Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Protecting Your Bones
The bone-thinning condition called osteoporosis can lead to small and not-so-small fractures. Although many people think of calcium in the diet as good protection for their bones, this is not at all the whole story. In fact.. in a 12-year Harvard study of 78,000 women, those who drank milk three times a day actually broke more bones than women who rarely drank milk. Similarl
y, a 1994
study of elderly men and women in Sydney, Australia, showed that higher
dairy product consumption was associated with increased fracture risk.
Those with the highest dairy product consumption had approximately
double the risk of hip fracture compared to those with the lowest
consumption.
To protect your bones you do need calcium in your diet.. but you also need to keep calcium in your bones.
How to Get Calcium into Your Bones
1. Get calcium from greens, beans, or fortified foods.
The most healthful calcium sources are green leafy vegetables and legumes, or "greens and beans" for short. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and other greens are loaded with highly absorbable calcium and a host of other healthful nutrients. The exception is spinach, which contains a large amount of calcium but tends to hold onto it very tenaciously, so that you will absorb less of it.
Beans are humble foods, and you might not know that they are loaded with calcium. There is more than 100 milligrams of calcium in a plate of baked beans. If you prefer chickpeas, tofu, or other bean or bean products, you will find plenty of calcium there, as well. These foods also contain magnesium, which your body uses along with calcium to build bones.
If you are looking for a very concentrated calcium source, calcium-fortified orange or apple juices contain 300 milligrams or more of calcium per cup in a highly absorbable form. Many people prefer calcium supplements, which are now widely available.
Dairy products do contain calcium, but it is accompanied by animal proteins, lactose sugar, animal growth factors, occasional drugs and contaminants, and a substantial amount of fat and cholesterol in all but the defatted versions.
2. Exercise, so calcium has somewhere to go.
Exercise is important for many reasons, including keeping bones strong. Active people tend to keep calcium in their bones, while sedentary people lose calcium.
3. Get vitamin D from the sun, or supplements if you need them.
Vitamin D controls your body's use of calcium. About 15 minutes of sunlight on your skin each day normally produces all the vitamin D you need. If you get little or no sun exposure, you can get vitamin D from any multiple vitamin. The Recommended Dietary Allowance is 600 IU (5 micrograms) per day. Vitamin D is often added to milk, but the amount added is not always well controlled.
How to Keep It There
It's not enough to get calcium into your bones. What is really critical is keeping it there. Here's how:
1. Reduce calcium losses by avoiding excess salt.
Calcium in bones tends to dissolve into the bloodstream, then pass through the kidneys into the urine. Sodium (salt) in the foods you eat can greatly increase calcium loss through the kidneys.3 If you reduce your sodium intake to one to two grams per day, you will hold onto calcium better. To do that, avoid salty snack foods and canned goods with added sodium, and keep salt use low on the stove and at the table.
2. Get your protein from plants, not animal products.
Animal protein—in fish, poultry, red meat, eggs, and dairy products—tends to leach calcium from the bones and encourages its passage into the urine. Plant protein—in beans, grains, and vegetables—does not appear to have this effect.4
3. Don't smoke.
Smokers lose calcium, too. A study of identical twins showed that, if one twin had been a long-term smoker and the other had not, the smoker had more than a 40 percent higher risk of a fracture.5
American recommendations for calcium intake are high, partly because the meat, salt, tobacco, and physical inactivity of American life leads to overly rapid and unnatural loss of calcium through the kidneys. By controlling these basic factors, you can have an enormous influence on whether calcium stays in your bones or drains out of your body.
Hormone Supplements Have Serious Risks
Some doctors recommend estrogen supplements for women after menopause as a way to slow osteoporosis, although the effect is not very great over the long run, and they are rarely able to stop or reverse bone loss.
Many women find these hormones distasteful because the most commonly prescribed brand, Premarin, is made from pregnant mares' urine, as its name suggests. What has many physicians worried is the fact that estrogens increase the risk of breast cancer. The Harvard Nurses' Health Study found that women taking estrogens have 30 to 80 percent more breast cancer, compared to other women.6
Moreover, Premarin may aggravate heart problems. In a study of 2,763 postmenopausal women with coronary disease followed for an average of four years, there were as many heart attacks and related deaths in women treated with the combined regimen of estrogens and a progesterone derivative, as with placebo, but the coronary problems occurred sooner in women taking hormones. Hormone-treated women were also more likely to develop dangerous blood clots and gallbladder disease.7 Controlling calcium losses is a much safer strategy.
Reversing Osteoporosis
If you already have osteoporosis, you will want to speak with your doctor about exercises and perhaps even medications that can reverse it.
Osteoporosis in Men
Osteoporosis is less common in men than in women, and its causes are somewhat different. In about half the cases, a specific cause can be identified and addressed:8
■Steroid medications, such as prednisone, are a common cause of bone loss and fractures. If you are receiving steroids, you will want to work with your doctor to minimize the dose and to explore other treatments.
■Alcohol can weaken your bones, apparently by reducing the body's ability to make new bone to replace normal losses. The effect is probably only significant if you have more than two drinks per day of spirits, beer, or wine.
■A lower than normal amount of testosterone can encourage osteoporosis. About 40 percent of men over 70 years of age have decreased levels of testosterone.
In many of the remaining cases, the causes are excessive calcium losses and inadequate vitamin D. The first part of the solution is to avoid animal protein, excess salt and caffeine, and tobacco, and to stay physically active in order to reduce calcium losses. Second, take vitamin D supplements as prescribed by your physician. The usual amount is 600 IU (5 micrograms) per day, but it may be doubled if you get no sun exposure at all. If you have trouble absorbing calcium due to reduced stomach acid, your doctor can recommend hydrochloric acid supplements.
Calcium and Magnesium in Foods (milligrams)
Food Source
Calcium
Magnesium
Collards (1 cup, boiled)
358
52
Orange juice, calcium-fortified (1 cup)
350*
--
Oatmeal, instant (2 packets)
326
70
Figs, dried (10 medium)
269
111
Tofu, calcium-set (1/2 cup)
258
118
Spinach (1 cup, boiled)
244
158
Soybeans (1 cup, boiled)
175
148
White beans (1 cup, boiled)
161
113
Mustard greens (1 cup, boiled)
150
20
Navy beans (1 cup, boiled)
128
107
Vegetarian baked beans (1 cup)
128
82
Great northern beans (1 cup, boiled)
121
88
Black turtle beans (1 cup, boiled)
103
91
Swiss chard (1 cup, boiled)
102
152
Broccoli (1 cup, boiled)
94
38
Kale (1 cup boiled)
94
24
English muffin
92
11
Butternut squash (1 cup, boiled)
84
60
Pinto beans (1 cup, boiled)
82
95
Chick peas (1 cup, canned)
80
78
Sweet potato (1 cup, boiled)
70
32
Green beans (1 cup, boiled)
58
32
Barley (1 cup)
57
158
Brussels sprouts (8 sprouts)
56
32
Navel orange (1 medium)
56
15
Raisins (2/3 cup)
53
35
To protect your bones you do need calcium in your diet.. but you also need to keep calcium in your bones.
How to Get Calcium into Your Bones
1. Get calcium from greens, beans, or fortified foods.
The most healthful calcium sources are green leafy vegetables and legumes, or "greens and beans" for short. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and other greens are loaded with highly absorbable calcium and a host of other healthful nutrients. The exception is spinach, which contains a large amount of calcium but tends to hold onto it very tenaciously, so that you will absorb less of it.
Beans are humble foods, and you might not know that they are loaded with calcium. There is more than 100 milligrams of calcium in a plate of baked beans. If you prefer chickpeas, tofu, or other bean or bean products, you will find plenty of calcium there, as well. These foods also contain magnesium, which your body uses along with calcium to build bones.
If you are looking for a very concentrated calcium source, calcium-fortified orange or apple juices contain 300 milligrams or more of calcium per cup in a highly absorbable form. Many people prefer calcium supplements, which are now widely available.
Dairy products do contain calcium, but it is accompanied by animal proteins, lactose sugar, animal growth factors, occasional drugs and contaminants, and a substantial amount of fat and cholesterol in all but the defatted versions.
2. Exercise, so calcium has somewhere to go.
Exercise is important for many reasons, including keeping bones strong. Active people tend to keep calcium in their bones, while sedentary people lose calcium.
3. Get vitamin D from the sun, or supplements if you need them.
Vitamin D controls your body's use of calcium. About 15 minutes of sunlight on your skin each day normally produces all the vitamin D you need. If you get little or no sun exposure, you can get vitamin D from any multiple vitamin. The Recommended Dietary Allowance is 600 IU (5 micrograms) per day. Vitamin D is often added to milk, but the amount added is not always well controlled.
How to Keep It There
It's not enough to get calcium into your bones. What is really critical is keeping it there. Here's how:
1. Reduce calcium losses by avoiding excess salt.
Calcium in bones tends to dissolve into the bloodstream, then pass through the kidneys into the urine. Sodium (salt) in the foods you eat can greatly increase calcium loss through the kidneys.3 If you reduce your sodium intake to one to two grams per day, you will hold onto calcium better. To do that, avoid salty snack foods and canned goods with added sodium, and keep salt use low on the stove and at the table.
2. Get your protein from plants, not animal products.
Animal protein—in fish, poultry, red meat, eggs, and dairy products—tends to leach calcium from the bones and encourages its passage into the urine. Plant protein—in beans, grains, and vegetables—does not appear to have this effect.4
3. Don't smoke.
Smokers lose calcium, too. A study of identical twins showed that, if one twin had been a long-term smoker and the other had not, the smoker had more than a 40 percent higher risk of a fracture.5
American recommendations for calcium intake are high, partly because the meat, salt, tobacco, and physical inactivity of American life leads to overly rapid and unnatural loss of calcium through the kidneys. By controlling these basic factors, you can have an enormous influence on whether calcium stays in your bones or drains out of your body.
Hormone Supplements Have Serious Risks
Some doctors recommend estrogen supplements for women after menopause as a way to slow osteoporosis, although the effect is not very great over the long run, and they are rarely able to stop or reverse bone loss.
Many women find these hormones distasteful because the most commonly prescribed brand, Premarin, is made from pregnant mares' urine, as its name suggests. What has many physicians worried is the fact that estrogens increase the risk of breast cancer. The Harvard Nurses' Health Study found that women taking estrogens have 30 to 80 percent more breast cancer, compared to other women.6
Moreover, Premarin may aggravate heart problems. In a study of 2,763 postmenopausal women with coronary disease followed for an average of four years, there were as many heart attacks and related deaths in women treated with the combined regimen of estrogens and a progesterone derivative, as with placebo, but the coronary problems occurred sooner in women taking hormones. Hormone-treated women were also more likely to develop dangerous blood clots and gallbladder disease.7 Controlling calcium losses is a much safer strategy.
Reversing Osteoporosis
If you already have osteoporosis, you will want to speak with your doctor about exercises and perhaps even medications that can reverse it.
Osteoporosis in Men
Osteoporosis is less common in men than in women, and its causes are somewhat different. In about half the cases, a specific cause can be identified and addressed:8
■Steroid medications, such as prednisone, are a common cause of bone loss and fractures. If you are receiving steroids, you will want to work with your doctor to minimize the dose and to explore other treatments.
■Alcohol can weaken your bones, apparently by reducing the body's ability to make new bone to replace normal losses. The effect is probably only significant if you have more than two drinks per day of spirits, beer, or wine.
■A lower than normal amount of testosterone can encourage osteoporosis. About 40 percent of men over 70 years of age have decreased levels of testosterone.
In many of the remaining cases, the causes are excessive calcium losses and inadequate vitamin D. The first part of the solution is to avoid animal protein, excess salt and caffeine, and tobacco, and to stay physically active in order to reduce calcium losses. Second, take vitamin D supplements as prescribed by your physician. The usual amount is 600 IU (5 micrograms) per day, but it may be doubled if you get no sun exposure at all. If you have trouble absorbing calcium due to reduced stomach acid, your doctor can recommend hydrochloric acid supplements.
Calcium and Magnesium in Foods (milligrams)
Food Source
Calcium
Magnesium
Collards (1 cup, boiled)
358
52
Orange juice, calcium-fortified (1 cup)
350*
--
Oatmeal, instant (2 packets)
326
70
Figs, dried (10 medium)
269
111
Tofu, calcium-set (1/2 cup)
258
118
Spinach (1 cup, boiled)
244
158
Soybeans (1 cup, boiled)
175
148
White beans (1 cup, boiled)
161
113
Mustard greens (1 cup, boiled)
150
20
Navy beans (1 cup, boiled)
128
107
Vegetarian baked beans (1 cup)
128
82
Great northern beans (1 cup, boiled)
121
88
Black turtle beans (1 cup, boiled)
103
91
Swiss chard (1 cup, boiled)
102
152
Broccoli (1 cup, boiled)
94
38
Kale (1 cup boiled)
94
24
English muffin
92
11
Butternut squash (1 cup, boiled)
84
60
Pinto beans (1 cup, boiled)
82
95
Chick peas (1 cup, canned)
80
78
Sweet potato (1 cup, boiled)
70
32
Green beans (1 cup, boiled)
58
32
Barley (1 cup)
57
158
Brussels sprouts (8 sprouts)
56
32
Navel orange (1 medium)
56
15
Raisins (2/3 cup)
53
35
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Slow Cooker Classic Fudge
Ingredients
•2-1/2 cups Chocolate Chips, I used dark chocolate chips because of their health benefits.
•1/2 cup coconut milk, (canned, not in a carton) Keep in mind the fats from coconut milk are the good kind.
•1/4 cup raw mild honey
•Dash of sea salt
•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Fudge is perfect for the slow cooker because it doesn't scorch or burn.
Add chocolate chips, coconut milk, honey and salt, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 2 hours without stirring. It's important that lid remain on during this 2 hours.
After 2 hours, turn the slow cooker off, uncover, add vanilla and stir to combine ingredients. Allow to cool in uncovered slow cooker, until fudge has reached room temperature...approximatel
Lightly spray a 1 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour fudge into dish, cover and refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Cut into 30 pieces. This fudge is very rich and meant to be eaten on occasion as a treat.
Note: Canned coconut milk can be found in the Asian or organic sections of most grocery stores.
Peppermint Whoopie Pies
Servings: Makes 3 dozen sandwich cookies
Ingredients:
Cookies:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup buttermilk
Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 7.5-ounce jar marshmallow fluff
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup crushed peppermint candies (about 50 peppermint discs)
Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts; mix well. Slowly add flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Cover dough and chill at least 30 minutes.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheet, placing cookies 2 inches apart. Bake cookies 9 to 12 minutes, or until firm. Cool cookies on pan 3 to 5 minutes or until set, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
For filling, in large bowl, cream together butter, fluff, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar slowly; mix well. Spread flat side of half the cookies with heaping tablespoon of filling; top with second cookie to create sandwich. Roll edges in crushed peppermint candies; chill cookies to set filling.
Cookies:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup buttermilk
Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 7.5-ounce jar marshmallow fluff
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup crushed peppermint candies (about 50 peppermint discs)
Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts; mix well. Slowly add flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Cover dough and chill at least 30 minutes.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheet, placing cookies 2 inches apart. Bake cookies 9 to 12 minutes, or until firm. Cool cookies on pan 3 to 5 minutes or until set, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
For filling, in large bowl, cream together butter, fluff, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar slowly; mix well. Spread flat side of half the cookies with heaping tablespoon of filling; top with second cookie to create sandwich. Roll edges in crushed peppermint candies; chill cookies to set filling.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
A Mouthful of Deliciousness
Do u love caramel apples but hate trying to eat them? Try it this way! (found this and could not keep it to myself!! I can't wait to try it!) Hollow out ur apples, (u can balance the apple halves in a muffin pan) fill will melted caramel, let the caramel harden and cut into slices! :-) yummy!
Orange Dream Smoothie
Raw Life Ireland Orange Dream Smoothie (by Better Raw) 2,5 cups poppy seed milk 4 oranges, peeled and frozen zest from 3 oranges 2 tbsp baobab powder 6 liquid stevia drops First zest the oranges and then peel and chop, them ready to freeze. You can freeze the zest too if it makes it easier to have everything in one place. Blend everything into a cream.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Candy Corn Cake
Ingredients
1 box white cake mix
1 box chocolate cake mix
3 containers white frosting (or three cups)
1 container chocolate frosting (or 1 cup)
Optional: Orange extract
Instructions
1.Bake chocolate cake in 8in round cake pan. One cake will be used, so you can wrap the other 8in round cake and place in freezer.
2.For the white and orange layers, simple prepare white cake batter as you normally would. Divide batter in half and tint one half orange. (Add orange extract if you wish)
3.Bake white cake batter in 8in cake pan and bake orange cake batter in 8in cake pan.
4.For frosting, take one container of white frosting and tint it orange. I used gel food coloring and about 4-6 drops.
5.To assemble cake:
6.Place chocolate cake on cake stand. Place thin layer of chocolate frosting.
7.Place orange layer on top and cover in thin layer of orange frosting.
8.Finally, place white cake on top and cover entire cake in crumb coat.
9.Decorate as you wish.
3 containers white frosting (or three cups)
1 container chocolate frosting (or 1 cup)
Optional: Orange extract
Instructions
1.Bake chocolate cake in 8in round cake pan. One cake will be used, so you can wrap the other 8in round cake and place in freezer.
2.For the white and orange layers, simple prepare white cake batter as you normally would. Divide batter in half and tint one half orange. (Add orange extract if you wish)
3.Bake white cake batter in 8in cake pan and bake orange cake batter in 8in cake pan.
4.For frosting, take one container of white frosting and tint it orange. I used gel food coloring and about 4-6 drops.
5.To assemble cake:
6.Place chocolate cake on cake stand. Place thin layer of chocolate frosting.
7.Place orange layer on top and cover in thin layer of orange frosting.
8.Finally, place white cake on top and cover entire cake in crumb coat.
9.Decorate as you wish.
Recycling has been a common practice for most of human history, with recorded advocates as far back as Plato in 400 BC. During periods when resources were scarce, archaeological studies of ancient waste dumps show less household waste (such as ash, broken tools and pottery)—implying more waste was being recycled in the absence of new material.
For more recycling ideas visit my other blog http://ceciliaallthingsbeautiful.blogspot.co.uk/
Quickie in the Bushes.
Quickie in the
Bushes.
There are two statues in a park;
One of a nude
man and one of a nude woman.
They had been
facing each other across a pathway for a hundred
years, when one day an angel
comes down from the
sky and, with a single gesture, brings
the two to life. The angel tells them, 'As a reward for being so
patient through a
hundred blazing summers and
dismal winters, you
have been given life for thirty minutes to
do what you've wished to do
the
most.'
He looks at her, she looks at him, and they go running behind the shrubbery. The angel waits patiently as the bushes rustleand giggling ensues. After fifteen minutes, the
two return, out of
breath and laughing.
The angel tells them, 'Um, you have fifteen
minutes left, would
you care
to do it again?' He asks her 'Shall we?' She eagerly replies, 'Oh, yes, let's! But let's
change positions.
This time, I 'll hold the
pigeon down and
you poo on its head.' AND WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???? |
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