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:
Calcium-rich sprouted organic almonds are a good food choice for your bones.
Adding sesame and hemp seeds with Plantation blackstrap molasses make this a bone-loving snack.
A version of this recipe was served at my event:
The Whole Body Approach to Osteoporosis with Keith McCormick, DC.
It was met with a “yum” and an “ah” and……
I love my bones and I love finding new ways to feed my bones.
My bones were jumping for joy having found The Healthy Bones Nutrition Plan and Cookbook – Medicine Through Food Guide by Dr. Laura Kelly and Helen Bryman Kelly. Inside the book offers a recipe for Bone-Building Calcium-Rich Vinegar.
“Just one tablespoon of Bone-Building Vinegar equals 350-400 mg of calcium (1,000-1,200 recommended for menopausal and post menopausal women)”.[1]
Nothing I like more than a handful of crunchy nuts for a snack. And Skelly’s with me on this.
You see, nuts are full of healthy fats, protein, and fiber that fill you up. But they are also a treasure box of minerals that build strong bones.
Maybe you have a favorite nut that you keep on hand. But I want you to think about rotating your nuts or eating lots of mixed nuts. That’s because each type of nut offers something special for your bones. If you stick to just one you’re missing out.
A lot of people are excited about a new “magic pill” for bones. But my Skelly is a little skeptical. I’m talking about strontium.
Most people have never heard of this mineral. It’s named after Strontian, a village in Scotland where it was discovered in 1790. Today it’s used mostly in industry.
What’s the number one supplement you need for your bones?
Most people I talk to will say calcium, of course. In fact, more than half of women over 60 take calcium supplements. I get it. They don’t want to break a bone. And they don’t want to have osteoporosis.
But instead of getting harder bones, they may be getting hardened arteries.
When I was a kid, one of my jobs was to rid the lawn of dandelion weeds. It was tough work. The roots reached deep into the soil and didn’t want to come out.
Even though I associated dandelions with this yearly struggle, I was still always delighted to see the bright yellow flowers pop up every spring. I give them credit for piquing my lifelong curiosity about plants.
Fast-forward 55 years and I rediscovered dandelions in Damanhur, a magical 40-year-old eco-village nestled in the foothills north of Piedmont, Italy.
In my bad old Wall Street days – before Skelly and I were such good friends – my idea of breakfast was a cigarette and a cup of coffee. As my Skelly likes to say, “We’ve come a long way, Baby!”
These days I take breakfast seriously. In a minute I’ll tell you about my favorite go-to morning food ritual.
Like me, chances are you grew up eating a ton of cold breakfast cereals like Frosted Flakes, Kix, and Rice Krispies. Maybe over the years you graduated to Special K, Fiber One, or even Kashi Go Lean.
Clients often ask me which breakfast cereal is best for your bones. My answer is always the same:
none of the above.
When Skelly (the skeleton and bones that lives in us all) wants a special treat I pull out my recipe for kale chips. You see, kale is a superfood when it comes to building strong bones. Here’s why.
These Cruciferous Vegetables Feed Your Bones and Heal Your Body
I have to tell you about a TEDx talk that blew me away. It’s a riveting story about a doctor taking control of her own health.
Terry Wahls is an MD and an athlete. But in 2000 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She followed all the advice that mainstream medicine had to offer. But her condition continued to decline rapidly until she was confined to a wheel chair.
That’s when she turned to food and functional medicine. Today she is out of the wheelchair, active, energetic, and free of MS symptoms.
