8. If the party ends early enough in the day, instead of plopping down in front of yet another football game, invite a family member, friend or even a dog out for a cool refreshing and relaxing walk around the neighborhood.

9. Most people by the end of the night will be miserably overstuffed, hung-over, and well on their way to the typical seven-pound holiday season weight gain and depression. You, on the other hand, will leave the party looking fit and healthy, and feeling comfortable, happy and ready to sleep like a baby.

10. Don’t blow it the next morning by sampling every waist-expanding holiday treat that shows up in your office.

You will have better willpower if you eat a breakfast high in protein such as whey protein in skim milk, or Eggland’s Best Omega-3 Eggs, and a high fiber item or two like an apple, orange, grapefruit, or berries. Also include tea or coffee and 24 ounces of water before noon.

Follow these tips and you’’ be ringing in the New Year without any regrets.