| "It is a bone-deep change you are going
| |
| | protein-rich, naturally deficient in
|
| into, my beloved," counsels Grandmother
| |
| | calcium, and a calcium antagonist to
|
| Growth. "You must open to your very
| |
| | boot. Bones need lots of minerals not
|
| marrow for this transformation. No cell
| |
| | just calcium, which is brittle and
|
| is to remain untouched. You are to open
| |
| | inflexible. (Think of chalk, calcium
|
| more than you ever dreamed you could
| |
| | carbonate, and how easily it breaks.)
|
| open, more than you have opened in birth
| |
| | Avoid calcium supplements. Focus on
|
| or in passion. You open now to the breath
| |
| | getting generous amounts of calcium from
|
| of mortality as it plays the bone flute
| |
| | herbs and foods and you will
|
| of your being. What can you do but dance
| |
| | automatically get the multitude of
|
| to the haunting melody, develop a passion
| |
| | minerals you need for flexible
|
| for an elegant posture and a long
| |
| | bones. Because minerals are bulky, and do
|
| stride?"Ah, ye s," Grandmother Growth
| |
| | not compact, we must consume generous
|
| smiles rather wantonly. "It would do you
| |
| | amounts to make a difference in our
|
| well to develop a taste for dark greens
| |
| | health. Taking mineral-rich herbs in
|
| tarted with vinegar and mated with
| |
| | capsule or tincture form won't do much
|
| garlic. These things will build strong
| |
| | for your bones. (One cup of nettle
|
| flexible bones to support you as you
| |
| | tincture contains the same amount of
|
| become Crone."Did you know that your
| |
| | calcium - 300 mg - as one cup of nettle
|
| bones are always changing? Every day of
| |
| | infusion. Many women drink two or more
|
| your life, some bone cells die and some
| |
| | cups of infusion a day; no one consumes a
|
| new bone cells are created. From birth
| |
| | cup of tincture a day!) Neither will
|
| until your early 30s, you can easily make
| |
| | eating raw foods. I frequently come
|
| lots of bone cells. So long as your diet
| |
| | across the idea that cooking robs food of
|
| supplies the necessary nutrients, you not
| |
| | nutrition. Nothing could be further from
|
| only replace bone cells that die, you
| |
| | the truth. Cooking maximizes the minerals
|
| have extras left over to lengthen and
| |
| | available to your bones. Kale cooked for
|
| strengthen your bones.Past the age of 35,
| |
| | an hour delivers far more calcium than
|
| new bone cells are more difficult to
| |
| | lightly steamed kale. Minerals are
|
| make. Sometimes there is a shortfall:
| |
| | rock-like, and to extract them, we need
|
| more bone cells die than you can replace.
| |
| | heat, time, and generous quantities of
|
| In the orthodox view, this is the
| |
| | plant material. Green sources of calcium
|
| beginning of osteoporosis, the disease of
| |
| | are the best. Nourishing herbs and garden
|
| low bone mass. By the age of forty, many
| |
| | weeds are far richer in minerals than
|
| American women have begun to lose bone
| |
| | ordinary greens, which are already
|
| mass; by the age of fifty, most are told
| |
| | exceptional sources of nutrients. But
|
| they must take hormones or drugs to
| |
| | calcium from green sources alone is not
|
| prevent further loss and avoid
| |
| | enough. We need calcium from white
|
| osteoporosis, hip fracture, and
| |
| | sources as well. Add a quart of yogurt a
|
| death.Women who exercise regularly and
| |
| | week to your diet if you want really
|
| eat calcium-rich foods enter their
| |
| | healthy bones. Because the milk has been
|
| menopausal years with better bone mass
| |
| | changed by Lactobacillus organisms, its
|
| than women who sit a lot and consume
| |
| | calcium, other minerals, proteins, and
|
| calcium-leaching foods (including soy
| |
| | sugars (no lactose) are more easily
|
| "milk," tofu, coffee, soda pop, alcohol,
| |
| | digested. This carries over, enhancing
|
| white flour products, processed meats,
| |
| | calcium and mineral absorption from other
|
| nutritional yeast, and bran). But no
| |
| | foods, too. (I have known several vegans
|
| matter how good your lifestyle choices,
| |
| | who increased their very low bone density
|
| bone mass usually decreases during the
| |
| | by as much as 6 percent in one year by
|
| menopausal years.For unknown reasons,
| |
| | eating yogurt.) Organic raw milk cheeses
|
| menopausal bones slow down production of
| |
| | are another superb white
|
| new cells and seem to ignore the presence
| |
| | source. Horsetail herb (Equisetum
|
| of calcium. This "bone-pause" is
| |
| | arvense) works like a charm for those
|
| generally short-lived, occurring off and
| |
| | premenopausal women who have periodontal
|
| on for five to seven years. I noticed it
| |
| | bone loss or difficulty with fracture
|
| in scattered episodes of falling hair,
| |
| | healing. Taken as tea, once or twice a
|
| breaking fingernails, and the same
| |
| | day, young spring-gathered horsetail
|
| "growing pains" I experienced during
| |
| | dramatically strengthens bones and
|
| puberty.I did not see it in a bone scan,
| |
| | promotes rapid mending of breaks.
|
| because I didn't have one.The idea behind
| |
| | CAUTION: Mature horsetail contains
|
| bone scans is a good one: find women who
| |
| | substances which may irritate the
|
| are at risk of broken bones, alert them
| |
| | kidneys.Step 4: Stimulate/Sedate Beware
|
| to the danger, and help them engage in
| |
| | of calcium antagonists. Certain foods
|
| preventative strategies. There's only one
| |
| | interfere with calcium utilization. For
|
| problem: bone scans don't find women who
| |
| | better bones avoid consistent use
|
| are at risk of broken bones, they find
| |
| | of: Greens rich in oxalic acid, including
|
| women who have low bone density.I would
| |
| | chard (silver beet), beet greens,
|
| like to help you let go of the idea that
| |
| | spinach, rhubarb.
|
| osteoporosis is important. In the Wise
| |
| | Unfermented soy products, including
|
| Woman Tradition, we focus on the patient,
| |
| | tofu, soy beverages, soy burgers.
|
| not the problem. In the Wise Woman
| |
| | Phosphorus-rich foods, including
|
| tradition, there are no diseases and no
| |
| | carbonated drinks, white flour products,
|
| cures for diseases. When we focus on a
| |
| | and many processed foods. (Teenagers who
|
| disease, like osteoporosis, we cannot see
| |
| | drink sodas instead of milk are four
|
| the whole woman. The more we focus on one
| |
| | times more likely to break a bone.)
|
| disease, even its prevention, the less
| |
| | Foods that produce acids requiring a
|
| likely we are to nourish wholeness and
| |
| | calcium buffer when excreted in the
|
| health.Focusing on osteoporosis, defining
| |
| | urine, including coffee, white sugar,
|
| it as a disease, using drugs to counter
| |
| | tobacco, alcohol, nutritional yeast,
|
| it, we lose sight of the fact that
| |
| | salt.
|
| postmenopausal bone mass is a better
| |
| | Fluoride in water or toothpaste.
|
| indicator of breast cancer risk than
| |
| | Fiber pills, bran taken alone,
|
| broken bone risk. The twenty-five percent
| |
| | bulk-producing laxatives.
|
| of postmenopausal women with the highest
| |
| | Steroid medications, including
|
| bone mass are two-and-a-half to four
| |
| | corticosteroids such as prednisone and
|
| times more likely to be diagnosed with
| |
| | asthma inhalers. (Daily use reduces
|
| breast cancer than those with the lowest
| |
| | spinal bone mass by as much as ten
|
| bone mass. And that hormones which
| |
| | percent a year.)
|
| maintain bone mass also adversely affect
| |
| | Restricted calorie diets. Women who
|
| breast cancer risk. Women who take
| |
| | weigh the least have the greatest loss of
|
| estrogen replacement (often given to
| |
| | bone during menopause and "neither
|
| prevent osteoporosis), even for as little
| |
| | calcium supplements, vitamin D
|
| as five years, increase their risk of
| |
| | supplements, nor estrogen" slow the loss.
|
| breast cancer by twenty percent; if they
| |
| | Among 236 premenopausal women, all of
|
| take hormone replacement, the risk
| |
| | whom consumed similar amounts of calcium,
|
| increases by forty percent.Focusing on
| |
| | those who lost weight by reducing
|
| bone mass, we lose sight of the fact that
| |
| | calories lost twice as much bone mass as
|
| a strong correlation between bone density
| |
| | women who maintained their
|
| and bone breakage has not been
| |
| | weight. Although chocolate contains
|
| established, according to Susan Brown,
| |
| | oxalic acid, the levels are so low as to
|
| director of the Osteoporosis Information
| |
| | have only a negligible effect on calcium
|
| Clearing House, and many others. We lose
| |
| | metabolism. An ounce/3000 mg of chocolate
|
| sight of the fact that women who
| |
| | binds 15-20 mg of calcium; an ounce of
|
| faithfully take estrogen or hormone
| |
| | cooked spinach, 100-125 mg calcium.
|
| replacement still experience bone changes
| |
| | Bittersweet (dark) chocolate is a source
|
| and suffer spinal crush
| |
| | of iron. Recent research has found
|
| fractures.Bone-pause passes and the bones
| |
| | chocolate to be very heart healthy. As
|
| do rebuild themselves, especially when
| |
| | with any stimulant, daily use is not
|
| supported by nourishing herbs, which are
| |
| | advised. Chocolate is an important and
|
| exceptional sources of bone-building
| |
| | helpful ally for women. Guilt about
|
| minerals and better at preventing bone
| |
| | eating it and belief that it is damaging
|
| breaks than supplements. The minerals in
| |
| | to your health interferes with your
|
| green plants seem to be ideal for keeping
| |
| | ability to hear and respond to your body
|
| bones healthy. Dr. Campbell, Professor of
| |
| | wisdom. If you want to eat chocolate - do
|
| Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell
| |
| | it; and get the best. But if you're doing
|
| University, has done extensive research
| |
| | it every day - eat more weeds. Excess
|
| in rural China where the lowest known
| |
| | phosphorus accelerates bone loss and
|
| fracture rates for midlife and older
| |
| | demineralization. Phosphorus compounds
|
| women were found. He says, "The closer
| |
| | are second only to salt as food
|
| people get to a diet based on plant foods
| |
| | additives. They are found in carbonated
|
| and leafy vegetables, the lower the rates
| |
| | beverages, soda pop; white flour
|
| of many diseases, including
| |
| | products, especially if "enriched"
|
| osteoporosis." Women who consume lots of
| |
| | (bagels, cookies, cakes, donuts, pasta,
|
| calcium-rich plants and exercise
| |
| | bread); preserved meats (bacon, ham,
|
| moderately build strong flexible bones.
| |
| | sausage, lunch meat, and hot dogs);
|
| Women who rely on hormones build bones
| |
| | supermarket breakfast cereals; canned
|
| that are massive, but rigid.Hormone
| |
| | fruit; processed potato products such as
|
| replacement regimes do not increase bone
| |
| | frozen fries and instant mashed potatoes;
|
| cell creation; they slow (or suppress)
| |
| | processed cheeses; instant soups and
|
| bone cell killers (osteoclasts). There is
| |
| | puddings. To avoid phosphorus overload
|
| a rebound effect; bone loss jumps when
| |
| | and improve calcium absorption: Drink
|
| the hormones are stopped. Women who take
| |
| | spring water and herbal infusions; avoid
|
| hormones for five years or more are as
| |
| | soda pop and carbonated water.
|
| much as four times more likely to break a
| |
| | Eat only whole grain breads, noodles,
|
| bone in the year after they stop than a
| |
| | cookies, and crackers.
|
| woman of the same age who never took
| |
| | Buy only unpreserved meats, cheeses,
|
| hormones. Women who build better bones
| |
| | potatoes.
|
| with green allies and exercise nourish
| |
| | Avoid buying foods with ingredients;
|
| the bone cell creator cells
| |
| | they are highly processed. Excess salt
|
| (osteoblasts).Hormone or estrogen
| |
| | leaches calcium. Women eating 3900 mg of
|
| replacement, taken as menopause begins
| |
| | sodium a day excrete 30 percent more
|
| and continued for the rest of your life,
| |
| | calcium than those eating 1600 mg. The
|
| is said to reduce post-menopausal
| |
| | main sources of dietary sodium are
|
| fracture rates by 40-60 percent. Frequent
| |
| | processed and canned foods. Seaweed is an
|
| walks (you don't even need to sweat) and
| |
| | excellent calcium-rich source of salt.
|
| a diet high in calcium-rich green allies
| |
| | Sea salt may be used freely as it
|
| (at least 1500 mg daily) have been shown
| |
| | contains trace amounts of calcium. Salt
|
| to reduce post-menopausal fractures by 50
| |
| | is critical for health; do not eliminate
|
| percent. The first is expensive and
| |
| | it from your diet. Increase hydrochloric
|
| dangerous. The second, inexpensive and
| |
| | acid production (in your stomach) and
|
| health promoting. It's easy to see why
| |
| | you'll make better use of the calcium you
|
| more than eighty percent of American
| |
| | consume. Lower stomach acid (with
|
| women just "say no" to hormones. It is
| |
| | antacids, for example) and you will
|
| never too late to build better bones, and
| |
| | receive little bone benefit from the
|
| it is never too soon. Your best insurance
| |
| | calcium you ingest. Some ways to
|
| for a fracture-free, strong-boned
| |
| | acidify: Drink lemon juice in water with
|
| cronehood is to build better bones before
| |
| | or after your meal.
|
| menopause. The more exercise and
| |
| | Take 10-25 drops dandelion root
|
| calcium-rich green allies you get in your
| |
| | tincture in a little water before you
|
| younger years, the less you'll have to
| |
| | eat.
|
| worry about as you age."A woman has lost
| |
| | Use calcium-rich herbal vinegars in
|
| half of all the spongy bone (spine,
| |
| | your salad dressing; put some on cooked
|
| wrist) she'll ever lose by the age of 50,
| |
| | greens and beans, too. Step 5a: Use
|
| but very little of the dense (hip, hand,
| |
| | Supplements I really wish you wouldn't
|
| forearm) bone. Attention to bone
| |
| | use calcium supplements. They expose you
|
| formation at every stage of life is
| |
| | to dangers and don't prevent fractures. A
|
| vital; there is no time when you are too
| |
| | study in Australia that followed 10,000
|
| old to create healthy new bone." -
| |
| | white women over the age of 65 for six
|
| American MDCALCIUM"Osteoporosis is much
| |
| | and a half years found "Use of calcium
|
| less common in countries that consume the
| |
| | supplements was associated with increased
|
| least calcium. That is an undisputed
| |
| | risk of hip and vertebral fracture; use
|
| fact." -T. C. Campbell, PhD. Nutritional
| |
| | of Tums antacid tablets was associated
|
| BiochemistryStep 1: Collect
| |
| | with increased risk of fractures of the
|
| InformationCalcium is, without a doubt,
| |
| | proximal humerus." If you insist on
|
| the most important mineral in your body.
| |
| | supplements, go for calcium-fortified
|
| In fact, calcium makes up more than half
| |
| | orange juice or crumbly tablets of
|
| of the total mineral content of your
| |
| | calcium citrate. Chewable calcium
|
| body. Calcium is crucial to the regular
| |
| | gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium
|
| beating of your heart, your metabolism,
| |
| | carbonate are acceptable sources.
|
| the functioning of your muscles, the flow
| |
| | Dolomite, bone meal, and oyster shell are
|
| of impulses along your nerves, the
| |
| | best avoided as they usually contain lead
|
| regulation of your cellular membranes,
| |
| | and other undesirable minerals. For
|
| the strength of your bones, the health of
| |
| | better bones, take 500 mg magnesium (not
|
| your teeth and gums, and your vital
| |
| | citrate) with your calcium. Better yet,
|
| blood-clotting mechanisms. Calcium is so
| |
| | wash your calcium pill down with a glass
|
| critical to your life that you have a
| |
| | of herbal infusion; that will provide not
|
| gland (the parathyroid) that does little
| |
| | only magnesium but lots of other
|
| else than monitor blood levels of calcium
| |
| | bone-strengthening minerals, too. Calcium
|
| and secrete hormones to ensure optimum
| |
| | supplements are more effective in divided
|
| levels of calcium at all times.When you
| |
| | doses. Two doses of 250 mg, taken morning
|
| consume more calcium than you use, you
| |
| | and night, actually provide more usable
|
| are in a positive calcium balance: extra
| |
| | calcium than a 1000 mg tablet.Step
|
| usable calcium is stored in the bones and
| |
| | 5b: Use DrugsEven if you take hormone
|
| you gain bone mass (insoluble or unusable
| |
| | therapy (ERT or HRT) you must get
|
| calcium may be excreted, or stored in
| |
| | adequate calcium to maintain bone mass,
|
| soft tissue, or deposited in the joints).
| |
| | according to researchers at Columbia
|
| When you consume less calcium than you
| |
| | University. That's 1200-1500 mg a day (a
|
| use, you are in a negative calcium
| |
| | cup of plain yogurt, two cups of nettle
|
| balance: the parathyroid produces a
| |
| | infusion, a splash of mineral-rich
|
| hormone that releases calcium stores from
| |
| | vinegar, plus three figs is about that).
|
| the bones, and you lose bone mass.To
| |
| | As you increase your intake of
|
| ensure a positive calcium balance and
| |
| | calcium-rich foods/herbs, gradually cut
|
| create strong, flexible bones for your
| |
| | back on your hormone dose if you
|
| menopausal journey, take care to: Eat
| |
| | wish.Step 6: Break & EnterBone density
|
| three or more calcium-rich foods daily.
| |
| | tests are frequently used to push women
|
| Avoid calcium antagonists.
| |
| | into taking hormones or drugs. If your
|
| Use synergistic foods to magnify the
| |
| | bone density is low, use the remedies in
|
| effectiveness of calcium.
| |
| | this section and schedule another test
|
| Avoid calcium supplements. Step
| |
| | (for at least six months later) before
|
| 2: Engage the Energy The homeopathic
| |
| | agreeing to such therapies.Legal
|
| tissue salt Silica is said to improve
| |
| | Disclaimer: This content is not intended
|
| bone health. What does it mean to you to
| |
| | to replace conventional medical
|
| support yourself? To be supported? To
| |
| | treatment. Any suggestions made and all
|
| stand on your own? To have a backbone in
| |
| | herbs listed are not intended to
|
| your life?Step 3: Nourish & Tonify What
| |
| | diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
|
| do we need to make strong flexible bones?
| |
| | disease, condition or symptom. Personal
|
| Like all tissues, bones need protein.
| |
| | directions and use should be provided by
|
| They need minerals (not just calcium, but
| |
| | a clinical herbalist or other qualified
|
| also potassium, manganese, magnesium,
| |
| | healthcare practitioner with a specific
|
| silica, iron, zinc, selenium, boron,
| |
| | formula for you. All material contained
|
| phosphorus, sulphur, chromium, and dozens
| |
| | herein is provided for general
|
| of others). And in order to use those
| |
| | information purposes only and should not
|
| minerals, high-quality fats, including
| |
| | be considered medical advice or
|
| oil-soluble vitamin D. Many menopausal
| |
| | consultation. Contact a reputable
|
| women I meet believe that protein is bad
| |
| | healthcare practitioner if you are in
|
| for their bones. Not so. Researchers at
| |
| | need of medical care. Exercise
|
| Utah State University, looking at the
| |
| | self-empowerment by seeking a second
|
| diets of 32,000 postmenopausal women,
| |
| | opinion.Susun Weed
|
| found that women who ate the least
| |
| | PO Box 64
|
| protein were the most likely to fracture
| |
| | Woodstock, NY 12498
|
| a hip; and that eating extra protein sped
| |
| | Fax: 1-845-246-8081Vibrant, passionate,
|
| the healing of hip fractures. Acids
| |
| | and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an
|
| created by protein digestion are buffered
| |
| | international reputation for her
|
| by calcium. Traditional diets combine
| |
| | groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and
|
| calcium- and protein-rich foods (e.g.
| |
| | writings on health and nutrition. She
|
| seaweed with tofu, tortillas made from
| |
| | challenges conventional medical
|
| corn ground on limestone with beans, and
| |
| | approaches with humor, insight, and her
|
| melted cheese on a hamburger). Herbs such
| |
| | vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal
|
| as seaweed, stinging nettle, oatstraw,
| |
| | medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her
|
| red clover, dandelion, and comfrey leaf
| |
| | animated and enthusiastic lectures are
|
| are rich in protein and provide plenty of
| |
| | engaging and often profoundly
|
| calcium too. Foods such as tahini,
| |
| | provocative.Susun is one of America's
|
| sardines, canned salmon, yogurt, cheese,
| |
| | best-known authorities on herbal medicine
|
| oatmeal, and goats' milk offer us
| |
| | and natural approaches to women's health.
|
| protein, generous amounts of calcium, and
| |
| | Her four best-selling books are
|
| the healthy fats our bones need. If you
| |
| | recommended by expert herbalists and
|
| crave more protein during menopause,
| |
| | well-known physicians and are used and
|
| follow that craving. CAUTION: Unfermented
| |
| | cherished by millions of women around the
|
| soy (e.g., tofu) is especially
| |
| | world.
|
| detrimental to bone health being
| |
| |
|
