Did you know that in the US, approx. 40% of women and 13% of men may sustain a fracture after the age of 50?  And more than 1.3 million fractures are attributed to osteoporosis, including 250,000 hip fractures and 800,000 spinal fractures.  How could this be?  We drink and eat plenty of calcium products in this country.  Unfortunately, that might be the reason.

There are more fractures in regions that consume milk products (US, Great Britain) than in those that don't (Africa, China.)  A study at Harvard University called the Nurses Study, found that those that drank two or more glasses of milk per day have twice the risk of hip fracture than those who drink a glass a week or less.  This study followed 78,000 nurses!!!

Physiologically, bones are composed of calcium phosphate salts (65%) for hardness, and a collagen matrix (35%) for flexibility.  If you removed all of the collagen from the bone, which provides flexibility, the bone would become very brittle.  This is why excess calcium can indeed increase the risk of fracture.  For complete bone health, we need many other synergistic nutrients: magnesium, phosphorous, boron, copper, manganese, zinc and vitamins C, D, K , B6, and folic acid.  To improve collagen health, sufficient amounts of protein are needed and essential fatty acids can be acquired through sunflower seeds, fish oils, flaxseed and unrefined sesame oils.  In addition, Vitamin D is very important in complete bone strength, so absorb 30 minutes or more of sunlight per day, without the use of sunscreen.

As I tell my clients, elephants do not eat ice cream or drink milk.  They eat grass that grows on the savannah.  Get plenty of leafy greens, at least 7-9 servings and avoid refined sugars, honey, and white flour because they can actually pull minerals out of your bones.  And above all, perform weight bearing exercises, including walking, for at least 30 minutes every other day.

Don't be a statistic. If you need help just ask.

Steve

PS Congrats Patty S. for improving your bone density by as much as 8%!!!!. I knew you could do it!!!

I am often asked by my clients and friends what is a healthy snack.  A healthy snack is very important because it helps to stable your blood sugar so that your body metabolizes fats as opposed to carbs or sugars.  It should consist of both a protein and a complex carbohydrate and should be eaten between your main meals.  The following are examples you can start using today.

1.  Half of a whole grain English muffin or i slice of whole grain bread and one tablespoon of all natural peanut butter
2.  1 cup of Greek yogurt and 10 raw almonds
3.  18 mini pretzels and 1 hard boiled egg.
4.  1 cup of baby carrots and 2 tablespoons of low fat ranch dressing.
5.  1/2 small avocado and a slice of whole grain toast

For more ideas Google "healthy snacks"

Savory Squash Soup

Ingredients:
3 3/4 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash
1 acorn squash (about 1 3/4 pounds)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 white onion (about 4 ounces), peeled, trimmed, and finely diced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream   
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Garnish:
4 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil

Yield: 2 quarts
Cook time: 2 hr 30 min

Directions:
    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    Cut each squash in half and discard the seeds.  Brush cut sides with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.  Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Arrange the squash cut side down on a rack placed in a baking tray and bake until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool, scoop out the insides of the squash, and puree the flesh in a food processor (you should have about 4 cups of pureed squash). Reserve.
    In a medium stockpot, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.  Over low heat, sweat the onion. Do not allow it to brown. Add the pureed squash and cook over very low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Do not allow it to bubble up. Season with the salt, pepper, ginger, and cardamom.
    Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, still over low heat, stirring often. Cook about 20 minutes.
    In a small saucepan, heat the cream with rosemary sprig. Remove the rosemary and pour the cream into the soup. Transfer to  blender or food processor and process, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
    To serve, ladle the soup into heated bowls. Place a tablespoon of cranberry relish in the center, top with a dollop of cardamon cream, then sprinkle with chopped pecans. Drizzle pumpkin seed oil over soup.

Beef Stir-Fry with Carrots, Bell Peppers and Snow Peas

    2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari (soy sauce)
    2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    3/4 pound top sirloin steak, thinly sliced against the grain
    1/2 cup sliced shallots (from about 2 shallots)
    2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
    4 carrots, thinly sliced
    1/2 pound snow peas, strings removed
    3 cups cooked brown rice
    1/4 cup chopped toasted cashews
    (Serves 4)

Direction:
    Combine vinegar, tamari, ginger and garlic in a medium bowl. Toss sliced beef in mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    After beef has marinated, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add beef and marinade and cook until beef is just done to your liking, about 5 minutes. Remove beef and juices to a bowl, cover and keep warm. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, bring to a simmer, add shallots and cook 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in bell peppers and carrots. Reduce heat to medium and cover.  Cook until vegetables are just fork tender, 7 to 8 minutes, stirring once.  Uncover and increase heat to medium-high. Add snow peas and cook 2 minutes thoroughly.  Serve with brown rice and garnish with cashews.

We tend to think of meat as muscle food, but it's only one piece of the puzzle.  Researchers at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University examined the link between muscle mass and potassium-rich fruits and vegetables.  After studying nearly 400 men and women for three years, they found that those who ate the most potassium maintained an average of 3.6 additional pounds of muscle compared to those who consumed half as much.  The daily goal for potassium is 4,700 mg per day, but most adults consume far less.  To up your intake, include one to two cups of fruits and vegetables at every meal. Potassium rich options include sweet potatoes, spinach, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, beans, broccoli and avocado.

Combine these foods with plenty of water, rest and proper resistance training and your muscles will explode.......just like the picture.  Keep on pumpin!!

Steve

Congratulations!  You have decided to make a change in your health and have decided to invest in the guidance of a personal trainer to motivate you and guide you towards optimal health.  You have done your homework and hired someone with a qualified degree (hopefully Exercise Science or Athletic Training), 2-3 years of experience and a winning personality.

Your first session has just been completed and so far so good.  After your first week you are feeling better and wondering why you didn't do this years ago.  You have just finished your first month and things are going well..........as far as you know.  But are they?

Has your trainer reviewed your health history to determine what areas of health really need to be addressed?  Have they asked you for your most recent blood work to review withyou your HDL, glucose and triglyceride levels?  Have they asked you about your bone density results?  Have they educated you on the changes that are taking place internally from a cellular level?  Or in other words are they really concerned about your over-all health or just counting reps?

Your health is in their hands and you should be getting more than you think.  I have been educating my clients for over 20 years on what it takes to achieve optimal health and have continued to learn new concepts in health management.  Soon, I will be using specialized equipment to look at the health of my clients cells from a cellular level and how it is improving on a weekly basis.  In other words, I do far more than count reps.  If you would like to learn more just send me an email. I am here to help.

Steve

BTW.........That is Patty S. in the picture and she and her husband, Tom,  have done a wonderful job incorporating fitness and proper nutrition into their daily lifestyle.  Way to go guys!