Showing posts with label For Seniors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label For Seniors. Show all posts

Sunday, 20 November 2022

Keep Your Mind Sharp as You Age


As you age, you may start to feel like your brain is aging right along with your body. This is especially true if you find yourself constantly forgetting things. There are several ways you can keep your mind sharp as you age, so keep reading to find out how to keep your brain sharp for years to come. 

 

Don’t Stop Learning

 

A big mistake that people make as they start to age is that they think they don't have to learn anymore. This is never the case. Learning helps to keep the brain fresh, young and building new pathways. If you want to keep your mind sharp, you should try to learn something new every day. The best and easiest way to do this is by downloading a word of the day or language learning app you actively engage with every morning. 

 

Play Brain Teasers

 

You've probably seen a commercial or two about how brain teasers can help keep your mind from aging, and the people who created these games might just know what they are talking about. According to Psychology Today, working your mind every day helps keep it active and keep yourself from forgetting things. So take the time to find a brain teaser game that you enjoy, and aim to spend an hour on it every day. You may just be surprised at the results. 

 

Don't Be Afraid To Use Organization Tools

 

A Harvard Health article points out that people grow more forgetful as they age but refuse to use the tools provided to keep them organized. You probably have a more complex life with more people in it now than you had a decade ago. It's only reasonable that there's no shame in using a planner (or app) to keep track of all the birthdays and important days you need to remember. Take the time to get organized around your house as well. This way, you will waste less time worrying about things that ultimately don't matter (like where your keys are.) This organization allows you to direct your brain power where it counts!

 

If you want to keep your mind sharp as you age, then make it a point never to stop learning. You could also consider working brain teasers into your everyday life. And if you need to use some tools along the way, don't be ashamed. That's what they are there for—to help keep your mind working at its best!

 


How Learning New Things Helps Our Brain


Learning something new isn't easy and facing challenges regularly can really take a lot of your energy. However, learning new things is good because it benefits your brain. Keep reading to learn more about how learning new things help your brain. 

 

Learning Programs the Brain

 

First and foremost, according to Psychology Today, learning is actually the way that your brain gets its programming. Think of it this way, when your computer needs an update, you download new software. This download is the same as learning something new. When you learn new things, your brain updates itself, clears out bugs and becomes better than before. So why wouldn't you want a brain running on the latest program? 

 

Keeps Dementia Away

 

Another major thing that learning accomplishes is it keeps your brain running in tip-top shape. When your brain is in tip-top shape, this means, according to Healthline, that you are less likely to suffer from conditions like Alzheimer's and dementia. Like any muscle in your body, the brain needs to be worked out regularly, and if it isn't worked out, it will begin to atrophy. Don't let your brain atrophy, and commit to learning new things every day!

 

You’ll Be Able to Adjust to Change Better

 

Change is a hard part of life, but it is something that everyone must learn to deal with at some point or another. The more you learn new things, the easier it will be to accept change. This is because learning helps you become familiar with unfamiliar subjects and get used to stepping outside of your comfort zone. If you are one of those people who struggle with change, you should probably start by learning something new!

 

You’ll Learn Faster

 

The coolest thing about your brain is that the more frequently you learn new things, the fasted your brain begins to learn! This means that learning new things in your free time can help other aspects of your life. Say you take a pottery class on the weekends; chances are, it will become easier to learn new things you need to do your job. Who doesn't want to learn faster than they did before?

 

Overall, learning new things can be a challenge, but it is a necessary part of life. Learning new things helps program your brain and keeps dementia away as you age. It makes it easier for you to accept change, and you'll begin to learn even faster, which will benefit all aspects of your life. So embrace new things and start making it your goal to learn something every day!

 


Lifelong Learning Can Help Keep You Sharp


As you age, it's time to start thinking about how you can keep your brain sharp. One of the best ways you can keep your mind fresh is by committing to lifelong learning. 

 

You’ll Enhance Your Brain

 

Just like any other muscle in your body, your brain is a muscle that needs frequent use to stay sharp. You can do this with lifelong learning, which means you aim to learn something new each day. One of the best ways to do this is enrolling in a class you've always wanted to take or studying a new language and practicing each day.

 

You Won’t Be Bored

 

One of the main reasons your brain loses its sharpness is boredom. When you walk a path of lifelong learning, this fights boredom and keeps your mind sharp. And the best part is, you won't have to deal with feelings of boredom which could lead to other emotional issues down the line!

 

You Will Sleep Better

 

When you spend too much of your life inactive and bored, this can lead to issues sleeping. Instead, when you aim to maintain lifelong learning, this will help your mind to stay engaged during the day, then better disengage at night, which means you will sleep better as a result. And who doesn’t want to sleep better at night?

 

You Will Connect Better With Others

 

A major factor in aging is the importance of maintaining your social circle, as this can help keep you happy and healthy. This can be hard to do if you don't have common interests or things to discuss. Lifelong learning can help with this as it can help you connect with new people who share your interests and maintain old friendships you may have already created. Learning helps expand your mind to connect with others better, and it gives you more to talk about to keep them around!

 

Overall, no matter how you look at it, lifelong learning is an important part of keeping your mind sharp. This is because lifelong learning enhances your brain, keeps you from boredom, and helps you sleep better. Not only that, but it will help you to connect better with others, making it a winning situation for everyone involved. Therefore, it's time to take the leap and make lifelong learning part of your routine today!

 


Wednesday, 19 October 2022

Staying Young Through All Your Years


There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the experience and wisdom that comes as we get a bit older. Even looking at those grey hair or fine lines can give you a feeling of fulfilment.

 

However, what most people dread about aging isn’t just looking old; it’s also feeling old. Everybody wants to avoid all those aches, pains, and cognitive decline that sometimes accompany old age.

 

Yet, we’re here to tell you about some expert-approved strategies that can help you look and feel young, healthy, and vibrant.

 

Let’s get started.

 

1. Meditate Daily

 

Constant surges of cortisol and adrenaline take a heavy toll on your mental, emotional, and physical health. They’re also one the biggest instigators of chronic diseases, like depression, high blood pressure, heart diseases, and dementia.

 

An effective way to slow down the effects of stress hormones is by meditating. You can do it for just five minutes a day for an hour, depending on how much time you have and your skill level.

 

The most important part of meditation is breathing deeply and avoiding pushing away thoughts that pop into your mind. If you do get any thoughts, simply accept them, then go back to your breathing.

 

Some people also repeat a mantra, such as a certain word, phrase, prayer, or a simple hum. Mantras are known in the meditation world as ‘a relaxation response’ to the stressors of the outside world.

 

2. Volunteer Often

 

Helping others is a great way to stay young at heart. Studies show that when we help others, whether it’s a stranger or your best friend, our brain releases oxytocin. This ‘feel-good’ hormone enhances your mood and counteracts the effects of the stress hormone cortisol.

 

Volunteering also gives you a sense of purpose, boosting your self-esteem and making you feel good about yourself.

 

Another benefit of volunteering is that you get to meet new people who share similar interests. It also strengthens your support network and boosts your ties to the community.

 

3. Exercise Regularly

 

The great thing about exercise is that it doesn’t have to be grueling hour-long sessions at the gym. It can be as calming as doing some yoga or tai-chi. Both are designed to help reduce stress while strengthening your muscles.

 

There’s even been research done on their ability to rejuvenate the immune and digestive systems. Not only that, but physical exercise is great for boosting brain power as well.

 

So, they’re good for keeping your mind and body young. Other types of anti-aging workouts include:

 

  • Walking
  • Low-impact cardio routines
  • Standing calf raises
  • Swimming
  • Arm and leg crosses

 

4. Eat Right

 

One of the best ways to feel and look young through all your years is to eat the right types of food. Certain foods contain the vitamins and minerals we need to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s.

 

Pomegranates, berries, leafy veggies, and nuts are all great examples of what health experts refer to as ‘superfoods.’ They recommend we eat these foods daily because they contain high levels of antioxidants and amino acids, as well as loads of vitamins and minerals.

 

When taken in the right amounts, they help you sleep better, boost your immune system, and improve your memory!

 

5. Stay Hydrated

 

Drinking water and other healthy beverages throughout the day helps keep your cells supple and healthy. People who drink large amounts of water throughout the day tend to have fewer wrinkles and soft lines than those who don’t.

 

Some drinks, such as green tea, have the potential to lower the risk of certain types of cancer. Even more impressive is that several studies show that drinking at least one cup a day can help boost your concentration and memory and keep your brain sharp.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Staying young through all your years is easy if you follow these tips. The important thing is to stay young at heart, adopt a positive mindset, and never stop learning.



Sunday, 5 June 2022

What Good Is Retirement If You Don't Enjoy It?


We spend a big portion of our lives dreaming about and planning our retirement. It’s exciting knowing that we'll be able to do what we want when we want it. Having that kind of freedom sounds much better than running between meetings or working overtime to meet deadlines.

 

But is retirement all it’s cut out to be?

 

Keep reading to find out about retirement: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

Retirement Statistics

 

According to studies from the National Center for Health Statistics, the average 65-year old can expect to live until they’re almost 84. That’s 6 and a half years longer than it was back in 1940!

 

This is one reason why more people are going back to work during their retirement. In fact, seven out of 10 people view working while they’re retired as a good thing. Based on a study carried out by Bankrate. 38% percent of those who participated in the study say they chose to go back to work during their retirement.

 

So, if retirees are expected to live longer, why are they unhappy? That takes us to the 35% who say they have to stay working because they need the money. The final 27% are those who enjoy the work, at the same, they still rely on that extra bit of income.

 

Ready for another sobering statistic? Over 47% of people already in retirement are worried they may outlive their retirement savings.

 

Retirement: Truths vs. Reality

 

Many of us imagine our retirement to be traveling around the world or going on a cruise. Others see themselves learning new hobbies or picking up old ones. Some people just want to enjoy their kids and grandkids while they’re still healthy enough to be able to.

 

The truth is retirement becomes a period of lack of purpose and loneliness. For many people, it slowly feels like you’re disconnected from life as you know it.

 

This tends to lead to anxiety, stress, and obesity. Other symptoms many retirees suffer from are obesity and high blood pressure. This is a direct result of leading a sedentary lifestyle. Watching too much TV and not eating the right types of food results in chronic diseases, and it only snowballs from there.

 

Also, those who retire tend to use less and less of their cognitive skills. This can lead to a decline in focus and concentration, which can eventually lead to dementia.

 

The Institute of Economic Affairs has a study on retirees who suffer from clinical depression after retiring. Their study found that the risk goes up to about nearly 40% after retiring.

 

This comes as a direct result of losing the structure and schedule of having a steady job. Part of it is also missing out on the intellectual and social stimulus that work brings.

 

It’s understandable. Once retired, you give up the daily social interactions you’ve been used to for years. You also give up your steady routine, which you used to hate, but, suddenly, you miss more than ever.

 

Retirement is similar to the grieving process people go through when they lose a loved one. You have to take it step-by-step and give yourself time to adjust and recalibrate.

 

Show Me The Money

 

Investment companies make a big hype of telling us that the key to a successful life is saving up enough money so you can eventually quit working. It’s not very goal-oriented, but it’s how a large number of people feel about their work before retirement and after.

 

It somehow paints this image in your head that retirement is the end of life as we know it. After you reach that milestone, sit back and live out your remaining years in slow decline.

 

That could be what our parents’ generation decided to do with their retirement years. However, many of us today want something that adds purpose to our lives.

 

Plus, it’s good to find a part-time job somewhere or work as a consultant. This keeps your mind sharp, which is something we’re constantly in need of no matter how old we are. Having that option also allows you to meet new people and learn new things.

 

The Big Picture

 

The ones I like the most are those who’re looking at the big picture. They know they’ve spent many years in the workforce. They also know it’s only fair to give the younger generation a chance, just as older generations did before them.

 

At the same time, they’re not wilting away at home, feeling victimized. They’re out looking for jobs that fit into their new chapter of life. It could be full-time, part-time, non-profit volunteer work—it’s up to you!

 

They’re also out there learning new things and meeting new people. Research shows that socially active retirees enjoy better physical and emotional health.

 

That’s the beauty of retirement. Being retired doesn’t mean you’ve become a statistic or fallen victim to old age. It means the path has slightly shifted to a new purpose. The best part is you’ve reached that point in your life where you get to set all rules.

 

Sure, you can put your feet up. You’ve earned it!

 

But you should also keep yourself in good shape, both mentally and physically. Here are a few ideas you can try to stay happy and healthy during your retirement.


  • Volunteer at local shelters, soup kitchens, or any non-profit organization
  • Take a class to keep your mind sharp and meet new people with similar interests
  • Go on regular walks or join a gym
  • Practice yoga, meditation, or tai chi
  • Set up a daily routine and stick to it

 

Being Active In Senior Years

 

Depending on age and general health, there are various ways one can stay healthy and energetic. 


Choose Your Favorite Activity


Instead of opting for an exercise routine that you are not very familiar with, choose your favorite sport or activity that helps you move more. This makes 'being active' fun and easy.

 

Good Options Include


  • Walking
  • Cycling
  • Swimming
  • Gardening
  • Weight Training: This helps you gain muscle mass which is lost as part of aging process. 

 

Remember to always ask your doctor before starting any exercise program


Tracking Progress

 

Note your progress in a dairy. This will help you track your progress and make necessary changes to your physical routine accordingly.


Wear Appropriate Clothing

 

Clothes you wear while exercising should provide enough ventilation and flexibility to move freely. Also wear appropriate shoes and other safety gear to have a good exercising experience. 


Drink an adequate amount of water to avoid dehydration.


Water prevents dehydration and improves performance. Water is also crucial for the body to function well as you exercise.

 

Seniors Who Have Had A Little Or No Experience Of Being Active

 

Better late than never! Even if you have never exercised, or have completely stopped exercising, you can always start now. Even by performing simple exercises such as a brisk walk early morning, you can develop muscle mass and help strengthen your bones. 

 

Advantages Of Being An Active Senior Adult

 

  • Science proves that being active in old-age, can help prevent (or at least delay) disease and disability.

  • Regular physical activities also help improve metabolism, blood circulation and immune system health. 

  • Studies show that senior adults who are active are less prone to develop stress and are often in good mood. This in turn can help lower risks of depression.

 

Getting regular physical activity helps keep you young, energized and physically fit. As a result you can enjoy retirement that much more! 

 

A Final Note

 

Once you decide it’s time to retire, take a step back, and be proud of all you’ve accomplished. You’re wiser, more experienced, and certainly, tougher than you were a couple of decades ago.

 

Retirement is like the pot at the end of the rainbow. We have our hearts set on it. Then, once we get to it, we’re so baffled by it, we don’t know what we’re supposed to do with it!

 

So, make a list of everything you’d like to accomplish in your golden years to make your retirement more enjoyable. Then, get out there and start ticking things off that list!

 


6 Tips For A Joyful Retirement


Retirement blesses us with time to do what we truly desire. We’re free to follow our hearts true desire and find joy while doing so. However, finding joy in retirement goes beyond finding a beach house to recline or having more free time than you know what to do with it. Here are 6 important tips for a joyful retirement.

 

1. Cut Spending By Budgeting

 

A lot has been said concerning money and happiness. While money doesn’t equate to happiness, its one vital component for a joyful retirement. A study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College on what makes retirees happy reaffirms the importance of money. 

 

Most people go on a spending spree the minute they get their retirement money and then end up without a penny few months later. You need to budget your money and spend wisely as there wouldn’t be any monthly pay checks anymore. 

 

2. Maintain a Daily Routine

 

Indeed, one of retirement’s most enticing benefits is the freedom to do whatever you desire. However, it’s easy to fall into an unhealthy pattern which might be detrimental to your health. To prevent this, doctors recommend following a healthy daily routine. 

 

Incorporate all the activities you love into the routine as well as other healthy activities recommended by your doctor. Doing this would help you avoid the feeling of purposelessness most retirees admit to feeling few months into retirement.

 

3. Stay in Touch

 

study by the University of Chicago showed that extreme loneliness increases a retiree’s chances of early death by as much as 14%. Being retired takes you out of the majority of your social networks and cuts down on the amount of human connection we make daily. 

 

Extra effort should be put into staying in touch with a thriving social community as the effects of extreme loneliness can be deadly. This can be your family, former colleagues, Faith groups, group affiliations, or by community volunteering.

 

4. Stay Active

 

Very different from staying in touch, staying active entails playing a role. It can be in the family, your house of faith or the community. Staying active offers a twofold benefit as it helps you socialize and gives you a sense of purpose. Doctors say both are vital to the happiness and well-being of a retiree.

 

5. Stay Fit By Exercising 

 

While exercise is important at all periods in our lives, it’s even more necessary when you’re retired. Exercising the body is important to both your physical and mental well-being. Research has shown that frequent exercise helps wards off several health issues and boosts your energy levels. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recommends four types of exercise for retirees.

 

6. Train Your Brain

 

Most people go into retirement thankful for the endless hours of free time they’ll have and anticipating just how they’ll spend those hours. Most might decide to pursue an abandoned hobby, read books, or learn new things. 

 

These lofty aspirations most times get abandoned a few months into retirement. However, researchers at the Harvard Medical School have proven several times that tasking your brain has unending benefits. It keeps your memory strong and keeps your brain functioning at high levels.

 

This can be reading a book, painting, doing puzzles, or learning a new skill. Asides the apparent benefit of tasking your brain, the joy and sense of progress when you chase these pursuits has its own benefits. 

 

You could join a community or group that shares similar passions and enjoy create new social connections. A group has the added advantage of pushing you past your comfort zone which is great for stimulating the brain.

 

It’s possible to have a joyful retirement. All it requires is some effort to continually do the right thing. When you make these correct lifestyle choices, you’ll be set to enjoy a joyful retirement filled with happiness and purpose.

 


Monday, 6 December 2021

Building Better Bones


“It is a bone-deep change you are going into, my beloved," counsels Grandmother Growth. "You must open to your very marrow for this transformation. No cell is to remain untouched. You are to open more than you ever dreamed you could open, more than you have opened in birth or in passion. You open now to the breath of mortality as it plays the bone flute of your being. What can you do but dance to the haunting melody, develop a passion for an elegant posture and a long stride?

 

"Ah, yes," Grandmother Growth smiles rather wantonly. "It would do you well to develop a taste for dark greens tarted with vinegar and mated with garlic. These things will build strong flexible bones to support you as you become Crone."

 

Did you know that your bones are always changing? Every day of your life, some bone cells die and some new bone cells are created. From birth until your early 30s, you can easily make lots of bone cells. So long as your diet supplies the necessary nutrients, you not only replace bone cells that die, you have extras left over to lengthen and strengthen your bones.

 

Past the age of 35, new bone cells are more difficult to make. Sometimes there is a shortfall: more bone cells die than you can replace. In the orthodox view, this is the beginning of osteoporosis, the disease of low bone mass. By the age of forty, many American women have begun to lose bone mass; by the age of fifty, most are told they must take hormones or drugs to prevent further loss and avoid osteoporosis, hip fracture, and death. 

 

Women who exercise regularly and eat calcium-rich foods enter their menopausal years with better bone mass than women who sit a lot and consume calcium-leaching foods (including soy "milk," tofu, coffee, soda pop, alcohol, white flour products, processed meats, nutritional yeast, and bran). But no matter how good your lifestyle choices, bone mass usually decreases during the menopausal years. 

 

For unknown reasons, menopausal bones slow down production of new cells and seem to ignore the presence of calcium. This "bone-pause" is generally short-lived, occurring off and on for five to seven years. I noticed it in scattered episodes of falling hair, breaking fingernails, and the same "growing pains" I experienced during puberty.

 

I did not see it in a bone scan, because I didn't have one. 

 

The idea behind bone scans is a good one: find women who are at risk of broken bones, alert them to the danger, and help them engage in preventative strategies. There's only one problem: bone scans don't find women who are at risk of broken bones, they find women who have low bone density. 

 

I would like to help you let go of the idea that osteoporosis is important. In the Wise Woman Tradition, we focus on the patient, not the problem. In the Wise Woman tradition, there are no diseases and no cures for diseases. When we focus on a disease, like osteoporosis, we cannot see the whole woman. The more we focus on one disease, even its prevention, the less likely we are to nourish wholeness and health. 

 

Focusing on osteoporosis, defining it as a disease, using drugs to counter it, we lose sight of the fact that postmenopausal bone mass is a better indicator of breast cancer risk than broken bone risk. The twenty-five percent of postmenopausal women with the highest bone mass are two-and-a-half to four times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than those with the lowest bone mass. And that hormones which maintain bone mass also adversely affect breast cancer risk. Women who take estrogen replacement (often given to prevent osteoporosis), even for as little as five years, increase their risk of breast cancer by twenty percent; if they take hormone replacement, the risk increases by forty percent.

 

Focusing on bone mass, we lose sight of the fact that a strong correlation between bone density and bone breakage has not been established, according to Susan Brown, director of the Osteoporosis Information Clearing House, and many others. We lose sight of the fact that women who faithfully take estrogen or hormone replacement still experience bone changes and suffer spinal crush fractures.

 

Bone-pause passes and the bones do rebuild themselves, especially when supported by nourishing herbs, which are exceptional sources of bone-building minerals and better at preventing bone breaks than supplements. The minerals in green plants seem to be ideal for keeping bones healthy. Dr. Campbell, Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, has done extensive research in rural China where the lowest known fracture rates for midlife and older women were found. He says, "The closer people get to a diet based on plant foods and leafy vegetables, the lower the rates of many diseases, including osteoporosis." Women who consume lots of calcium-rich plants and exercise moderately build strong flexible bones. Women who rely on hormones build bones that are massive, but rigid.

 

Hormone replacement regimes do not increase bone cell creation; they slow (or suppress) bone cell killers (osteoclasts). There is a rebound effect; bone loss jumps when the hormones are stopped. Women who take hormones for five years or more are as much as four times more likely to break a bone in the year after they stop than a woman of the same age who never took hormones. Women who build better bones with green allies and exercise nourish the bone cell creator cells (osteoblasts).

 

Hormone or estrogen replacement, taken as menopause begins and continued for the rest of your life, is said to reduce post-menopausal fracture rates by 40-60 percent. Frequent walks (you don't even need to sweat) and a diet high in calcium-rich green allies (at least 1500 mg daily) have been shown to reduce post-menopausal fractures by 50 percent. The first is expensive and dangerous. The second, inexpensive and health promoting. It's easy to see why more than eighty percent of American women just "say no" to hormones. It is never too late to build better bones, and it is never too soon. Your best insurance for a fracture-free, strong-boned cronehood is to build better bones before menopause. The more exercise and calcium-rich green allies you get in your younger years, the less you'll have to worry about as you age.

 

"A woman has lost half of all the spongy bone (spine, wrist) she'll ever lose by the age of 50, but very little of the dense (hip, hand, forearm) bone. Attention to bone formation at every stage of life is vital; there is no time when you are too old to create healthy new bone." - American MD

 

Calcium

 

"Osteoporosis is much less common in countries that consume the least calcium. That is an undisputed fact." - T. C. Campbell, PhD. Nutritional Biochemistry

 

Step 1: Collect Information

 

Calcium is, without a doubt, the most important mineral in your body. In fact, calcium makes up more than half of the total mineral content of your body. Calcium is crucial to the regular beating of your heart, your metabolism, the functioning of your muscles, the flow of impulses along your nerves, the regulation of your cellular membranes, the strength of your bones, the health of your teeth and gums, and your vital blood-clotting mechanisms. Calcium is so critical to your life that you have a gland (the parathyroid) that does little else than monitor blood levels of calcium and secrete hormones to ensure optimum levels of calcium at all times.

 

When you consume more calcium than you use, you are in a positive calcium balance: extra usable calcium is stored in the bones and you gain bone mass (insoluble or unusable calcium may be excreted, or stored in soft tissue, or deposited in the joints). When you consume less calcium than you use, you are in a negative calcium balance: the parathyroid produces a hormone that releases calcium stores from the bones, and you lose bone mass.

 

To ensure a positive calcium balance and create strong, flexible bones for your menopausal journey, take care to:

 

  • Eat three or more calcium-rich foods daily.
  • Avoid calcium antagonists. 
  • Use synergistic foods to magnify the effectiveness of calcium. 
  • Avoid calcium supplements.

 

Step 2: Engage the Energy

 

The homeopathic tissue salt Silica is said to improve bone health.

 

What does it mean to you to support yourself? To be supported? To stand on your own? To have a backbone in your life?

 

Step 3: Nourish & Tonify

 

What do we need to make strong flexible bones? Like all tissues, bones need protein. They need minerals (not just calcium, but also potassium, manganese, magnesium, silica, iron, zinc, selenium, boron, phosphorus, sulphur, chromium, and dozens of others). And in order to use those minerals, high-quality fats, including oil-soluble vitamin D.

 

Many menopausal women I meet believe that protein is bad for their bones. Not so. Researchers at Utah State University, looking at the diets of 32,000 postmenopausal women, found that women who ate the least protein were the most likely to fracture a hip; and that eating extra protein sped the healing of hip fractures. 

 

Acids created by protein digestion are buffered by calcium. Traditional diets combine calcium- and protein-rich foods (e.g. seaweed with tofu, tortillas made from corn ground on limestone with beans, and melted cheese on a hamburger). Herbs such as seaweed, stinging nettle, oat straw, red clover, dandelion, and comfrey leaf are rich in protein and provide plenty of calcium too. Foods such as tahini, sardines, canned salmon, yogurt, cheese, oatmeal, and goats' milk offer us protein, generous amounts of calcium, and the healthy fats our bones need. If you crave more protein during menopause, follow that craving.

 

CAUTION: Unfermented soy (e.g., tofu) is especially detrimental to bone health being protein-rich, naturally deficient in calcium, and a calcium antagonist to boot.

 

Bones need lots of minerals not just calcium, which is brittle and inflexible. (Think of chalk, calcium carbonate, and how easily it breaks.) Avoid calcium supplements. Focus on getting generous amounts of calcium from herbs and foods and you will automatically get the multitude of minerals you need for flexible bones.

 

Because minerals are bulky, and do not compact, we must consume generous amounts to make a difference in our health. Taking mineral-rich herbs in capsule or tincture form won't do much for your bones. (One cup of nettle tincture contains the same amount of calcium - 300 mg - as one cup of nettle infusion. Many women drink two or more cups of infusion a day; no one consumes a cup of tincture a day!) Neither will eating raw foods. I frequently come across the idea that cooking robs food of nutrition. Nothing could be further from the truth. Cooking maximizes the minerals available to your bones. Kale cooked for an hour delivers far more calcium than lightly steamed kale. Minerals are rock-like, and to extract them, we need heat, time, and generous quantities of plant material. 

 

Green sources of calcium are the best. Nourishing herbs and garden weeds are far richer in minerals than ordinary greens, which are already exceptional sources of nutrients. 

 

But calcium from green sources alone is not enough. We need calcium from white sources as well. Add a quart of yogurt a week to your diet if you want really healthy bones. Because the milk has been changed by Lactobacillus organisms, its calcium, other minerals, proteins, and sugars (no lactose) are more easily digested. This carries over, enhancing calcium and mineral absorption from other foods, too. (I have known several vegans who increased their very low bone density by as much as 6 percent in one year by eating yogurt.) Organic raw milk cheeses are another superb white source.

 

Horsetail herb (Equisetum arvense) works like a charm for those premenopausal women who have periodontal bone loss or difficulty with fracture healing. Taken as tea, once or twice a day, young spring-gathered horsetail dramatically strengthens bones and promotes rapid mending of breaks.


CAUTION: Mature horsetail contains substances which may irritate the kidneys.

 

Step 4: Stimulate/Sedate

 

Beware of calcium antagonists. Certain foods interfere with calcium utilization. For better bones avoid consistent use of:

 

  • Greens rich in oxalic acid, including chard (silver beet), beet greens, spinach, rhubarb.
  • Unfermented soy products, including tofu, soy beverages, soy burgers.
  • Phosphorus-rich foods, including carbonated drinks, white flour products, and many processed foods. (Teenagers who drink sodas instead of milk are four times more likely to break a bone.)
  • Foods that produce acids requiring a calcium buffer when excreted in the urine, including coffee, white sugar, tobacco, alcohol, nutritional yeast, salt.
  • Fluoride in water or toothpaste.
  • Fibre pills, bran taken alone, bulk-producing laxatives.
  • Steroid medications, including corticosteroids such as prednisone and asthma inhalers. (Daily use reduces spinal bone mass by as much as ten percent a year.)
  • Restricted calorie diets. Women who weigh the least have the greatest loss of bone during menopause and "neither calcium supplements, vitamin D supplements, nor oestrogen" slow the loss. Among 236 premenopausal women, all of whom consumed similar amounts of calcium, those who lost weight by reducing calories lost twice as much bone mass as women who maintained their weight.

 

Although chocolate contains oxalic acid, the levels are so low as to have only a negligible effect on calcium metabolism. An ounce/3000 mg of chocolate binds 15-20 mg of calcium; an ounce of cooked spinach, 100-125 mg calcium. Bittersweet (dark) chocolate is a source of iron. Recent research has found chocolate to be very heart healthy. As with any stimulant, daily use is not advised. Chocolate is an important and helpful ally for women. Guilt about eating it and belief that it is damaging to your health interferes with your ability to hear and respond to your body wisdom. If you want to eat chocolate - do it; and get the best. But if you're doing it every day - eat more weeds.

 

Excess phosphorus accelerates bone loss and demineralization. Phosphorus compounds are second only to salt as food additives. They are found in carbonated beverages, soda pop; white flour products, especially if "enriched" (bagels, cookies, cakes, donuts, pasta, bread); preserved meats (bacon, ham, sausage, lunch meat, and hot dogs); supermarket breakfast cereals; canned fruit; processed potato products such as frozen fries and instant mashed potatoes; processed cheeses; instant soups and puddings.

 

To avoid phosphorus overload and improve calcium absorption:

 

  • Drink spring water and herbal infusions; avoid soda pop and carbonated water.
  • Eat only whole grain breads, noodles, cookies, and crackers.
  • Buy only unpreserved meats, cheeses, potatoes.
  • Avoid buying foods with ingredients; they are highly processed.

 

Excess salt leaches calcium. Women eating 3900 mg of sodium a day excrete 30 percent more calcium than those eating 1600 mg. The main sources of dietary sodium are processed and canned foods. Seaweed is an excellent calcium-rich source of salt. Sea salt may be used freely as it contains trace amounts of calcium. Salt is critical for health; do not eliminate it from your diet.

 

Increase hydrochloric acid production (in your stomach) and you'll make better use of the calcium you consume. Lower stomach acid (with antacids, for example) and you will receive little bone benefit from the calcium you ingest. Some ways to acidify:

 

  • Drink lemon juice in water with or after your meal.
  • Take 10-25 drops dandelion root tincture in a little water before you eat.
  • Use calcium-rich herbal vinegars in your salad dressing; put some on cooked greens and beans, too.

 

Step 5a: Use Supplements

 

I really wish you wouldn't use calcium supplements. They expose you to dangers and don't prevent fractures. A study in Australia that followed 10,000 white women over the age of 65 for six and a half years found "Use of calcium supplements was associated with increased risk of hip and vertebral fracture; use of Tums antacid tablets was associated with increased risk of fractures of the proximal humerus."

 

If you insist on supplements, go for calcium-fortified orange juice or crumbly tablets of calcium citrate. Chewable calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium carbonate are acceptable sources. Dolomite, bone meal, and oyster shell are best avoided as they usually contain lead and other undesirable minerals.

 

For better bones, take 500 mg magnesium (not citrate) with your calcium. Better yet, wash your calcium pill down with a glass of herbal infusion; that will provide not only magnesium but lots of other bone-strengthening minerals, too.

 

Calcium supplements are more effective in divided doses. Two doses of 250 mg, taken morning and night, actually provide more usable calcium than a 1000 mg tablet.

 

Step 5b: Use Drugs

 

Even if you take hormone therapy (ERT or HRT) you must get adequate calcium to maintain bone mass, according to researchers at Columbia University. That's 1200-1500 mg a day (a cup of plain yogurt, two cups of nettle infusion, a splash of mineral-rich vinegar, plus three figs is about that). As you increase your intake of calcium-rich foods/herbs, gradually cut back on your hormone dose if you wish.

 

Step 6: Break & Enter

 

Bone density tests are frequently used to push women into taking hormones or drugs. If your bone density is low, use the remedies in this section and schedule another test (for at least six months later) before agreeing to such therapies.

 

Susun Weed

PO Box 64

Woodstock, NY 12498

Fax: 1-845-246-8081