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?

The phlebotomist (one who draws blood) at Quest Diagnostics informed me my total out-of-pocket would be over $1000 of which $244.00 was for the Vitamin D test.

The Vitamin D, Lipid Panel and TSH (thyroid tests) did not have an ICD code.

What is an ICD code?

An ICD code is The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) is one of the most widely used classification systems for diagnosis coding as it allows comparability and use of mortality and morbidity data. I went back to my doctor for the proper coding and then back to Quest who told me the coding was still incorrect. Four phone calls to my doctors office woke me up to find an alternative solution.

My take away

When getting blood work, confirm there is a diagnosis code and an ICD code on the script. This will reduce mystery medical bills.

Being a problem solver, I wanted to share a potential solution. If you cannot get a Vitamin D test for whatever reason (or other blood tests), Life Extension maybe an alternative.

VITAMIN D TESTING using Life Extension.

1. Go to Life Extension and order the test.

Phone: 1 800 678-8989 - 7 days a week from 8AM-12AM ET.

2. Cost of the Vitamin D test is $47.00 (current sale $35.25) no script is necessary.

3. Life extension sends a requisition form depending on the state you're in.

4. Bring form to LabCorp (they don't have a contract with Quest).

5. Results: 5-7 business days from the time it's drawn.

6. Life Extensions sends you the results via mail, email, fax or viewable online.

This is for residents of the US only.

Vitamin D

25(OH) D test reflects Vitamin D produced under the skin and has a half life of 15 days. 1,25 D is the active hormone and is not a good indication of Vit D status because it has a short half life of 15 hours.

The 25(OH)D is the test that we want because it tells a more complete story of the amount of Vitamin D circulating in our blood.

When should you test?

Sandi Fahlen Putnam who runs a local group in Arizona, Bone Girls Club, has her own extremely challenging and painful osteoporosis story. She turned her story around using bone medication. She is now fracture and medication free.

Regarding Vitamin D she writes:
"Testing at the end of summer and end of winter, (September and March) will allow you to capture the effect of summer sun, which may be minimal in many cases."

Find Your Happy Zone

Dr Lani Simpson who authored - No Nonsense Sun Health Guide which focuses on Vitamin D, recommends 45 ng/ml US or 113 nmol UK.   It may take some time to get there and maintain your levels. Vitamin D plays a pivotal role, limiting withdrawals of calcium from the bone by enhancing calcium absorption from food in the intestines into the bloodstream [1]

Back to Sandi's pearls of wisdom. "Most people benefit and can start with 2,000 IU of D3 per day.

After using the SAME DAILY amount for about 3 months, you can adjust your level by 10 points US or 25 points UK upward with an additional 1,000 IU of D3 per day for another 8-12 weeks.

You can settle into a routine testing of every year and/or maybe in timing with other annual blood work or your DXA.

Request your Vitamin D

It is not routine despite its value on all health concerns. And always ask if there is an additional charge when getting your blood work.

US and UK blood levels are the same BUT the tests and results reporting are in different measurement units. The US number multiplied by 2.5 gives you the UK equivalent."

And if you are feeling resistance, it's understandable. One step in front of the other.

I refer my clients to Dr. Keith McCormick for their bone consultation. Determining if bone loss is currently happening is key. We want to stop bone loss. Creating your "next steps" for your bones makes a difference. Dr. McComick can also order Vitamin D and other bone markers.

If you find this blog helpful, kindly share with anyone you know who has bones using the links below.

From my bones to yours,

Irma Jennings, INHC - Holistic Bone Coach

[1] Harvard Medical School - Osteoporosis A guide to prevent and treatment

The post Vitamin D and Medicare appeared first on Food For Healthy Bones.

While basil may conjure images of fresh pesto and caprese salad, holy basil (or, tulsi) swaps the spice cabinet for the medicine cabinet. 

Roots that run deep in Indian Ayurveda

Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum, or Ocimum tenuiflorum) has roots that run deep in Indian Ayurveda. Its Hindu name, tulsi, translates to “the incomparable one” due to its incredible variety of health and medicinal applications, not just nutritionally — but in mind, body, and spirit.  

Not only is holy basil rich in antioxidants like vitamin A and C, it provides a good source of zinc, iron, and calcium for bone health (iii). It is an aromatic herb with a peppery, clove-like scent, and is commonly used to treat respiratory issues like bronchitis, congestion, and sinusitis (ii). Because of these applications, preparing the herb as a tea is the most common way to reap its benefits.   

Holy basil is considered an Adaptogen

Holy basil is considered an adaptogen, meaning it helps balance our body’s natural response to stress, which, in current times, can be constant.  When one experiences stress, our adrenal glands release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to give the body a boost of energy to overcome the situation.  Chronic stress can become a problem as the constant release of these hormones can throw off systems of the body like our immune, digestive and nervous system, which can lead to severe illness. (i)

Cortisol levels

Additionally, increased cortisol levels encourage bone mineral removal, and can deter calcium absorption and bone cell growth (iv).  Therefore, those who experience continual stress and increased cortisol levels are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis. 

Holy basil is an herb that can be easily grown at home. While native to India, it can be grown it in your garden just like any annual herb.  Harvest it by cutting just above the bottom 3 sets of leaves.  This way, the plant will continue to grow and you can harvest several times throughout the season. (v)

Adding holy basil to your daily routine not only brings balance to your body, it’s a great way to protect your bones naturally.    

I hope you enjoy my video as you sit back and relax.

From my bones to yours!

Irma

Need support in feeding your bones?

Click HERE to learn more.

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Sources:

(i) Holy Basil: Relieve Anxiety and Stress Naturally

https://www.medicinehunter.com/holy-basil

(ii) Natural Remedy for Sinusitis – tulsi or basil leaves

https://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/natural-remedy-for-sinusitis-tulsi-or-basil-leaves-p114/

(iii) Top 15 Benefits & Uses of Holy Basil (Tulsi) https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-holy-basil-tulsi.html

(iv) Cortisol and Bone Loss https://mavendoctors.io/osteoporosis/bone-health/cortisol-and-bone-loss-nNDSjj89cUyitv21oY4X8g/

(v) How to Grow Tulsi Plant – Care and Growing Holy Basil

How to Grow Tulsi Plant | Care and Growing Holy Basil

The post Holy Basil - Twice the Spice appeared first on Food For Healthy Bones.

Sauerkraut: a traditional gift for your gut, your bones and our overall health.

Do you know where sauerkraut originated?   You will be surprised.

RECIPE:

3 Ingredients:

1 head of organic cabbage (either green, purple or combination of green and purple)
1 Tablespoon of kosher sea salt
1 Quart glass ball jar with lid

Preparation:

1. Remove the outer layer of the cabbage but do not wash the cabbage
2. Slice in cabbage in half
3. Remove the core
4. Then thinly slice the two halves
5. Add your sea salt
6. Massage the sliced cabbage for about 10-15 minutes (until liquid comes out when you squeeze the sliced cabbage).
7. Pack into glass ball jar
8. Continue pushing down the cabbage allowing the liquid to rise to the top
9. When finished place the lid on the top but do no seal
10. Twice a day pack down the cabbage (morning and night)
11. 5-7 days you sauerkraut is finished
12. Place in the fridge and eat a tablespoon daily

Transcript:

00:00:00 Hi. This is Irma Jennings from food for Healthy Bones. And I'm here with my kitchen mate, Vicky Sarnoff. And of course, Skelly is here because Skelly is a skeleton that lives in us all. What we're about to explain and show and demonstrate today is sauerkraut. And why does that matter? Because our gut health is the vital aspect of all health, bone health, heart health. Overall health is good health. Sauerkraut is a wonderful, probiotic and natural probiotic to support good health. Vicki is gonna tell us about it, the nuances of it.

00:00:34 And then we're going show you how to make it. How easy this to make it. Could tell me about sauerkraut, where did it come from and where did it originate?

So a lot of people think that sauerkraut really came from Germany or in that area because of its name. But it really originated in China. China? Yes. When they were building the Great Wall of China, the workers would eat, especially during the summer. They would have rice and cabbage, and in the winter months, they decided they needed to keep it from going bad.

00:01:03 They added rice vinegar, to it, and they really created a fermented food. Eventually, when Genghis Khan was conquering the world, sauerkraut was brought to Middle Europe and it settled into Germany. And that's where it got its name.

Who knew? So I always thought it was a German or American hot dog. No. Okay, it really came from China. So tell us more about sauerkraut. What is going to be your your process? So what we're going to do today, we're gonna pick a pretty green sour a piece of cabbage.

00:01:38  I want you to wash your hands first before you start working, and then remove that outer layer, which is sort of the dirty layer of the cabbage. But we're not going to wash the cabbage because we'll need the bacteria that comes from the soil, which is eventually going to make the Lactobacillus brevis and  Lactobacillus plantarum that we need to ferment. This is organic cabbage. Absolutely. Start with organic cabbage, okay, because you don't want the creepy crawly. You know the herbicides, pesticides or any of those things.

00:02:07 We take our cabbage on, cut it in half, have a you know, good starting knife, and once it's in half, you have to cut out the core. And once the core is removed, you can start slicing the cabbage.

00:02:19 I say thin slices. Maybe the width of a dime really works. Well. Doesn't matter.

00:02:26 It doesn't really matter. You could even have thicker ones. If you ever eat kimchi, it's often very similar process, just different spices.

00:02:34 For my for my very much perfectionist clients who want to make sure that it's exactly right, that's not necessary, I just want to cut it up.

00:02:45 Absolute. Just nice slices, OK, Once you sliced your cabbage, put it in a nice sized bowl that you can maneuver with.

00:02:53 You're only the only other ingredient we're going to use is salt. And you should really use a kosher sea salt, which is a chunkier salt.

00:03:02 Uh, but it's wonderful. So for a nice size cabbage, you only need one tablespoon of salt.

00:03:08 Now, I don't like a lot of salt, right? So what would I do? I would cut that down a little bit.

00:03:14 So used 3/4 of a tablespoon. Salt is absolutely yes, you need that salt which will draw the liquid that we need to create the fermentation process.

00:03:22 So once you coat your cabbage in the salt, we then spend 10 to 15 minutes massaging that cabbage, and it can be done as a very meditative process.

00:03:33 You can just really get in tow, massaging and rubbing that cabbage together, and we do that until the liquid start flow from the cabbage and it's going to drip.

00:03:44 It's gonna drip. But I want to say one thing. This is the mindfulness. So not only do you cut a cabbage in half and then you look, you look at the cabbage.

00:03:52 Don't forget to look because it almost looks like a tree on the inside. And this is just a reminder how magnificent nature is.

00:03:58 And then we have this moment of massaging, mindful, lovingly sending loving thoughts, and this is a single test you don't want to have.

00:04:07 Ignore what's going on in the background. You want to be in it and feel it. Feel the juice and your hands will feel it.

00:04:13 It takes some work to do it, but it's really very good for you. So I was just listening to an interview yesterday with Dr Lani Simpson about arthritis is how we have to move our joints.

00:04:23 And this is a great exercise for that. And what's the next step? So once we have those juices flowing, we're going take a quart sized bowl jar, which is a glass jar, and we're gonna take a handful of it, and we're going to slowly start packing it in.

00:04:41 We do a little bit of the time and keep pressing it down because there's little air bubbles and we want to push those air bubbles up and always keeping some of that liquid around.

00:04:50 Use all the liquid that we've created from the massaging, and we're going to do that slowly until we fill up the jar so the jar you'll leave.

00:04:58 You need about half an inch to an inch of liquid above, because this is has to grow in an anaerobic environment means it doesn't have any air, so the oxygen is not there.

00:05:10 That's why we're pressing at all those little air bubbles and the liquid stays on top the entire time. All right, so we cut.

00:05:18 We massage and we pack now. Once you've packed it, it's not over yet, so just put the lid on very lightly or you could put a piece of cheesecloth over it, and we're gonna let that sit for anywhere from 5 to 8 days.

00:05:32 But every day you have homework to do, you have to pack it down twice a day. I like to do is in the morning, I'll get up, I wash my hands, and then I will pack the cabbage again and just push it down because a little bit will float to the top.

00:05:49 Pack it down. Those little air bubbles will keep rising up. Put the lid lightly on it and let it sit again.

00:05:54 I do it again before I go to bed at night. It's almost like brushing your teeth, right?

00:05:57 You do it twice, do it twice a day. I get up in the morning pack my sauerkraut and before you go to bed pack your sauerkraut

00:06:05 But you also you will notice by the next morning, and for the next couple of days you're going to see all these little bubbles forming on the top.

00:06:12 That's the fermentation process. That's the exciting thing that you want to have happened. And once those bubbles disappear and it stops doing that, yeah, your sauerkraut is done.

00:06:22 You can seal it up, put it the refrigerator. Oh, I forgot one important thing. What's that?

00:06:27 When your done packing it, take a little piece of tape and put the date on It did it just so you know when you did it.

00:06:33 It's a reminder when it's stored in the refrigerator. You know, it's certainly good for a couple of months.

00:06:40 But it's nice to know when you actually created right. So when that sauerkraut ends up in the back of the refrigerator, you can look at and say how I made it a month ago and I could still eat it, which is a beautiful thing.

00:06:50 Now what's the cost of making sauerkraut. An organic cabbage a glass ball jar. Um, you can sometimes get them for, like, a dollar.
00:07:01 So I say the whole thing, including a jar, and everything costs  $5.65 or $6 for your belly, for you got health.

00:07:09 Isn't that a beautiful thing? And then you should eat every day anywhere from a tablespoon two, maybe three tablespoons. Depends.

00:07:17 You know, I like as a side dish for things that I'm eating, like put it on to food.

00:07:22 But, you know, it's wonderful to get that bacteria in your belly. Start slowly with a tablespoon.

00:07:27 It could even be a little bit less and then work your way up. And adding it to food.

00:07:33 Thanks and on hot dogs. But some of us still eat hot dogs. Um, but on other pieces, if you're an animal protein needed or you could put it on the side of a pork chop or even a steak, you have you ever made it in an omelette?

00:07:48 The thing about sauerkraut is, I know that a lot of people grew up eating sauerkraut on hot dogs, and it was kept hot.

00:07:56 It was like in a heated container, and they put the sauerkraut on by hating sauerkraut. You're destroying the bacteria so you don't want to do that so I wouldn't put it inside and out.

00:08:07 Yes, that's the heat. The heat, right? All right. So what do you think, Do you think you're going to try this?

00:08:12 So we told you is how really simple this is. Now you can get a little bit more advanced if you want to add garlic or various kinds of seeds like caraway seeds.

00:08:24 You can add carrots. You can add turmeric or raw ginger, too. Yeah, that's great.

00:08:30 I would just grate ginger. You could grate carrots into it.

00:08:35 You could do the ginger. I love that. Yeah. Um, and any other vegetable. If you wanted to put in there, it'll firm it with it.

00:08:42 That's great. How about that? Okay, Irma from Food for Healthy Bones with Vicky Sarnoff signing off.

00:09:04 www.foodforhealthybones.com. There you could sign up for my five bone loving recipes and you'll receive my monthly newsletter.

00:09:13 You can also see all my block post. I've been blogging for the past 10 or 11 years on all things bones from my bones to yours.

00:09:21 Bye for now.

Let my Skelly know if you have questions.

From my loving bones to yours,

IRMA

The post Sauerkraut For Your Bones appeared first on Food For Healthy Bones.

YOU know what I’m talking about.

We started fresh with a brand new wooden spice rack that we keep on the counter.

I love it! And it speaks to my need to be organized.

And keeping my spices in full view reminds me to use them at every meal. I love how they bring even the simplest food to life. They add a flavor kick that takes my cooking to a whole new level. And the best thing is these spices love my Skelly right back.

You see, spices are full of vitamins and minerals that help build and strengthen your bones. Here’s a peek at what’s in my Skelly’s spice rack:

1. Turmeric. This is one of the spices in Indian curry. And an Italian study just found it may boost your bone density.

Scientists worked with a group of fit, healthy, slim, older people with an average age of 70. Some took a tablet containing turmeric while the others took a placebo. After six months the turmeric group boosted their bone density by seven percent compared to the placebo.[i]

2. Cinnamon. This popular spice is known for its ability to lower blood sugar. But it can also reduce bone breakdown and help prevent bone loss.[ii] Just make sure you buy the right kind…

Look for Ceylon cinnamon also known as “true cinnamon.” It might be more expensive than the others (like Cassia cinnamon) but it has more benefits.

3. Cumin. These seeds are similar to caraway seeds. They’re popular in Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and North African cuisine.

Cumin is a great source of fiber as well as bone minerals like magnesium, zinc, selenium, manganese, potassium, calcium, copper, and iron.

A recent study showed that cumin could reverse osteoporosis in mice. Researchers gave the credit to cumin’s high levels of unsaturated fatty acids as well as its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.[iii]

4. Coriander. This spice comes from the seeds of the herb known as cilantro or Chinese parsley. It’s packed with bone-building minerals like calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and iron.

Even if you’re one of those people who hate cilantro, you may love coriander. It has a sweet and toasty aroma. I like to pair it with cumin and cinnamon.

5. Cloves. This spice always makes me think of Christmas. Cloves are rich in calcium, magnesium, vitamins C and K, and omega-3 fatty acids. And just two teaspoons of ground cloves give you over 60% of your daily required manganese, a mineral needed to make bone tissue and cartilage.

The right spice can transform your cooking in seconds. Add spices to chili, curries, stews, and soups. Also add them to salad dressings, eggs, cooked rice and vegetables. Mix several together as a rub for meat or fish.

Here are a few tips on buying, storing, and using spices:

1. Always buy organic spices when possible.
2. I recommend buying herbs and spices online from Mountain Rose Herbs, Spices, Teas and Botanical Sundries (https://www.mountainroseherbs.com).
3. Buy your spices in small amounts so they’re always fresh. If they’ve been in the cabinet since the Bush administration (either one), throw them out! Mountain Rose Herbs estimates the shelf life for leaves, flowers, and powders is 1 to 2 years. Roots, barks, and berries will last 2 to 3 years.
4. Keep your spices tightly sealed in an airtight glass container. They should be stored somewhere:
5. Cool - Keep them at 65 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. But don’t store them in the refrigerator or freezer.
6. Dry - Humidity can cause mold and bacteria to grow.
7. Dark - Sunlight will leach the color and aroma from dried herbs and spices, and make them lose their potency. You can keep small jars out on the counter for spices you use every day. But store most of them in the cabinet.

From my spicey bones to yours!

Irma Jennings, INHC, Holistic Bone Coach

Looking for community support? 

Consider joining my Bones Tribe.

Click HERE for Details

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[i] A. Riva, et al. “Effects of a curcumin-based supplementation in asymptomatic subjects with low bone density: a preliminary 24-week supplement study.” Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci2017; 21(7):1684-1689.

[ii] Tsuji-Naito K. “Aldehydic components of cinnamon bark extract suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis through NFATc1 downregulation.” Bioorg Med Chem. 2008 Oct 15;16(20):9176-83. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2008.09.036.

[iii] Seif AA. “Nigella Sativa reverses osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2014;14:22. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-22.

The post Spice Up Your Bones appeared first on Food For Healthy Bones.

Thanks to a pervasive advertising campaign involving milk mustaches, most of us grew up convinced that milk is essential for building strong bones.  But it's time to bust that myth when it comes to your postmenopausal bone health with olive oil.

According to a new study involving olive oil maybe we should be sporting greasy green-gold mustaches instead.

Published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism [i] the two year study from Spain shows that eating a Mediterranean diet enriched with virgin olive oil is associated with increased serum osteocalcin concentrations.

Osteocalcin is a protein secreted by osteoblasts, the body's bone-building cells. Levels of osteocalcin in the blood are often used as a marker for bone formation. The higher levels found in this study suggest that olive oil may have a protective effect on postmenopausal bone health.

Milk Breaks Bones

Countries where dietary consumption of dairy products is greatest have been shown to have the highest rates of osteoporosis and bone fractures. That includes the U.S. and European countries.

In fact, women who drink two or more glasses of milk per day have a 50% greater risk of a hip fracture than those who drink one glass or less.

However studies have shown that osteoporosis rates within Europe are lower in the Mediterranean basin.  Many researchers have speculated that the native diet could make the difference.

The traditional Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, including olives and olive oil.

The Spanish researchers noted that olive oil had already been associated with osteoporosis prevention in laboratory experiments. The study authors believe that theirs is the first randomized study demonstrating that olive oil preserves bone in humans, as measured by the circulating amounts of osteocalcin.  That could be important for postmenopausal bone health.

The study followed 127 men aged 55 to 80 years old for at least two years.  It was done as part of the PREDIMED study, a large, parallel group, randomized, controlled trial attempting to assess the effect of the Mediterranean diet on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Participants were randomly assigned to three different intervention groups.  The first group ate a typical Mediterranean diet with mixed nuts; the second group ate a Mediterranean diet with virgin olive oil; and the third group ate a low-fat diet.

Only the Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil was found to be associated with a significant increase in total circulating osteocalcin and other bone formation markers.

In addition, participants following the other two diets were found to have lower serum calcium levels whereas those eating the olive oil had no significant changes to their calcium levels.

Olive oil: it does a body good for bone health.

But make sure you get the good stuff.  Your olive oil could be a fraud.

What's the Best Olive Oil?

Using the best olive oil makes a big difference in getting all the menopause and bone health benefits from this superfood.

You probably know by now that olive oil is the magic ingredient in the Mediterranean diet.  It helps lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.  In fact, olive oil turns off the genes that turn on heart disease and inflammation.  Olive oil even protects your bones after menopause.

But does the bottle in your cupboard contain the best olive oil for your health?

For years the olive oil industry has been embroiled in controversy surrounding the purity of extra-virgin olive oil.

Instead of protecting you from disease, adulterated olive oil may be adding to your health woes.

What Does Extra-Virgin Mean?

The term "extra-virgin olive oil"(EVOO) is legally regulated.  It means the oil has been made from mechanically crushed olives.  It can't be refined in any way by chemical solvents or high heat.  It has to pass a chemical test.  But it also has to pass the smell and taste test by experts.

There was no such thing as "EVOO" before the 1960s.  It had to be invented when stainless steel milling technology allowed for the production of different grades of olive oil.

But the new milling process is very expensive. That leads lots of producers to take shortcuts.  Some blend EVOO with lower grade vegetable oils.

Your Supermarket EVOO is Probably NOT Extra-Virgin

When the Olive Center at the University of California at Davis tested extra-virgin olive oils on supermarket shelves, they found 69% didn't pass the smell test and 31% were oxidized or had poor chemical quality.

They also tested 15 samples of EVOO from restaurant suppliers.  They found 60% failed to qualify as extra-virgin.  One even contained canola oil.

Why does getting the best olive oil matter? Quality counts when it comes to olive oil's health benefits.  Olive oil goes rancid quickly and loses its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  Bad olive oil actually adds to your body's burden of free radicals and impurities.

Whose extra-virgin olive oil can you trust?

Recently Bertolli and Whole Foods 365 brand 100% Italian olive oil both earned quality seals from the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA).

Pompeian is the second largest olive oil bottler in the U.S. and the only one that has undertaken to voluntarily comply with the USDA's olive oil quality standards [ii]. It has earned both USDA and NAOOA quality seals.

But as with wine, olive quality can vary season to season.  Just a few years ago 33% of 45 samples from the same three brands failed to meet chemical standards and 84% failed to meet taste and smell standards when tested by UC Davis's Olive Center.

One problem is that most bottlers don't own olive groves.  They buy from middlemen who may buy from other middlemen making quality control a challenge.

And your "Italian" olive oil probably isn't.  It's estimated that 40% of bottles labeled "Italian" originated in other countries like Spain, Greece, or Tunisia.  It's just that Italy is the largest importer of olive oil and bottles the oil for resale.  But the label should disclose the origin of the olives used.

How To Find The Best Olive Oil

Here's how to make sure you're getting the best olive oil for your money:

1. Check the date. Olive oil is a fruit juice and should be fresh.  Look for an expiration, harvest, or press date. Use it within two years of harvest.
2. Dark glass bottles. Light causes olive oil to oxidize and go rancid.  Buy your olive oil in dark bottles or tin containers.
3. DOP Certified Italian Oil. Under Italian law, oil designated D.O.P. (Protected Designation of Origin) means the olives are grown, harvested, processed, and shipped from the place listed on the label.
4. Beware of Bargains. Extra-virgin olive oil is expensive to produce and ship.  You get what you pay for.
5. Avoid "Light" Olive Oil. Light and extra light olive oil is highly refined.  It has little flavor and is almost clear in color. It has the same number of calories and none of the health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil.

Please let me know how I can better serve you and your bones.

Kindly take a moment to tell me more.
My gift for your time is a simple alkalizing salad/veggie recipe video waiting just for you.

You can tell me more HERE.

From my bones to yours!

Irma

Margie King is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition®. A Wharton M.B.A. and corporate attorney for 20 years, she left the world of business to pursue her passion for all things nutritious. Margie is the author of Nourishing Menopause: The Whole Food Guide to Balancing Your Hormones Naturally. She is also a professional copywriter and natural health, beauty and nutrition writer. You can find Margie King's book Nourishing Menopause HERE

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[i] https://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/jc.2012-2221

[ii] https://blogs.usda.gov/2012/04/03/quality-monitoring-program-expands-to-olive-oil/

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