Strengthening Your Bones Naturally
Choose fresh, natural unrefined organically grown or raised foods,
prepare with care and attention. Emphasise
fresh vegetables. Plants boost calcium and other minerals in your body.
Include five to ten serves daily of dark leafy green,
tubers, such as carrots, parsnips, yams, turnips, cruciferous vegetables
such as broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower, all other vegetables, and
pulses, which are a good source of cholesterol-free protein, as well
as calcium.
Regularly consume home-made stocks, made with bones,
seafood shells or vegetable scraps, all excellent sources of minerals.
Adding a tiny amount of vinegar, or wine to the stock while it simmers
will drain calcium from the bones or shells into the stock.
Always eat the softened bones of tinned salmon, sardines,
etc. If you still eat meat, cook on the bone, since a little of the
calcium will migrate to the meaty part. Chew on the softened wing tips
and drumstick ends (or any other bones) of well-cooked chicken.
Consume healthful fats, including unheated extra-virgin
olive oil, unrefined sesame and sunflower oils, particularly flaxseed
oil.
If butter and cream are eaten only use from organically-raised
cows.
Drink eight to ten glasses of filtered/low-sodium
bottled water each day, depending on whether you eat more dry or low-water
foods such as animal protein, grains and baked products, or high-water
foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits and sprouted whole grains.
Avoid items containing caffeine: all coffee, tea,
chocolate and cola drinks.
Consume two to three servings of a good quality plant
or animal protein. (Either can support good health as long as they are
fresh, naturally raised and free of pesticides). These include fish,
organically-raised fowl or meat, organic eggs, beans, nuts and seeds.
Include soy products such as tofu, tempeh,
milk, unpasteurised miso
and tamari which is a wheat-free unfermented
soy sauce. The phytoestrogens contained in
soy slow or stop bone loss.
Include high-iodine sea vegetables in your diet,
which help to counter-balance the thyroid-lowering factors or soy products.
Include two or three serving of whole grains daily,
such as quinoa, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, cornmeal and oats. Millet
is an excellent grain for older people as it contains silica, which
helps to keep bones supple.
Drink alcohol at no more than seven ounces per week,
if at all.
Avoid drugs, particularly steroids and antacids.
Antacids are principally composed of calcium carbonate which provides
a large unbalanced influx of calcium to the body.
Engage in regular weight-bearing exercise such as
yoga, tai chi, or weight lifting for about forty minutes four times
each week.
