- Building strong bones
When you think of strong bones, what's the first
thing that comes to mind?
Probably milk as a natural bone builder, right?
And you probably think of the myriad of
supplements to help you build strong bodies
12 ways. But did you know that a lot of the
supplements out there can cause some pretty
serious health problems?
First of all, I need to rant! Humans are the only species
on the planet that drink milk after they are weaned.
Cow's milk isn't made for humans, but meant for baby
cows. It is designed to help them grow at a very fast rate -
something humans don't need to do. Unfortunately,
with all the extreme amount of production they
have to meet, dairy farmers are adding growth
hormones to make the cows grow even faster,
antibiotics because of disease, and more. there is
disease amongst the animal kingdom more than ever
before. Unfortunately the antibiotics and the
growth hormones and other chemicals given to
the cows do not totally disappear with
pasteurization. Growth hormones affect the human body
in abnormal ways - for example, girls should begin their
monthly cycle at a somewhere between
12-14 yrs old. Its is occurring now in girls as young
as seven years old.
Cow's milk is very high in protein (what baby cows need),
and high protein diets, especially in high concentrations
like milk, actually cause osteoporosis. We do need protein,
but not in high concentrated forms nor large amounts.
With all the hype of high protein diets out there, people are
unaware of the damage they can do to their organs. High
protein diets do not word towards strong bone building.
So you want to cut down on fat, so you choose
the 2% milk variety? Studies show that 2% milk still
contains a large amount of saturated fat, and you are still
getting the high concentration of protein.
Dairy is the number one allergen in children, and is the
major cause of those pesky ear infections, which then
leads to the typical ear tube surgery and round after
round of antibiotics. Also, Most doctors will not tell you that
dairy allergies cause ADHD.
So then, what about supplements? After all, I do
want strong bones!
The most common calcium supplements
are made of calcium carbonate (uh, same stuff
as plaster of Paris), citrate, dolomite, di-calcium
phosphate, tri-calcium phosphate, coral,
oyster shell or bone meal. While they may
have different names, they all have one thing
in common - they are inorganic.
Large quantities of these calcium supplements
can have some very serious health problems.
The excess calcium not usable by the body is
deposited in the soft tissues - blood vessels,
skin, eyes, joints and internal organs. This can
lead to plaque and hardening of the arteries
which can trigger heart problems and stroke.
Organic calcium is found in foods, and is the
most efficiently used form of calcium by the
body. Plants absorb and incorporate inorganic
calcium and other minerals from the soil.
They are then transformed from inorganic minerals
into organic minerals making them suitable
for human absorption.
The best source of organic calcium is found in
everyday foods such as broccoli, collard greens,
soy, and almonds. And of course, they carry no
health risks or side effects whatsoever! Instead of
clogging up your arteries, they work to cleanse
and rebuild.
Think about it...there really is no way your body can
absorb and assimilate ground oyster shells, bone
meal and plaster of Paris. You can not digest them.
Because of that, the body just either accumulates
that type of calcium in parts of the body such as I
mentioned above,or just eliminates it through the
urine and feces. (Wanna know what yours is made
of? Read the label!)
Food is your best bet to get the usable calcium your
body needs. If you must or desire to take supplements,
use a more natural source. Green drinks, whole food
supplements, herbs such as alfalfa, parsley, kelp,
nettles, dandelion and horsetail are all calcium rich and
bone building. Listen, just one glass of fresh squeezed
carrot juice gives you the daily supply of calcium, as well
as beta carotene - a powerful cancer fighter! Amazing!
Caution - you should consume no more than
1200 MG of calcium per day. More than 2500 MG is not
recommended. More is not better!
Sunshine and exercise also help to build
bone density....but more about that next
month when we discuss osteoporosis!
Stay tuned!
