How can you boost your bone strength and joint health?

Do you ever even think about the health of your joints or strength of your bones?  Younger people may not but  recent articles in Runner’s World and Bicycling.com brings these important topics to younger and older readers.  Why would younger people be interested in these topics?  My daughter recently was pleased to tell us she and her husband will be running a 10K this year.  This is quite the goal for her as she broke her ankle a few years ago.  I advised her to beef up her bone strength and sent her an article on boosting bone strength. 

Older people are concerned about bone strength and joint health because of fear of broken bones and aching joints.  

What are some foods and nutrients that promote bone strength and healthy joints?

Calcium – Almost all the students I have taught know that calcium is needed for good bones.  But when they analyzed their diets, they were often low and sometimes really low in calcium.  Calcium is a must for strong bones and many Americans are lacking in calcium.  Anthony Kouri, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Toledo Medical Center says, calcium is “not a nutrient that occurs naturally in the body and must be consumed through food.”  Adults need 1,000 mg of calcium a day.  Easier to achieve if you at least 3 servings of dairy each day.  Since many Americans are low in milk consumption, and most don’t consume dairy foods at each meal, they are often low in their intake of calcium.  Here are some ways to add calcium to your day:

Food	Calcium (mg)
Milk – cow’s milk   1 cup	299
Yogurt – made from cow’s milk 8 ounces	344
Orange Juice – calcium fortified, 1 cup	349
Tofu ½ cup	253
Mozzarella cheese 1.5 ounces	333
Cottage cheese 1 cup	138

Note: calcium-fortified orange juice does provide calcium.  My students often think orange juice provides calcium and vitamin D.  Not so.  If you are buying OJ to add some calcium to your day, be sure it is calcium-fortified OJ.  For those who are lactose intolerant, choose Fa!rlife milk.  It is made from cow’s milk but is lactose free and provides more protein than regular milk  Some other foods provide some calcium like spinach, pinto beans, kale and broccoli.  But you can’t rely on these foods for all your calcium needs as one-half cup of broccoli provides only 21 mg of calcium.

 

Vitamin D – this vitamin helps your body absorb calcium.  Cow’s milk is fortified with vitamin D as are most yogurts.  Most cheeses are not fortified with D.  Eggs provide D as do some fish such as salmon, trout, cod and tuna fish.  Go outside as your body makes vitamin D when exposed to the sun. 

Vitamin C – who knew that vitamin C is needed for strong bones and healthy joints?  Vitamin C is important as it boosts collagen production.  Dr. Kouri notes,  “In addition, vitamin C stimulates the cells that build bone, and it enhances vitamin D’s ability to absorb calcium.”  Your body doesn’t store vitamin C, so be sure to include some vitamin C rich foods in your diet every day.  I always have a glass of OJ or grapefruit juice at breakfast and I know I am getting some vitamin C.  For information on foods rich in C, check out:  Are you getting your daily vitamin C?

Omega-3’s – these are the “healthy fats” that you want in your diet.  These fats help lower inflammation and can help protect your joints.  Where do you get these healthy fats?  Good sources include fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines), nuts and seeds, oils such as canola, flaxseed and soybean oil.  Some foods are fortified with omeg-3’s such as eggs and some yogurts.  (Check out:  What are omega 3 fats and why are they good for you?)

Magnesium- a mineral many Americans are low in.    Why is this mineral important to bones?  Because most of it, 60%, is stored in your bones.  Magnesium helps activate vitamin D and helps prevent osteoporosis.  What are some foods that are rich in magnesium?  Choose brown rice, buckwheat, like buckwheat pancakes, corn, dark green vegetables like spinach, kale, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grain crackers, whole grain cereals, and whole grain bread. 

Vitamin K:  Think of vitamin K as acting as a shuttle to carry calcium to your bones says Dr. Kouri. 

Besides some of the above recommended foods, the article in Runner’s World recommended some foods/herbs to as a way to add some of the above nutrients to your day.

• Turmeric – a good anti-inflammatory.
•  Bone broth – a good way to add some collagen to your day.
• Prunes – who would even think of prunes?  But prunes add vitamin K and the minerals potassium and magnesium.  Research has shown eating prunes can not only help prevent osteoporosis, they can help reverse it. The antioxidants in prunes can help fight inflammation.  Enjoy some as a snack or in some recipes.
• Milk – as in cow’s milk, really does do the body good.  Also, enjoy some yogurt made from cow’s milk.  Both supply calcium, vitamin D and are an excellent source of high quality protein.
• Tofu – not a dairy eater?  Then add some tofu to your day.  Good way to add some calcium to your day and soy protein may help fight inflammation.  Or, enjoy some Edamame which are immature soybeans.  Eat them as a snack or use in recipes like soups, stews, salads.
• Blueberries – I grew up picking blueberries and enjoying them in pancakes, muffins, and sauces. If you don’t like fresh blueberries, try frozen in pancakes, muffins or in a smoothie. Why blueberries?  They do provide some vitamin C, but are also rich in antioxidants that help fight inflammation.
• Bell Peppers – I like green peppers but also red and yellow bell peppers.  Believe it or not, peppers are rich in vitamin C.
•  Sweet Potatoes – I love potatoes and enjoy a baked sweet potato. These potatoes are rich in both magnesium and potassium.  

Whether you are planning to run a race, go biking or just want to strengthen your bones and improve the health of your joints, add some of the above foods to your day to add in some bone and joint strengthening nutrients.

Sources:  Runner’s World , Bicycling.com , says , Fa!rlife , Eggs , notes , Are you getting your daily vitamin C?  , Magnesium , shuttle , Research , Research , antioxidants , immature soybeans , blueberries  Image Sources:  Fairlife milk, Peppers , healthy bones and joints

Enjoy Some Healthy Snacks

Who doesn’t love to snack?  Some people think snacking is bad for you, but not so.  Healthy snacks can add some important nutrients to your day.  And kids need some snacks as they have small stomachs and need some snacks between meals.  Americans love their snacks as 73% of us eat at least one snack a day (up from 57% in 2019).  Who is snacking?  According to Food Insight, 78% of Millennials and 79% of parents with kids under 18 enjoy snacking at least once a day.   

Why do people snack?  Food Insight’s survey shows:

• Hungry or thirsty:   34%
• Snacks are a treat:   25%
• Need energy:  22%
• Snacking is a habit:  21%

As noted, many people say they snack because they are hungry or thirsty.  And that may be true, especially for growing children and teenagers.  Others are craving sweets and some people crave a salty snack.  Some people think snacking is bad for your health.  But is it?  Yes, some snacks like Cheetos are not a healthy choice.  But many snacks can be good for your health.  Children, in particular, need snacks.  They have small stomachs and should have snacks between meals.  Pre-school kids should have morning and afternoon snacks.  School-age kids should have an afternoon snack.  KidsHealth notes, “Healthy snacks help manage kid’s hunger and boost nutrition.  Snacks can keep them from getting so hungry that they get cranky.  Snacks may help prevent overeating at meals.  And for picky eaters of all ages, snacks are a chance to add more nutrients to their diets”.    

How can you have some healthy snacks on hand? 

• Plan those snacks.  Rather than opening a cupboard or the fridge and grabbing anything, plan ahead.  Most of us, about 59%, grab a snack without planning what we will eat.  By having healthier snack options on hand, it is easier for adults and kids to choose healthy snacks.  Bring some snacks to work.  Skip the vending machines and have some healthy snacks at your desk. A daughter plans and brings her snacks to work. She will have a banana, later some yogurt and then in the afternoon some nuts from her snack bag. 
  
• Snacks can fill nutritional gaps – choosing fresh fruit or veggies can help you get in the recommended 5 A Day of fruits and veggies.  Short on dairy?  Grabbing a yogurt or having some cheese and crackers can add dairy to your day.  Short on whole grains?  Satisfy that salty snack urges by enjoying some whole grain chips like Sun Chips or Late July chips.  Add some salsa and you are adding better nutrition to your snack. Snacks like oatmeal cookies add some whole grain to your child’s day. 

 What are some good snack options for adults?

• Fruit and veggies – aim to add some fruit or veggies to every snack.  Why?  Because so many Americans are not eating enough fruits and veggies.  The salsa counts as a vegetable as does guacamole.  Keep hummus on hand as a dip for carrot sticks.
• Protein – you need protein to build and maintain your muscles.  Dairy provides a very high-quality protein – if it is real dairy from cow’s milk and not a plant-based milk or plant-based yogurt.  Choose some low-fat cottage cheese and fruit, yogurt with fresh fruit.  Melted mozzarella on a half of an English muffin.
• Fiber – many of us are short on fiber on our diets.  Enjoy some popcorn.  Popcorn is whole grain.  Fresh fruit like fresh raspberries are good sources of fiber.  Fiber helps you feel full and feeds those “good bacteria in your gut”.    Nuts are another good snack choice – a handful of nuts, not the whole can.
• Choose 2 food groups for your snack like yogurt for dairy and fresh blueberries for the fruit.
• Choose healthy snack options when out and about.  Recently at our local Starbucks they offered a Cheese Trio Protein Box with 20 grams of protein and an Eggs & Gouda Protein Box providing 26 grams of protein.  But calories were high, over 500, so for many people this would be more like a “meal” than a snack. 

What are some good snack choices for kids?  (See:  Healthy After-School Snacks for Kids.)

Kids need snacks as noted above.  They have small stomachs and get hungry between meals.  Active kids need snacks for energy as they can burn up a lot of calories playing.  Try to have snack time at the same time each day. Let kids get involved in making the snack.  Offer the kids some snack choices and let them choose the snack they want. 

• Breakfast cereal – buy any General Mills cereal (all are whole grain) and let your kids enjoy cereal as a healthy snack.  Add some real cow’s milk and you have 2 food groups, dairy and grain.
• Fruit – cut up into small pieces to avoid choking.  For small children, even grapes should be cut up.  Add some yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Graham crackers with peanut butter.
• Applesauce on top of some cottage cheese.
• Whole grain chips and salsa
• Smoothies – let older kids make their own smoothie with fresh fruit and real milk or yogurt.
• Pudding or Chocolate Milk – yes, these contain some added sugar but pudding and chocolate milk also provide calcium, protein and many other nutrients growing children need.
• Mini pizzas – cheese, salsa on a whole grain English muffin
• Grab and go snacks – granola bars, cheese sticks, trail mix, popcorn, dried or fresh fruit.
• Let your kids enjoy some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with a glass of cow’s milk.
• Check out “35 Tasty Mom Approved Kid-Friendly Snack Recipes” – fun snacks any kid would enjoy. 

 

When grocery shopping this week, choose some healthy snack options to have on hand for you and for your kids.  Let your kids help make some snacks and they will be more likely to eat and enjoy them.  Pack some snacks to take to work or when running errands.  Much healthier than vending machines or a Fast Food drive through. 

 Sources:  snacks , Food Insight , survey , KidsHealth , healthy , feeds , Starbucks , kids , Healthy After-School Snacks for Kids , 35 Tasty Mom Approved Kid-Friendly Snack Recipes  Image Sources:  Peanut Butter and Jelly tacos , Chips   , After School

What are some healthy habits of people who never seem to get sick?

Every winter people get sick with colds, flu and now COVID is added to the mix.  Yet, we all know some people who seem super healthy.  While everyone in the office, the school or our friends have come down with something, there are those people who seem to have the latest illness bypass them.   Why aren’t they getting sick like everyone else? 

Instead of being jealous at how healthy these people are, why not copy some habits that will build your immune system and lead to a healthier you?  My sister sent me a great article about 10 habits of healthy people.  What are some of those habits can you adopt for a healthier you?

• Drink water – lots of water.  What does drinking water have to do with a healthy immune system?  The University of California, Irvine notes:  Hydration is a key element to maintaining a healthy immune system.  Why?  To have a healthy immune system your body needs nutrients.  We need enough water to transport those nutrients to our cells and organs.  Water also helps our body clear out any bad bacteria or toxins.  Some people recommend drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Others recommend drinking an amount that depends on your body weight.  It does not have to be “water” as herbal teas count, juice counts, cow’s milk counts.  

• Exercise – what does exercise have to do with your immune system?  You have cells in your body called T and B cells and these cells help fight off infections.  As we age, our bodies make less of these cells.  Regular exercise improves your immune system.  How?  Exercise increases blood flow and increases the circulation of immune cells, making them roam the body at a higher rate and higher numbers.  Walking works as does aerobic exercise.  In one study people who did some aerobic exercise for 5 or more days a week for 12 weeks had fewer upper respiratory infections like the cold.  A lot fewer, 40% less.

• Go outside.  What a surprise.  How does spending time outdoors help your immune system?  Your body can make vitamin D when exposed to the sun.  And vitamin D is hugely important for a strong immune system.  So many Americans are low in “D”.  The University of Texas notes:  Vitamin D deficiency is already extremely common, affecting approximately 42% of the U.S. population.  Many kids are now low in D as many parents no longer serve their kids cow’s milk at every meal and many kids no longer play outside.  Cow’s milk is fortified with vitamin D.  (See:  Drinking real milk benefits your health).  Add some cow’s milk to your day and enjoy some time outside, especially as the weather gets warmer.    

• Eating healthy.  What a surprise that a healthy diet helps fight off infections.  But so many people have no idea what a healthy diet is.  Some think it is gluten free, some think it is giving up bread.  As noted in the Best Diets for Health 2023, healthy diets focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and more beans and nuts.  These foods provide your body with vitamins, minerals and those healthy antioxidants that help fight off infections.  An interesting fact is that you can focus on Foods that improve the activity of the digestive system and intestines ... such as yogurt and orange vegetables like sweet potatoes and pumpkin – are an effective tool in the fight against various winter diseases. 
• Think positive.  As a life long fan of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, I have always focused on trying to think more positive.  But what does this have to do with your immune system?  Good mental health helps your physical health because stress and tension can affect your overall health.  Being stressed can reduce the number of “killer cells” in your body that help fight off infections.  Stress can also hamper your body’s ability to fight infections. 

Want to build a healthier immune system?  Adopt some healthy habits.  Focusing on a healthier diet is important as noted above.  As a dietitian I know important a healthy diet is to fighting infections and being healthier overall.  What are some nutrients to focus on to enhance your immune system?  (See Nutrition and Immunity.)  Next week we will discuss some vitamins and even a spice that can boost your immune system. 

Sources: 10 habits of healthy people , notes , Exercise , study , University of Texas , Drinking real milk benefits your health , Best Diets for Health 2023 , fact , stressed , Stress, Nutrition and Immunity    Image Sources:  vitamin D , water , Exercise  

How to eat for a healthy heart?

February is the American Heart Month, so this week we will look at heart health and what you can eat for a healthier heart.  There are many small changes you can make in your diet and lifestyle that can lead to healthier changes for your heart.  Why be concerned about heart health?  CDC states, “heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States”.  Another great source of information is The American Heart Association, the go to place for questions about heart health and how to adopt a heart healthy lifestyle.  What are some of heart healthy recommendations in terms of healthier eating and exercise?  

Eating for a healthy heart:  Small steps to take

• Eat at home at least 3 times a week.   By skipping the fast food and restaurant meals you can prepare meals that are lower in fat, especially meals lower in saturated fat, and lower in sodium.
• Use more herbs and spices when cooking – keep the flavor while cutting back on the amount of salt in a recipe.
• Focus meals on foods high in fiber such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Cut back on sugary drinks – those with added sugar like sodas, fruit drinks, fruit punch.  (Choose 100% fruit juice.  See:  Added Sugars and Risks for Your Health )
• Focus on healthier fats – look for olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, sunflower oil and healthier fats in avocados, nuts, seeds and fatty fish

The Mayo Clinic has some Heart-Healthy Diet tips (adapted): 

• Control your portion size – so many Americans are eating huge portions of food.  Did you know a serving size for meat is 3 ounces – about the size of the palm of your hand.  Yet when you go to a restaurant the portion of meat served is huge.
•  Eat smaller portions of the high-calorie food and less of refined, highly processed foods.
• Add more fruits and vegetables to your day – aim for at least 5 A DAY.
  
• Great way to add many vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your diet.
• Most fruits and vegetables are low in calories.  Skip the French fries and enjoy a baked sweet potato.
• Filling up on fruits and vegetables will help you cut back on higher calorie foods.
• Skip the creamy sauces, skip the fruit packed in heavy syrup choose canned fruit packed in water or juice.
• Eat more whole grains for fiber, vitamins and a boost of minerals lacking or missing from white bread and other refined grains.
  
• Baked Not Fried – choosing chicken and fish are great choices but frying adds fat and extra calories
• Choose healthy fats
• enjoy olive oil, canola oil
• Choose lean cuts of meat like lean hamburger meat
• Cut back on unhealthy fats
• Cut back on lard, bacon fat, gravy, creamy sauces, nondairy creamers, coconut oil, palm oil
• Cut back on fried food like French fries
• Nuts – have a handful a day – nuts are higher in fat but they have a heart healthy fat.  I sprinkle chopped walnuts on my oatmeal for a nutrition boost.  Try adding some chopped walnuts to a salad.  California walnuts has many American Heart Association certified heart healthy recipes on its website at walnuts.org.  

What about dairy, milk, cheese, butter? 

• Most health professionals recommend low-fat dairy products like low-fat milk or nonfat (skim) milk to cut back on saturated fat.  But the latest research is showing the saturated fat in dairy products is not associated with heart disease.  You may want to enjoy lower-fat dairy products as they have less calories than full-fat dairy like whole milk has more calories than 1% fat milk.  We have switched from using margarine to using butter.  Since butter is often hard to spread, we buy the butter with canola oil.  Easy to spread and canola oil is heart healthy. 

• Yogurt – enjoy yogurt as some studies have found that the probiotics (good bacteria) in yogurt helps lower blood cholesterol levels.

What about exercise and your heart?

• Walking -  The American Heart Association recommends walking as the easiest way to start improving your heart health.  They note it is easy, free, enjoyable and a great way to get some exercise every day. 

• What about cardio and strength training?    How much exercise does the American Heart Association recommend for a healthy heart?

• Exercising for Overall Heart Health 

• 5 Days a Week – do at least 30 minutes of moderate cardio/aerobic exercise for a total of 150 minutes a week OR
• 3 Days a Week – do at least 25 minutes of more vigorous cardio/aerobic exercise to get a total of 75 minutes a week
• Add Strengthening Exercise – at least 2 days a week 
• Note: The 30 minutes of exercise doesn’t have to be done all at one time.  Short on time? Then a 15-minute walk in the morning and a 15-minute walk at lunch or after work.  
  

• Exercise to lower blood pressure and your cholesterol

• 3-4 Times a week, do about 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardio/aerobic exercise

To read more about the American Heart Association’s recommendations for heart healthy eating, go to Healthy Eating.  Heart.org has recommendations for heart healthy eating, many heart-healthy recipes, and suggestions for dining out. To get whole grains, walnuts and fruits and vegetables into your day, try the Quinoa-Chicken Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Grapes and Arugula recipe. 

 Sources:  CDC, Heart-Healthy Diet ,  Added Sugars and Risks for Your Health , heart healthy recipes , walnuts.org , research , exercise , recipes ,  Quinoa-Chicken Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Grapes and Arugula      Image Sources:  Human Heart Facts , Salad   , Move it Monday