My bones love berries because that means summer. Do you adore the summer as I do? Spending time with friends at the beach and getting lots of bone-building sunshine. And eating plenty of brilliant fresh summer berries.

Even though berries are tiny, they pack a powerful punch when it comes to your bones. Their beautiful reds, blues, blacks, and purples tell you that they are full of natural antioxidants. Yet they have such a short shelf-life.

There is a trick keeping your berries mold free.

This Creamy and (dreamy) Collard Yam Soup is bone-loving and vegan.

Collards are a member of the cruciferous family

Cruciferous veggies are part of the Brassica genus of plants and are rich in vitamins and minerals as shown in the chart below. They contain a group of substances known as glucosinolates, which are sulfur-containing chemicals that may fight cancer.

I love the rich color, taste, and texture of this soup. This "cook-once-eat-twice" will make a fantastic big pot for several servings.

MEET MY CLIENT SUE:

Sue was a member of my Bones Tribe membership for several years.  A true New Yorker who served as a tour guide and museum docent - always ready to research what needs to be discovered.  In addition to Sue’s activity in my Bones Tribe, we worked privately.  

Read more about Sue's Three Very Important Lessons.

Skelly and I love a good cup of green tea for it's flavor and for bone health.  Just taking a break and brewing a mug is a great way for me to slow down and de-stress. I look at my tea break as a mindfulness practice. I sip it peacefully and deliberately.  I feel the warmth of the cup as I embrace those precious moments of just being present and still.

But these tea breaks aren’t just for me.  One very special tea also makes my Skelly stronger.  I’m talking about green tea.

My latest DXA and TBS report.  As a reminder, I was diagnosed with osteopenia in 2005 and given a script for Fosamax. I declined.  My intention was to implement my 6 pillars for bone health for a better outcome: 

1. Calcium and mineral rich-foods
2. Researched supplements (I get my calcium through food)
3. Weight bearing exercise
4. Stress reduction
5. Sleep hygiene
6. Bringing joy to my everyday

I took my 90 minutes pilgrimage to Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania. DXA during Covid of course had its moments. Masks, temperature testing, hand sanitizer, distancing...we all know the necessary Covid drill.

Skelly and I love to quench our thirst.  Instead of reaching for filtered water, we drink one 750mg bottle of Gerolsteiner Mineral Water.  Not only for the bioavailability of the calcium and magnesium but because mineral water offsets a highly-acidic Western diet characterized by high grains and animal products. Drinking 1,500-2,000 mL of mineral water rich in bicarbonate (>1.8 g/L) can help reduce the net dietary acid load. [1]

Personally, I am a mostly grain-free animal protein eater. Animal protein keeps me grounded. Otherwise I float away and my brain does not function in a sharp way. Not everyone eats this way as we are all individuals with different dietary needs. Vegetarians typically eat more grains which are more acidic.

Vitamin D has gotten a lot of attention lately, especially when talking about bone health. Can we get enough Vitamin D from the sun and Vitamin D from our food?

But, for the average person, the topic of vitamin D can get confusing. Since anyone can be at risk for having a vitamin D deficiency, I want to make it easier for people to optimize this essential nutrient. Here are some tips for getting your vitamin D level just right.

Is Vitamin D covered by Medicare?

Getting my yearly blood work gave me a shock as I was handed a mystery medical bill for my Vitamin D and my other blood work.

For my EU and Australia clients/readers this will not be the case for you. 
Medical in the US has it's own language and labyrinth.

I am on Medicare and I naively thought my blood work would have been covered. Guess what?

It’s been awhile since our bones have connected.  I've been in the middle of my own covid-19 experience.  I’m missing our communication however, I needed to be in a place of stillness and quiet understanding my own relationship with Covid-19 and how my / our world will be reshaped.  We have all been touched by this virus in varying ways.

My physical health is fine. I had imposed a 2-week self-quarantined since my masked and gloved flight home from Florida on March 20th.

As a small business owner I applied for Payroll Protection Program (PPP) to pay my independent contractors, who are the bones of my business. They help me with filming my cooking videos, researching the latest in Food for Healthy Bones food science, keeping the back-end of my website running smoothly and supporting members of my Bones Tribe.  All efforts working together.

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