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Live Long and Strong

Live Long and Strong

GMAMA birthday (2)

My Grandmother’s 100th Birthday!

Celebrations with family and friends are such an important part of life, not only because they mark important religious and social rituals but also because they play an essential role in our health and well-being.  This past week, many of you celebrated Easter and Passover, some will celebrate Ramadan in June, and we all are entering the ceremonious season of graduations and weddings. Although we sometimes over indulge in food and drink during these celebrations, which is typically not conducive to good health, these festivities provide a vital connection to our families and communities that ultimately strengthen and enhance our well-being. One of my favorite books on health and longevity, The Blue Zones, emphasizes the importance of family and social connections for not only living longer, but also living healthier and more vibrant lives. 

The Blue Zones, authored by Dan Buettner, looks at the diet and lifestyles from communities around the world where people are living healthy, productive lives at 100 years old and beyond.  Buettner identifies 5 areas of the world, which he calls the Blue Zones, that have the greatest number of centenarians: The Barbagia region of Sardinia; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; and Okinawa, Japan. Through his study of these geographically diverse regions, Buettner found 9 common lifestyle principals among these populations that lead to remarkably long and fulfilled lives.

Now if you are going to live to be100 years old and beyond, you have to have healthy bones, right? If we become frail and our bones break, they certainly won’t support us to living vibrantly at 100!  By incorporating the 9 common lifestyle habits of the world’s longest living and healthiest people, we can in turn adapt a lifestyle that will not only encourage strong, healthy bones, but also a healthy, happy, more vibrant life.

 


Lessons from the Blue Zones

1.  Move Naturally.  Build activity into your routine and daily lifestyle.

2.  Have Purpose. Why do you wake in the morning? What are you passionate about? How do you enjoy using your talents? What is truly important to you?

3. Down Shift. Even people in the Blue Zones experience stress. Stress leads to chronic inflammation, associated with every major age-related disease, including osteoporosis. The world’s longest-lived people have routines that neutralize stress. Take time every day to rest, pray, meditate or socialize with friends.

4. 80% Rule. Stop eating when you are 80% full. People in the Blue Zones also eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening and then they don’t eat any more the rest of the day.

5. Plant Slant. People in the Blue Zones eat 2 vegetables at every meal as well as making beans and lentils, not animal proteins, the centerpiece of meals.

6. Wine at 5!  People in all Blue Zones (except Adventists) drink alcohol moderately.  Moderation is important because excessive alcohol negates any benefits you might enjoy. Drinking 1-2 glasses of red wine a day with friends and/or with food can be beneficial.

NOTE: Alcohol is NOT conducive to building strong bones, so MODERATION is key!

7. Belong. All but five of the 263 centenarians interviewed in this book belonged to some faith-based community. Studies have shown that attending religious services (1-4 times a month) may make a difference in how long a person lives.  It is thought that adherence to a religion can help to alleviate stress and belonging to a spiritual community can foster a supportive social network.

8. Loved Ones First. Successful centenarians in the Blue Zones put their families first. Make a point to spend time with your family, take vacations together, and celebrate together.

9. Right Tribe. The world’s longest lived people are born into or chose social circles that support healthy behaviors. It is much easier to adopt good habits if you are surrounded by people who also practice them.


 

It is commonly thought that degenerative diseases like osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis are inevitable side effects of aging. But that doesn’t have to be the case.  Studies have shown that adopting a healthy lifestyle can actually stop, slow down and even reverse chronic disease. You can’t stop the aging process, but you can adopt these 9 lifestyle habits that can help you prevent or minimize the impact of age related disease and allow you to live a long life with greater health and vitality.

 

Contact me TODAY to find out how you can combat bone loss so you can live long and strong!

 

For more information on the nine commonalities that support a longer, healthier, happy live you can visit the following website:https://www.bluezones.com/ or enjoy the book The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner

 

 

Bone Broth for Bone Health

Bone Broth for Bone Health

Bouillon, broth, clear soupWhat could be more nutritious for your bones, than a broth made from BONES?  Why bones? Because they are rich in collagen and minerals!  Bones are made up of a flexible collagen matrix which is then mineralized by calcium and phosphate, giving bone its strength and density.  Bones are also the storage facility for the many other minerals needed by the body, including minerals needed for bone metabolism, like magnesium. The marrow of the bone hosts vitamin A, vitamin K2, and minerals like zinc, iron, boron, manganese and selenium as well as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.  Eating bones would be a little tough, but we can access their valuable nutrients by making a broth.  By slowly simmering bones in a pot of water with a little added vinegar, you can extract the collagen and minerals from the bones making a broth rich in many bone building nutrients. The breakdown of bones during the cooking process also makes a broth abundant in amino acids that help maintain muscle tissue, promote healthy digestion and reduce inflammation throughout the body.  All important factors in supporting bone health!

Broths made from bones have been used though out history to provide nourishment and sustenance, but also for medicinal and health benefits. Beyond your bones, check out the many ways bone broth supports your over all and well-being.

The Bountiful Benefits of Bone Broth

1.   Supports good gut health and promotes healthy digestion.

2.   Great source of natural collagen with chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine which help to reduce joint pain and inflammation.

3.   Contains amino acids that have anti-inflammatory effects through out the body, which is especially important for people with chronic inflammation or auto-immune disorders.

4.   Since 70-80% of the body’s immune system is in the gut, supporting a healthy gut, in turn, supports a healthy immune system.

5.   Supports natural detoxification by helping the digestive system expel waste and promote liver health and function.

6.   The abundance of amino acids help support muscle function and repair

7.   The collagen and gelatin in bone broth support healthy hair and strong nails.

 

Here is a great recipe for Home Made Chicken Broth

Some times, instead of using a whole uncooked chicken, I will use the bones from a roasted chicken after eating up all the yummy meat!

Ingredients

1 whole free-range chicken or2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones, and wings
Gizzards from one chicken (optional)
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons vinegar
¾ inch peel of 1 large white potato, discard the center
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley

Please note the addition of vinegar.  The vinegar helps leech all those valuable minerals from the bones into the stockpot water, which is ultimately what you’ll be eating. The goal is to extract as many minerals as possible out of the bones into the broth water. Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar is a good choice as it’s unfiltered and unpasteurized.

Cooking Directions

  1. Fill up a large stockpot (or large crockpot) with pure, filtered water.
  2. Add vinegar and all vegetables except parsley to the water.
  3. Place the whole chicken or chicken carcass into the pot.
  4. Bring to a boil, and remove any scum that rises to the top.
  5. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let simmer.
  6. If cooking a whole chicken, after the meat begins to separate from the bone, remove the chicken from the pot and separate the meat from the bones. Place the carcass back into the pot and continue simmering the bones for another 12-24 hours.
  7. If cooking bones only, simply let them simmer for about 24 hours.
  8. Add the fresh parsley about 10 minutes before finishing the stock, as this will add healthy mineral ions to your broth.
  9. Remove remaining bones from the broth with a slotted spoon and strain the rest through a strainer to remove any bone fragments.

Simmering bones over low heat for an entire day will create one of the most nutritious and healing foods there is. You can use this broth for soups, stews, or drink it straight. The broth can also be frozen for future use. Keep in mind that the “skin” that forms on the top is the best part. It contains valuable nutrients, such as sulfur, along with healthful fats, so just stir it back into the broth.

 

Contact me TODAY for your FREE 15 minute consult so you can start building strong bones for tomorrow!    703-738-4230

 

 

 

Essential Exercise for Hardy Bones

Essential Exercise for Hardy Bones

Exercise is without a doubt the most important thing you can do to build bone strength.  Although it is true that we naturally lose bone mass as we age, it has also been very well established that exercise can maintain and even improve bone mass at any age.  Around age 40, women start to lose bone mass at a rate of 0.3-0.5% a year. After age 50, the rate of bone loss increases to 1-1.5% a year and can accelerate to over 2% a year during the first 6-10 years after menopause.  The good news is that consistent exercise has been shown to improve bone mass by 1-3% a year!

In the last newsletter, I talked about how stress can be detrimental to our bones, but exercise can stress our skeletal system in a positive way!  The greater the stress an exercise places on a bone, the more it stimulates bone turnover and strength. So the best bone builders are exercises that put a force on the bone, like weight-bearing activities such as power walking and jogging and resistance or strength training exercises. However, research suggests that resistance training actually has a more profound site specific effect on bone.  For instance, performing squat exercises not only improves leg strength, but also increases bone mass in the hip and lumbar spine.  Just as muscle gets bigger and stronger with resistance training exercise, so does bone.

Resistance training, is beneficial in so many ways.  Not only does the force of the muscle contracting on the bone stimulate bone growth, but muscle, in response to exercise, also releases a hormone called irisin.  Studies have shown that irisn produced by muscle during physical exercise can increase bone mass and strength. Irisin has been shown to increase the number of osteoblasts (bone building cells) while inhibiting the production of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone.)   Strength training also effectively offsets age-related decline in muscle mass.  Body muscle mass decreases by approximately 15% between the ages of 30 and 80 with a 30% decrease in overall strength between the ages of 50 and 70.  Improving overall muscle strength is essential to improving balance, which in turn, decreases the likelihood of falling and breaking a bone.

For the most beneficial effects of resistance training, women should start strength training before menopause, however, you can experience the benefits at any age.  Strength training exercises can include lifting weights, using elastic exercise bands or weight machines, or simply lifting your own body weight. Performing resistance training at least twice a week has been shown to build bone and muscle mass.

As stated above, squats are a great exercise to start building bone in the hips and lumbar spine. Below is a progression of the squat exercise from basic to advanced.  If you have not been doing resistance training or arthritis in your knees, hips or back, you should start with the chair squat and progress as able.  As with any exercise program, go at your own pace, stop if you have pain and progress to the next level only when you feel like the current exercise level is getting to easy.

Squats

1.   Chair Squats:  This is a great exercise to get you started.  Simply start by sitting up tall in a chair and then standing up tall without using your arms.  Focus on using your leg muscles to stand up rather than thrusting your body forward. Perform 2 sets of 5-10 sit to stand chair squats a day.

sittingStanding ready to squat

2. Mini Squats: You can start this exercise on a stool or higher chair and then progress to a lower chair once you become stronger. Start by standing up tall with feet shoulder width apart.  Slowly lower yourself down, like you are going to sit on the stool or chair. Touch your buttock lightly to the chair, without fully sitting, then straighten back up.  Start by performing 2 sets of 10 mini squats daily.

standing ready to squat on stoolmini squat on stool

Standing ready to squatchair squat

3.  Full squats: Perform initially without weight and then progress to using weights as you become stronger. Start with feet shoulder width apart and focus on bending at the hips. Don’t let your knees pass your toes as you squat. When using a weight, keep it a chest level and be sure to tighten your stomach muscles and keep your back straight as you squat. This will protect your back from excessive loads. Start by performing 2 sets of 10 squats without weights.  When this becomes easy, you can add light hand weight and progress as able.

standing with weight

squat with weight

Weakening of the bones does not have to be a part of normal aging.  You can do something about it!  Start performing resistance exercises today and you can stimulate increases in bone mass that can offset the negative effects of aging and help you to age vibrantly!

Contact Susan for further advise on how to start building your bones TODAY!

703-738-4230

 

 

Don’t Stress Out Your Bones!

Don’t Stress Out Your Bones!

dreamstime_s_81978501At some point in our lives we are all faced with stressful situations or experience anxiety, depression or loneliness. Stress is synonymous with modern living! Although short term stress can lead to tension and unpleasant symptoms, prolonged or chronic stress can put you at risk for numerous health problems, including bone loss. Part of the body’s response to stress is to release a powerful hormone call cortisol.  

Cortisol is essential to human survival and for adaptation to stress, but prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream can have many negative effects including: impaired cognitive performance, blood sugar imbalances, elevation of blood pressure, suppression of immune function, and muscle and bone tissue breakdown.  The secretion of cortisol in times of stress, has been shown to have a negative impact on bone remodeling. Bone is a living, dynamic tissue that is constantly remodeling itself.  This process is regulated by 2 different types of bone cells:  osteoclasts which breaks down old bone tissue, and osteoblasts which aid in depositing new bone tissue. Cortisol release in response to stress reduces the ability of osteoblasts to form new tissue and increases the rate of bone breakdown by osteoclasts. The end result is bone loss! 

Sustained elevation of cortisol impairs the absorption of calcium from the intestines and accelerates calcium excretion in the urine.  Stress also increases the body’s need for magnesium and prolonged stress is a major cause of magnesium deficiency.  Magnesium is critical to bone health for several reasons.  It is necessary for converting vitamin D into its active form of D3, which in turn plays a key role in our ability to absorb calcium from the intestines. Magnesium also stimulates the release of calcitonin, a hormone that helps to preserve bone structure by maintaining proper levels of calcium within our blood stream.

Prolonged stress levels can lead to depression. Studies show that depression induces bone loss and increases the risk of osteoporotic fractures. It is thought that the increase in cortisol secretions in people suffering with depression results in bone breakdown and loss of bone mass. A diagnosis of depression needs to be considered a risk factor for developing osteoporosis.

Because stress and depression are linked to poor bone health, it’s not enough to just discuss the importance of diet, exercise and supplements when treating osteoporosis.  A truly effective holistic program must include stress reduction as well.  Because stress in our modern society is inevitable, learning to control your stress levels is critical to preserving your bone health.  Luckily, there are many things you can do to help control and negate the adverse effects of stress!

8 Ways to Reduce your Stress

1.   Identify the sources of stress in your life and learn how to avoid, alter, adapt or accept them.

2.   Focus on eating a nutrient rich diet that will not only aid in helping you feeling emotionally balanced but will also provide the additional calcium and magnesium needed for your bones during times of stress.

3.   Deep breathing exercises.  Long deep breaths help promote relaxation and good digestion.

4.   Find a relaxation technique that works for you: Prayer, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery or visualization can facilitate relaxation, decrease blood pressure and pulse rate, improve circulation and decrease the secretion of cortisol.

5.   Consider journaling to help you better understand your thoughts and emotions.  Journaling can also serve as an emotional release and help you get rid of negative thoughts.

6.   Make a good night’s sleep a priority by practicing good sleep habits such as establishing a sleep routine, making sure your room is cool and dark, avoiding stimulating TV or books and caffeine, sugar or alcohol prior to bedtime.

7.   Practice gratitude by taking a moment to reflect on all the things in your life that are good, including your own positive qualities and gifts.

8.   Do something for yourself every day that you enjoy and makes you happy!

 

The human body is designed to handle occasional stress, but chronic stress is bad for the bones! Reducing the negative effects of stress on your body will not only help all aspects of your health, but also help promote strong, healthy bones for life!

Contact me to schedule a 15 min FREE consult to see if I the right person to help you begin your journey to building health bones!

Give me a call at 703-948-9176.

Boost your Bone Strength with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Boost your Bone Strength with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

dreamstime_s_17124055The beneficial effects of the Mediterranean Diet on cardiovascular health have long been recognize. In recent years, the diet has also been shown to support bone health, even reducing the risk of osteoporotic fractures!  A recent study published in Clinical Nutrition explored the effect of the Mediterranean Diet, in particular the consumption of different varieties of olive oil, on the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures. The study concluded that a Mediterranean diet with a high consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) was associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis-related fractures in the middle-aged and elderly Mediterranean population.  The consumption of other oils, including other common olive oils, was NOT associated with a lower risk of fractures in the study.  So what’s the difference between olive oils and what makes EVOO so beneficial?

The difference lies with how the oil is extracted and processed:
Extra virgin olive oil is made from the first cold pressing of the olives and pits and no heat or chemicals are used during this production process.
Virgin olive oil is the oil produced from the second cold pressing.
Pure olive oil is a blend of processed olive oil and a small percentage of EVOO.
Light or extra light olive oil is the lowest quality of olive oil and is manufactured by using chemicals and heat to remove impurities.  Sometimes it is blended with other oils such as canola oil.

Procuring the oil from the first pressing is essential because it contains the highest concentrations of phytonutrients and polyphenols which have well-known anti-inflammatory properties and may also play a role in the prevention of bone loss.  Oleuropein, a key phenolic component of EVOO, may prevent bone loss associated with osteoporosis by increasing formation of osteoblasts (bone forming cells).  Two other phenols, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, may increase bone formation while reducing inflammation that initiates bone breakdown.

Because the processing of the olive oil affects the polyphenol levels, consuming pure, authentic extra virgin olive oil is essential to acquiring all the bone building benefits.  Unfortunately, much of the olive oils in your local food stores have been found to be adulterated with cheap soybean or other inferior oils, mislabeled or even rancid.  In a 2010 study done by UC Davis , 79% of the EVOO tested were rancid, of poor quality or adulterated with cheaper, refined oils. ConsumerLab.com evaluated 10 EVVO products for quality as well as polyphenol content and found that only 7 of the 10 passed, with 3 being uncertain that they were even EVOO.  See the chart below for the EVOO testing and results.

 

Product Name Approved/Not Approved/Uncertain Total Polyphenols (mg/kg)

Cost/tablespoon

Notable Features

Whole Foods Market 365 Extra Virgin Olive Oil- 100 % Mediterranean Blend

Medium EVOO

Approved 218

Lowest cost: $0.10

Non-GMO Verified

Cold processed

Origin: Italy, Greece, Spain

California Olive Ranch

Extra Virgin Olive Oil-Everyday

Approved 260

$0.18

Non GMO Verified

First cold press

Origin: California

Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil Approved 315

$0.22

First cold pressed

Kosher

Origin: Italy, Greece, Spain

Costco

Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mild EVOO

Approved

369

Highest polyphenol level in review

Low cost $0.11

USAD Organic Seal

First cold pressed

Origin: Italy, Tunisia, Greece and Spain

Lucini Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil Approved 215

$0.54

Non GMO

First cold press

Origin: Italy

Spectrum Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Approved 234

$0.46

USAD Organic Seal, Non GMO, Kosher

First Cold press

Origin: Argentina or Spain

Trader Joes Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil Approved 237

Low price: $0.13

All natural cold pressed

Origin: Italy, Spain, Argentina and Greece

Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Uncertain:

Virgin, not Extra Virgin Olive Oil

318

$0.18

First cold pressing

Origin: Spain and Tunisia

Newman’s Own Organics Uncertain: Virgin, not Extra Virgin Olive Oil 330

$0.42

USDA Organic Seal, Kosher

Origin: Tunisia

Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Uncertain: Virgin, not Extra Virgin Olive Oil 218

$0.15

Non GMO

First cold pressed

Origin: Spain, Tunisia, Morocco

 

 

What if you use a brand not tested by ConsumerLab.com, how do you know its quality or purity?  Unfortunately, it is impossible to judge the purity of EVOO just looking at it or tasting it.  However, there are things that you can look for to help you identify a quality oil.

Consumerlabs.com suggests evaluating your olive oil using the following guidelines:
1.  Look for a certification seal on the label: USDA Quality Monitoring Program, North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA), California Olive Oil Council (COOC), the Extra Virgin Alliance (EVA).
2.  Choose an oil that includes a harvest date:  It is best to buy an oil within 15 months of its harvest date, not to be confused with the “Best By” date.  Unfortunately, not all labels provide a harvest date.
3.  Choose an oil packaged in dark glass: Dark glass protects the oil from oxygen and light.  Also, storing oil in a cabinet will protect it from light and keep it fresh longer.
Its important to note that cooking also affects olive oil.  It has been shown that temperature, cooking time and cooking method all modify the chemical structure of olive oil and deplete the polyphenols and vitamin E within a short period of time.

Recommendations when cooking with olive oil:
1.  Keep heating time to a minimum
2.  When possible, add olive oil in the later stages of cooking
3.  When cooking for longer period of time, add small amounts of olive oil frequently to replenish

To ensure you are getting all the valuable polyphenols to boost your bone health, add 3-4 tablespoons of cold EVOO to salads, pasta, fish or anything else. In addition to protecting against cardiovascular disease, using quality EVOO is another way you can build strong, healthy bones for life!

For more information on the things you can do to improve your bone health, contact me today!

703-738-4230

 

References: 
  1. http://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(17)30006-7/abstract
  2. http://oliveoil.ucdavis.edu/research/files/report041211finalreduced.pdf
  3. https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/Extra-Virgin-Olive-Oil-
  4. Review/evoo/http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13
  5. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996913002421