Calcium Supplementation During Menopause: What You Need to Know
Filed Under Naturopathy | Leave a Comment
Years ago, it was common practice when a woman needed to supplement with calcium, her doctor would recommend popping a couple of antacid tablets. We have certainly learned a great deal since the 1980s about calcium supplementation!
Today there is a variety of calcium preparations—from coral calcium, calcium citrate, to calcium carbonate. Some calcium supplements are buffered, while others are more readily absorbed. We also know that a single dose of more than 500 mg is wasteful as the body can only assimilate 500 mg at a time. Therefore if the doctor recommends 1500 mg a day, then you would take 500 mg three times a day.
Women in their childbearing years rarely have to supplement with calcium as estrogen aids in the absorption and utilization of calcium. However, the opposite is true for menopausal women who lack estrogen. Menopause and certain medications will rob the body of calcium and lead to osteoporosis. To reduce the incidence of osteoporosis, some doctors recommend estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) during the three to five year period after menopause. Since there are a number of risks associated with ERT, many women opt to take calcium supplementation instead.
Many studies have been done to determine the best way to properly assimilate calcium. While calcium is the primary supplement in a plan of care for bone density, there are many other nutrients that are either related to the absorption of calcium or play some other pivotal role in bone health and integrity.
• Vitamin D: Is the key to calcium absorption. The production of it is triggered when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Taken together with vitamin K and calcium, the trio is a powerhouse for bone health.
• Magnesium: Is an important nutrient as it is necessary in the production of bone. It is also used in a variety of chemical processes throughout the body.
• Manganese: Is necessary for a variety of activities throughout the body. It provides an avenue for carbohydrate and fat metabolism. During pregnancy, it helps the baby form bone tissue.
• Phosphorus: An often forgotten mineral, it is a vital component of bone health. Phosphorus is needed to balance the pH level of blood, helps transport fat, and is found in the myelin sheath of nerve cells.
• Fluoride: It is stored in our bones and teeth and aids in hardening the enamel of our teeth, thus reducing the incidence of cavities.
• Vitamin K: Most of us know that this vitamin is necessary in the production of blood clotting enzymes. It is also needed to form bone tissue. Taken along with vitamin D and calcium, the trio will ensure healthy formation of bone tissue.
• Copper: Has many roles in the body, one of which is to help produce strong bones.
Always consult with a physician when considering calcium supplementation as there are a number of contraindications in the usage of this mineral.
In health and wellness,
Dr. Linda Mundorff
Supplementation for Fibrocystic Breast Disease
Filed Under Breast Health | Leave a Comment
Following is the supplementation I recommend for fibrocystic breast disease for patients at my clinic:
Vitamin A—taken in high dosages, stimulates complete or partial remission of cystic mastitis. Beta-carotene in doses of 100,000 IU or higher has been shown to be greatly effective for this condition. One cup of carrot juice or sweet potato contains 20,000 IU of beta-carotene.
Vitamin E—600 IU daily of d-alpha tocopherol. Vitamin E has provided dramatic results in controlling cystic mastitis. Vitamin E-based antioxidants are found in rice bran, palm fruit, barley, and wheat germ.
Iodine—0.25 mg per day. The best sources come from sea vegetables such as nori, kelp, and dulse. Lugol’s Solution (mentioned above) will require doctor’s prescription. Studies have suggested that women who are iodine-deficient may have a predisposition towards developing breast cysts. The body requires iodine for the production of the thyroid hormone.
Other Beneficial Supplements:
Vitamin C—500 mg per day
Vitamin B6—200 mg per day
Zinc—15 mg per day (picolinate preferred)
Lactobacillus acidophilus—1 teaspoonful three times a day
Evening primrose oil—1500 mg twice a day
Coenzyme Q10—150 mg (or more) per day
Flax seed—1 tablespoon (freshly ground) twice a day
Dr. Alex Mostovoy
On TV Again!
Filed Under Natural Athlete | Leave a Comment
Here is another transcript of a feature on me in the local CBS news program in my town.
Bodybuilding Senior
by John Marc Green
Aired: April 13, 2008
CBS 42 NewsThere are plenty of people working out every day at the Mt. Brook YMCA.
But there’s only one who’s also a World Champion Grand Masters Amateur and North American Grand Masters Pro Champion Bodybuilder.
“He’s really strict and he’s quite a task master,” said Mike Wilty, a client of personal trainer Scott Hults.
“When I turned 60, my wife Vivian said to me one day, ‘Scott, you look pretty good, you ever thought about competing?,’” said Hults.
He is 65 this year, so the former Naval officer goes by the nickname “Old Navy.”
He started getting in shape at age 50, when he developed symptoms of Type I diabetes, which killed his father and grandfather.
“And what’s interesting at 65 years old, what’s more important is I still have been able to stave off the onset of diabetes; I have the symptoms, but I don’t have the disease, and that’s what’s really important,” he added.
“Old Navy” says he teaches his personal training clients: the secret to good health is not about working out all the time. “I listen to their goals, and then I say, ‘Okay, we can achieve these goals, but 80 percent of what you want to accomplish, you can accomplish with a knife and fork.’”
He believes in eating smaller but more frequent meals, not skipping breakfast, and having a controlled dinner of lean meat and green vegetables.
“If you don’t eat breakfast, you’ll gain weight; and if you eat the wrong thing at dinner, you’ll gain weight.” he said. “That’s because you’re not doing anything active so whatever you put into your system, in your last meal, you’re not processing it, and the body likes to protect itself and save the things it doesn’t need and it saves it as fat. If you want to have a canole, or you want to have a cupcake or you want to have a piece of pie, have it at lunchtime, cause by the end of the day it’ll be gone.”
He also recommends drinking lots of water, for health as well as cosmetic reasons.
“If you don’t drink enough water, then your body holds onto the water, and you look puffy. If you drink a lot of water, and the body processes that water, then you look lean.”
Now, other weight lifters say he’s inspiring them to better habits, too.
“I think he’s pretty good, probably better shape than what I am; I’ve still got a good ways to get where he’s at,” said YMCA member Nathan Elmore. Mike Wilty added, “He gives me something to really look up to and look forward to in pursuing my own goals.”
You can view the video version of this story at www.cbs42.com by clicking here: “Bodybuilding Senior”.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Plastic, Plastic, Plastic—What Are We to Do With You?
Filed Under Health and Wellness | Leave a Comment
With Mother’s Day approaching fast, I went in search of the perfect present. During the course of my shopping, while I was in a kitchenware store, I was offered a free cappuccino sample. Being a coffee drinker, I welcomed the offer, only to find my hot beverage being served in a plastic cup!
Plastic and heat do not mix. I would never microwave food in plastic containers. Microwaving with plastics can leach chemicals into your food, including harmful carcinogens that could lead to cancer. Also, do not store water in plastic bottles in places like your car, which can become very hot.
To date, there is very little research available on how safe and for how long food can be stored in plastics in either the fridge or freezer. Plastics labeled with a number 1 are safe to use once only. So when reusing plastic containers, look for the numbers 2, 4, or 5, especially when storing food in the fridge or freezer. Plastic containers labeled 3, 6, or 7 are unsafe across the board.
What about when drinking water on the go?
Not to worry, there are safe options out there when it comes to water bottles. Visit kleankanteen.com or mysigg.com to purchase stainless steel bottles, which are safe to drink from. Or punch the words “glass bottles” into a search engine and a plethora of information will pop up about styles, designs, and prices. Glass bottles from juice and mineral water holders can be reused, which are also a safe option.
The bottom line: when storing food, try to use glass whenever and wherever possible. When drinking water on the go, try to use a stainless steel or glass bottle because this is better for you AND the environment.
References
Canadian Cancer Society (2007). Microwaves and Plastic Containers. Retrieved on May 5, 2008 from http://cancer.ca/ccs/internet/standard/0,3182,3278_369485__langId-en,00.html
Today Show (2008). Are Plastic Water Bottles Safe? Retrieved on April 11, 2008 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24023514#24023514
Erin
Got a Light? I Hope So!
Filed Under Law of Attraction | Leave a Comment
I have a question for you. What is more important:
1. Shining your light to inspire hundreds
or
2. Worrying about things out of your control because you think it is justified?
It is not more virtuous to worry. After all, you rob us all of your magnificence when you do that. And frankly, we prefer you when you glow!
How do you make the biggest difference in the world? Well, you make the biggest difference not by feeling bad for others, but by using the struggles of others (in the Third World, in your family, on the streets) to inspire you more to Get Out of Your Own Way.
For you see, until you know for yourself that you can shine, live in ease, generate joy, and find a new path, you can never know that reality is possible for another. In fact, without knowing that you can do it for yourself, you will not be able to truly lift another up to their potential because you will have little to teach.
When you shine the light of your purpose, you ignite the lights of hundreds around you. When you worry about those around you who are not yet ready to be lit up, you rob hundreds of others of your light. Look for those who are ready to be lit up; don’t be dimmed by those who have yet to be plugged in.
Did you know that when you feel down, worried, or sorry for another, you are feeding into the concept of powerlessness on the Planet? You don’t want to do that, do you? Shine, my friend—it’s time to shine!
(P.S. That doesn’t mean don’t comfort or soothe your loved ones. Just be conscious of where you are coming from when you do that.)
No one can ever dim your light without your distinct permission. Do the world a favor, and wake up to who you are: incredible, magnificent, powerful, loved, adored, juicy, special. After all, you wouldn’t want to rob us all of that, would you?
Jennifer Hough
Citrus Power
Filed Under Clean Quick and Green | Leave a Comment
I hope I have shown you throughout my blogs how we can create clean and safe homes—naturally. Often what we find in the fridge and pantry is all we need to clean our homes.
Orange oil is amazing for tackling greasy jobs. For example, when we are faced with a client’s greasy exhaust vent above a stove, we use orange oil as our saving grace. It is a natural degreaser, which means it is perfect for kitchen use.
Orange oil is created by pressing the peels of the orange and separating the oil. During this process, a compound called d-limonene (the beneficial cleaning property) is created. Be careful to not inhale this, because although eco-friendly, it can cause more sensitive people discomfort.
There are many orange oil products on the market; be sure to purchase an eco-friendly brand or else you get harmful contaminants in the mix.
The best way to use orange oil is to find the area with grease or other sticky residue, apply the product (always testing in a small and inconspicuous area first), and then let it sit for about 15 minutes. Afterwards a quick wipe should remove all residue. Follow it up with a water rinse.
Orange oil products work well even at removing adhesive stuck on glass or a price tag stuck on a vase. Dab a bit onto the affected area, let it sit for a while, and then rub the residue away.
I hope this has enlightened you to yet another very cool aspect of the orange!
Melissa
On TV!
Filed Under Natural Athlete | Leave a Comment
I was recently featured as the lead segment in a CBS News Sunday Morning program. Here is the transcript.
Fighting the Passage of Time with Fitness: An Exercise Old-Timer Shares Some of His Secrets
With Sunday Morning’s Emily Senay
Aired: April 13, 2008(CBS) Forget frail old age: A growing number of aging baby boomers have discovered the world of serious weight-training. From overweight folks who just want to feel better to dedicated 60-plus bodybuilders, the weight machine has become the new rocking chair. In a report by Sunday Morning correspondent Dr. Emily Senay, we meet the current senior National Bodybuilding Champion, a Manhattan gerontologist who preached a healthy lifestyle for years and is now taking her own medicine, and the legendary figure behind the modern fitness industry, Jack LaLanne.
——————————————————————————–
We’ve heard the old saw about how you’re never too old to get started. Truth is, most Americans tend to avoid heavy workouts, BUT there is a growing number of seniors who seem to live for them.
Ten years ago, Scott Hults was a Navy Reserve captain, and a prime candidate for serious illness.
“I was told I had some symptoms of diabetes,” Hults said. “That kind of worried me because my father and grandfather died of diabetes at early ages.”
So Hults hit the gym … hard. Before long, he began to look like a competitive bodybuilder and, at the urging of his wife, Hults became one. The former sailor, who was often the oldest guy on the stage, became known as “Old Navy.”
Last year, at the age of 64, Scott Hults won a championship in the over-60 division.
But Hults is the exception: There are 78 million baby boomers, with 8,000 turning 60 every day, or about 330 every hour. And most can’t even come CLOSE to Hults’ level of fitness, says Dr. Roseanne Leipzig, a professor of geriatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.“Nobody exercises enough, okay? Seniors are no different in that way,” Dr. Leipzig said. “But the other thing that happens as we get older is that our body compositions change. And we become, unfortunately, more fat and less lean body mass. Most of us know this personally, okay? So that men go from being about 18 percent fat to 33 percent fat. Women, unfortunately, start at about 33 percent and go to almost 50 percent. So what is lean body mass? It’s your muscles and your bone. And that’s what you’re losing as you get older.”
And exercise can help you keep it. At Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y, Dr, Leipzig practices what she preaches:
“I’d say I’m a convert. I think I grew up in a generation where doing exercise, doing anything physical was thought as if it were something not to be desired, okay? And now I feel pride in the strength that I have, in the way my body looks, in how I feel.”
Leipzig says that, in general, her fellow baby boomers are taking better care of themselves.“I think in general, the boomers are starting to recognize that it’s ‘move it or lose it.’ And they’re gonna be moving it and trying to make sure that their bodies stay in the best shape possible,” Dr. Leipzig said.
And that desire to be physically fit might have been inspired by something boomers saw on black and white TV many years ago.
The fitness revolution WAS televised, and Jack LaLanne was the firebrand with a vision of a fitter world.
Now 93, Jack LaLanne still works out two hours every morning, mostly on equipment he designed, like the device in his home pool that allows to him to swim against a current.
Lalanne and his wife Elaine were married in 1959. She’s 82, and healthier now than when they met.
“She was skinny, just terrible,” he recalled. “She was smoking cigarettes and all that stuff.
“I had two fried eggs! No bustline!” Elaine said.
Today, the LaLanne empire is built on things like health food machines and books, including the latest one, “Fiscal Fitness: 8 Steps to Wealth and Health from America’s Leaders of Fitness and Finance,” about how to keep your finances in order if you really do get in shape and live longer than you expected.
But Jack LaLanne’s message is unchanged since those first days on TV: Whatever your age or condition, start moving now.
“You’ve got to work at it!” Lalanne said. “Dying is easy. Living is an athletic event. You’ve got to train for it. But the time you put in taking care of this wonderful body and your health is minimal compared to the results you’re gonna get.”
And to those slightly older Americans who say aches and pains prevent them from exercising? Jack says, “You show me somebody over 40 or 50 who doesn’t have an ache or a pain, I’ll show you a liar!”
Jack LaLanne will turn 94 in September. His goal, quite literally, is to be living proof that his philosophy of diet and exercise was right all along.
“It’s an ego thing. Here I’m going to be 94. I want to see how long I can keep this up, using me as an example, right? But the average person if they would work out 20 or 30 minutes three times a week, that’s plenty - if it’s vigorous.”
If you think you can’t achieve any level of fitness, let alone be like Jack, you’re probably wrong. Here are some tips:
• Check with your doctor first.
• Start low and go slow, set small goals - baby steps. One of the biggest reasons people throw in the towel is they expect too much too soon, so take it easy.
• Aerobics doesn’t have to mean a bone crunching, Jane Fonda-style, braided headband sweat-o-thon. Studies have shown simply walking a total of 30 minutes a day can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and you don’t have to do it all at once.
• Once you’re on track, consider adding resistance training or weightlifting into your routine. If you don’t know how to do it, check out the local Y, gym or senior center.The goal is to feel good so you WANT to keep up your routine, and that can be as simple as walking the mall in Minnesota, teeing off in California, or hitting the pool in Florida.
Jack LaLanne says he wants to stay active as long as he’s physically able, and for the relatively youthful Scott Hults, there is no finish line, either:
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m gonna keep doing push-ups and sit-ups and pull-ups and bicep curls until I’m dead. And I hope one of these days, when I do die, I’ll be dying in the middle of record-setting bench press,” he laughs, “right here in the gym!”
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Saying Yes to Jean-Pierre LeBlanc
Filed Under Holistic Law | Leave a Comment
Every day I make it a habit to focus on something that I am really grateful for. Today the subject of my focus is my life coach, mentor, and best friend: Jean-Pierre LeBlanc.
I met Jean-Pierre in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California on New Year’s Eve 2002. His family and my family were staying at the same resort and they accepted our invitation to attend the same New Year’s Eve celebration. Our families really hit it off that night, and we spent most of the rest of our stay in Mexico doing wonderful things together. Our families have been close ever since.
In August of 2003, Jean-Pierre invited me to attend a weekend workshop he was hosting in Vancouver, British Columbia. At the time I felt really stuck and just going through the motions as a small town business lawyer. There was not much gratitude in my life. At my wife Heidi’s urging, I said yes to Jean-Pierre’s invitation, bought a plane ticket, and flew up to Canada with my 13-year-old son, Trevor. Trevor spent the weekend with Jean-Pierre’s wife and daughter, Kate and Kiara, enjoying Vancouver. I did the workshop, suspicious and curious at the time about what I could or would learn from this process.
Well, I learned a lot! This was where I was introduced to Jean-Pierre’s concept of Gender Synergy, and I made a number of really useful observations about who I was and how I operated in this world. At the end of the workshop, I decided to say yes to another invitation from Jean-Pierre, and I hired him as my coach. We have had a coaching relationship every since.
I recently got on another airplane to fly to Vancouver for another of Jean-Pierre’s weekend workshops. I think it was my 10th. Every time I go, I learn something new and I have the feeling that I am taking my life and life skills to a higher level.
When I look back at who I was on that plane to Vancouver almost five years ago compared to who I am today, I am astounded and deeply grateful for all of the personal growth and positive change that I have experienced. I am grateful for all I have learned from Jean-Pierre as well as from the other coaches, mentors, and thought leaders I have worked with over the last five years because I said yes to Jean-Pierre’s initial invitation to fly to that first workshop in BC.
When was the last time you said yes to an invitation to try something new, to do something that might stretch you and cause you to change and grow? I suggest that you consider becoming proactive and that you seek out these opportunities for personal growth and positive change. I guarantee you will be glad you did.
Philip J. Daunt, Esq.
Earth Day 2008—What About the Airlines?
Filed Under In Our Opinion - Naturally Savvy Guides | Leave a Comment
Randy and I recently flew to NYC for an Earth Day event sponsored by Hachette Filipacchi. We were asked to be the guests of honor on that particular day to talk to the media and general public about living a natural and organic lifestyle and how this lifestyle has a positive impact on the environment. The event was super successful and it was great to see how an entire city came to life to celebrate this special day. I left the Big Apple that day feeling optimistic about doing something “good” for our planet.
On our way home, immediately after boarding our flight, the pilot started the engine and we were excited by the possibility of being on schedule for take-off. As our plane headed for the runway, the pilot announced our plane was 30th in line for take off and we would be airborn in approximately 30 minutes from that time. I looked out the window to a sea of airplanes waiting to take off—all with their engines idling.
I was pretty amazed at the irony of it all. I had just come from an event where we talked about how making small changes in our everyday lives can have a big impact on our overall health and enviroment. However, sitting on the runway that day among mega doses of CO2 emissions made me realize how much more needs to be done right here in our own backyard.
I have to believe the airlines can come up with a better way to schedule take-offs in order to minimize their impact on the environment—if not for always, then at least for Earth Day!
Andrea
Essential Oils for Fibrocystic Breast Disease
Filed Under Breast Health | Leave a Comment
My good friend Dr. Janet Greene MD in Santa Fe, New Mexico (who also happens to be a fellow Board Certified Clinical Thermographer) sees many patients with fibrocystic breast disease. In conjunction with other treatments, essential oils are very beneficial to many of her patients.
Dr. Greene uses a combination of frankincense, sandalwood, lavender, green myrtle, and a touch of grapefruit in a base of jojoba oil. She explains that frankincense and sandalwood are anti-tumorals and help create an environment high in oxygen, thus making it impossible or difficult for bacteria and viruses to survive. Green myrtle supports the thyroid, while lavender is the universally beneficial oil.
Dr. Alex Mostovoy
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