It didn’t hurt, so I really didn’t think much of it. It’s a condition known as crepitus, and it usually just means there are air bubbles popping in the joint.

When air is the cause, crepitus is harmless. But I’m tempted to get my knee checked out anyway because I’ve discovered there are other causes of crepitus that aren’t as benign…

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Calcium crystals can damage cartilage

Knee osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, affects 34 million people in the U.S., and there are no available treatments to prevent its progression. Its symptoms include pain, inflammation, swelling, instability and weakness in the joint — and a crackling sound that’s been compared to Rice Krispies.

There’s another type of arthritis that causes symptoms similar to knee OA — calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD). Also known as “pseudogout,” CPPD involves the formation of calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystals in the blood that then settle in joint cartilage. These CPP crystal deposits trigger an inflammatory attack in the joint, causing pain, stiffness, swelling and (you guessed it) a crunching or crackling sound.

Calcium crystals can also be found in the joints of people with knee OA. Until recently, they were believed to be harmless and potentially something that happens with old age.

But U.S. researchers using computed tomography (CT) found that calcium crystal deposits in the knee can contribute to the worsening of joint damage. The researchers are the first to use computerized X-ray imaging, which are more sensitive to detecting calcium crystals than regular X-rays.

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The study evaluated participants from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis (MOST) study for intra-articular mineralization (IAM) based on its location within the knee. They then examined the effect on cartilage via MRI over two years. The average age of the participants was 60.

With CT, the researchers were able to detect a higher amount of deposits than previously found by plain X-rays. Study results showed an increased risk of cartilage damage on follow-up, including in knees without any damage to begin with, supporting the theory that calcium crystal deposition in the joint was the cause.

“The cartilage damage is most likely to occur in the same locations where the crystals are deposited, suggesting a localized effect,” says corresponding author Dr. Tuhina Neogi, a professor at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

“We have also shown that these crystals can contribute to knee pain in another recently published paper,” Neogi says. “Taken together, these findings highlight the important role of calcium crystals in structural damage and symptoms in knee osteoarthritis.”

Neogi adds that with the identification of this link, researchers can focus on identifying ways to prevent these crystal deposits from occurring with the hope of relieving pain and limiting progression of joint damage in OA.

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What causes calcium crystal deposits?

While it’s not definitively known why CPP crystals form, there are theories. It’s believed excess iron or calcium, low magnesium, and an overactive or severely underactive thyroid gland may be contributing factors. A healthy functioning thyroid is important for mineral metabolism, especially bone tissue mineral density.

So if you’re looking to lessen the risk of these painful conditions, it’s a good idea to make sure your thyroid is functioning properly, your magnesium levels are optimal, and you’re not getting too much iron or calcium. You also want to check your levels of vitamins D and K2 (part of an emerging group of vitamins that fight a common contributor of unhealthy aging), both of which make sure calcium is being directed to the bones, where it’s most beneficial.

There are nutrients that support good thyroid function: iodine, copper, selenium and zinc. Iodine is particularly important, as the thyroid needs iodine to produce thyroid hormone. Some good sources of iodine include organic yogurt, cranberries, iodized salt, navy beans and sea vegetables like kelp and wakame.

Be aware that it gets more difficult for your body to absorb iodine as you get older, so you may need an iodine supplement to ensure you’re maintaining healthy levels of the nutrient. Also, you can increase thyroid hormone efficiency by combining iodine with the amino acid L-Tyrosine.

Sources:

Calcium crystal deposits in the knee found to contribute to joint damage — Medical Xpress

Intra-Articular Mineralization on Computerized Tomography of the Knee and Risk of Cartilage Damage: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study — Arthritis & Rheumatology

Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition (CPPD) — American College of Rheumatology

Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition — Arthritis Foundation

Knee, shoulder & elbow cracking or popping (crepitus) — Aurora Health Care

Common Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms — American Knee Pain Centers

Snap, Crackle & Pop: Why Do My Knees Make Noises—And Should I See A Doctor? — Henry Ford Health

The post That snap, crackle and pop in your knee may start with your thyroid appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I remember watching the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) investigators present their data at a major cardiology conference. The room was packed. You could have heard a pin drop when the study’s findings were finally revealed.

I also remember all of us rushing back to our practices and immediately de-prescribing HRT. After all, the relative risk of heart attack was 32% higher in HRT users! Breast cancer up 26%! Blood clots up 200%!!  

In one fell swoop, HRT was pronounced dead. Not just estrogen plus progesterone. All of it. Period. And any physician prescribing it could be risking a malpractice claim — or even being reported to their medical board. 

Meanwhile, the media was having a field day. This was the most provocative medical news to come out in a very long time. The story was everywhere!

What the WHI Data Left Out

But here’s the thing: what we didn’t realize at the time — what the investigators chose to de-emphasize — were the many shortcomings of this data.

First, the vast majority of women were over 60 years of age at time of enrollment — many were in their 70s. Meaning, they started HRT 10 to 20 years after their last period.

Second, the type of hormone cocktail used for the trial was more like what’s in a birth control pill and VERY different from contemporary HRT formulations.

And third, large numbers of participants dropped out over the course of the trial. 

In other words, we studied the wrong women, had them on the wrong treatment, and ended up with only partial data on what happened! 

Understanding Relative Risk vs. Absolute Risk

Then there’s the matter of focusing on relative risk of negative health outcomes — which can be deceiving in terms of real impact. For example, if 10 out of 10,000 people develop a liver function abnormality while taking a placebo but 15 out of 10,000 develop it while taking a drug, the relative risk of liver problems is 50% higher in drug users (5 more compared to 10 baseline). Even though the absolute risk of developing a liver issue in drug users is only 0.05% (5 extra out of 10,000), translating to 1 extra abnormal lab test for every 2000 people treated, actually quite low.

Breast Cancer Risk in Context

In the WHI, the absolute increase in the chance of developing breast cancer was 0.1% in estrogen plus progesterone users, which is one extra breast cancer case for every 1,000 women on HRT. That’s not zero, but it’s also far from a guarantee that HRT users will develop breast cancer during their lifetimes.

The other piece of data that received little attention was that there was no difference in the chance of dying from breast cancer regardless of whether a woman took HRT. 

Subsequent data also revealed NO increased breast cancer risk in women who took estrogen alone (which is appropriate only for those who no longer have a uterus).

Revisiting Cardiovascular and Blood Clot Risks

The WHI investigators also did not clearly point out that once other confounding factors were considered, differences in cardiovascular event rates largely disappeared. So HRT is not dangerous for the heart.

And although the risk of developing a blood clot was higher when taking hormone therapy — no argument there — this finding is irrelevant today because contemporary HRT is not associated with increased clotting risk.

Overlooked Benefits of HRT

And this is probably the greatest disservice created by the WHI:  There was almost no emphasis placed on the positive health outcomes found among participants using any form of HRT. These included very significant reductions in osteoporosis-related bone fractures and significantly lower colon cancer risk. 

Ignoring Quality of Life Metrics

There was also no discussion about what withholding HRT meant for the women in the placebo group, even though there were clear signals of reduced quality of life: 11% of the placebo group started HRT during the course of the study, and 38% dropped out of the trial. 

The post Menopause and the big lie: The facts they left out appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Given that this is a normal physiologic process and not a disease, menopause is supposed to be something women just endure and move beyond. But if you’ve been through it yourself or are in the midst of “the change,” you’ve probably realized that nothing about this process feels even remotely normal!

That is, unless you think hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, sleep disturbance, vaginal dryness, urinary urgency and incontinence, weight gain, decreased libido, thinning hair and skin, memory and concentration problems, joint and muscle pain — not to mention heart palpitations and out-of-nowhere high LDL — are all normal!

I don’t typically venture outside of conditions that I manage. I’m a cardiologist. I deal with chest pain and EKGs. But I felt compelled to write this blog series because I continue to see so many female patients suffering with many of the symptoms related to menopause while being denied — or fearful of — a proven life-enhancing intervention. All based on faulty data.

I’m talking about hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

You’ve probably heard the warnings: It causes breast cancer. It’s dangerous. It does more harm than good. These statements have become medical dogma. But they are outdated, oversimplified, and in many cases — flat-out wrong.

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Why HRT Deserves a Second Look

If you’re a woman navigating perimenopause or menopause, what you’ve been told about HRT — or what you think you know about HRT — could be standing between you and a dramatically better life.

This blog series is meant to give you the knowledge you need to not only help yourself through this time (and beyond) but also understand a treatment option that is out there. So that you can have a more informed conversation with your care provider.

To be clear — I am NOT advocating that every woman should go on HRT. But every woman should at least be given the opportunity to determine for themselves if it is right for them.

The Whole-Body Impact of Sex Hormones

First, here’s something really important you need to understand: Sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) don’t just have roles in reproduction and sex drive. Receptors for these hormones exist all over our bodies! Not surprisingly, menopause-related whole-body reductions in sex hormone levels have far-reaching effects.

Hormones and Bladder Health

One organ impacted by those far-reaching effects is the bladder. It happens to be very hormone-sensitive. And not just in terms of maintaining urinary continence. When estrogen levels decline, the microbiome of the bladder and vagina changes, making postmenopausal women far more susceptible to urinary tract infections. Indeed, about 20% of women over age 65 will develop a UTI, with close to 1/3 of these experiencing recurrent infections.

Hormones and Bone Loss

The skeletal system is a major casualty. In the absence of estrogen, women can lose as much as 20% of their bone density in the first 5 years post-menopause, with bone loss slowing down to about 1% per year thereafter. As a result, one in two women over age 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related bone fracture. This is incredibly serious — a hip fracture can be a terminal event. Close to 30% of hip fracture patients will not survive one year. And even if a woman makes it past that, the odds of her getting back to prior levels of activity are low.

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Hormones and Brain Function

Brain? The risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s is significantly higher for women. The role of sex hormones is not fully worked out here, but even in the shorter term, sleep disturbance can become a huge issue affecting mental clarity.  Estrogen and progesterone help drive circadian rhythms, and the wild fluctuations in their levels during perimenopause can do a number on the sleep cycle. Plus, it’s hard to sleep when you’re drenched in sweat.

Hormones and Heart Disease

As a cardiologist, I see this in my practice almost daily. Heart rhythm disturbances become more common around menopause, probably due to a combination of factors — especially sleep disturbance. Fortunately, most of these rhythm issues are benign. But that doesn’t mean they feel good! Cholesterol profiles almost universally get worse as LDL receptors become less active. As a result heart disease risk accelerates rapidly in postmenopausal women, reaching par with men of equal age about 10 years post our hormonal upheaval.

Menopause-Related Impact on Life Quality

Add vaginal dryness and loss of libido and you have a marked decline in quality of life — right around the halfway point in women’s lifespans.

These may all be “natural” consequences of changes in hormone levels, but are we just supposed to sit back and accept all that?

Would MEN accept all that??

This is part one of a five-part series. See:

Menopause and the Big Lie , Part 1

Menopuase and the Big Lie, Part 2

Menopause and the big lie: The facts they left out, Part 3

Menopause and the big lie: The lasting impact, Part 4

The post Menopause and the big lie appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Symptoms include weight gain, fatigue, depression, brain fog and more, but it can be hard to get an accurate diagnosis since these symptoms mimic many other conditions.

Still, roughly 23 million are treated with a drug called levothyroxine, sold as Synthroid, making it one of the most commonly prescribed thyroid medications across the country.

However, it turns out that while the drug might help patients manage their thyroid levels, it could also be eating away at their bone health, leaving them at risk for osteoporosis and life-threatening fractures.

Here’s what you need to know to reduce your risk if you’re taking thyroid medication…

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Loss of bone mass and density

According to Elena Ghotbi, M.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at Johns Hopkins University, “Data indicates that a significant proportion of thyroid hormone prescriptions may be given to older adults without hypothyroidism, raising concerns about subsequent relative excess of thyroid hormone even when treatment is targeted to reference range goals.”

And since previous studies had already proven a link between high levels of thyroid hormone and increased bone fracture risk, her team set out to determine whether taking levothyroxine could present a danger to skeletal integrity.

The researchers started with data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) — the longest-running study on aging — and assessed 81 patients taking levothyroxine and 364 non-users.

After following up for over six years, the scientists determined that people who used levothyroxine suffered a greater loss of total body bone mass and bone density — even if they had normal thyroid levels.

Is taking levothyroxine a good idea?

Because of this heightened bone risk, study co-author, Jennifer Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., advises that adults taking levothyroxine should discuss their treatment with their doctor. “A risk-benefit assessment should be conducted, weighing the strength of the indications for treatment against the potential adverse effects of levothyroxine in this population,” she said.

She also recommends requesting regular tests to monitor your thyroid function since their data shows that sometimes, patients have been taking levothyroxine for many years. Yet, it’s not clear why it was initially prescribed or even if it’s still necessary.

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Natural thyroid support

Most doctors will test levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels if they suspect a thyroid issue. But experts have suggested that the standard TSH range could be missing as many as 75 percent of people with low thyroid.

For this reason, people who have felt they had to find their own relief, have turned to natural options for their low thyroid.

For optimal health, the thyroid requires specific nutrients found in a healthy well-rounded diet or through supplementation. Those include:

• Iodine — Essential for healthy thyroid function and efficient metabolism. It’s also the fuel the thyroid needs to create critical T3 and T4 hormones.
• L-tyrosine — A powerful amino acid that partners with iodine to create T3 and T4 hormones.
• Selenium — A naturally occurring trace mineral that helps convert relatively inactive T4s to the active thyroid hormone T3.
• Zinc — An essential mineral in converting the T4 hormone to the more active T3, which helps support a healthy metabolism. It also releases vitamin A stored in the liver to help support a healthy thyroid.
• Copper — Another mineral, it helps stimulate the thyroid and protect against too much (T4) building up in the blood.

Finally, avoid BPA and phthalates as much as possible since these chemicals lower thyroid levels. That means avoiding canned foods with a lining, plastic bottles, bowls and dinnerware, and going organic in your fruits and vegetable choices.

Sources:

Common thyroid medicine linked to bone loss — EurekAlert!

Hypothyroidism: More Patients and Less Treatment? — Paloma Health

The post The bone-weakening effects of a common thyroid medicine appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But growing research shows a powerful connection: the same choices that protect your heart may also strengthen your bones — and vice versa.

Shared Risk Factors Across Systems

Osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease may seem like two completely different conditions, but they often share the same root causes. Poor diet, a lack of physical activity, smoking, and chronic inflammation can all increase your risk for both. 

Research has shown that people with low bone mineral density are more likely to experience heart-related events. Likewise, signs of atherosclerosis —hardening and narrowing of the arteries — are more common in individuals with weaker bones.

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Lifestyle and Fracture Risk

One large U.S. study looked at how cardiovascular health scores — based on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 — related to fracture risk. These eight key health factors include diet, physical activity, sleep, smoking, body weight, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure.

The study found that people with better scores had a significantly lower risk of bone fractures. Compared to individuals with poor cardiovascular health, those with moderate scores had a 22% lower fracture risk, and those with high scores had a 34% lower risk.

This tells us that small steps you take to support your heart — like going for a daily walk or choosing whole foods over processed ones — can also help keep your bones strong.

How Inflammation and Hormones Affect Both Heart and Bone Health

Research has shown that heart disease and osteoporosis often develop together, and inflammation and hormones are two key reasons why.

Chronic inflammation, which plays a major role in heart disease, also contributes to bone loss. When inflammation levels are high, the body produces chemicals that can weaken bone and damage blood vessels at the same time. This means that the same internal stress that leads to clogged arteries can also make bones more fragile.

Hormonal changes, especially in women, add another layer of connection. Estrogen helps protect both the heart and the bones. After menopause, when estrogen levels drop, the risk for both heart disease and osteoporosis accelerates. That’s why, later in life, women often experience both conditions.

The overlap goes deeper. According to research, calcium deposits found in arteries and bone loss seen in osteoporosis may actually be driven by some of the same biological processes. In other words, the breakdown of bone and the buildup of plaque in blood vessels may be two sides of the same coin.

It all serves as a reminder that the body works as an interconnected system. Supporting hormone health and reducing inflammation through healthy habits (and hormone replacement therapy when appropriate) can go a long way in protecting both your heart and your bones.

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Statins and Bone Health

Statins are best known for lowering cholesterol, but they could offer benefits for bones too. Although confounding variables may be at play, several studies suggest that statins can stimulate the growth of bone-forming cells and reduce bone breakdown.

Statins appear to increase levels of a key protein that helps bones grow, while also lowering inflammation and possibly enhancing estrogen activity. These effects have been linked to improved bone mineral density and a reduced risk of fractures, especially in older adults and postmenopausal women.

Having said that, it is possible that these findings are associations rather than causations. People who take statins may be under more regular medical care, might be more attentive to their health in general, and might be more likely to pursue an active lifestyle. The jury is still out on how helpful statins are to bone health. But while more research is needed to fully understand the best use of statins for bone support, these findings suggest that statins certainly do not promote bone loss!   

A Whole-Body Approach to Better Health

When it comes to protecting your health, there’s no need to compartmentalize. Your bones and your heart benefit from the same healthy habits:

• Eat a whole-food, anti-inflammatory diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
• Get regular physical activity, including weight-bearing and resistance training, which supports both cardiovascular fitness and bone density.
• Don’t smoke, and take steps to manage blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
• Talk to your doctor about your risk factors and whether bone density testing is right for you. By the way, this last piece of advice applies to everyone. Although less likely, men with risk factors can get osteopenia and osteoporosis too.

The post The hidden link between heart health and bone strength appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Take the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). It’s released when we eat in order to stimulate insulin.

But GLP-1 does more than regulate blood sugar. It also suppresses appetite by slowing the passage of food from the stomach.

Sure enough, the weight loss industry latched on to this and brought us the drug Ozempic, whose active ingredient is semaglutide.

Originally meant to treat type 2 diabetes, it’s also marketed in a higher dose (with a hefty price) as Wegovy to anyone willing to pay for the weight loss “miracle drug.”

And now, experts are sounding new alarm bells about harmful impacts…

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Semaglutide can rob you of muscle mass

According to a study presented at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, women and older adults taking these anti-obesity drugs may be at higher risk for muscle loss.

For adults with obesity, losing muscle is already a common side effect of weight loss.

But according to Dr. Melanie Haines of Harvard Medical School, about 40% of the weight loss experienced by women and older adults taking semaglutide-based drugs is not fat loss, but rather the loss of lean muscle.

Since muscle helps control blood sugar (and support bone health), it’s not surprising that the researchers also saw less improvement in HbA1c levels among this group. Not only does muscle increase insulin sensitivity, but it also takes glucose from the bloodstream to fuel muscle cells.

In fact, sarcopenia — age-related loss of muscle mass — is tied to health complications including diabetes.

Additionally, Dr. Haines and her colleagues found that eating less protein is also linked to greater muscle loss while on these drugs — and cautions that more studies are needed to find the best way to lose fat but keep muscle when using GLP-1 medications.

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Consider the risks and the alternatives

Muscle loss is just the latest in a series of findings that should make you think twice before using semaglutide as a weight loss strategy.

A large study at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital, one of the country’s largest neuro-ophthalmology clinics, found an association between semaglutide and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), an irreversible and uncommon condition causing damage to the optic nerve and, ultimately, permanent loss of vision.

And both Wegovy and Ozempic have black box warnings. A black box warning is the most serious type of health warning mandated by the FDA.

Such a warning, usually prominently featured on a drug’s label, is reserved for serious adverse reactions or special problems associated with a drug.

A safer alternative is to help your body do its job naturally by eating foods that balance and strengthen your hunger hormones, stabilize blood sugar and help you feel full.

Berries create a feeling of fullness, and their anthocyanin content makes the body more sensitive to insulin.

Oats contain beta-glucan, a form of fiber singled out in a study to mimic how GLP-1 agonists work, without the harmful side effects.

Protein has been shown to suppress ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger.

The only side effect here is that it could take you a little longer to lose weight than if you took drugs, and it may require some exercise. But building your muscles is also going to help keep your blood sugar under control.

But using the right foods to achieve your weight loss goals will leave you with good eating habits you can use for the rest of your life and won’t leave you with side effects like diarrhea… or an empty bank account.

Sources:

Semaglutide melts fat—but may quietly strip away your strength — Science Daily

The post Semaglutide melts muscle: Why that’s bad news for blood sugar appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s osteoporosis.

That’s right. Since age 40 or so, I’ve been losing bone mass. That means that a fall that breaks my hip could be more deadly than a cancer diagnosis.

The medical community takes this danger seriously. There are ongoing attempts to find ways to slow the loss of bone mineral in post-menopausal women and prevent the fractures that could endanger their lives.

Here’s a recent one that holds great promise.

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Blackcurrant berry prevents bone loss

At the University of Connecticut, a new study has found that supplementing a powdered form of the tart berry known as blackcurrant can reduce post-menopausal bone loss and prevent osteoporosis.

At the University of Connecticut, Professor Ock Chun, professor of nutritional sciences in UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, has been working with blackcurrant berry for years to see what health conditions it can improve or prevent.

Since her previous research with mice showed that the berry prevented bone loss, she wanted to find out whether this finding would translate to humans.

… but will it work in humans?

In this study, 40 peri- and post-menopausal women ages 45 to 60 took either one or two capsules of blackcurrant powder daily, or a placebo.

After six months, the researchers found that the supplements prevented the loss of bone mineral density throughout the body. More amazingly, those who took two capsules daily actually showed an overall increase in bone mineral density!

The researchers also saw that the supplements increased a bacteria found in the gut microbiome called Ruminococcus 2, inferring that it could be one of the drivers of the protective effects blackcurrant has on bone density.

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Blackcurrant: From bone loss to blood sugar

According to nutritional sciences graduate student Briana Nosal, who is the first author on the paper, “This study shows that blackcurrant may be a potential dietary strategy to help in preventing post-menopausal osteoporosis.”

But that’s not all blackcurrant can do…

Diabetes during menopause can compound the risk for weak bones. But blackcurrant can help here too by improving insulin sensitivity and decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

In one study, women given blackcurrant products found their post-meal blood sugar and insulin levels were reduced from their maximum level and experienced a delayed increase in free fatty acids triggered by low blood sugar and delayed fall of glucose. In other words, no blood sugar spikes!

Additional ways to reduce your risks for osteoporosis include:

• Don’t smoke. Hormonal changes caused by smoking could alter the function and strength of bone cells.
• Get your vitamin D and calcium. A diet low in these nutrients increases the chances of developing accelerated bone loss later in life. Consume adequate calcium through dairy products, leafy greens and fortified foods. Vitamin D is a little harder to get naturally from foods that are not fortified. Supplementing may help.
• Exercise! Weight-bearing exercise and strength training are both important for healthy bones.
• Eat less sugar. Read here how it destroys your bones.

Sources:

Study Suggests Blackcurrant Supplementing Mitigates Postmenopausal Bone Loss — University of Connecticut

Blackcurrants shape gut microbiota profile and reduce risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis via the gut-bone axis: Evidence from a pilot randomized controlled trial — The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry

The post The ‘bone density’ berry that beats back bone loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Vitamin K is generally associated with coagulation, but over the last decade or so key differences have been revealed about the roles the subtypes play in our health.

In fact, vitamin K is considered an emerging group of vitamins required for human health.

At least that’s the conclusion of one group of researchers who say these vitamins, one in particular, may be useful for several chronic conditions featuring a common denominator afflicting North America’s aging population.

Mainly, K1 is important for helping blood clot to prevent hemorrhaging — but K2 has been found to have very important roles in bone, vascular, joint and cognitive health.

If you aren’t already supplementing K2, as researchers suggest, especially for bone and heart health, let me share more on the importance of this valuable nutrient and how K2 can impact what scientists now say is a key contributor to aging…

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Healthier aging

Many experts believe calcification should be viewed as a contributor to the pathological aging process. That’s because calcification decreases the function of various tissues or organs, leading to the functional decline of organs, the systems affected and ultimately health in general.

For example…

• The pineal gland copiously secretes melatonin in childhood to direct our circadian rhythm. But it begins to decline in function during puberty, already due to significant calcification.

• Pineal calcification is seen in nearly all adults leading to reduced melatonin secretion which has also been suggested to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

• Arterial blood vessels are lifelong active tissues, and arterial calcification has been observed in conditions with high atherogenic levels, such as diabetes, oxidative stress, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). It’s commonly seen in the aging population, with 96 percent of observed aortic and coronary artery calcification seen in people over the age of 70.

Emerging evidence from animal and clinical studies has associated low K2 levels with calcification and an elevated risk of heart problems.

Bone health and calcium wrangling

Evidence supports K2 in the maintenance of bone health, including:

• increasing bone strength and density
• increasing bone mineral content
• inhibiting bone resorption
• decreasing fracture risk
• reducing urinary calcium loss
• lowering serum alkaline phosphatase levels

This would suggest that vitamin K2 reduces bone calcium mobilization (calcium loss from bones), increases bone calcium deposition, and strengthens bone construction.

At the same time, vitamin K2 limits the occurrence of calcification in other organs due to reduced bone calcium loss.

Per a review of vitamin K in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, the United States and Canada do not have recommendations for the use of vitamin K2 for osteoporosis. However, K2 is recommended as the standard of care in Japan where many studies on its effects on bone health as well as its efficiency in managing calcium in the body have taken place.

The Japanese diet is rich in the particularly powerful form of K2 known as MK-7, where it is found in fermented soy products and traditional dishes, like natto.

Vascular health

Ninety‐nine percent of bodily calcium is stored in bone, largely regulated by vitamin K2, with the remaining 1 percent circulating in the blood, muscle and other tissues.

But if vitamin K2 levels are low, it can disrupt the binding between calcium and osteocalcin (OC), a protein that helps with bone mineralization. This not only leads to the loss of calcium from bones, but it allows more rogue calcium to circulate to places where it can cause calcification.

Research has shown vitamin K2 can effectively stabilize mobile calcium, reduce artery calcium levels, inhibit calcium deposition in the blood vessel walls and more…

In a study of 4807 subjects free from myocardial infarction at baseline and followed for 7 years, those with the highest tertile intake of menaquinone (vitamin K2) compared to the lowest, resulted in a significant risk reduction in coronary heart disease.

Energy metabolism

Mitochondria are found in our cells and are considered mini power plants that regulate cellular energy metabolism. Vitamin K2 is an important player in the mitochondrial quality-control loop and repair of mitochondrial dysfunction.

Accumulating evidence suggests that vitamin K2 inhibits inflammatory responses and repairs mitochondrial damage induced by oxidative stress.

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Brain health

Because oxidative and neuroinflammatory mechanisms of cellular damage are associated with many neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative conditions, vitamin K2 can also afford some support here.

An increasing body of evidence suggests the possible role of K2 supplementation as a neuroprotective strategy in the maintenance of nerve integrity and normal brain function, including cognition.

It’s already well known in the scientific field that vitamin K2 is a necessary factor for the biosynthesis and metabolism of sphingolipids, an important class of lipids, which exist in high concentrations in brain cell membranes and function in brain cell events, including signaling between neurotransmitters.

Sources of vitamin K2

The vitamin K group has been associated with green leafy vegetables. But that’s where you will only find vitamin K1.

Vitamin K2 is found in butter, egg yolks, lard and animal products. The MK-7 subtype is found in fermented foods and some cheeses, like gouda and Jarlsberg. But any web search will reveal that natto is the highest source.

It’s important to know where to find it because current recommendations lump vitamin K into one group. Researchers, as recently as 2020, in the journal Nutrients, have called for a separate recommended daily intake for vitamin K2.

In their argument they state, “Almost 1000 years of northern Japanese cuisine has included ‘natto’, the world’s richest food source of VK2. A VK2-rich diet has existed for approximately 30 generations without any adverse side effects.”

But considering that the FDA tries to steer us towards pharmaceuticals and away from nutrition, it’s not all that surprising that they haven’t addressed that request.

Sources:

The biological responses of vitamin K2: A comprehensive review — Food Science & Nutrition

Vitamin K2 Modulates Mitochondrial Dysfunction Induced by 6-Hydroxydopamine in SH-SY5Y Cells via Mitochondrial Quality-Control Loop — Journal Nutrients

Vitamins K1 and K2: The Emerging Group of Vitamins Required for Human Health — Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism

Growing Evidence of a Proven Mechanism Shows Vitamin K2 Can Impact Health Conditions Beyond Bone and Cardiovascular — Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal

The post The vitamin that fights a common contributor of unhealthy aging appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Commonly prescribed for neuropathic pain and seizures, gabapentinoids are also prescribed for many different kinds of pain, such as back pain. These uses are part of the reason gabapentinoids are now one of the top 10 prescribed drugs in the U.S.

For instance, prescriptions for one gabapentinoid, gabapentin, have grown from 18 million in 2004 to 40 million in 2022.

But even though these medicines are seen as safer than opioids, that doesn’t mean they’re completely without risk. In fact, gabapentinoid use has been connected with a debilitating condition that afflicts many elderly people…

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Gabapentinoids and hip fracture

Medicine safety experts at Monash University in Australia analyzed the data for 28,293 patients hospitalized for hip fractures in Victoria, Australia across a five-year period.

Study results showed patients had a 30 percent greater risk of suffering a hip fracture within two months of being given a gabapentinoid medication. The link between gabapentinoids and hip fractures existed across different age groups, but the odds of hip fracture were higher among patients who were frailer or had chronic kidney disease.

Gabapentinoid use increased eightfold in Australia between 2012 and 2018, with one in seven Australians aged 80 and older prescribed a gabapentinoid during this period.

Study co-author Simon Bell, a professor at Monash, says while gabapentinoids can be effective for neuropathic pain, their side effects include dizziness, gait disturbance and balance disorder.

Lead author of the study and Monash Ph.D candidate Miriam Leung says the study highlights the need for caution before prescribing gabapentinoids, especially for people who are prone to falls and fractures. Bell adds that the presence of frailty and chronic kidney disease should also be taken into account.

The researchers say further studies are needed to investigate the risk of hip fracture with different dosages of gabapentinoids and with different degrees of kidney impairment. They are also working with the University of Eastern Finland to investigate hip fractures in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

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Alternative pain regimens

For people over the age of 80, the survival rates from hip fractures are worse than for people living with some cancers.

Bell says anyone presently taking a gabapentinoid should discuss it with their doctor or pharmacist first before deciding to discontinue treatment.

If you do decide to forego gabapentinoids, you may want to consider one of these natural pain-relieving alternatives before your doctor whips out that prescription pad again.

• Acupuncture: Harvard Health says acupuncture may relieve pain by releasing endorphins — the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals — and by affecting the part of the brain that governs serotonin, a brain chemical involved with mood.
• Exercise: While exercise may seem counterintuitive for pain, the longer you work out, the greater your ability to tolerate pain thanks to the body’s natural release of adrenaline and endorphins. And certain exercises, such as yoga, have been proven to relieve pain.
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction and/or cognitive behavioral therapy: In one study, 61 percent of those practicing mindfulness-based stress reduction and 58 percent of those practicing cognitive behavioral therapy saw improvement in their chronic lower back pain.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: These have been proven in studies to reduce inflammation and relieve arthritis pain.

Sources:

Neuropathic pain drugs found to increase risk of hip fracture in older adults — ScienceDaily

Gabapentinoids and Risk of Hip Fracture — JAMA Network Open

Number of gabapentin prescriptions in the U.S. from 2004 to 2022 — Statista

The post The commonly prescribed pain medication linked to hip fracture appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And it’s a risk not to be taken lightly…

One-quarter of seniors who fracture a hip from a fall die within six months of the initial injury.

Other research shows 1-year mortality rates in hip fracture patients from nursing homes to be 36 percent for women and 54 percent for men.

And according to researchers at Rutgers University, there’s a surprising factor increasing this risk…

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The link between blood pressure medications and fractures

It wasn’t all that long ago that I warned about the threat that long-term use of blood pressure drugs can pose to our kidneys. Now I need to share another…

As noted by Hanna Gaggin, MD, MPH and Daniel Kirshenbaum, MD from Harvard Health Publishing, “A common source of prescriptions is high blood pressure, with older adults often finding themselves on multiple medications to lower their blood pressure.”

Unfortunately, as the Rutgers research reveals, this could spell an increased fracture risk.

The researchers analyzed data from nearly 30,000 elderly patients in long-term care facilities from 2006 to 2019, comparing the 30-day risk of fractures for patients who began using blood pressure medications with similar patients who didn’t.

They found that the 30-day fracture risk for adults who began blood pressure medication was 5.4 per 100 people per year. Compare this to a rate of just 2.2 per 100 for patients who took no blood pressure medication.

Put simply, blood pressure medications more than double the risk of life-threatening bone fractures.

But why? They were associated with a side effect that contributed to falls.

A dangerous impact on balance

To ensure they could pinpoint falls caused by the use of the drugs, the team weeded out all other issues, like demographics and clinical history — and it came down to blood pressure drugs.

The research also revealed that certain people are at higher risk of fracture when taking these meds than others, including:

• High systolic blood pressure (when the first number of the blood pressure reading is above 139).
• High diastolic pressure (the second number of the blood pressure reading above 79).
• And people with dementia.

The most extreme risk was found in people who had no recent use of blood pressure medication, who all experienced at least triple the chance of suffering a fracture within 30 days.

You’re probably wondering why taking these medications makes falls and fractures more likely.

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The researchers say that the increased risk is due to the medications’ adverse effects on balance.

This is especially true when someone taking blood pressure drugs first stands up and temporarily experiences a drop in blood pressure that deprives the brain of oxygen. It’s similar to what occurs with orthostatic hypertension.

And of course, interactions with other drugs (due to multiple prescriptions, known as polypharmacy) and existing balance problems that come with aging may only compound the problem.

Reducing fracture risk

While this study looked at nursing home residents, it’s important to remember that the median age of the people in this study was 77.

This means these fractures could just as easily happen to an older person at home. Therefore, it’s vital to know the steps to take to prevent falls and fractures if you or a loved one is taking medications for your blood pressure.

These include:

• Stand up slowly – Since blood pressure drops when you stand, it’s especially important not to rise too quickly. Take your time as you stand up to allow your pressure to adjust.
• Steady yourself – As you stand, hold onto something such as the back of a chair, a counter or the edge of a desk.
• Be aware – Caregivers and adult children should be mindful of the potential fall dangers that come with blood pressure drugs to offer proactive support.

Falls present a real and present danger to both quality and length of life for older adults, and many medications, not just blood pressure drugs, can play a significant role in their risk. Keep track of any medications you or your loved one is taking and take steps now to make falls and the fractures they cause less likely.

Sources:

Blood pressure drugs more than double bone-fracture risk in nursing home patients — EurekAlert

Is it safe to reduce blood pressure medications for older adults? — Harvard Health Publishing

The post Blood pressure drugs tied to surprising fracture risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But those changes can be accompanied by health problems we’d like to avoid — like osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, even cancer.

The good news is that we have more control than we realize over how fast our bodies age and whether we succumb to the “diseases of aging.”

And it all starts with our telomeres…

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What are telomeres?

Your telomeres are the part of your chromosomes that’s associated with cellular aging.

Think of telomeres as that hard tip on the end of your shoelace that keeps it from unraveling. Telomeres sit at the ends of your chromosomes and protect them from damage.

As cells divide, telomeres become shorter and shorter until the cell can no longer divide. This triggers apoptosis — or cell death.

This is a natural part of aging. But as this happens to your white blood cells, it can leave you open to frailty and disease.

Osteoporosis shortens telomeres

A group of Korean researchers set out to determine whether having osteoporosis is associated with how fast telomeres shorten.

They measured telomere length in the white blood cells of a group of subjects aged 55 to 88, some of whom had osteoporosis and some of whom did not.

They took this measurement at baseline (at the start of the study in 2014) and again two years later.

They discovered that independent of other factors, telomeres shortened significantly faster over those two years in subjects who had osteoporosis than those who didn’t.

But why is this the case?

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Inflammation and telomeres

It’s already been proven that inflammation increases the rate at which telomeres shrink.

And the most up-to-date research also attributes osteoporosis to an increase in inflammation. It suggests that inflammation exerts significant influence on bone turnover, including the development of osteoporosis.

As we age, our bodies produce more pro-inflammatory cytokines. And, the link between this age-related inflammation (often called “inflamm-aging”) and osteoporosis has been well documented.

Inflammation: the common denominator

The science connecting inflammation to both osteoporosis and shorter telomeres appears strong. But if you’re not sure that inflammation is affecting you, see if you can check off any of these unusual signs of chronic inflammation.

Changing your diet is a good place to start to douse it. An alkaline diet helps cut down on acid production which leads to inflammation in the body. Also, consider supplementing with black cumin seed. It’s a powerful anti-inflammatory and also helps burn fat — and here’s why that matters…

Being obese shortens telomeres. So to avoid weight gain, or work on losing it now, make sure movement is part of your routine.

One way to do that is to walk — and not only would you be getting exercise for weight maintenance, but walking will have a direct impact on the connection between telomeres and osteoporosis…

Everyone knows exercise, including walking improves bone density. But researchers found that a faster walking pace was associated with longer telomeres — regardless of the amount of physical activity — and could translate to the equivalent of turning your biological age back 16 years!

I’ve mentioned before that my mom lived to 100, so I put to use much of what I write about here. I hope it helps you too.

Sources:

Association between osteoporosis and telomere shortening — Eureka Alert

Association between osteoporosis and the rate of telomere shortening — Aging

Osteoporosis and inflammation — Brazilian Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism

The regulatory feedback of inflammatory signaling and telomere/telomerase complex dysfunction in chronic inflammatory diseases — Experimental Gerontology

The post The common denominator between osteoporosis and short telomeres appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s why doctors will often order a special type of x-ray called a DEXA scan to measure your bone mineral density or BMD.

But it turns out that’s not the only way to tell if you have weak bones…

In fact, according to researchers from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece, all it takes is measuring your arm fat.

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What arm fat has to do with your bones

While it may sound strange that the fat on your arms would play a role in warning about your bone strength, those Greek researchers have the facts to back it up.

The team investigated the link between body fat and bone quality by examining 14 men and 101 women, without osteoporosis and an average age of about 62.

And they found that overall, people who have excess fat on their bodies — irrespective of their body mass index (BMI) — have low bone quality in their spine.

Even more concerning, they discovered that the more belly fat located deep inside the abdomen and around internal organs (known as visceral fat), the lower the quality of the spine’s spongy bone or trabecular bone.

In other words, having more visceral fat means you’re more likely to suffer from a spinal fracture.

This didn’t surprise the researchers since visceral fat is the hormonally more active component of total body fat. This means that this specific type of body fat produces molecules called adipocytokines that kick off low-grade inflammation, which can negatively impact bone quality.

However, while we can all look at our bellies and see if we need to lose weight, the level of visceral fat on our bodies can still be hard to gauge. And that’s where the arms come in.

The researchers then looked at the distribution of body fat under the skin and discovered that people with higher fat mass in their arms were also far more likely to have lower bone quality and strength in their spines.

According to study senior author, Professor Eva Kassi, “This could mean that the arm’s subcutaneous fat, which can be easily estimated even by the simple and inexpensive skin-fold calliper method, may emerge as a useful index of bone quality of the spine, possibly predicting the vertebrae fracture risk.”

Put simply, you can get an idea of how strong your bones are simply by pinching the fat on the back of your upper arm.

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Strengthening your arms and your bones

Even better, the researchers believe that their results also provide a simple clue to boosting bone strength and avoiding osteoporosis by exercising to target visceral fat and focusing on your upper body.

Great ways to do this include:

• Revving it up with HIIT – High-intensity interval training or HIIT helps trigger an “after-burn effect” that can boost your calorie burn and melt away visceral fat even after you’ve finished exercising.
• Adding in resistance training – If you want to build strong bones, focus on building strong muscles through weight and resistance training.
• Avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugar – Sugars and carbs can lead to blood sugar spikes that increase visceral fat. Skip these belly fat boosters and instead reach for foods rich in protein and fiber to help keep your blood sugar on stable footing. And be sure to include anti-inflammatory foods that help your bones.
• Drink the beverage that’s known to actually build bone (nope, it’s not milk!) and turn dangerous white fat in the body into energy-burning brown fat.

With these simple tricks, you can say goodbye to stubborn visceral and arm fat and hello to strong bones.

Sources:

Arm fat may reveal women and men at risk of spinal fracture – EurekAlert!

The post What arm fat can tell you about your bone density appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But unless you’re drinking til you’re shaking, or have a medical condition where you’ve been warned to avoid coffee, like chronic hypertension, you should feel good about enjoying the world’s most consumed beverage.

After all, there’s research-based evidence proving the many health benefits that come from drinking coffee, like:

• Drastically reducing the risk of cirrhosis
• Helping protect the brain from Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
• Lowering risk of stroke and heart failure.
• Preventing bone loss in the jaw, which helps keeps your teeth intact.

That last bullet really got my attention….

As a mature woman, my bone density is top of mind. I know all too well the threat of bone loss and the danger it poses not only to my independence but to my longevity as well. It’s a well-known fact that if a woman experiences a broken hip, her lifespan is cut drastically short.

That’s why I’m excited to share more encouraging news about a compound in coffee that not only guards against bone loss — but actually encourages bone growth…

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Chlorogenic acid encourages bone growth and blocks bone destruction

In 2018, researchers in Taiwan found that drinking coffee was significantly associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis in men and premenopausal women.

So, what’s responsible for this phenomenon? The anti-inflammatory polyphenol known as chlorogenic acid (CGA).

A recent study from China Medical University in Taiwan has uncovered the mechanism by which CGA protects bones.

CGA is also a main component of an herb called du Zhong (Eucommia ulmoides Oliver), used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve kidney and bone health.

Using their knowledge of this herb and its benefits, researchers found that CGA can slow or even prevent osteoporosis in two different ways…

To quote the study authors:

Oxidative stress may enhance bone resorption and decrease bone formation by promoting osteoclastogenesis and suppressing osteogenesis. Plant-derived polyphenolic compounds exhibit antioxidant ability by scavenging free radicals, diminishing lipid peroxidation, and chelating metal ions. Thus, polyphenolic compounds are considered useful in preventing bone loss.

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Here’s what that means in simple terms:

Oxidative stress, the result of free radicals, can cause your bones to deteriorate and keep them from regrowing.

Antioxidant compounds like CGA can go after those free radicals to inhibit osteoclastogenesis (the process that destroys bones).

At the same time, it encourages the production of osteoblasts (cells that build bone), which slows down as estrogen levels drop after menopause.

The herb du Zhong is available in powder form, but it would be helpful to seek out a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine to use it safely.

Instead, try a cup of coffee. CGA accounts for 5-10 percent of coffee beans, comparable to the amount of CGA in the herbal plant’s leaves.

However, the roasting of the beans affects how much CGA makes it into your cup. To get the most, choose a light roast. Dark roasts contain very little.

As far as types go, Ethiopian coffee was found in an analysis to have high levels of CGA, while Indian coffee contained the lowest levels.

Not a fan of coffee? Tea and berries, especially Aronia or chokeberries, are also great sources!

Need another reason to celebrate coffee? Find out why it’s also the drink that could keep cancer from coming back!

Sources:

Chlorogenic acid prevents ovariectomized-induced bone loss by facilitating osteoblast functions and suppressing osteoclast formation — Eureka Alert

Chlorogenic acid prevents ovariectomized-induced bone loss by facilitating osteoblast functions and suppressing osteoclast formation — Aging

Quantification of Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acid in Green and Roasted Coffee Samples Using HPLC-DAD and Evaluation of the Effect of Degree of Roasting on Their Levels — Journal Molecules

Does coffee drinking have beneficial effects on bone health of Taiwanese adults? A longitudinal study — BMC Public Health

The post The drink that encourages bone growth and blocks bone loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

According to the National Council on Aging, one in four adults over age 65 will suffer a fall this year alone. And it’s why more than three million emergency room visits will occur.

Yet, despite those numbers, most of us don’t worry too much about falling or give a second thought to the damage that can result — like a fracture.

Unfortunately, it seems that those are dangers we can no longer afford to overlook.

That’s because according to researchers at Québec Research Centre and Laval University, a fracture from a fall could be even more deadly than certain cancers.

Here are the details…

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The dangers of hip and spine fractures

The CDC reports that in 2021 almost 40,000 older adults died as a result of an unintentional fall.

So it’s not surprising that researchers set out to determine whether certain types of fractures and a higher risk of death go hand-in-hand for seniors.

To accomplish this goal, the team combed through the health data of over 100,000 subjects, examining overall survival by gender, age groups and types of fractures.

And they discovered that two types of fractures that are common to falls — hip and spine fractures — present a clear and present danger.

The results showed that for people over the age of 65, less than a third of men and only half of women survived five years after a hip fracture. The survival rates were only slightly better for a fracture involving the spine.

And with increasing age came an increasing risk of death post-fracture, with those over 85 suffering from the worst prognosis.

Shockingly, the researchers pointed out that these survival rates are much worse than for those living with cancer. For example, the five-year survival rate for older adults with any type of cancer is 64% and doesn’t drop to 43% until the age of 80.

Additionally, the survival rate for men with prostate cancer is 94% and women have an 89% chance of surviving breast cancer at any age.

This makes it far more likely a person over 65 could die from a hip or spine fracture than cancer!

Even worse, the research showed that the greatest reduction in survival for both men and women was in the first month following a fracture.

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Prevent falls to prevent fractures

So what can you do to protect yourself? First, guard against the risk of falling.

I would suggest taking this fall risk test to identify where you are on the balance spectrum. Then look around your home and assess any risky areas, especially your tub and shower.

Next, consider how your weight may play into your fall risk. A combination of obesity and low bone density make falls more likely — especially for women.

It’s also important to check your medications since certain drugs (and certain dosages) can not only increase your risk of a fall, but also fracture risk.

And to reduce fall risk, focus on exercises that strengthen your postural muscles to bring your balance back.

Consider switching to the anti-osteoporosis diet in order to eat your way to stronger bones. And if drinking coffee is a regular part of your diet, consider switching to light roast to get more of a bone-protective polyphenol called chlorogenic acid.

Finally, if you have suffered a fracture, you can’t beat the sunshine vitamin for getting you back on your feet following surgery, which is of utmost importance.

A hip or spine fracture can result in loss of physical function, leading to decreased social engagement, increased dependence and worse quality of life. But the sooner mobility is regained so a patient can undergo physical therapy, rehabilitation and functional training, the better the outcome.

Sources:

Survival rates after hip or spine fracture worse than for many cancers — EurekAlert!

Get the Facts on Falls Prevention — National Council on Aging

The post Why a fracture can be more deadly than cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

What if you were told that eating more of two specific foods would not only help you drop pounds, lose inches around your waist and significantly lower your body mass index — but would also make up for “shortfall nutrients” tied to some of the worst and most frequently diagnosed health problems we face today?

It sounds too good to be true, but these are the facts: A growing body of evidence demonstrates a multitude of benefits any of us can achieve when these two foods become part of a regular diet…

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Healthy food, healthy and slimmer body

Using data from the National Health and Examination Survey from years 2001 through 2018, researchers found that in addition to weight and BMI improvements, adults who consume beans and/or chickpeas daily have a higher diet quality score compared to those who don’t.

And that high score means they aren’t missing out on nutrients “of public health concern” that many of us under-consume. When you see what health problems happen in the absence of these nutrients, you’ll understand why it’s such a big deal…

The data showed that bean and/or chickpea eaters have higher intakes of fiber, calcium and potassium. Not getting enough of these nutrients has led to rampant health problems among Americans, specifically:

• Low potassium is linked to high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes and poor bone health.
• Low calcium intake is linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, and impacts bone health and weight management.
• Low intake of fiber is linked to poor gut health, higher cholesterol levels, poor blood sugar control, unhealthy weight and shorter lifespan.

Other important nutrients that bean and chickpea eaters get plenty of include choline, alpha-linoleic acid, folate, iron, magnesium and vitamin E.

And it only takes 1.7 to 2 servings a day to reap the benefits of better nutrition and healthy body composition.

“Most people are aware that beans and chickpeas are good for your heart, but our new research shows they are really good for so much more — like improving nutrient intake and healthier dietary patterns,” says study author Yanni Papanikolaou, of Nutrutional Strategies, Inc.

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The palatable and protective power of pulses

This study was funded by the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses and Cannedbeans.org.

But you may be interested to know that the valuable health contributions of beans and chickpeas have also been documented by the most recent collaboration between the National Cancer Institute and the United States Department of Agriculture to update the Healthy Eating Index diet.

Their findings are also consistent with existing peer-reviewed studies showing pulses (beans, chickpeas, peas and lentils) as part of a healthy diet are gut-protective, improve low-grade inflammation and may positively impact immune disease-related management.

There are plenty of tasty ways to add beans and chickpeas to your diet. My favorite way to eat beans is in a simple veggie burrito or a zesty three-bean salad.

Chickpeas are the main component in hummus, are great in curry dishes, soups and stews and make a great (and economical) crunchy snack when seasoned and tossed in the air fryer.

So if you were thinking of beans as a boring side, open a can and your eyes to some tasty and easy ways to enjoy these nutritional powerhouses every day.

Sources:

New study shows eating beans and chickpeas is linked to better diet quality and healthier body weights — Eureka Alert

Adult dietary patterns with increased bean consumption are associated with greater overall shortfall nutrient intakes, lower added sugar, improved weight-related outcomes and better diet quality — Nutrition Journal

The post 2 servings a day drops pounds, inches, BMI and disease risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

You see, unlike other vitamins, vitamin D is difficult to find in the food we eat. Your body produces it when we’re exposed to UV (ultraviolet) sunlight. And the further north you live, the less UV exposure you get during those long, cold winter months.

On top of that, there are lifestyle and hormonal factors that steal vitamin D.

If you’re a postmenopausal woman, you’re at particularly high risk of being vitamin D deficient, and of suffering from lower back pain, quite possibly because of damage to your spine.

Vitamin D keeps back pain away

The idea that a lack of vitamin D is related to back pain in women is not a new one.

A 2013 study evaluated over 9000 women between the ages of 60 and 85 years old and found a direct correlation between low vitamin D levels and back pain.

But that’s not all.

Women who were deficient in vitamin D reported more cases of severe back pain, more fractures, and greater limitation in performing activities of daily living, than women with adequate levels of vitamin D.

Estrogen, Vitamin D and disc degeneration: The perfect storm

After menopause, a woman’s estrogen levels drop. A study comparing 1566 premenopausal women with 1382 men in the same age group showed how this hormone change affects many women.

At the younger end of the scale, while the women were still in pre-menopause, their male counterparts were more vulnerable to disc degeneration.

But by the time women reached postmenopausal age, they had developed more severe disc degeneration than their age-matched male peers.

Researchers found the most drastic difference in disc degeneration between women and men in the first 15 years after the onset of menopause.

Other signs of D deficiency

A vitamin D deficiency isn’t always painful, and it’s easily mistaken as a symptom of other conditions.

Hair loss, fatigue, dizziness and sleep difficulties are all signs of deficient levels of vitamin D in the bloodstream.

If one or more of these symptoms troubles you, and if it is persistent, it’s a good idea to get your vitamin D levels checked.

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BPA exposure also robs you of vitamin D

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known toxin that, unfortunately, is hard to avoid. It’s everywhere: in plastic water bottles and containers, in dental sealants, even in your cash register receipts, where it enters your body right through your skin.

What’s more, when you take into account BPA metabolites (the compounds that are created as BPA passes through our bodies), we’re even more contaminated with this poison than we knew.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that higher exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA reduces vitamin D levels in your bloodstream

How you can get more vitamin D

Spend more time in the sun. Sunlight is your best source of vitamin D. Even in cold weather when you’re exposed to sunlight, it makes vitamin D from the cholesterol in your skin. The sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur.

However, it is harder for mature skin to make ample vitamin D from sunlight exposure, so consider supplementing.

Add vitamin D-rich foods to your diet. Cereals and orange juice are often fortified with vitamin D.

• Salmon – a 5-ounce (100-gram) serving of farmed Atlantic salmon contains 526 IU of vitamin D or 66% of the recommended daily value (DV)
• Herring and sardines – fresh Atlantic herring provides 27% of the daily value of D in each 3.5-ounce serving. If you prefer pickled herring, it will give you about 14% of your daily D requirement in the same serving.
• Canned tuna – about 34% of your DV
• Cod liver oil is an excellent source of vitamin D, especially if you don’t eat fish. It has about 448 IU per teaspoon (56% of the DV).
• Egg yolks – One typical egg yolk contains 37 IU of vitamin D or 5% of the DV. But you would need to consume at least 15 eggs every morning to hit the minimum vitamin D requirement.
• Mushrooms – the only good plant source of vitamin D. They synthesize it from sunlight, just as we do! (Only wild mushrooms, or those exposed to UV light, are rich in vitamin D, as many commercially grown mushrooms are grown in the dark). You can even make your own supply of dried mushrooms that are full of vitamin D, and keep them on hand for soups, stews and more!
• Supplements – consult your doctor about the best dosage for you. Most people are deficient in vitamin D, and levels of 5,000 IU can help get them up and maintain them safely. Look for the form known as D3. It is most like what the body produces when exposed to sunlight (a process that gets harder with age) so it’s easier for the body to absorb and use.

Sources:

1. Postmenopause vitamin D deficiency associated with disc degeneration and lower back pain — EurekAlert
2. Vitamin D (25OHD) Serum Seasonality in the United States — PLOS ONE
3. Association of back pain with hypovitaminosis D in postmenopausal women with low bone mass — BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
4. Estrogen loss a risk factor for disc degeneration, back pain — UPI.com
5. Relationships Between Urinary Phthalate Metabolite and Bisphenol A Concentrations and Vitamin D Levels in U.S. Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005–2010 — The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

The post The vitamin your spine needs the most to battle disc degeneration appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

A strong spine offers numerous benefits, positively impacting our overall health, well-being and quality of life. A strong spine improves flexibility and a greater range of motion in daily activities, making it easier to perform tasks and engage in physical activities. A healthy spine can provide better support and stability for your entire body, reducing the risk of injuries during movements.

We can even avoid having serious diseases with a healthy spine. It helps maintain proper alignment, reducing the risk of nerve compression or impingement that can cause pain and other neurological symptoms.

Furthermore, a healthy spine reduces back pain and improves physical function, leading to better mood and overall mental well-being. That’s a big step to bringing back vitality, youthfulness and creating a fulfilling lifestyle. 

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Effective Exercises for a Healthy Spine

A strong spine is our ultimate goal in this spine health journey. With a strong spine, we can eliminate the underlying causes of back pain, stiffness, and spine immobility.  That means physical activities won’t have to lead to pain.

Here are age-friendly exercises to effectively strengthen your spine:

Plank

The plank is an excellent exercise for strengthening the core and supporting spine muscles. 

How to plank:

• Start in a push-up position with your forearms on the ground.
•  Lift and hold your body in a straight line from head to heels. 
• Engage your core, keep your body aligned, and avoid letting your hips sink or lift too high.
• Hold the position for as long as you can.

Side plank

Side plank is another excellent exercise for strengthening the spine and core muscles. It targets the obliques and the muscles on the sides of the waist and lower back, contributing to better spine stability and overall body balance. 

How to perform side planks:

• Start by lying on your side with your legs extended and stacked on top of each other. 
• Position your elbow (or hand) directly below your shoulder to create a stable base of support.
•  Engage your core muscles by drawing your navel in towards your spine. 
• Lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from your head to your heels. 
• Keep your body in alignment and avoid letting your hips sink or lift too high.
•  Hold the side plank position for as long as possible, maintaining proper form and breathing steadily.

Bird-dog 

The bird-dog exercise is an effective core-strengthening exercise that targets back muscles, including those that support and stabilize the spine. 

How to perform Bird-dog: 

• Bring hands and knees with the shoulders directly over the hands and the hips directly over the knees. 
• Engage your and stretch the right arm straight out in front of the body.
• Hold the position while staying balanced. Slowly lift the left leg, extend it straight out behind the body, and hold the position for 15 seconds. 
• Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

Superman

This exercise primarily targets the muscles of the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. This exercise effectively strengthens the muscles supporting the spine in the lumbar region. 

How to perform Superman: 

• Lie face down on a comfortable mat or the floor and extend your arms forward, keeping them in line with your shoulders.
• Position your legs straight out behind you, keeping them aligned with your hips, and slightly lifted off the ground. 
• Engage your core. Inhale and simultaneously lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground. 
• Lift as high as you comfortably can, keeping your head aligned with your spine to avoid straining your neck. 
• Hold the lifted position for a few seconds, squeezing your glutes and lower back muscles to maintain stability.
• Exhale as you lower your arms, chest, and legs back down to the starting position.
• Relax your muscles briefly before repeating the movement for the desired number of repetitions.

Standing back extensions

This is a great exercise for strengthening the muscles in your lower back and improving spine mobility.

How to perform Standing back extensions:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands resting on your hips or the small of your back.
• Gently engage your core muscles to stabilize your spine.
• Inhale and slowly arch your back backward, pushing your hips slightly forward as you lean back.
• Keep your neck in a neutral position and avoid straining it by looking up or down excessively.
• Hold the extended position for a few seconds, feeling a gentle stretch in your lower back.
• Exhale as you return to the starting position, standing upright with a neutral spine.
• Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.

The cat-cow stretch

This involves alternating between arching and rounding the spine, which helps improve flexibility and mobility in the entire vertebral column. This can be particularly helpful for individuals with stiff or tight backs.

How to perform cat-cow stretch:

• Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Inhale as you arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone upward (cow position), and allow your belly to drop towards the floor.
• Exhale as you round your back, tucking your chin to your chest (cat position), and draw your belly button towards your spine.
• Flow smoothly between these two positions, coordinating your breath with the movement. Inhale for the cow position and exhale for the cat position.
• Continue the fluid movement for several repetitions, paying attention to how your spine feels during the stretch.

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Nutrition tips for a healthy spine

To further support spine health, maintain a combination of exercise and a balanced diet. Nutrition plays an important role in exercises for spine health because it directly impacts the overall health and function of the spine.

The right nutrients are essential for maintaining strong bones, supporting muscle function, reducing inflammation, and promoting tissue repair. Here are helpful nutrition tips for a better spine:

Get rich in calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin C

Calcium is crucial for bone health, and vitamin D helps with calcium absorption. Include calcium-rich foods such as dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified plant-based milk. If necessary, get sufficient vitamin D from sunlight exposure or dietary sources like fatty fish, fortified dairy alternatives, and supplements. Gain vitamin C in citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, and broccoli. Vitamin C supports collagen formation, which is essential for maintaining the integrity of spinal discs and other connective tissues.

Choose healthy fats

Incorporate sources of healthy fats, such as avocados, olive oil, and nuts, to support the body’s anti-inflammatory response and provide energy for physical activity. As well as omega-3-rich foods like fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation around the spine and improve joint health.

Consume antioxidant-rich foods

Incorporate colorful fruits and vegetables like berries, oranges, spinach, and bell peppers, which are rich in antioxidants. These nutrients help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, benefiting spinal health.

Increase protein

Consume adequate protein from sources like lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, and tofu. Protein is essential for muscle repair and maintenance, supporting the muscles around the spine.

Stay hydrated

Stay well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, including options like diet water. Proper hydration supports the shock-absorbing properties of spinal discs.

Limit processed foods

Reduce the consumption of processed and sugary foods, as they can contribute to inflammation and weight gain, which may strain the spine.

Consume moderate alcohol and caffeine

Limit alcohol intake and moderate caffeine consumption, as excessive consumption can negatively impact bone health and may contribute to inflammation.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Excess weight puts additional stress on the spine, so maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular physical activity benefits spine health.

Take away

Aging is certainly the most inevitable process in human nature. As we age, the spine undergoes natural changes, making spine care even more critical for older individuals. A healthy spine is paramount to our overall well-being and quality of life. 

A strong and flexible spine enables us to maintain mobility, perform our favorite physical activities independently, and create more happy and exciting memories with our loved ones and friends. The sense of fulfillment we experience from spending time doing what makes us happy independently is one of our greatest desires before our journey ends. Thus, still being able to do something for our health is a blessing that should be put into manifestation.

The post Ageless backs: Maintaining a strong and supple spine after 50 appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Without a functioning, pain-free hip joint, we can’t walk, run, dance or even stand. Living with constant hip pain can change your life, making you dependent and immobile.

What’s challenging is that there are so many different ways in which the hip can be harmed and so many different conditions that can cause pain.

If you’re living with hip pain, it’s important to know the possible causes and to have some safe ways to ease the pain. It’s also important that you talk with your doctor about what’s causing your pain and what can be done to help.

Why are the hips so vulnerable?

You have two hip bones, left and right. Together, they form part of the pelvic girdle, the structure that attaches your trunk to your legs.

Your hip bones have three joints, so there are three places where things can go wrong.

The sacroiliac joint attaches the hips to the bone at the base of your spine. The pubic symphysis is the joint between your left and right hip bones.

The joint we commonly think of as our “hip joint” is where the hip bone connects with the femur (thigh bone) on each side of the body.

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4 common causes of hip pain

Depending on what’s making your hip hurt, you might feel discomfort in other places, including the thigh, groin or buttocks.

Here are four common causes of hip pain:

Osteoarthritis. The cartilage that cushions your hip joints breaks down, leaving bones rubbing on bones whenever you move. This causes pain, stiffness and ultimately can cause loss of movement in the joint. When someone has a hip replacement, it’s often due to osteoarthritis.

Trochanteric bursitis. The bursa, or fluid-filled sac, at the outside point of the hip becomes inflamed. Injury, disease, and even posture can be the cause. If you have pain when lying on one side of your body, this could be the cause.

Tendonitis. The tendons that surround the hip become inflamed, irritated, or swollen due to injury, overuse or age, as they lose their elasticity. Tendonitis can lead to immobility because the pain involved in moving the joint can be so intense.

Osteonecrosis. Literally meaning “bone death,” osteonecrosis is a condition that occurs when blood flow to the bone is insufficient. Bone cells die, and the bone itself may collapse. The hip joint is one of the most common sites for osteonecrosis to occur.

Does your hip pain warrant a doctor’s visit?

Hip pain may also be a result of a strained muscle, a dislocated joint or a fractured hip.

While it’s always a good idea to consult your doctor about how to treat hip pain, there are certain times when it’s an absolute must:

• the hip pain came on suddenly.
• a fall or other injury triggered the hip pain.
• your joint looks deformed or there is bleeding.
• you heard a popping noise in the joint when you injured it.
• if you have hip pain at night or when you are resting.
• the pain is intense.
• you notice swelling, redness or warmth around the joint.
• you can’t put any weight on your hip.
• you can’t move your leg or hip.

The bottom line: Take care of your bones and joints

Your hip joints bear your body weight whether you’re sitting, standing, walking or running. To preserve your mobility and independence as you age, you’ll need to take care of your hips. And there are many ways to do that.

Nutrition and supplements. Make sure you’re eating foods that protect your joints from inflammation and help relieve joint pain.

Research shows that omega 3’s found in fish and fish oil supplements can make arthritic joints both healthier and less painful.

Three other nutritional supplements work wonders for keeping your hip joints healthy and pain-free:

Resveratrol. Found in red wine and dark chocolate, as well as in supplement form, this antioxidant supports heart, eye and brain health.

Recently, it’s also been shown to slow the progression of osteoarthritis by activating a gene known as the “longevity gene” and allowing it to protect your body.

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Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps maintain adequate levels of calcium and phosphate to keep bones strong.

If you have osteoarthritis and are carrying some extra weight, research shows that maintaining adequate levels of Vitamin D will help you control joint pain and allow you to be more active, which in turn helps control both your weight and your pain.

But few people know that vitamin D affects the body’s inflammation response in a way that lowers the sensation of pain. That makes sense since vitamin D deficiency is tied to an increased risk for pain-related conditions like fibromyalgia and rheumatic diseases.

Vitamin K. Be sure to include plenty of Vitamin K-rich vegetables in your diet, like kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and asparagus. Kiwi fruit is also rich in Vitamin K.

Vitamin K is needed for Vitamin K-dependent (VKD) proteins, which are found in your bones and cartilage. Without enough Vitamin K, this protein can’t help your bones and cartilage grow and repair themselves.

Calcium. Your doctor will advise you, based on a bone density scan, if supplementing with calcium is needed.

Keep moving. Weight-bearing exercise is important for keeping your hips strong. Walking, jogging, dancing and most aerobic exercises fit the bill.

Sources:

Ways to Ease Hip Pain — Web MD

The Hip Bone — teachmeanatomy.info

10 Common Causes of Hip Pain and When to Seek Treatment — Illinois Bone & Joint Institute

Trochanteric bursitis — Cleveland Clinic

The hip joint: big, powerful and important  — susaningraham.net

The post Why your hips hurt and the supplements that help appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

What if we could increase our healthspans, which means not just adding years to our lifespans — but healthier ones?

What if we could support and replenish our aging mitochondria so our cells have the energy they need to keep on going — and keep us going?

What a game-changer that would be — as long we could get enough…

Can an amino acid molecule slow aging?

These are the questions that Dr. Vijay Yadav, assistant professor of genetics & development at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, had in mind when he launched a study involving dozens of researchers around the world who study aging.

Taurine first hit Dr. Yadav’s radar during previous research into osteoporosis that uncovered taurine’s role in building bone. Other researchers, around the same time, were seeing how taurine impacted immune function, obesity and nervous system functions.

That’s when a lightbulb went off…

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“We realized that if taurine is regulating all these processes that decline with age, maybe taurine levels in the bloodstream affect overall health and lifespan,” Dr. Yadav says.

When the research team analyzed levels of the amino acid in the bloodstream of mice, monkeys and people, they saw something often revealed over and over again in aging research — a deficiency.

Taurine levels had dropped substantially with age. Specifically in people, the taurine levels in 60-year-olds were only about one-third of the levels in 5-year-olds.

“That’s when,” Yadav says, “we started to ask if taurine deficiency is a driver of the aging process, and we set up a large experiment with mice.”

Taurine levels decline with age: what if we raise them?

The study included about 250 14-month-old male and female mice (the equivalent of 45 in human years). The mice were fed an amount of taurine or a control solution daily.

By the end of the experiment, they found taurine had increased the average lifespan of female mice by 12 percent and 10 percent in males. For the mice, that meant three to four extra months — the equivalent of about seven or eight human years.

But what about the impact on the animal’s health?

For that answer, Dr. Yadov looked to other researchers who investigated the effect of supplemented taurine on the health and lifespan of several species…

After measuring various health parameters in mice, they found that at age 2 (60 in human years), animals supplemented with taurine for one year were healthier in almost every way than their untreated counterparts. In fact, the amino acid:

• Suppressed age-associated weight gain in female mice (even in “menopausal” mice)
• Increased energy expenditure
• Increased bone mass
• Improved muscle endurance and strength
• Reduced depression-like and anxious behaviors
• Reduced insulin resistance
• And promoted a younger-looking immune system

At the cellular level, supplementation:

• Decreased the number of “zombie cells” (old cells that linger and release harmful substances)
• Increased survival after telomerase deficiency
• Increased the number of stem cells present in some tissues (which help repair other cells)
• Improved the performance of mitochondria
• Reduced DNA damage
• And improved the cells‘ ability to sense nutrients

But supplementing isn’t the only way they found we can increase our levels. The researchers measured taurine levels before and after a strenuous cycling workout. They found a significant increase in taurine levels in both seasoned athletes and sedentary people.

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Taurine: A natural anti-aging option

Dr. Yadav is quick to point out, however, that “these are associations, which do not establish causation, but the results are consistent with the possibility that taurine deficiency contributes to human aging.”

Randomized clinical trials, considered the gold standard in research, are needed for the definitive answer on taurine’s anti-aging benefits.

“Taurine abundance goes down with age, so restoring taurine to a youthful level in old age may be a promising anti-aging strategy.”

Dr. Bruce Ames, a Senior Scientist with a career spanning seven decades, would likely agree. His “triage theory” argues that, by skimping on inadequate amounts, we’re cheating ourselves of valuable “longevity vitamins” critical to long-term maintenance. He considers taurine one on a list of about 10 he considers valuable longevity nutrients.

Taurine is available in supplement form and is found naturally in foods like eggs, dairy, scallops, tuna, tilapia, octopus, seaweed, chicken, turkey and beef. Adding more of these foods to your diet can only help.

Supplementing taurine in reasonable amounts is safe. But if you have kidney health problems, discuss with your doctor first.

Sources:

Taurine may be a key to longer and healthier life — Eureka Alert

Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging — Science

The post Taurine: The anti-aging amino acid appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

These complications don’t happen to everyone with diabetes. But the longer you have the disease and the worse your blood sugar control is, the more likely you are to eventually develop one (or more) of them.

Why does diabetes impact so many different organs and systems in your body?

Because the excess sugar can damage the body in a multitude of ways:

• It can damage the walls of tiny blood vessels known as capillaries that supply blood to your nerves, particularly in the legs, and lead to nerve damage.
• It can damage the filtering system in the kidneys that removes waste from the blood, eventually triggering kidney failure.
• It can damage the blood vessels of the retina, causing vision problems or even blindness.

And that damage can extend to your bones as well…

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Diabetes puts you at risk for hip and other debilitating fractures

Researchers from the University of Sheffield reviewed health records from previous studies and determined that people with diabetes (type 1 and 2) have a higher risk of developing hip and non-vertebral fractures (fractures that don’t impact the spine or skull).

Like other diabetes complications, researchers found that the risk of bone fractures was higher for people who had the disease longer and those whose blood sugar control was worse. The risk was also higher for those with type 1 diabetes versus those with type 2 diabetes. But people with type 2 diabetes who used insulin had a higher risk too.

Even though bone fractures aren’t on most people’s radar as a possible diabetes complication, this isn’t the first study to show people with diabetes have a higher fracture risk…

• A 2014 study found that people with diabetes are as much as three times as likely to get a bone fracture as people without diabetes.
• Another from 2018 found women diagnosed after age 40 with diabetes experience a 30 percent increase in their risk of non-vertebral fracture and an astonishing 82 percent increased risk for hip fracture.

Hip fractures, in particular, are known to cause disability in older people and even increase the risk of dying within a year of the injury.

What’s the connection between diabetes and poor bone health? Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).

AGEs are associated with elevated fracture prevalence or incidence, in particular among people with diabetes.

AGEs cause oxidative stress and inflammation. They also physically affect bone quality when they accumulate in bone collagen fibers. A growing body of evidence indicates that AGEs play a significant role in the progression of classical diabetes complications and diabetic osteopathy.

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Better controlled blood sugar for better bones

So, how do you protect your bones if you have diabetes?

First, you have to do everything in your power to keep your blood sugar under control. For many people with diabetes, that means using diabetes medication, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.

Avoid foods that contain AGEs. Meat contains 150 times more AGEs than fruits and vegetables, so switching a meaty meal to a vegetarian meal a few times per week is one of the best ways to lower your AGE intake.

When you do eat meat, avoid grilling, roasting, searing, frying or baking. These cooking methods, which use high heat for long periods, increase the amount of AGEs produced in the meat. Wet cooking methods like steaming, poaching, stewing and boiling result in lower AGE production.

Snack on berries. One in particular, the Aronia berry, also known as the chokeberry not only helps lower the amount of sugar entering your bloodstream after you eat but is the highest berry source of chlorogenic acid (CGA) — an antioxidant compound that has been found to not only decrease bone loss but promote bone growth.

Next, you may have your doctor check your vitamin D levels. Why?

• According to McMaster University, many people with diabetes are
  low in vitamin D.
• Another study found that people with vitamin D blood levels of 50 ng/mL (considered adequate) were five times less likely to develop diabetes than those with 20ng/mL. The lead author of that study suggested that rather than focusing solely on obesity and sugar and fat intake, we should be focusing on vitamin D levels.

And not only is vitamin D known to help regulate insulin levels, we already know it helps promote bone health.

Sources:

1. People with diabetes at higher risk of bone fractures — co.uk.
2. People with diabetes are at greater risk of bone fractures —  EurekAlert!
3. Advanced glycation end products and bone — Science Direct.com
4. The risk of hip and non-vertebral fractures in type 1 and type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis update — Bone.
5. Diabetes — Mayo Clinic.
6. Bone Fractures: Prevention — Cleveland Clinic.

The post AGEs: Why diabetes is bad for your bones appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And it’s more than just brittle bones. Research shows that women over 60 who break a hip in a fall are five times more likely to die within a year.

So a newly developed drug that prevents osteoporosis is good news!

Except that ….

Like most drugs, it comes with possible side effects that are often as bad as the condition it’s treating.

Here’s what you need to know about a new osteoporosis drug and the research that’s been done on its connection to heart attack…

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A drug that’s great at preventing fractures, but ….

Romosozumab is a new drug that reduces the risk of fracture in women with severe osteoporosis.

It does this by blocking the formation of sclerostin, a protein that comes from bone cells and inhibits bone formation.

But trial data suggests that romosozumab may also cause an increased risk of heart attack.

Further research has been inconclusive on this, so an international group of researchers set out to determine whether this was really a problem.

Increases risk of heart disease and more

“We wanted to predict whether romosozumab’s action in blocking sclerostin might lead to an increased risk of heart attack, by examining effects of a genetic tendency to lower levels of sclerostin, on the basis that this might reproduce some of the effects of administering the drug,” says lead author Jon Tobias, Professor of Rheumatology at Bristol Medical School.

In other words, they wanted to find out whether people with a genetic tendency toward lower levels of sclerostin also had the same higher risk of heart attack as those who had their sclerostin levels lowered by the drug.

And in fact, they did.

Their analysis of data from 33,961 subjects suggested that lowering sclerostin levels using romosozoumab might lead to a 30 percent increased risk of heart attack.

But that’s not all.

An increased risk of calcification of the arteries of the heart, hypertension, stroke, and type 2 diabetes were discovered — all of which could explain the higher risk of heart attack.

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Proceed with caution

Before you leap at a promising new drug, talk with your doctor about your risk factors.

In this case, a conversation about your built-in risks of heart disease would be in order. Those might include:

• A family history of heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke
• Obesity
• A sedentary lifestyle

Your doctor should help you assess the risks and determine whether it’s right for you.

Of course, we all know the importance of vitamin D for bone health, so also get him to check your levels, but you could probably use a refresher on the forgotten anti-fracture vitamin…

Sources:

Study provides genetic evidence on new osteoporosis drug heart attack risk — Eureka Alert

Lowering of circulating sclerostin may increase risk of atherosclerosis and its risk factors: evidence from a genome-wide association meta-analysis followed by Mendelian randomization — Arthritis and Rheumatology

The post New osteoporosis drug: All hype and heart attack? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Health issues ranging from vision loss and depression to lifestyle factors like drinking too much (or too little alcohol and even your relationship status can impact your risks.

And there’s one more you can add to that list — weak bones.

That’s right…

If your doctor has warned you that you may be experiencing bone loss, osteoporosis and increased fracture risk may not be your only concerns…

The egg, not the chicken

Bone loss and dementia are both issues we’re all more likely to experience with age.

Yet, little has been known about whether there was a connection or not — and if there was, which came first?

So, researchers in the Netherlands set out to follow over 3,600 participants, with an average age of 72, for approximately 11 years — and find out.

While none of the people who volunteered for the study had dementia at the start, by the end of the period, 19 percent were affected.

And sure enough, those who had weaker bones to begin with were far more likely to end up in that unlucky 19.

After adjusting for all other factors like age, sex, medication use and family history, the results showed that people with the lowest total body bone density were a startling 42 percent more likely to develop dementia within 10 years than people with stronger bones.

And as for that question of which came first — the chicken or the egg…

Here’s what study author Mohammad Arfan Ikram, MD, Ph.D. had to say: “Low bone density and dementia are two conditions that commonly affect older people simultaneously, especially as bone loss often increases due to physical inactivity and poor nutrition during dementia. However, little is known about bone loss that occurs in the period leading up to dementia.”

“Our study found that bone loss indeed already occurs before dementia and thus is linked to a higher risk of dementia.”

So, it looks like bone loss is the egg, not the chicken.

To healthy bones

The good news is that much is already known about how to support healthy bones — and as it turns out, a couple of those same factors can pull double duty for your brain too…

Take regular exercise, for example, especially weight bearing. That doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym. Your body is a weight, and walking is one of the best exercises to kick bone loss to the curb. And several years ago, researchers proved that walking 4000 steps a day actually changed the size of the brains in study subjects aged 60 and over.

But probably best known is the dynamic duo calcium and vitamin D for bone health. Calcium is a building block for strong bones, but without adequate vitamin D, the body only absorbs about 10 to 15 percent of dietary calcium. Not getting enough vitamin D is a problem for your brain too…

One of the most dramatic findings came from a 2014 University of Exeter study that included 1,658 older adults. That study found that those with very low vitamin D levels (lower than 25 nmol/L) had a 122 percent higher risk of developing dementia than those with higher levels. They also found that vitamin D deficiency of any kind (severe or moderate) was tied to a 51 percent higher risk of developing dementia.

Although calcium is easy enough to come by in your diet, vitamin D is not so much. Sure, you can find it in fortified foods like cereal. But that form of vitamin D is not as easily absorbed and used by the body. Vitamin D3 is the most bioavailable form of vitamin D, known as cholecalciferol.

A therapeutic dose of 5000 IU helps me keep my levels where they can do me the most good (far from the 42 percent of Americans who are deficient), so I have fewer worries with every passing birthday and bone density test.

Sources:

Is bone health linked to brain health? – ScienceDaily

Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age  NIH

Vitamin D and dementia: A very close tie – Medscape

The post Bone loss: A significant risk factor for dementia appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s because as estrogen levels go down, a woman’s chances of osteoporosis go up.

Is it any wonder then that one in two women over the age of 50 will suffer a fracture due to declining bone mineral density, or that 80 percent of the approximately 10 million Americans living with osteoporosis are women?

This means that as women, we have to be particularly aware of things that can make our bones more brittle — some of which can be surprising.

 And according to research from the Women’s Health Initiative Study, one of the most surprising and dangerous might just be air pollution…

Breathing in bone damage

The research followed over 9,000 post-menopausal women through almost 33,000 doctor’s visits. Each woman’s exposure to air pollutants was estimated based on where they lived and then compared to their bone mineral density over a period of six years.

Advanced models were used to investigate the impact of four common air pollutants from a family of gases that form when fuel is burned at high temperatures — exactly what you find emitting from automobiles, trucks and even construction equipment and boats.

And sure enough…

The results clearly showed that long-term exposure to air pollution could take a woman’s bones from strong and healthy to weak, brittle and osteoporotic.

Unfortunately, post-menopausal women living in areas with high levels of air pollutants suffered the highest levels of bone loss.

While the research didn’t reveal exactly how these pollutants eat away at healthy bones, the investigators believe it likely has to do with inflammation and oxidative stress. That’s not especially surprising given that exposure to air pollutants has been linked to these same destructive processes in other studies.

Preserving your bone health now and post-menopause

So how can you keep your bones strong when even the air around you could be turning them brittle with every breath?

Of course, I firmly believe vitamin D is essential to bone health (and so much more). And, as I’ve said before, most people’s blood levels show they are deficient in this valuable nutrient.

But air pollution is a different kind of ever-present threat. To reduce the silent damage it’s doing with every breath we take, we have to go after the two ways it appears to eat away at our bones…

That means combatting the inflammation and oxidative stress we just talked about.

For that, there are two options at the top of my list…

• Omega-3’s – The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil are powerful inflammation fighters. But one source of omega-3s, krill oil, also offers high levels of the powerful antioxidant, astaxanthin, which can also provide protection from oxidative stress. That makes krill oil a two-in-one for inflammation and oxidative stress.
• Exercise – Physical activity helps to render inflammatory molecules powerless to keep inflammation from destroying the tissues of your body. And we know exercise, especially weight-bearing, strengthens bones. A side benefit of taking omega-3s when exercising? Doubling your muscle strength which can help guard against a vicious cycle of bone loss, muscle loss and weight gain that happens often around menopause and post-menopause.

Sadly, every day we’re learning more about how air pollution can drag our health down. It’s easy to feel powerless against it. But the truth is, you can still fight back.

Sources:

Air pollution and decreased bone mineral density among Women’s Health Initiative participants – eClinicalMedicine

Vitamin D – Mayo Clinic

Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials – NIH

The post Breaking the link between air pollution and osteoporosis appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

HDL works by transporting LDL to the liver, which then flushes them out of the body. It also inhibits both the oxidation of LDL and inflammation of the blood vessels.

In addition to its cardioprotective properties, HDL can also actually help reduce fatigue for people with autoimmune diseases and may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

With all those benefits, you may think it makes sense to keep your HDL levels as high as possible. However, research is finding that might cause a new set of problems.

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The downsides of “good” cholesterol

The recommended HDL levels are 40 to 60 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) for men and 50 to 60 mg/dL for women. These levels have been shown to protect against heart disease and stroke.

It’s when HDL levels exceed 60 mg/dL that HDL’s heart benefits appear to be reversed. For instance, one study showed people with HDL levels above 60 mg/dL were nearly 50 percent more likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease than people with HDL levels between 41 and 60 mg/dL.

While it’s not clear why high HDL levels may be harmful to the heart, researchers believe they could slow the process of clearing LDL from the arteries. They are also reported to enhance inflammation, which could underlie a range of chronic diseases in older people since systemic inflammation tends to increase with aging.

Other conditions linked to high HDL include thyroid disorders and inflammatory diseases. Now, it looks like high HDL can weaken bones…

High HDL and fracture risk in seniors

Researchers in Australia conducted an analysis of data from the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) clinical trial and the ASPREE-Fracture substudy, to determine whether higher HDL-C levels correlated with increased fracture risk in older adults.  

Study participants had a mean age of 75 and had no evidence of cardiovascular disease, dementia, physical disability or debilitating chronic illness.

Overall, 1,659 of the 16,262 participants with a plasma HDL-C measurement at baseline experienced at least one fracture over a 4-year period.

And there was a connection to HDL…

People with the highest HDL measurements (greater than 74 mg/dL) showed a 33 percent higher risk of fracture than those with the lowest measurements. And each incremental deviation of HDL was associated with a 14 percent higher risk of fracture.

Two previous animal studies may explain why…

In those studies, HDL reduced bone mineral density by lowering the number and function of the osteoblasts that form bone.

Corresponding author Dr. Sultana Monira Hussain of Monash University says the findings “highlight another potential concern with high HDL levels and another likely adverse effect of the drugs that substantially increases plasma HDL levels.”

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Maintaining optimal HDL levels

Given these findings, not to mention that some research has shown an inconsistent link between cholesterol, heart problems and statins, should you avoid using them? Well, it depends.

As always, if you’re currently on medication, don’t stop it without consulting with your doctor. But it might be helpful to get a second opinion.

Cardiologist Dr. Elizabeth Klodas shares here what she tells her patients about statins, starting with that she feels drugs are an incomplete solution and that diet should be the first step.

Dietary changes can be impactful. One study documented that the Mediterranean diet, which is high in nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, beans, unprocessed grains, olive oil, and fish, reduced cardiovascular events in patients with heart disease by a whopping 37 percent. This kind of diet also helps raise low HDL in a natural healthy way.

Sources:

Fracture risk up with higher levels of HDL-C in healthy seniors — Medical Xpress

High HDL-C Levels Linked to Increased Fracture Risk — Medscape

Association of Plasma High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level With Risk of Fractures in Healthy Older Adults — JAMA Cardiology

Can Good Cholesterol Be Too High? — WebMD

The post The strange side effect of too much ‘good’ cholesterol appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There’s good reason for her to be cautious.

At least one study shows that broken bones among older people can increase their risk of death for up to 10 years after the break. And numerous studies have linked hip fracture with higher mortality risk in the elderly.

It’s got me thinking about my bone health as well, and asking questions about what I can do now to ensure stronger bones as I age — ones that hopefully won’t fracture as easily if I were to take an unexpected fall. Because let’s face it, there are only so many things we can control in this life.

Fortunately, one of those things is nutrition, including a crucial nutrient that could cut the risk of fracture drastically…

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The vitamin that can reduce fracture risk

When researchers at Edith Cowan University looked at the relationship between fracture-related hospitalizations and vitamin K1 intake in Australian women over a 14.5-year period, what they discovered was heartening.

Women who consumed more than 100 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K1 daily were 31 percent less likely to have any fracture compared with participants who consumed less than 60 mcg per day — the current guideline for vitamin K intake in Australia. And those who ate the most vitamin K1 cut their risk of hospitalization due to hip fracture by 49 percent.

Study lead Dr. Marc Sim says the results are independent of many established factors for fracture rates, including body mass index, calcium intake, vitamin D status and existing bone-depleting disease.

“Basic studies of vitamin K1 have identified a critical role in the carboxylation of the vitamin K1-dependant bone proteins such as osteocalcin, which is believed to improve bone toughness,” he says. “Vitamin K1 may also promote bone health by inhibiting various bone resorbing agents.”

A previous ECU trial showed dietary intake of less than 100 mcg of vitamin K1 could be too low for this carboxylation to occur, Sim adds.

Getting enough vitamin K1

Given the results of this study, you’ll probably want to add plenty of vitamin K1 to your diet regardless of your age. The more vitamin K1 you consume now, the less your risk of life-altering fracture later in life.

To get 100 mcg of vitamin K1, you would need to eat about 125 grams of dark leafy greens per day. This is relatively easy, since it’s the equivalent of one to two servings.

“It’s another reason to follow public health guidelines, which advocate higher vegetable intake including one to two serves of green leafy vegetables — which is in line with our study’s recommendations,” Sim says.

Foods rich in vitamin K1 include vegetables like spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and green beans and fruits like prunes, kiwi and avocado.

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Rounding out vitamin K for strong bones

If you know anything about vitamin K, you know that there are two forms: K1 and K2. And you may be wondering where vitamin K2 fits into the mix.

Unlike vitamin K1, which is produced by plants, vitamin K2 comes mainly from animal products like egg yolks, cheeses, butter, pork and chicken. There are some subtypes of K2 found in fermented foods, especially natto, a Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans.

Like vitamin K1, vitamin K2 is great for protecting bone health. Specifically, vitamin K2 directs calcium to places it’s needed, like bones, and away from places it’s not, like your arteries. That’s why vitamin K2 is also excellent for keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy and flexible.

In summary, it’s a good idea to include foods sources that help round out your vitamin K intake, getting plenty of both K1 and K2. If you’re a woman, you’ll want to get at least 90 mcg of vitamin K2 every day. If you’re a man, 120 mcg of vitamin K2 is your daily target.

Sources:

Catch a break: higher vitamin K intake linked to lower bone fracture risk late in life — Edith Cowan University

Dietary Vitamin K1 intake is associated with lower long-term fracture-related hospitalization risk: the Perth longitudinal study of ageing women — Food & Function

Broken bones among older people increase risk of death for up to 10 years — Endocrine Society

The post The ‘K’ey nutrient for strong bones when you need them most appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Breaking a hip, especially for people over 60, can be a death sentence. The long period of immobility that follows can bring on all sorts of other health complications.

So, what can you do to prevent a hip fracture?

An observational study of 26,000 women has found that if you’re a regular coffee or tea drinker — you’re a step ahead of the rest of us…

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Coffee or tea plus extra protein reduces hip fracture risk

Food scientists at the University of Leeds have found that women can reduce their risk of hip fracture by 14% if they add just 25g of protein to their daily diet.

But not only that, they can bring that risk down an additional 4 percent for every cup of tea or coffee they drink!

The data used in the study came from the UK Women’s Cohort Study, which recruited participants between 1995 and 1998. At the time they entered the study, the women were between 35 and 69 years old.

The protective benefits of protein were even greater for women who were underweight. For these women, an additional 25g of daily protein was linked to a 45% reduction in the risk of hip fracture.

Because women who are underweight tend to have reduced bone mineral density and muscle mass, the additional protein has an even more dramatic impact on their likelihood of fracturing a hip.

More good news? The protein can come from any source: meat, dairy, eggs, beans, nuts or legumes.

Hopefully, you’re already getting plenty of calcium in your diet, vitamin D and practicing some weight-bearing exercises to support your bone health. But it’s certainly nice knowing your coffee or tea habit has been helping all along as well.

How to get that extra 25 g

It’s not as hard as you might think to add that 25g of protein to your diet.

Here are a few ways to do it:

• Three to four eggs
• A piece of salmon or steak
• Pasta and tomato sauce (3/4 c. pasta, ¼ c. tomato sauce, topped with ¾ ricotta cheese
• ¾ c. tuna salad
• A snack plate with a hard-boiled egg, 1.5 oz. cheddar cheese and 5 multigrain crackers
• A cup of Greek yogurt topped with 2 tbsps. walnuts
• A cup of cottage cheese
• 4 oz. almonds or pistachios
• 3-4 tablespoons of peanut butter

Looks like I’ll be adding a peanut butter sandwich and some yogurt to my afternoon snack routine!

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Why hip fractures are so dangerous

The vast majority of people who suffer hip fractures are over 65. And many factors can increase our fall risk.

But bone density tends to decrease with age, and osteoporosis-related breaks are among the most common types of hip fractures. Just falling off a chair can be enough to break a brittle hip bone.

In our 60s and 70s, we start losing muscle mass — about three percent per year! This, too, makes falls more likely, and recovery from a broken hip more difficult.

It can take anywhere from a few months to a year before you can walk following a hip fracture — and that’s the real danger. The decreased mobility can lead to blood clots in the legs or lungs, pneumonia, or pulmonary embolism, all of which can be fatal to someone in a weakened, post-surgical state.

Of course, there are things that could help you get back up following hip surgery faster — but avoiding that danger altogether is preferable by far. And what’s easier than sipping a cup and enjoying a PB&J?

Sources:

How women can reduce the risk of hip fracture — Eureka Alert

Foods, nutrients and hip fracture risk: A prospective study of middle-aged women — Clinical Nutrition

Hip Fractures — Crystal Run Health Care

Hip fractures: Most elderly unlikely to fully recover — Science Daily

The post What’s in your mug could lower your risk for hip fracture appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Men — especially men over 50 — need to protect their bone health, too.

Even though men in their 50s do not have the same rapid bone loss that women do, by the time men are between 65 and 70, they lose bone mass at the same rate as women. By those ages, both men’s and women’s calcium absorption decreases, bones become more brittle and the skeleton becomes weaker.

Osteoporosis is a silent disease that can progress without symptoms until you get a fracture. And perhaps surprisingly, the risk of an osteoporotic fracture in men is higher than the risk of prostate cancer.

Fractures occur most frequently in the spine, hip and wrist; and they can permanently disable you, accelerating your aging. In fact, men who fracture their hips are more likely to die from complications than women.

It is important to start taking measures to protect bone health early. Osteoporosis is treatable if detected before you lose significant bone loss. Focus on your lifestyle and vitamin D levels. Lifestyle factors that can improve your bone health include getting the right nutrition, doing weight-bearing exercise and being aware of medications you might take that cause bone loss. Managing your chronic diseases properly is essential to protecting your bone strength as well.

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Bone-Loss Risk Factors For Men Include:

• Taking glucocorticoids
• Low T
• Smoking
• Excessive Alcohol
• Lack of exercise
• Age (risk increases with age)
• Race (Caucasian men are at higher risk)
• Chronic diseases affecting kidneys, intestines, lungs and stomach

Nutrition For Bone Health

Focus on getting adequate vitamin D. Your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium and to form the hormone calcitriol, which is known as the active vitamin D. When vitamin D is depleted, you cannot absorb enough calcium from diet and the body takes calcium from your skeleton. This weakens your bones and prevents you from forming strong, new bones.

Your body makes vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. But many men do not get adequate sunlight or adequate vitamin D production, especially as they age. Taking a vitamin D supplement is recommended. Changing hormones and a testosterone deficiency can cause bone loss, so protecting against that bone loss with both vitamin D supplementation and managing your hormone levels naturally is a helpful strategy.

You may be surprised to learn that you should only take a calcium supplement if a doctor advises. According to Erin Michos, MD, MHS, associate director of preventive cardiology for the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, “The body can’t process more than 500 milligrams of calcium at a time. If you take a supplement with more than that, your body has to do something with the excess. It’s possible that higher calcium levels in the blood could trigger blood clots or that calcium could be deposited along artery walls, which would contribute to the narrowing of blood vessels.” 

Food sources of calcium such as spinach, kale, broccoli, almonds, tofu, chia seeds, sesame seeds, figs and white beans supply the body with minerals and micronutrients help assist calcium metabolism and benefit your bone health.

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How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

There is much confusion about how much vitamin D a man needs. But what is very clear is that vitamin D deficiency is related not just to poor bone health but also linked to many other diseases (like heart disease and diabetes) and cancers (such as prostate cancer and colon cancer), so making sure your vitamin D is adequate is an important part of your health. In addition, vitamin D can help with hair growth, brain function, weight and testosterone levels, which are all concerns of most aging men.

It is easy to remedy a vitamin D deficiency. Get 20 minutes of unprotected sunlight every day, and take a daily vitamin D supplement. Almost 45 percent of Americans are deficient. Have your doctor check your vitamin D levels regularly to make sure you are on the right track.

The International Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that adults over 65 should take 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D each day. They also recommend that men who are obese, have osteoporosis, do not absorb vitamin D well or have limited exposure to the sun should take 2,000 IU each day.

The bottom line is to start taking care of your bone health and keeping an eye on your vitamin D and other hormone levels. Whether you are a younger male or over 50, stay active, keep exercising and eat a diet rich in non-dairy, calcium-rich foods.

If you are in a high-risk group or over 70 years old, get a bone mineral density scan. Don’t smoke. And if you drink alcohol, drink no more than two drinks per day. It is important to manage any health conditions you have. Maintaining good, healthy bones is an important part of aging and will help keep you active and strong into your later years.

The post Osteoporosis: Not just a woman’s disease appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So, what can you do to find relief?

The bad news is that modern medicine has no quick fix for osteoarthritis. It’s considered a relatively normal part of aging, and most people are told to pop some painkillers and deal with it. In severe cases, your doctor may recommend cortisone shots or surgery, but both of those come with big risks. Other than that, there’s not much your doctor can do for you.

That’s why it’s incredibly common for people with osteoarthritis to try natural treatments that not only relieve arthritis pain but stop arthritis from progressing. And one of the most promising natural arthritis treatments around is a superstar antioxidant you’ve probably already heard of — resveratrol.

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Resveratrol switches on a critical gene for osteoarthritis prevention

A 2019 research review from Central South University in China found that resveratrol can switch on a gene that may stop the progression of osteoarthritis.

The gene they studied is called sirtuin 1 (SIRT 1). It’s considered a longevity gene and it’s linked to a variety of age-related diseases, including osteoarthritis. SIRT 1 is present in cartilage cells. But factors that drive the development of osteoarthritis, like oxidative stress, nutritional stress and mechanical stress, inhibit SIRT 1’s expression.

In people with osteoarthritis, the level of SIRT 1 is directly connected to the severity of their disease. People with severely degenerated cartilage have less expression of this gene. And having less SIRT 1 leads to even more degeneration. It’s a vicious cycle. But resveratrol may be able to get that SIRT 1 flowing again…

Resveratrol is a proven SIRT 1 activator, which means it can increase the amount of SIRT 1 in cartilage cells. In fact, the more resveratrol you take (up to concentrations of 25 and/or 50 µM), the more SIRT 1 expresses in these cells.

Studies show that in mice with osteoarthritis, resveratrol is successfully able to slow the progression of the disease. And studies in people with osteoarthritis show resveratrol reduces pain, lowers inflammation biomarkers, improves function and decreases symptoms overall.

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How to supplement resveratrol

Now that you know resveratrol offers serious osteoarthritis support, you may be wondering how much you couldd take. In one of the studies included in the research review, people with mild-to-moderate knee arthritis took 500 mg of resveratrol per day, and it helped them quite a bit without triggering any side effects.

If you have more severe arthritis, you may need a higher dose. Research shows resveratrol is relatively safe and well-tolerated in doses up to 5 g per day. Although, if you have other health issues (particularly liver issues), you may better tolerate less. Your best bet is to partner with a trusted natural health practitioner who can help you figure out the right dosage for your specific health situation.

Sources:

1. The role of sirtuin 1 and its activator, resveratrol in osteoarthritis — Bioscience Reports.
2. Osteoarthritis — Mayo Clinic.
3. Sirt1 regulates apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation in resveratrol‑treated osteoarthritis chondrocytes via the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathways — Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine.
4. Resveratrol: A Double-Edged Sword in Health Benefits — Biomedicines.

The post The superstar antioxidant that stops osteoarthritis in its tracks appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And while you would think that would be bad enough, there are lesser-known dangers faced by everyone who has hypertension that can be just as worrisome.

That’s because if you’re living with high blood pressure, you’re also living with significantly increased risks for other conditions, like Alzheimer’s and kidney problems.

Now, according to a team of researchers at Vanderbilt University, there’s one more thing you need to watch out for if you’re a victim of high blood pressure — bone loss.

The relationship between hypertension and bone aging

High blood pressure and osteoporosis are not only prevalent diseases, but people often have both at the same time.

To learn more about the possible connection, researchers compared younger mice with hormone-induced hypertension to older mice without high blood pressure to determine any differences in bone strength and density.

So, what did they find?

“In these mice, being hypertensive at a younger age essentially aged bones as if they were 15-25 human years older,” said the study’s lead author, Elizabeth Maria Hennen.

After just six weeks of high blood pressure, the young mice experienced:

• A 24 percent reduction in bone volume fraction
• An 18 percent reduction in the thickness of the sponge-like trabecular bone located at the end of long bones, such as femurs and the spinal column
• A 34 percent reduction in estimated failure force, or the ability of bones to withstand different types of force, which can lead to vertebral fractures in later life

“It appeared that high blood pressure was adjusting the bone remodeling process toward bone loss, rather than bone gain or bone equilibrium, in the hypertensive young mice. As a result, bones will be weaker, leading to an increased risk for osteoporosis and fragility fracture. In humans, this might mean that we should screen for osteoporosis in people with high blood pressure,” she added.

Combatting high blood pressure and bone loss

Put simply, high blood pressure speeds up bone loss, making your bones older than your years.

This means that if you want to keep your bones strong, you have to take steps to keep your blood pressure in the green zone.

This includes eating a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet, that’s even been shown to keep a second heart attack away.

It also means maintaining a healthy weight, which can lower your risk of high blood pressure by a whopping 40 percent.

In the Rotterdam Study of almost 11,000 participants, researchers found that:

• Those with the highest vitamin K2 intake had low calcium amounts in their aortas — the biggest blood vessels in the body. That means less chance of a buildup to block arteries and increase blood pressure.
• Higher vitamin K2 intake led to a 57 percent lower risk of death from heart disease and a 52 percent lower risk of calcification of the arteries.

The fact that vitamin K2 helps flush calcium away from arteries is a big clue to how it promotes bone health: It helps shuttle excess calcium in the bloodstream to areas of the body where it’s needed — like our bones.

No wonder numerous studies have shown a link between dietary vitamin K2 intake and higher bone density mass and lower bone fracture rates.

This makes vitamin K2 a one-two punch for people with hypertension who want to support better blood pressure and better bone health.

Sources:

High blood pressure may accelerate bone aging — ScienceDaily

Vitamin K and Bone Health: A Review on the Effects of Vitamin K Deficiency and Supplementation and the Effect of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants on Different Bone Parameters — NIH

Vitamins K1 and K2: The Emerging Group of Vitamins Required for Human Health — NIH

Vitamins for Bone Health — American Bone Health

The post Why high blood pressure means low bone density appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There’s a reason some people would ask.

For years, drug companies and even doctors have pushed the idea that taking vitamins and other supplements is a waste of time and money. Your own doctor may have scoffed at the notion that supplements can have an impact on your health.

One doctor memorably told me that all supplements do is create expensive urine.

But I knew better…

Time and again, research has proven supplement skeptics wrong. I’ve seen it, read it, dug through it — at first because of my family history of heart problems.  

But I kept at it because I saw proof that prevention is the best medicine — and that it is the expensive drugs and treatments forced on us after we’re sick that are a waste of money.

And now there’s vindication of all of that…

A report released by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) reveals that not only could many medical events related to chronic conditions be avoided in the first place — but billions of dollars in U.S. healthcare costs could be slashed… including what comes out of your wallet, thanks to supplements.

The role of supplements in preventive care: A “no-brainer”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that more than 75 percent of healthcare spending in the U.S. is for people with chronic conditions. These diseases also cost the country more than $260 billion a year in lost workforce productivity.

Meanwhile, the U.S. currently invests less than three percent of total healthcare expenditures on preventive care.

But according to Dr. Andrea Wong, senior VP of scientific and regulatory affairs at CRN, “A steadily growing body of clinical research shows investing in preventive care through supplementation helps Americans avoid chronic conditions.”

Wong adds, “This strategy is what we call a no-brainer.”

According to the Supplements to Savings report, supplement use already captures $59 billion in healthcare cost savings. However, if specific dietary supplement ingredients were more widely used, it could potentially save hundreds of billions more.

“This report is a wake-up call to American healthcare policymakers,” says Michael Meirovitz, CRN’s director of government relations. “We must shift our public policy and healthcare spending priorities so American taxpayers can have better health — and pay less for it.”

Better health for less: Here’s the proof

The report reviewed the evidence on a handful of dietary supplements among people at high risk for certain conditions — and concluded: Supplementing can reduce direct and indirect medical costs from several chronic conditions.

In other words, supplementing has enough of a health impact that it cuts down on visits to physicians’ offices, hospitals, ERs, procedures, treatments and prescription medications, as well.

Here’s what they found, specifically…

Vitamin D and Calcium: A preventive regimen of calcium and vitamin D in populations at high risk of osteoporosis could prevent 361,507 avoidable medical events. This amounts to yearly net savings of $179.32 billion, with an additional $155.41 billion in savings estimated to occur among high-risk Americans already taking these supplements.

Probiotics: If the high-risk population for irritable bowel syndrome took preventive levels of probiotics, over 397 million hours of missed work would be prevented. That’s yearly savings of $110.22 billion on top of the $94.83 billion taking place among those already taking probiotics.

Vitamins B6, B9 and B12: If those at high risk of cognitive decline supplement these B vitamins at preventive levels, 270,642 avoidable medical events would be prevented. This would result in net savings of $109.93 billion annually. Those at high risk of cognitive decline already supplementing with vitamins B6, B9 and B12 are already generating estimated net savings of $97.64 billion per year.

Vitamin K2, omega-3s, magnesium and dietary fiber: If the high-risk population for coronary artery disease takes these four supplements at a preventive level, it could prevent between 81,236 and 301,539 avoidable medical events. This amounts to yearly net savings of between $13.3 billion and $85.3 billion. Savings of between $12.66 billion and $83.84 billion are estimated to occur in the target population already taking these supplements.

Choline: If the target population for childhood cognitive development disorders were to receive a preventive dose of choline, it would prevent an estimated 57,128 avoidable medical events and result in $1.08 billion in net savings per year. The high-risk population already taking choline is projected to generate annual savings of $1.07 billion.

Lutein and zeaxanthin: If populations at high risk for age-related macular degeneration were to take these two supplements at preventive intake levels, 21,718 avoidable medical events would be prevented, amounting to annual savings of $959.2 million. That’s in addition to the $942.7 million in savings already taking place among those taking lutein and zeaxanthin at recommended dosages.

Healthwise and pennywise: Supplements are effective

Just so you know, the creators of the report did their homework — and not just the math…

To determine the healthcare cost savings, they first had to determine the risk reduction metric for each of the supplements assessed. That meant collecting a comprehensive set of studies representing the “totality of evidence of efficacy” for a given dietary supplement’s effects on the relative risk of specific disease events.

That included:

• A review of the scientific literature related to the given chronic disease and the dietary supplement of interest.
• Identification of a representative set of qualified studies that investigated a causal relationship between supplement intake and the incidence of specific health conditions of interest.
• Weighting and aggregation of the qualified study findings to determine an overall expected impact of dietary supplement intervention on disease event occurrence.

It wouldn’t be a reach to say that this may have been the most comprehensive study to date on the effectiveness of supplements — healthwise and pennywise.

Does this mean we’ll start hearing less from the supplement naysayers? I doubt it…

There’s more money to be made in treating sick people than in keeping them well. And that’s exactly why they’ll keep warning you off supplements.

Sources:

1. CRN Foundation’s New Economic Report Details Billions of Potential Savings in U.S. Health Care Costs — CRN

2. Health Care Cost Savings from the Targeted Use of Dietary Supplements 2022–2030 — CRN

The post Supplements could save billions in health costs report shows appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Out of the crowd shines the vibrant red, yellow and orange tones. And have you ever wondered how they manage to achieve these vibrant shades?

It’s all due to carotenoids…

Carotenoids are the pigments responsible for the bright colors of fruits and vegetables. But more than giving them their beautiful hues, carotenoids are powerful antioxidants with a serious capacity to scavenge free radicals and protect your body’s cells and tissues from oxidative damage.

There are six major carotenoids — beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene. And you’ll be amazed to discover that these carotenoids provide some seriously important health benefits…

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Protect your eyesight

Carotenoids can help protect your eyes against one of the leading causes of blindness, a condition called Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

In a large study following a collective of 102,046 participants for 24-26 years, higher consumption of two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) was shown to lower the risk of developing advanced AMD by 41 percent.

Lutein and zeaxanthin have the ability to stand guard and absorb a substantial amount of the blue light that causes macular damage. And the antioxidant properties of these carotenoids also shield the eyes from the oxidative effects after blue light exposure has already occurred.

Researchers suggest you need to consume at least 6 mg of carotenoids each day to gain these benefits. And you can easily do this by eating one sweet corn cob and one cup of summer or winter squash.

Prevent osteoporosis

Due to hormonal changes that occur during menopause, women over 50 are at greater risk of bone loss and osteoporosis. Thankfully, beta-cryptoxanthin is a carotenoid that can help prevent both these outcomes from occurring…

Beta-cryptoxanthin (found in peppers, pumpkin, spinach, papaya and tangerine) works to inhibit osteoclast cells from breaking down bone tissue in your body.

In fact, when researchers examined 457 postmenopausal women, those with the highest levels of the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin in their blood had a 93 percent lower risk of osteoporosis.

Another study found that out of 946 participants, those who consumed a higher amount of carotenoids (23.7 mg per day) had a 51 percent lower risk of hip fractures than those who consumed the lowest amount of carotenoids (7.3 mg or less per day).

To put these numbers into perspective, let’s note that consuming just one cup of spinach (13.8 mg) and drinking one cup of carrot juice (22 mg) would put you well over the 23.7 mg daily goal for carotenoids that you just saw above.

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Combat cardiovascular disease

Carotenoids have the unique ability to become soluble in both fat and water, which means they can circulate in lipids, cholesterol and fats in your body. This means carotenoids have the unique ability to directly influence arteries, decreasing thickness and stiffening that may lead to the development of atherosclerosis, one of the most common types of heart disease.

And according to researchers, the ability of carotenoids to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation has the potential to cut your risk of coronary heart disease by 12 percent, and your risk of stroke by 18 percent!

All you have to do to gain all the benefits that carotenoids have to offer is shop smart — head to the fresh produce section and fill your cart with brightly colored vegetables.

Top 10 carotenoid-rich foods

1. Carrots
2. Tomato
3. Pumpkin
4. Kale
5. Vegetable juice
6. Collards
7. Spinach
8. Sweet potato
9. Turnip greens
10. Apricots

The post Triple your disease protection with carotenoids appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

As my colleague, Joyce Hollman, points out, it’s a “machine” that keeps your body’s “home” running smoothly and in good health — not to mention the vital jobs that only it can do.

If your liver goes down, so do you.

It’s a fact that’s as true for your bones as it is for every other part of your body.

In fact, if you’re experiencing bone loss, problems with bone density or are worried about suffering from weak bones and fractures, your liver health, or lack of it, could be to blame.

Chronic liver injury leads to chronic bone problems

In fact, there’s even a term for bone problems caused by poor liver health.

Hepatic osteodystrophy disease (HOD) is a kind of metabolic bone disease that occurs in patients with chronic liver disorders. It involves issues like bone loss, bone density reduction and destruction of bone structure.

Yet, while doctors are aware of the problem, they weren’t exactly sure why it happens.

And that’s where a team of researchers from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences came in.

The researchers took a deep dive into the molecular mechanisms behind bone loss caused by chronic liver injury, discovering not only why your liver plays such an important role in your bone health, but also a possible therapeutic target to stop the loss.

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The liver-bone axis

The scientists specifically looked at what they call the “liver-bone axis”. It’s the mechanism by which external stimuli, such as viruses, alcohol and even prescription drugs cause chronic liver damage, which then affects bone metabolism.

When the axis tilts the wrong way, osteoporosis and fractures can be a short step behind.

And what the scientists found was an enzyme called PP2Acα.

PP2Acα is responsible for helping your body heal under normal circumstances by activating cells called macrophages to gobble up foreign invaders, damaged cells and other things your body is better rid of.

But in the case of chronic liver injury, PP2Acα in the body goes up and stays up, destroying good bone along with damaged cells.

You could consider it a case of a good process taken too far.

Luckily, by making this discovery, the scientists were also able to find a way to stop it – at least eventually.

You see, they were able to pinpoint a liver factor, known as LCAT, which can protect the bones in face of that PP2Acα, while also guarding the liver.

“LCAT mediates bone metabolism by maintaining appropriate intracellular cholesterol levels and improves liver function by reversing cholesterol transport from bone tissues to the liver,” said Dr. LU Ke, first author of the study.

They hope that this discovery will lead to new therapeutic drugs to stop bone loss.

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Avoiding liver disease

In the meantime, focus on keeping your liver healthy.

Since the bone loss starts due to chronic liver issues, such as fatty liver disease, caring for your liver could help protect your bones.

Look for signs that your liver may be in trouble and take steps to give it the support it needs like:

• Skipping foods that can harm the organ and eating a liver-healthy diet
• Boosting your liver health with supplements like Chaya and N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
• Using antioxidants that promote gentle liver detox

Your liver health and your bone health go hand-in-hand. So why not do everything you can to keep them in tip-top shape?

If you currently have liver disease, consult with your doctor before taking any supplement.

Sources:

Scientists reveal how chronic liver injury causes bone loss – EurekAlert!

The post Poor liver health could be destroying your bones appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s because some studies have shown that body fat had either a positive or neutral effect on bone health. For this reason, people who fit this bill were less likely to be screened for osteoporosis.

So, while carrying around extra weight doesn’t thrill anyone, at least we thought there may have been an upside for our bone density.

But what if it was all a mistake?

Well, that’s exactly what research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism has revealed. Especially when it comes to men’s bone health…

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Extra risk, with no reward

Researchers from the University of Chicago Medicine delved into the connection between body weight and bone mineral density. Despite what the past research has shown, they theorized there was something more going on — and they were right…

That something was the difference between lean body weight and fat mass.

In other words, “Our research suggests that the effect of body weight depends on a person’s makeup of lean and fat mass, and that high body weight alone is not a guarantee against osteoporosis,” according to lead researcher Rajesh K. Jain, M.D.

To come to this conclusion, they analyzed the bone mineral density and body composition data of almost 11,000 men and women under the age of 60 who took part in a national health survey between 2011 and 2018.

They found a strong positive association between lean mass and bone mineral density in both men and women. Conversely, fat mass had a moderately negative association with bone mineral density — especially in men.

“Health care providers should consider osteoporosis screening for patients with high body weight, especially if they have other risk factors like older age, previous fracture, family history, or steroid use,” Jain said.

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Forewarned is forearmed

Traditionally, advice for improving bone density has been geared toward women. So it’s no wonder that men may feel left out in this area.

Hopefully, this research will remedy that situation and more doctors will pay closer attention to their male patient’s bone density and weight.

Also — traditionally — vitamin D is the most suggested vitamin to help improve bone health — regardless of sex. And a big plus, since this study ties together the bone density/body fat problem, vitamin D has also been shown to help in weight loss.

But based on this study, and others you may not be familiar with, vitamin D carries even more benefits that are very specific to male health.

According to Dr. Geo Espinoza, a naturopathic functional medicine doctor, recognized as an authority in men’s health, vitamin D is “the” vitamin every man needs. Here are just a few reasons why…

• Prostate health: Studies have found that vitamin D helps men lower their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. Another way vitamin D can help prostate health is by lowering the risk for enlarged prostate.
• Heart health: Vitamin D and cardiovascular health are closely related. Not only can vitamin D lower your risk for developing cardiovascular disease, according to one study it can lower your risk for a heart attack by 33 percent and heart failure by 20 percent.

And according to another male health expert, there’s a pretty strong connection between erectile dysfunction and low vitamin D levels.

So, if you’re a guy carrying a little extra body fat and now know that could cause harm to your bones, it’s time to get serious about vitamin D levels.

But pay attention to the kind of vitamin D you supplement. Very recent research has shown that vitamin D2 is practically a dud, and vitamin D3, which is the type produced by sunlight exposure — has the most impact on human health.

Sources:

Men with high levels of body fat may be at risk for osteoporosis — Endocrine Society

The post The scientific myth putting men’s bones in danger appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

However, while menopause isn’t always a walk in the park, everything post-menopause isn’t always bad news — a point made clear by research from the University of Eastern Finland.

In fact, according to those scientists, one of our biggest concerns when going through the change — loss of bone density — isn’t half as bad as previously thought…

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25-year follow-up yields encouraging results

The researchers performed an impressive feat, following a total of 14,200 women between the ages of 47 to 56 for a whopping 25 years, who completed health surveys. An additional 3,000 women also went through bone density measurements at those five-year marks. All of this ensured that the research was hands-down the world’s longest follow-up of changes in bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.

And overall, they found that “The average decrease in bone mineral density was lower than has been assumed on the basis of earlier, shorter follow-ups where the bone loss rate at the femoral neck has been estimated to be even more than 20 percent.”

So what was the actual percentage by which bone mineral density goes down after menopause?

Well, the researchers say that their measurements show an average decrease of just 10 percent over a full 25 years — way different than that 20 percent plus we’ve all been told to expect.

What to do with this information

It’s certainly a relief to know that if you’re already post-menopausal, you’ve hopefully lost less bone density than you may have thought.

But the loss of bone density is still a fact of life. Women have smaller, thinner and less dense bones than men. Women also live longer than men and our lifespan may get even longer with advances in medicine and nutrition.

And if you don’t want to spend those extra years sitting on the sidelines due to frailty, it just makes sense to continue to do the things that not only help your bones — but your overall health — including:

#1 – Strength training

Research has linked weightlifting and strength training to bone health due to the ability of this type of exercise to promote new bone growth and help support the existing bone structure.

#2 – Eating more veggies

One study in postmenopausal women found that those who ate more than nine servings of veggies such as broccoli and cabbage had less bone turnover and reduced calcium loss than women who consumed fewer vegetables.

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#3 – Getting adequate calcium in your diet

It’s no secret that calcium is vital to bone health. You can find the calcium you need for strong bones in foods like sardines, yogurt, cheese and kale.

However, while calcium is well-known, most of us forget to also increase another mineral that works with calcium for bone support — phosphorus. You should plan on approximately 700 mg per day of this mineral from foods like salmon, almonds, eggs and peanuts.

In fact, the combination of these two bone health powerhouses is as effective as exercise in maintaining dense, healthy bones.

#4 – Don’t forget vitamin K2

Be sure to get more vitamin K2 in your diet since this nutrient is necessary for binding minerals like calcium to your bones and ensuring that they aren’t sent to your arteries where they can cause stiffness and high blood pressure.

#5 – Vitamin D still matters

Of course, vitamin D is important to help your body absorb calcium, but that’s far from its only benefit. Vitamin D has important roles in cancer, immunity, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular and respiratory health, obesity, diabetes, muscle function and aging.

#6 – Enjoy your coffee

Drinking coffee is significantly associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis in men and premenopausal women. What’s responsible for this phenomenon? The anti-inflammatory polyphenol known as chlorogenic acid.

Sources:

11 ways to increase bone density naturally — MedicalNewsToday

Bone mineral density decreases less than expected after menopause — EurekAlert!

The post Good news for your bones if you’ve passed menopause appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

When it comes to bone health, it’s crucial to combine calcium with vitamin D, or else your body won’t properly absorb the mineral. You also need to be getting enough magnesium, as it helps convert vitamin D into its active form for optimal calcium absorption.

The trace mineral zinc is also good for your bones. Zinc supports bone-building cells while inhibiting the formation of cells that encourage the body to break down bone.

But copper may be the forgotten trace mineral that’s instrumental for bone health. Copper plays a key part in cross-linking collagen, a significant component of bone tissue’s extracellular matrix, with elastin to produce bone. The mineral also supports the growth and function of osteoblasts, the cells responsible for synthesizing and mineralizing bone.

In fact, researchers are uncovering more evidence as to just how critical copper is for protecting against bone loss….

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More copper improves bone density

A study found that individuals with higher dietary copper intake have better bone mineral density and are less likely to develop osteoporosis than those with low copper levels.

The study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The subjects were divided into four quartiles, ranging from lowest to highest dietary and total copper intake.

Results showed copper intake was independently associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis, and that there was a link between increased levels of copper and higher total spine/femur bone mineral density.

When examining the connection between increased total spine bone mineral density and higher copper levels, the researchers found this association only in women participants, not in men.

Of the 8,224 participants in the study, 4.3% met the diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis. The patients with osteoporosis tended to be older, more emaciated women with hypertension who were taking prednisone or cortisone. Patients without osteoporosis were found to consume higher levels of dietary or total copper.

The researchers note that this is one of the few studies to investigate the relationship between copper status and bone mineral density in adults. Previous observational studies have examined the link between serum copper and osteoporosis, and some animal studies have found that copper consumption is associated with improved bone strength.

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Getting the right balance of copper

If you have a copper deficiency, it’s important to correct it to maintain good health. In addition to its role in bone health, copper is essential for immune system support and the proper growth, development, and maintenance of the brain, heart and other organs. It can even help with shedding excess fat and provide an energy boost.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that adults over 19 get 900 micrograms of copper daily. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need more and should be consuming 1,000 micrograms and 1,300 micrograms per day, respectively.

But with copper, you need to be careful not to overdo it. Having too much copper in the body can cause problems like abdominal pain, cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even liver damage. The NIH cautions adults not to get more than 10,000 micrograms of copper per day.

To maintain this balance, it’s probably best to avoid taking copper in supplement form, since a supplement could tip the scale toward too much. Stick with eating these copper-rich foods:

• Shellfish (especially oysters)
• Leafy greens (especially kale)
• Nuts and seeds (especially pecans and hazelnuts)
• Seeds (especially sesame seeds, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds)
• Mushrooms
• Beans
• Liver
• Dates and figs
• Avocados
• Goat cheese
• Dark chocolate

Sources:

Copper Intake Positively Associated With Bone Mineral Density and Negatively Associated With Osteoporosis Risk — Rheumatology Advisor

Associations of Copper Intake with Bone Mineral Density and Osteoporosis in Adults: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey — Biological Trace Element Research

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Osteoblast — Britannica

The post Osteoporosis: The forgotten mineral that lowers the risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But now, approaching 65, I am more concerned about falling and breaking a hip than I have ever been.

According to research, women between the ages of 65-69 who break a hip are five times more likely to die — within a year — than women of the same age who don’t break a hip.

Research also indicates that a fracture can be more deadly than cancer.

Women are more prone to osteoporosis — the condition where the creation of new bone slows too much to keep up with the bone tissue you lose as you age.

But men, too, are at risk of softer, weaker bones as they age, which can cause a fractured hip, pelvis, or other bone, from even simple, everyday movements.

And other factors are closely associated with broken bones…

A recent study has identified 10 factors that can add up to a 30 percent higher chance you’ll suffer a fracture in the next two decades.

Some of them are beyond your control. But others are things you can address now to prevent broken bones later on.

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10 things that make you a target for a bone fracture

1 and 2. Age and gender. According to American Bone Health (formerly the Foundation for Osteoporosis Research and Education), age and gender are the biggest risk factors for fractures.

Even at their strongest, women’s bones are smaller and less dense than men’s. Also, women lose more bone density as they age due to the loss of estrogen.

However, their research also says that 25 percent of men over age 50 will have a fracture sometime in their life.

3. Weight. While being slightly overweight may have some protective effect against hip fractures, significant overweight or obesity seems to have quite the opposite effect.

It’s thought that belly fat produces inflammatory compounds detrimental to bone. Also, being overweight is associated with diabetes, which increases fracture risk.

4. Leisure-time physical activity. By studying twins who differed in their habitual physical activity levels, researchers determined that regular leisure-time physical activity increases bone thickness and weight-bearing capabilities, thus preventing fractures.

5. Smoking. Smoking is one of the surest ways to weaken your bones. Smoking reducethe s blood supply to the bones. It decreases the absorption of calcium and breaks down estrogen more quickly. And, nicotine slows down the production of osteoblasts (bone-forming cells).

6. Alcohol. Heavy drinking also interferes with the absorption of calcium through its effect on the liver, which is important for activating Vitamin D, which in turn is necessary for calcium absorption.

7 and 8. Family history or previous fracture. If you have a history of a family member suffering a fracture after the age of 50, you’re at higher risk. And if you’ve previously suffered a fracture, your risk of that happening again increases as well.

9. Living alone. People who live alone have a higher risk of hip fractures. Factors that may contribute are poor diet and less physical activity. People living alone may skip cooking nutritious meals and may feel uncomfortable about attending social activities alone. Reach out and join a senior center if this sounds like you.

10. Heavy work. Whether it’s a job or tasks you like to do around the house, heavy work is tied to bone fractures. Take extra caution and avoid doing heavy work at home alone. Invite a friend over to help.

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Nutritional help for avoiding fractures

As with so many things, your diet can play a huge part in preventing fractures.

Make sure to include the following nutrients in your diet daily.

Vitamin K2. Low vitamin K intake is a strong risk factor for hip fracture and low bone mass. Vitamin K2 is essential for regulating where calcium ends up in the body — in the bone where it belongs, and not in other tissues.

These vitamins are an emerging group of vitamins that fight unhealthy contributors of aging, including bone loss.

Vitamin K2 is found in natto, sauerkraut, egg yolk, cheese, liver and butter.

Calcium. Calcium isn’t just found in dairy products. Dark, leafy greens like spinach and kale have lots of calcium. So do sardines, and many seeds (ex., sesame and poppy seeds). You might talk to your doctor about your calcium levels. It’s generally best to maintain calcium through diet unless your doctor advises supplements.

Vitamin D. A deficiency of vitamin D exacerbates osteoporosis, causes the painful bone disease osteomalacia and increases muscle weakness, which worsens the risk of falls and fractures. Your doctor can check your levels, but up to 40 percent of Americans have insufficient levels, and supplementing is safe.

Magnesium. Without adequate magnesium, your body cannot absorb and store calcium. Greens, beans, peas, nuts and whole grains are good sources of magnesium.

One last note: Some medications can increase your fall risk. If you feel insecure on your feet, talk to your doctor about medications you may be taking.

Sources:

Certain factors are linked with an elevated risk of bone fractures — Eureka Alert

Danger After Hip Fractures — Web MD

Fracture Risk Factors — americanbonehealth.org

What your weight tells you about your bones — betterbones.com

Long‐Term Leisure Time Physical Activity and Properties of Bone: A Twin Study — Journal of Bone and Mineral Research

Smoking and Musculoskeletal Health — Ortho Info (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

The role of vitamin D for bone health and fracture prevention — Current Osteoporosis Reports

The post 10 factors that increase bone fracture risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And, if you end up in this group, one of the most vital things you can do is to regain your mobility. It’s a step that helps you remain independent and capable of living on your own. And it also significantly reduces your risk of death.

Now, a brand new study has found what could be the key to getting your mobility back after surgery. And it’s all wrapped up in your levels of one particular vitamin.

Improving your chances of walking post-surgery

The study, led by scientists at Rutgers University was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. And the results demonstrate that vitamin D deficiency can limit mobility in older adults.

Yup, if you don’t have enough of the sunshine vitamin floating around in your bloodstream, your chances of walking again following hip surgery plummet.

The study followed patients 65 or older in the United States and Canada to measure the effects of vitamin D levels in blood serum on mobility. Specifically, it keyed in on death rate or the inability to walk just 10 feet (or across a room) without someone’s help after surgery.

And it found that vitamin D levels above 12 nanograms per milliliter are associated with a higher rate of walking at both 30 and 60 days after hip fracture surgery.

“This matters because vitamin D deficiency and malnutrition are common disorders in elderly patients with hip fractures and often occur together since both are complications of poor nutrition,” said senior author Sue Shapses, a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

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The Goldilocks dilemma

Specifically, the scientists are recommending that seniors take 800 international units (IUs) of vitamin D daily (the RDA set by the Institutes of Health) because previous research has shown that amount can decrease falls and fractures.

Why is this important?

Because a Rutgers- led study published last year indicated that taking high levels of vitamin D (4,000 IU a day) compared to 600 IUs may reduce reaction time, potentially increasing the risk for fracture.

However, if you’re deficient, you could need more to correct the deficiency before tapering off to a low daily RDA dose — especially if you’re working against factors that rob you of vitamin D, like obesity, darker skin, age (older people are less efficient vitamin D producers than the young) and the health of your gut, liver and kidneys.

To know where to start, your doctor can perform a simple blood test to measure your blood levels of vitamin D. According to the Endocrine Society, the preferred test is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D, written as 25(OH)D. Then, your doctor may have supplementation recommendations that fall in line with what the Endocrine Society suggests as well.

And they suggest adults over the age of 18 who are found to be deficient be treated with 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 once a week for eight weeks or the equivalent of 6,000 IU of D3 daily to achieve a blood level of 25(OH)D above 30 ng/mL, followed by maintenance therapy of 1,500-2,000 IU/day.

If you could be at risk for a vitamin D deficiency, talk to your doctor to get tested and avoid this danger.

Sources:

Vitamin D boosts chances of walking after hip fracture – ScienceDaily

9 things that can undermine your vitamin D level — Harvard Health Publishing

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms and Treatment — Medicinenet.com

The post The vitamin that gets you on your feet following hip surgery appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Or do we?

After all, when you think of high blood pressure, what comes to mind?

Well, for most people, the answer would be something like heart disease, stroke, heart attack, or maybe even an aneurysm.

And they would be right. But they’d also be missing something. That’s because not all of the dangers of out-of-control blood pressure are so well known.

Here are four health problems that could result from high blood pressure.

#1 – Kidney failure

High blood pressure has a profound and often deadly effect on your blood vessels that extends far beyond your heart. If your blood pressure is in the red zone, it can result in hardening and narrowing of the vessels that supply your kidneys, which play a vital role in ridding your body of waste and fluid buildup.

When this happens, the tiny structures in your kidneys called nephrons that work as your body’s filtration system are starved of the nutrients and oxygen-bearing blood they need to function properly. The longer this goes on, the more likely you are to suffer complete kidney failure.

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#2 – Eye problems

Just as high blood pressure affects blood flow to your kidneys, leading to long-term damage, your pressure problems can also reduce blood flow to both your eyes — specifically to your retina and optic nerves.

This can result in blurred vision at the lower end of the spectrum or even total vision loss at the extreme end. High blood pressure can even cause a buildup of fluid beneath the retina, leading to scarring and increased vision problems.

#3 – Sexual problems for both men and women

No matter what your sex, high blood pressure can lead to problems in the bedroom.

For men, the lower blood flow that comes with high blood pressure, includes the blood flow your penis needs to not only get but keep a strong, healthy erection. High blood pressure problems in women can mean a reduced sex drive, lack of arousal and even difficulty climaxing.

#4 – Bone loss

Finally, high blood pressure can even weaken your bones over time, leaving you at risk for fractures from even otherwise small falls or injuries. That’s because people with high blood pressure actually excrete more calcium in their urine than those with normal pressure, depriving their bones of the mineral they need to remain strong.

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Keeping your blood pressure healthy for life

Clearly, high blood pressure is dangerous to far more than just your heart.

This means that if you want to stay total body wellness, maintaining a healthy pressure is the way to go.

Here’s what the experts recommend to keep your blood pressure in the green zone:

#1 – Exercise regularly

Exercise is so important to keep your blood vessels and your blood pressure healthy that the Mayo Clinic dubs it “A drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressure.”

Just by becoming more active, you can lower your systolic blood pressure (the top number in your reading) by an average of four to nine mm Hg. That makes exercise just as effective as some blood pressure medications.

The key is to do a combination of aerobic activity and flexibility and strengthening exercises each week. For aerobics, you can choose anything from household chores and walking to swimming, jogging, and playing tennis.  For stretching and strengthening, add in yoga or hit the weight machines.

#2 – Diet wisely

While the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is widely recommended for controlling high blood pressure, it is possible to maintain healthy blood pressure with small, simple changes to your daily eating habits.

And one of those options is to add more prebiotic fiber to your diet, like:

• Chicory root
• Leeks
• Onions
• Asparagus
• Dandelion greens
• Konjac root

Adding more beets or beetroot to your meals is another way to keep your blood pressure healthy. Beets are a great way to amp us the nitric oxide production in your blood vessels, helping them to relax. And when that happens, blood flows more smoothly and your heart doesn’t have to pump so hard, which equals lower blood pressure.

#3 – Supplement strategically

Finally, certain supplements can help you support healthy blood pressure for life, including:

• Omega-3s — Studies have backed up the power of the omega-3s found in fish oil to not only keep blood pressure optimal, but to lower it. I like krill oil, which delivers high levels of these essential fatty acids, without the worry of the toxins found in other fish sources.
• Vitamin D3 — 5,000 IU per day of D3 is recommended to keep your blood pressure on track.
• CoQ10 — Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 is credited with reducing blood pressure an average of 12 to 25 points. The magic number for dosing? 55- 60 mg of CoQ10 per day.
• Beet powder — This goes back to what we said under the diet section. Beets are key to nitric oxide production to keep your blood vessels relaxed. But if you don’t see yourself eating the root veggies daily, a fermented beetroot powder is a great way to go.

Keeping your blood pressure healthy keeps your whole body healthy. So use the tips above and start working toward better blood pressure today.

Sources:

What High Blood Pressure Can Do To Your Body — WebMD

Exercise: A drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressure — Mayo Clinic

HOW TO ‘BEET’ HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE — Easy Health Options

THE MOST IMPORTANT NUTRIENT FOR LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE — Easy Health Options

5 SUPPLEMENTS FOR NATURALLY HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE — Easy Health Options

The post 4 serious but lesser-known dangers of high blood pressure appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Breaking any bone is painful and frightening. However, more than 53 million Americans age 50 and older are at risk for osteoporosis due to low bone density. Women are especially vulnerable to hip fractures, especially after menopause, and men, too, in older age.

You see the commercials about bisphosphonates that are supposed to reduce the risk, but is the drug safe and effective?

The goal of oral bisphosphonate medications is to slow down the rate of bone thinning, resulting in stronger bones that are less likely to break. But then again, it comes with an increased risk of causing atypical femur fractures. Talk about scary. Imagine getting a bone fracture with little force or trauma after taking the drug for an average of three years. 

That’s why researchers are trying to determine how helpful or practical they are, especially for women who use them long-term.

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Bisphosphonate therapy: How effective for how long?

A recent Kaiser Permanente study concluded that women taking oral bisphosphonates for more than seven years gained no additional benefit in preventing hip fractures.

The research was conducted in a retrospective cohort study of nearly 30,000 women who completed five years of oral bisphosphonate treatment versus women who continued treatment for two additional years.

Here’s what they found. The 5-year cumulative hip fracture incidence was as follows:

• Discontinued use after initial 5 years: 23.0 hip fractures per 1,000 individuals
• Took a 6-month break from medication, plus 2 additional years back on: 20.8 per 1,000 individuals
• Continued for 5 additional years: 26.8 per 1,000 individuals

The group with the slightly lower ratio of hip fractures appeared to be the patients who took a break from the medication before starting it back up for an additional two years.

Additionally, after the initial five years of treatment, 37 percent of the women were diagnosed with osteoporosis. In following up with those women five years after treatment, 507 had experienced hip fractures.

A Task Force of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research recommended in 2015 that low-risk patients should consider a bisphosphonate “drug holiday” after five continuous years of treatment. But on the other hand, women at high risk for fractures should continue with ongoing treatment.

But the researchers involved in this Kaiser Permanente study pointed out that benefits beyond five years of continued treatment remain largely a mystery.

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Natural ways to boost bone health

If you currently take these medications, talk to your doctor about your concerns. It can certainly be confusing to decipher the data from these studies. But what’s obvious is that researchers aren’t sure if any benefits go away and possibly contribute to fractures, depending on the length of treatment with these drugs.

Fortunately, there are several natural ways to boost bone health, so let’s start there…

Regular exercise is critical for flexibility and healthy bones and doesn’t require a fancy gym club membership.

That’s because walking, jogging, hiking, dancing and even climbing stairs are weight-bearing exercises — and this kind of exercise has been shown to slow bone loss. Some studies have shown this kind of exercise can also build bone by stimulating extra deposits of calcium and nudging bone-forming cells, according to Harvard Health.

The proper nutrition can help you increase bone density, support structural health, and maintain your bone health as you age.

Here are foods and natural supplements that help build healthy bones…

• Eat plenty of green and yellow vegetables, one of the best sources of vitamin C, to stimulate bone-forming cell production.
• Consume calcium through food sources, unless directed by a physician to supplement it. Here’s why it matters.
• Add berries to your diet. The University of Connecticut found that supplementing a powdered form of a tart berry known as blackcurrants can reduce post-menopausal bone loss and prevent osteoporosis.
• Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 help your body absorb calcium and phosphorus, which are critical minerals for maintaining bone health. Vitamin K2 is especially helpful at helping channel calcium to places in the body where it’s needed, like the bones, so less calcium is in the bloodstream where it can collect in artery plaque. You can read more about how K2 fights unhealthy aging here.

Sources:

Long- Term Oral Bisphosphonates Get Little Love in Study — MedPagetoday

Hip Fractures Among Older Adults — CDC.gov

The post Bisphosphonates for bone health: Therapy or fracture risk? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This vibrating platform is producing whole-body vibration (WBV), a form of passive exercise for improving neuromuscular performance. But can whole-body vibration replace other types of exercise to optimize fitness?

A brief history of whole-body vibration

The idea of using vibration to improve health dates back to ancient Greece, where doctors of the time used WBV on wounded soldiers. They created vibrations over wounds by plucking the strings of a bow-like instrument and believed it caused quicker healing.

In the 1860s, a Swedish medical student Jonas Gustav Zander believed vibration therapy could be used to build muscle and increase weight loss for his patients at the Therapeutic Zander Institute in Stockholm.

In the 1960s, Russian scientists believed they discovered a way to support muscle building and stimulate bone regeneration for their cosmonauts. In 1995, cosmonaut Valery Polyakov lived in space for 438 days using WBV and lost a minimum amount of bone density, which is shocking, having been in zero gravity for nearly 15 months. The following year, WBV was used to speed up the recovery of Russian athletes after Olympic events.

And, today, NASA continues to use vibration therapy to help prevent bone loss in astronauts.

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How does WBV work

WBV allows you to stand, sit or lie on the vibrating platform as it forces your muscles to contract and relax dozens of times each second. This rapid vibration increases the circulation and helps oxygen and nutrients flow to your tissues easily.

Think of it as giving your muscles a workout while you sit or stand in place. I’ve used WBV at my local gym in conjunction with other exercises on the platform, turning it into active therapy.

According to a study published in the Journal of Sports and Medicine, the most effective frequency for most people is a constant frequency of 60 Hz and the 4mm amplitude.

Advocates say that as little as 15 minutes a day, with a constant vibration of 60 Hz, three times per week may provide the following benefits.

• Increased circulation and enhanced blood flow
• Improve flexibility
• Reduced muscle soreness post-exercise
• Decrease the stress hormone cortisol
• Improve bone density

• Improved strength 
• Boost weight loss while reducing abdominal Fat
• Reduce the negative impact of stress

Conditions affected by WBV

Several smaller studies show promising results for people with certain conditions…

1. Senior population — There has been a growing interest in using WBT to reverse the adverse effects of aging. Numerous small studies determining WBV training can reduce fall risk, balance, and postural control in seniors. The intervention was also effective in improving walking following stroke and in patients with knee osteoarthritis. However, further research is needed to expand a standardized protocol in other populations targeting gait ability.  

2. Multiple sclerosis — Five studies determined WBT significantly improved muscle strength and functional mobility of the timed get-up-and-go test.
3. Children and adolescents — A systematic review of the effects of WBV on bone density showed an improvement in lower limbs, lumbar spine and whole body. The study was more limited in postmenopausal women. 
4. Athletes – Several studies looked into vibration therapy for improving anaerobic performance for endurance athletes including cyclists and runners. 
5. Hormonal benefits for Males — One study showed a 7 percent increase in testosterone levels and a 27 percent decrease in cortisol (stress hormone), and a 460 percent increase in growth hormone. Another study concluded vibration exercise reduced circulating blood sugar levels. 
6. Metabolic benefits — Research at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University found that WBV reduces body fat and insulin resistance, while also improving muscle and bone strength in mice with a genetic tendency toward obesity and diabetes.

If you curious, check with your local gym and see if they offer WBV.

Sources:

Can whole body vibration training make you fit?  — Quickanddirtytips.com

9 Benefits of Whole body vibration you must know — Healthtide.com

Is whole-body vibration a good way to lose weight and improve fitness — Mayo Clinic

Whole body vibration for improving muscular strength in seniors — Researchgate

Is Vibration Training Good for your Bones? An overview of systematic reviews — Pubmed

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