FEED your Bones …….

Achieving and maintaining optimal bone health involves a network of more that twenty nutrients working together, constantly renewing the skeletal structure. If the supply of these nutrients is unbalanced over a period of time, the most common outcome will be Osteoporosis, or ‘porous bones’. The problem is not just a deficiency of calcium, as is commonly perceived, but a combination of a modern lifestyle and how well you have ‘fed’ your bones over the years.

The entire skeleton of an adult is replaced every seven to ten years, so if you are thirty years old, you are living with your third or fourth framework! Why then, you might ask, is it that our bodies replace and review bones but teeth fall out?! Fortunately our bones are supported by fat and muscles, so they can/t fall out. This does however; make it difficult to keep an eye on the health states of the skeleton. Quite a different story when you visit the dentist, who informs you that one of your teeth needs to be filled. Just the though of having to go to the dentist does help remind us to clean our teeth, avoid sweet foods, and get regular check-ups. But there is no such service to keep us in touch with the health of our bones, which leaves you with the responsibility of finding out what you can do to maintain healthy bones and actively look after your skeleton. Don’t’ be fooled by the ‘new skeleton every ten years’ because new does not mean an identical replacement. The density of the skeleton reduces as we age, so the replacement structure gradually weakens and bones become lighter and less resilient – as a guide, compare the condition of your skin, as it ages, with the condition of your bones and you will begin to understand the changes occurring!

Who is at risk?

Nobody is exempt. Research shows that supplementing the nutrients needed for long-term skeletal health significantly improves bone density, helping to postpone Osteoporosis. Follow the guidelines below, and make sure your children follow them too!

• Inactivity - the best way to strengthen bones is regular exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise. A brisk 30 minute walk every other day is excellent
• Natural sunlight - used by the body for the production of Vitamin D, this is necessary for calcium absorption.
• Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables - rich in the vitamin K and has been shown to provide protection.
• Coffee - high coffee intake is associated with low bone density so cut down to no more than two cups a day.
• Acid/Alkali - eat more fruit, vegetables and salad and cut down on animal protein to help maintain your body's natural pH balance. Eat fish in preference to meat.
• Carbonated drinks - commonly have a high phosphate content, which combined with lower levels of calcium, results in calcium being leeched from the bones. It is especially important that children avoid an excess of carbonated drinks, which affects bone formation as they grow.
• Increase intake of essential fats - Omega 3 fatty acids found in salmon, mackerel, sardine, herring and Omega 6 found in sesame and sunflower seeds could substitute saturated fats. Supplement your diet with Herbalifeline.
• Excess salt - break the habit of picking up the salt pot - leave it in the cupboard! Many foods contain sodium, so get used to the flavour nature intended, and use more herbs and spices instead.
• Avoid sugar; stimulants (smoking, alcohol) and stress - these all play havoc with the body's oestrogen/progesterone hormone balance, which in turn affect the renewal process of your skeleton.
• Progesterone - for women who are pre of post menopausal, a health check to discover hormone states would be prudent. If oestrogen is dominant, ask your doctor to prescribe natural progesterone to restore the balance of these important hormones.

The ESSENTIAL BONE FOOD - Best Source list

• Calcium - Swiss cheese, whitebait, cheddar cheese, sardines, tofu, sesame seeds, green vegetables.
• Magnesium - Figs, lemons, grapefruit, wheatgerm, nuts, seeds, dark-green vegetables.
• Vitamin D - Herring, mackerel, salmon, sardine, tuna, sunlight.
• Zinc - Oysters, lean meat, sesame and pumpkin seeds, nuts, brewer's yeast, sardines, rye, oats.
• Vitamin C - Guava, Brussels sprouts, peppers, kiwi fruit, paw-paw, mango, broccoli, strawberries, watercress
• Boron - Green leafy vegetables, fruit
• Vitamin K - Cauliflower (raw). Kale, peas, tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, beans, yoghurt.

To help support your bones special nutrient requirements, take Herbalife's Nutritional Protein Drink Mix and Herbalifeline.

For more information on healthy living, contact your ShapeWorks coach or Herbalife distributor by clicking on the following email address info@shapelife.co.za