Vitamin A
In the case of vitamin A, recent research is proving that you really can get too much of a good thing. Found in eggs, full-fat dairy, liver, and vitamin-fortified foods, vitamin A is important for vision and the immune system. But the American diet is naturally high in vitamin A, and most multivitamins also contain vitamin A. So it’s possible to get much more than the recommended allotment of 5,000 IUs (international units) a day—which many experts think is too high anyway.
Postmenopausal women, in particular, seem to be susceptible to vitamin A overload. Studies show that women whose intake was higher than 5,000 IUs had more than double the fracture rate of women whose intake was less than 1,600 IUs a day.
Switch to low-fat or nonfat dairy products only, and eat egg whites rather than whole eggs (all the vitamin A is in the yolk). Also check your multivitamin, and if it’s high in vitamin A, switch to one that isn’t.
Alcohol
Think of alcohol as a calcium-blocker; it prevents the bone-building minerals you eat from being absorbed. And heavy drinking disrupts the bone remodeling process by preventing osteoblasts, the bone-building cells, from doing their job. So not only do bones become weaker, but when you do suffer a fracture, alcohol can interfere with healing. As in most choices we make in life, make an effort to only drink alcohol in moderation.
Hydrogenated Oils
Recent studies have found that the process of hydrogenation, which turns liquid vegetable oil into the solid oils used in commercial baking, destroys the vitamin K naturally found in the oils. Vitamin K is essential for strong bones, and vegetable oils such as canola and olive oil are the second-best dietary source of this key nutrient, after green leafy vegetables. However, the amounts of vitamin K we’re talking about are tiny here—one tablespoon of canola oil has 20 micrograms of K, and one tablespoon of olive oil has 6 micrograms, as compared with 120 micrograms in a serving of spinach.
If you’re eating your greens, you don’t need to worry about this too much. If you’re a big lover of baked goods like muffins and cookies, bake at home using canola oil when possible, and read labels to avoid hydrogenated oils.
Proper Diet & Herbal Remedies – A Natural Way To Bone Health
Bone health is fundamental to aging gracefully, and we need to be aware of the basic needs of our bones to regenerate their strength and flexibility.
Nutritional herbal solutions have less potential for success if they are blocked by dietary habits that are harming bones and tissues.
Nutritional protocols also work well when the body is actively maintained with regular weight-bearing exercise, such as walking. Exercise stimulates blood circulation, re-oxygenates tissues and blood supply, keeps muscles supple, joints flexible, and tones the body. Even if fairly immobile and in convalescence, it is important to move and flex some parts of the body as well as drinking plenty of water each day.
The above suggestions constantly serve to flush the body of toxins and excessive elements, thereby allowing the nutrients to be more quickly absorbed into the body.
When considering a proper mix of nutritional supplementation to increase bone health, please consider both Cal Mag Pot (Calcium, Magnesium & Potassium) as well as our Dense Bone (Vitamin D3, Strontium and Vitamin K2. They work synergistically to increase your absorption of critical nutrients necessary for healthy bones as you age.
