Bone Health Diet

April 17, 2013

Our bodies require many nutrients working together for good bone health. Key nutrients include; magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, manganese, folic acid, vitamins B6 C, D, and K. In addition protein is necessary to build collagen and healthy fats for Vitamin D absorption plus protection from bone destroying free radicals.

Tip: Most easily absorbed source of Vitamin D comes from the sun – just need 30 minutes every day (without sunscreen to allow absorption).

Bones are composed of 65% calcium phosphate salts for hardness and 35% collagen for flexibility. If the collagen is removed, the remaining calcium salts will shatter when a fall occurs. Studies have shown that consuming excessive calcium may increase the risk of fractures as we age.

Bone Health

Artificial Sweeteners: Is There a Natural Choice?

March 21, 2013

The purpose of artificial sweeteners which are many times sweeter than sucrose table sugar is to sweeten foods and beverages using smaller amounts. These sweeteners are an attractive alternative to sugar because they add no calories to the diet, don’t contribute to tooth decay and cavities, and don’t raise blood sugar levels in diabetics because they are not a carbohydrate.

Since I’ve never tried an artificial sweetener I was curious to research and write this post to see if there was a natural choice. I’ve worked hard to minimize my sugar consumption since my college days because of my hypoglycemia diagnosis also called low blood sugar so I rarely get cravings for sugar. My blood sugar count stays balanced too because of my whole foods diet.

Most Common Artificial Sweeteners

Here’s the list of 6 sugar substitutes that are FDA approved for use:

Symptoms of Celiac or Just Gluten Sensitivity

February 16, 2013

There is so much buzz these days about going gluten-free. Are you having abdominal pain and diarrhea like I use to? Or maybe you are experiencing stomach upset, bloating and fatigue. So who really needs the gluten-free diet? Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms of celiac versus gluten sensitivity.

Symptoms of Celiac

Celiac is an autoimmune disease that causes the lining of the small intestine to first become inflamed then causes further damage hampering the absorption of nutrients leading to weight loss, growth problem, delayed puberty, eczema and infertility just to name a few.