When speaking with the many women who seek guidance on the use Anna's Wild Yam Cream, quite a few will also ask my advice on their health problems. As helpful as I would like to be, I am not qualified to proffer professional advice, so I restrict my enthusiasm for good health to relating how Max and I go about our own regime.
Our bodies need a variety of whole foods to provide the nutrition for building healthy cells, for without replacing our aging cells with brand new healthy cells our health will steadily decline - processed foods maybe convenient, but they are not the optimum nourishment that our bodies need.
At home we eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, every morning I juice for us a combination of available fruits including apples, pears, stone fruits, pineapple, kiwi fruit and vegetables from our organic veggie patch, including lots of greens - spinach, kale, the outer leaves of lettuce, salad greens, parsley, cucumber, broccoli and carrots, all go into a beautiful tasting energy boosting juice.
As well as being the source of many vitamins and minerals, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, tomatoes and asparagus are also rich in Vitamin K which also helps keep our bones strong.
Apart from absorbing nutrients easily and efficiently into our bodies, we find our juices are like an internal broom, keeping us regular as clockwork - we really miss them when we are travelling.
We always choose organic wherever possible when buying fruits and vegies. It is wonderful if you have the room to create your own veggie patch - even if its just a few pots on the balcony - there is such joy in picking your own produce, even if it is just some tasty herbs or salad greens in a pot! And when digging in your veggie patch there is an added bonus, which is our next consideration.
Osteoclasts dissolve or resorb the old bone and osteoblasts produce new bone in a continual renewal process while we are healthy.
There is evidence that while oestrogen retards osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, progesterone stimulates osteoblast-mediated new bone formation. Osteoporosis is bone loss caused by relative oestrogen osteoclast dominance resulting in more bone being resorbed than renewed. - That's why it is terribly important for our hormones to be kept in balance, especially as we age.
By putting a little strain on those muscles and bones we are creating the environment for healthy bones. If you feel effort on your muscles, you are truly helping your bone health.
A number of ladies have said to me that they can't do weight bearing exercises as they have osteoporosis and have already had fractures. You know, you can do really simple things, such as raising one leg onto a step at home and shifting your weight forward onto the raised leg. You will feel the strain on your muscles and bones, and you can increase the amount of bending forward and move your leg to the next step as you are able.
Also you can substitute items in your kitchen for dumbbells to use for weight bearing exercises, even while you are watching tellie - larger cans of pet food, soup or as I am demonstrating in the pictures to the left, I am lifting a rice container with convenient handles, gently strengthening my biceps. If like us you do not use plastic containers, the rice can be stored in glass containers and the container filled with water for substitute weight.
When you feel confident you may choose to invest in a helpful exercise book and a pair of dumbbells.
Without adequate exercise calcium cannot be absorbed into the bones
While we do need to be careful about being exposed to too much sun by avoiding sunburn, we should however be aware that Vitamin D from exposure to sunshine is an important ingredient for bone health, and a walk in the sunshine is both healthful and pleasurable, however it is likely that you may need the supplemental vitamin D3.
Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Beta-carotene, Zinc, Magnesium and B Vitamins all help with bone health. Calcium is also important, but is best if the majority is absorbed through your diet, and is abundant in green leafy vegetables; In one three year study from the University of California researchers monitored B-12 levels and bone mineral density in more than eighty women over the age of sixty five - the results showed that women with the lowest levels of Vitamin B-12 had significantly higher risk of bone loss and fractures compared with women with the higher levels of B-12.
I also suggest a quality high potency multi vitamin which will enhance the performance of other vitamins synergistically, as well Omega 3 is most important, especially as we age.
Your local Healthfood Store will be happy to help you with advice on vitamin and mineral supplementation.
As we age our digestive systems can become less efficient in absorbing nutrients from our food - a glass of water thirty minutes before eating can stimulate our digestive juices. It is also sensible to include Probiotics within our diet in the form of yogurt containing live cultures - your Healthfood store will also be able to help you with probiotic supplements which are kept in their refrigerator, or with Digestive enzymes to aid with your internal health.
Last but not least WATER! Never forget that our bodies are over 70% water and that drinking pure water rehydrates our body and keeps our system working more efficiently.
I sincerely trust that you find the above information interesting and inspiring.
Every day is uplifting for Max and I as we receive calls and mail from women sharing with us their joys of new found wellbeing, I trust you will soon join their ranks.
In good health,
Carol Hamilton