Diet and Lifestyle e-Guide - Women's Health Network · 2015-08-19 · Right now, your primary focus...

Diet and Lifestylee-Guide

Better Bones

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Welcome to Women’s Health Network

Dear Friend,

Right now, your primary focus is to strengthen your body’s core foundation—your bones. The good news is that you now have the right tools to help your body prevent (and in many cases, overcome) osteopenia or osteoporosis, no matter what your age.

This e-Guide will help you do that. It is straightforward, easy to use, and based on the clinically proven protocol for the regeneration of bone health that I devel-oped at the Center for Better Bones.

Of course, this will be something of a journey for you. Osteoporosis and osteopenia are responses to long-term imbalances in your body, and getting rid of them naturally will take a little time. But it won’t be like work, full of sacrifice and self-denial. In fact, as you follow the Better Bones approach, you will also find your energy and sense of well-being increase while cravings, digestive problems, excess weight, and other health concerns will likely decrease.

The Better Bones approach is all about you, a process of exploring nutritional and lifestyle changes that will help you build better bones and a better body. The energy and focus you invest in taking care of yourself will benefit you and every-one around you.

We appreciate the trust that you have placed in us and promise to be with you every step of the way. Together we will help you realize your own potential for optimal bone health.

Yours in health and fulfillment, Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD

PS: We are always interested in hearing what works for you. Please let us know your thoughts about how we might improve this guide by e-mailing us at: [email protected]

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Women’s Health Network Diet and Lifestyle e-Guide: Better Bones

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retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

A Note to the Reader: The ideas and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a

substitute for appropriate care by a licensed healthcare practitioner.

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iii

How to get the results you want

Our natural approach to bone health – and total health. 1

1

Why Alkaline for Life®?

What is pH, and why does it matter? 11

2

Contents

Nourishing your bones

Why diet alone isn’t the answer. 19

3Reducing your burdens

How your lifestyle can help improve your bone health. 25

4Exercise as support

More effective than drugs, no matter when you start! 37

5

The Alkaline for Life® 30-Day Meal Plan

A delicious, balanced, flexible approach 45 to nutrition for your next 30 days, including:

• A pre-planned menu• Recipes• Shopping list

6

Testing Resources

How to test your pH 105Assessing your current bone healthOther useful medical testsA commitment to change

7

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1

How to get the results you want

A natural approach to bone health—and total health

A revolution is taking place in bone health.

For decades now, we’ve watched as health concerns like osteopo-rosis and osteopenia have become commonplace, even though we’re getting more calcium than ever before. At the same time, pharmaceutical companies scrambled to develop drug therapies that don’t really solve the problem (and sometimes make it worse!). But years of research and clinical practice have now discovered the missing pieces of the puzzle and developed an astonishingly simple solution to bone loss—one that gives us many other health benefits besides. This discovery not only strengthens our bones, but also helps us improve our digestion, reduce allergy symptoms, lower our risk of heart disease and cancer, and generally increase our energy and feeling of balance. And it’s available to anyone who wants it, because it makes use of something you already have: the healing power of your own body.

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2Women’s Health Network How to Get the Results You Want

It’s amazing that modern medicine has overlooked the most pow-erful healing tools available to us—nutrition and lifestyle. Osteo-porosis and osteopenia have become widespread, but until now, we haven’t recognized that our bones are fully capable of healing themselves. We’ve learned that they need a variety of nutrients aside from calcium to repair themselves, and that the body needs to maintain a balanced pH to prevent further loss of bone—but the most exciting part is that if we give our bones this support, they’ll do the work on their own. Best of all, it doesn’t matter at what age we start!

Balancing support and demandsWhat many of us don’t realize is that we already have an expert’s advice when it comes to our health: the messages we get from

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our own bodies. When we’re feeling good, our bodies are telling us that they’re getting what they need to keep us healthy and bal-anced. Our bodies let us know when they need something—we shiver when we’re cold, sweat if we’re hot, and feel thirst and hunger if we’re dehydrated or in need of energy. Our bodies also tell us when something’s wrong—if we’re fighting off an infection, we get a fever, and if a joint, muscle, or bone is injured, we experience swelling.

Most of us have grown accustomed to ignoring our bodies’ signals, especially when they’re tell-ing us that all is not well within. As the demands on the body accumulate, we become like the camel in the drawing at right—carrying around an incredible burden of unhealthy behaviors and risk factors that place tremendous stress on our bodies. And at some point, we reach a moment of crisis—our bones become brittle and fracture, or we become so chronically fatigued that we can barely get through the day, or we find ourselves getting sick at the drop of a hat. These are all signs that our bodies can’t carry all these burdens and still maintain our health.

At the Center for Better Bones, we have seen firsthand how a bal-ance between support and demands can halt and even reverse bone loss. Your Better Bones Package is designed to help you harness your body’s healing power naturally and at home. In the pages that follow, you’ll learn how to strengthen your body and bones through nutrition and exercise, lighten some of the unnec-essary burdens you carry, and gauge your progress as you go along. It will take a bit of work, time and attention, but you’ll be able to bring strength and flexibility back to your bones and better balance to your life.

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There are four main elements to your Better Bones Package:

• Nourishing your bones (good nutrition plus supplements)

• Maintaining the proper acid-alkaline balance

• Reducing your burdens (detoxifying, managing stress and other

negative emotions)

• Physical wellness and exercise

This e-Guide covers all four elements in that order. We suggest you read it cover to cover in the first two weeks (we kept it short on pur-pose). Then you’ll be able to decide whether to follow the approach just as outlined or personalize it with your own ideas.

At the Center for Better Bones, we’ve learned that combining all of these elements provides the ideal conditions to regenerate bone and renew its strength—even in women who have fractured a bone or have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

As you are learning about all of the elements that make our approach work, remember that integrating even one can improve the resilience of our body and bones. So, here are the steps we sug-gest you take immediately:

• Start taking your supplements right away. Just follow the dosage instructions on the packaging, or see our protocols at womenshealthnetwork.com/protocols.

• Begin tracking your bone health—test your pH daily and record your results. You can also record the results of any relevant tests your doctors give you so you can track your progress.

Yo u r B e t t e r B o n e s P a c k a g e

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http://womenshealthnetwork.com/protocols


• Pick a change that you can commit to. Find an element of the Better Bones Package that you wish to incorporate into your daily life immediately and take steps toward making changes into healthy habits.

• Reach out to us if you get stuck. Remember, you always have help as near as the phone or on-line. You’ll get a real woman to respond to you—one who understands the bumps along the road to lifelong change.

References on safety and efficacy

If you’d like more information on the clinical basis for using our Better Bones Builder or Better Bones Balance, includ-ing peer-reviewed clinical studies and additional supporting documentation, we keep an updated reference page on our site at:

http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/products/betterbonesbuilder-references.aspx

Better Bones Builder & Better Bones Balance

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http://www.womentowomen.com/products/betterbonesbuilder-references.aspx





Build support with your daily supplementsBetter Bones Builder & Better Bones Balance Better Bones Builder and Better Bones Balance are the most comprehensive osteo support supplements available. Based on the latest science, these advanced supplements support strong bones, a healthy metabolism, energy production, and wellness for women.

Better Bones Builder and Better Bones Balance use specific dosages of key nutrients to target to your bone health needs.

• Better Bones Builder dosage of 8 tablets a day provides consistent intensive support for your body’s own natural cycle of bone breakdown and repair.

• Better Bones Balance dosage of 6 tablets per day meets the needs of the majority women with bone health concerns.

Better Bones Builder and Better Bones Balance give you:

• A rich multivitamin and mineral formula providing optimal portions of the nutrients necessary for all your daily needs while gently supporting the body’s natural cycle of bone breakdown and repair. Our exclusive formula contains Metafolin™ (5-MTHF, or l-methylfolate), the biologically active form of folate that is easier for your body to process and use.

• A cutting-edge bone health formula featuring a potent dosage of the key nutrients required to promote bone strength, density, and flexibility—all provided in their most alkalizing forms to enhance your body’s pH balance.

Find dosage instructions and other important information about your Better Bones Builder and Better Bones Balance at www.womenshealthnet-work.com/protocols.

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http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/protocols



• An amino acid complex offering a good range of amino acids required to support the healthy formation and repair of the bone protein matrix.

Simple dosage—every dayYou’ll take your supplements twice each day for a total of 6 tablets per day for Better Bones Balance and 8 tablets per day for Better Bones Builder. Some women are not in the habit of taking supplements, but there are easy ways to include these in your routine—keeping them in your kitchen where you’ll see them at mealtimes, in your desk, your purse, or near your toothbrush. Remember, if you don’t take them, they can’t help you. So embrace the idea that taking your supplements is an important step in taking care of yourself each day.

Begin by taking half your daily dose in the morning with your breakfast and your second dose with your dinner each day. It’s best to have food in your stomach shortly before taking the supplements and to keep drinking lots of water during the day. If you find that taking your supplements with breakfast causes upset stomach or digestive problems, try taking them with lunch and dinner instead.

Omega-3sOur Omega-3s are sourced from completely natural, deep-water fish sources, and are molecularly distilled to ensure purity and concentrate EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)—the two key omega-3 essential fatty acids. These essential fatty acids help support nearly every system in the body, including heart, brain, joint, eye, skin, immune, and hormonal health. We also include natural lemon

Omega-3s

References on safety and efficacy: www.women-shealthnetwork.com/products/omega3s- references.aspx.

Find dosage instructions and other important information about your Omega-3s at www. womenshealthnetwork.com/protocols.

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http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/products/omega3s-references.aspx




http://www.womentowomen.com/products/omega3s-references.aspx





flavor in our formulation to eliminate the unpleasant fishy taste during—or after—consumption that you may have experienced with other omega-3 formulas.

Take one each dayOur Omega-3s are designed to be taken once a day for your convenience. We recommend taking them in the morning with breakfast.

Herbal Equilibrium™Women concerned with managing both their bone health and symptoms of hormonal imbalance will also begin their Starter Phase with Herbal Equilibrium, our exclusive botanical formulation that embodies the latest research on natural plant extracts to help them rebalance their hormones naturally. It is designed to help alleviate the most common symptoms gently and effectively and—if used regularly—can help prevent them from coming back.

Herbal Equilibrium targets the functions in the body which support all three of the hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) that are most prone to flux.

• Black Cohosh, Red Clover, and Kudzu form a powerful and synergistic isoflavone-glycoside complex that diminishes symptoms associated with changes in estrogen levels such as hot flashes and night sweats.

• Passionflower, Chasteberry and Wild Yam are botanicals that have been used by traditional cultures to treat symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, and insomnia. Recent studies show that the flavonoids in these herbs may mimic the soothing actions of progesterone.

References on safety and efficacy

Each ingredient in Herbal Equilibrium has been carefully selected following review of the scientific literature for its safety and therapeu-tic efficacy in reducing symptoms of hormonal imbalance in women. For more information on the substantiation of this product, please visit:

Herbal Equilibrium

* These herbs have been used by women for generations for safe and effective healing. Herbal Equilibrium is produced by our longtime manufacturing partner based on its quality standards, which are externally validated to meet or exceed the FDA’s GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) regulations. We’ve found it is best to store your supply of Herbal Equilibrium in a cool, dry place away from exposure to light.

www.womenshealth network.com/products/herbalequilibrium- references.aspx

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http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/products/herbalequilibrium-references.aspx





• Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic Ayurvedic herb known to have gentle aphrodisiac and mood-stabilizing properties. Recent studies suggest it activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, increasing (or countering) the production of androgens.*

Take two tablets each dayHerbal Equilibrium is designed to be taken twice a day. It is easiest for most women to take these tablets at the same time they take their Better Bones Builder, or Better Bones Balance.

If your symptoms are more severe, or if you don’t experience adequate relief from your symptoms within three weeks, increase your dosage to three tablets per day (AM, midday, and PM) for the next three weeks. If you are feeling better then, remain at three tablets per day for a final three weeks and then adjust back down to two tablets per day. Do not exceed three tablets per day.

Every woman is different—if you have any unusual reaction, you may want to decrease to one tablet per day until your body adjusts, then return to two or three tablets per day. If symptoms do not improve, please contact us to schedule a free Nurse-Educator consultation.

Begin tracking your progressTest your pH daily. Use the test kit provided in your first shipment to learn where your body lies on the spectrum of acid-alkaline balance. The results of this test can be helpful in gauging how much change you must make in your diet and lifestyle to see a real impact. Record your results in the log provided on page 109 in the Resources section. If you prefer, you may also record your daily readings online by logging into My Account at womenshealthnetwork.com.

It is also important to record the results of the tests your doctors

Find dosage instruc-tions and other impor-tant information about your Herbal Equilibrium at www.womenshealthnetwork/protocols.

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http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/

http://www.womenshealthnetwork/protocols




give you. If you currently have any relevant test results (bone density test, vitamin D levels, NTx, etc.), we encourage you to record them in our Testing Resources section, (starting on page 105), which provides your baseline. Remember to update this section over time so you can track your progress.

Reach Out For SupportIf you are having trouble getting started, have questions, or just feel stuck, call our Customer Support desk at 1-800-593-5589. Some women may need special assistance or have medical conditions they need to discuss. Some women make rapid progress and then “stall” until we tweak or adjust an element of their Better Bones regimen. We

are here for you, and we can help. Please, never hesitate to contact us. These calls are free!

If you prefer to e-mail your concerns, we will personally respond to every message.

If you have special concerns or just need extra help, you can consult at any time with one of our Nurse-Educators. They’re highly trained, experienced, and very supportive. A 20-minute consultation is just $19.

Every month you will receive our newsletter. Additionally, our website is a rich resource on many aspects of women’s health.

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Why Alkaline for Life®?

When it comes to improving bone health, very little you do matters more than improving your acid–alkaline balance. You can get many of the needed nutrients, and you can exercise and limit toxins, but if your acid–alkaline balance is off-kilter, you’ll still have unnecessary bone loss in the long run.

What is pH, and why does it matter?When we talk about acid–alkaline balance, what we really mean is the state of our internal pH. The pH of any solution is measured on a scale of 0–14 that describes the relative degree of acidity, with 7 being a neutral pH, 0 the most acid, and 14 the most alkaline.

The gastric juices in your stomach are a strong acid with a pH a bit above 1, while ammonia is highly alkaline with a pH of almost 12. The human body must maintain a very specific blood pH—a slightly alkaline pH level of 7.35 to 7.45. Even a slight shift in blood pH that puts it outside of this range can cause dramatic health problems. Our body’s other tissues are so exquisitely sensitive to pH balance that when a cell’s pH becomes more acidic by as little as 0.1 pH unit, the cell’s ability to function well deteriorates.

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Women’s Health Network 12Why Alkaline for Life®?

Our bodies and our blood are dynamic. Many of our daily activities have a powerful effect on the body’s functions, including the pH bal-ance of the blood and tissues. Exercise, how much sleep we get, our overall stress levels, and exposure to toxins in the environment all have an impact on our pH levels because they can generate acidic byproducts. The amount of acid we produce in the course of normal living is astonishing—but most of it is naturally buffered and neutralized by the body almost instantly.

Nature, in her wisdom, has provided the means for our tissues to cope with all this acid. The body does an excellent job of counterbalancing our internal acid production with mechanisms that neutralize and remove acid. For example, our lungs excrete carbonic acid in the form of CO2, and the kidneys excrete acid in the urine.

Knowing these mechanisms exist might tempt us to dismiss the possibility that acid could accumulate in the body—after all, we have so many different ways of getting rid of the excess! But there is one source of acid that Nature did not anticipate: our modern, acid-forming diet.

Body chemistry, diet and pHMany foods that we consume have the potential to alter our pH. When digested, some foods leave acidic byproducts in the body we call these acid-forming foods); others leave alkaline byproducts (alkaline-forming foods). Acid-forming foods include most high-protein foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, and most legumes (beans, peas, and soy). Sugar, coffee, alcohol, and most grains are also

C o m m o n S u b s t a n c e s p H

Hydrochloric acid (1 mol/L) 0.0

Gastric juices 1.0

Cola 2.7

Tomato juice 4.1

Urine 6.0

Pure water 7.0

Blood 7.4

Baking soda solution 8.4

Toothpaste 9.9

Milk of magnesia 10.5

Household ammonia 11.9

Sodium hydroxide (1 mol/L) 14.0

AL

KA

LIN

E

NE

UT

RA

L

AC

ID

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acid-forming. Alkaline-forming foods include nearly all vegetables and fruits, many nuts and seeds, and spices. We’ve included a chart of acid- and alkaline-forming foods on pages 16 and 17 for easy reference.

For millennia, our Stone Age ancestors ate hundreds of different types of natu-ral whole foods. Seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and roots were supplemented with game animals and fish, providing on average a pH-balanced diet. Our organs and body systems evolved in adaptation to this diet. It’s as if Nature said, “You can eat acid-forming meat, beans, and other high-protein foods, but you must balance these with an abundance of the alkaline-forming veg-etables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and spices.” And for thousands of years, that’s exactly what we did.

Unfortunately, we’ve strayed from the balance that our ancestors achieved. We favor meat, sugars, grains, and other acid-forming foods and get far too few alkaline-forming vegetables and fruits. We have no natural mechanisms to adjust our pH to a diet composed of highly acid-forming foods, so we’re stuck with those excess acids. And this is the underlying cause of many of our modern health problems, including our poor bone health.

While many fresh fruits are good sources of essential vitamins like C and A, fruit also contains natural sugars that are only slightly better for you than refined sugar. In the form of fruit juice, fruit loses fiber and some of its nutritional value. What value remains is often offset by the sugars—and this is especially true with juices that are blends of grape and apple juice, or ones that contain high-fructose corn syrup and other additives. But even pure juice can pack a very sugary punch: 12 oz. of pure orange juice contains 34 grams of sugars—only 5 grams less than a 12-oz. serving of cola!

Here are some suggestions to limit the bad and emphasize the good when adding fruit and fruit juice to the menu:

• As much as possible, choose whole, organic fruit in season, and eat it raw or only slightly cooked.

• Make a point of getting at least 2⁄3 of your total fruit and vegetable intake from leafy greens, root vegetables, and other non-fruit sources.

• If you do drink fruit juice, choose 100% juice products with no additives (organic if possible); best are those juices that contain only the type of juice you’re looking for, that is, 100% apple, cherry, blueberry, or orange juice. Avoid any juice that contains high-fructose corn syrup.

• Try “cutting” your fruit juice with water, mineral water, or seltzer to lessen the impact of all that sugar. You may find that you like it better when the taste of the fruit isn’t overpowered by sweetness!

• Add the juice of lemons or limes to water for flavor (citrus juice, unsweetened, is highly alkalizing).

A note about fruit and fruit juice

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The effects of acidity in the bodyChronic low-grade metabolic acidosis (a condition in which the body’s tissues tilt toward acidity) is linked to an incredible number of health problems, ranging from acid reflux and gastrointestinal discomfort to chronic fatigue, urinary tract disorders, and even neurological disorders such as epilepsy. It’s also associated with systemic inflammation—a condition implicated in arthritis, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders—and with the muscle loss and sagging skin that often accompanies aging. It’s a major player when it comes to bone loss. In the same way that acid rain is damaging to plants and animals, metabolic acidosis damages our bodies—particularly our bones, which are literally “eaten away” by our internal acidity.

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms below, your body may already be confirming that you have a pH imbalance:

• Weight gain

• Nonspecific aches and pains, especially in the bones and joints

• Acid reflux or heartburn

• Poor digestion, irritable

bowel, intestinal cramping

• Fatigue, feeling of being “run

down”

• Muscle weakness and loss of

muscle

• Urinary tract problems

• Receding gums

• Kidney stones

• Bone loss

• Skin problems

Acid–alkaline balance and your bonesAlthough few people realize it, our bones are the guardians of our pH. They store the mineral compounds, including compounds of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus that can be drawn upon to neutralize excess acids. When our pH balance becomes too acidic, our bones release these mineral compounds into the blood to

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restore it to the optimal alkaline condition. And when this acidity is more than just a brief or occasional event, the bones’ efforts to keep our pH balanced becomes a major source of bone loss.

Here’s how it works. There are two cells in the bone that are concerned with the storage and release of minerals. The first is the osteoblast, which builds up new bone; the second is the osteoclast, which breaks down old or damaged bone. When the blood pH becomes acidic, the body signals to the osteoclasts to go to work (Figure 1). The osteoclasts begin breaking down bone, releasing alkalizing mineral compounds—largely calcium compounds—into the bloodstream to bring pH back into the alkaline range. Once pH balance has been restored, the osteoblasts get to work rebuilding bones using the minerals and nutrients in food.

In the healthy body, these two processes are coupled in an on-going cycle to keep bone healthy. With a poor diet, elevated stress and other “toxic” burdens—conditions common to most American women—the body is constantly working to regain pH balance and therefore constantly tapping the bones for alkalizing minerals, leading to bone loss and, ultimately, to osteoporosis.

Alkaline for Life®—the cornerstone of your Better Bones PackageThe obvious solution to this problem is to do what countless nutritionists and doctors are always tell-ing us: eat more fruits and vegetables, and cut back on processed foods, meats, and sweets. But how much is “more” when it comes to vegetables—and which ones are best? And how much of those acid-forming meats and sweets should we “cut back”?

Tiny Changes in pH Make Big Changes in Bone

Even 1⁄10 of a point

increase in acidity

(say, from 7.45 to

7.35 on the pH scale):

• Stimulates the

cells that break

down bone

• Inhibits the cells

that build bone

• Induces bone

mineral losses

Absorbs systemic

calcium in bone

Mineral movement into bone

Mineral movement

out of bone

Releases calcium into

the blood

Osteoblast (bone build-

ing cell)

Osteocyte (a living bone cell)

Calcified bone

Osteoclast (bone break-

down cell)

Figure 1. The movement of minerals

into and out of bone.

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Highly alkalizing foods Moderately alkalizing foods Mildly alkalizing foods

Alkaline-forming foods

Fruits

Blackberries, nectarines, strawberries, persimmons, raspberries, tangerines, limes, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe/honeydew

VegetablesAsparagus, onions, celery, kohlrabi, collard greens, parsnips, endive, mustard greens, kale, winter squash, sweet potatoes/yams

Nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs & spicesChestnuts, sea salt, ginger root, parsley, pumpkin seeds

Sweeteners & vinegarsUmeboshi vinegar

BeveragesMineral water, ginger tea

FruitsRaisins, grapes, blueberries, oranges, apples, cherries, apricots, grapefruit, avocado, olives (green), banana, pears, peaches, lemons

VegetablesArtichokes, eggplant, beets, summer squash, baked potato, zucchini, bell peppers, okra, broccoli, cabbage, string beans (without formed beans)

Nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs & spicesBlack pepper, lentils, cashews, basil, garlic, cilantro, cinnamon, soy sauce

Breads, grains, and dessertsBaked apples (unsweetened)

Sweeteners & vinegarsApple cider vinegar, molasses

BeveragesGrapefruit juice, pineapple juice

FruitsCoconuts

VegetablesSnow peas, carrots (organic), cucumbers, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms

Dairy/EggsClarified butter (ghee)

OilsOlive oil, flax oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, cod liver oil

Nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs & spicesAlmonds, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

Breads, grains, and dessertsGranola (unsweetened), oatmeal, quinoa, wild rice

Sweeteners & vinegarsRice syrup, sucanat

BeveragesApple juice, grape juice, orange juice, green or herbal tea

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Mildly acid-forming foods Moderately acid-forming foods Highly acid-forming foods

Acid-forming foods

FruitsFigs, dates, guava, plums/prunes

VegetablesTomatoes, Swiss chard, green peas, rhubarb, spinach, lima beans, carrots (commercial), string beans (with formed beans)

Meats/FishClams, gelatin

Dairy/EggsButter, yogurt, curd, cheese, egg whites, cream

OilsSesame oil, safflower oil, canola oil, almond oil, sunflower oil

Nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs & spicesBaked beans, green peas, kidney beans, split peas, white beans, curry powder, garbanzo beans

Breads, grains, and dessertsBrown rice, buckwheat flour, kasha

Sweeteners & vinegarsMayonnaise, maple syrup, stevia, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar

BeveragesMilk, black tea, tomato juice

FruitsCranberries, pomegranates, olives (ripe)

VegetablesCorn (fresh)

Meats/FishSalmon, haddock, duck, tuna, chicken, scallops, liver, mackerel, buffalo, catfish, pork

Dairy/EggsCottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs (whole)

OilsSoybean oil, peanut oil

Nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs & spicesPeanuts, chickpeas

Breads, grains, and dessertsWhole wheat bread (100%), rye bread (100%), corn tortillas, cornmeal, barley, white rice

BeveragesWine, dark beer, coffee, rice milk

Meats/FishShrimp, Mussels, Lobster, Bacon, Sausage, Beef

Dairy/EggsCamembert cheese, American cheese, ice cream

OilsCottonseed oil

Nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs & spicesWalnuts, hazelnuts, soybeans, white sugar, iodized table salt

Breads, grains, and dessertsWhite flour, bagels, croissants, saltine crackers

Sweeteners & vinegarsRed wine, white vinegar, sugar (brown or white), corn syrup

BeveragesPale beer, espresso, colas/soft drinks, soy milk, milkshakes

This chart shows examples of foods that are alkalizing or acidifying. Other foods that are not listed here may have these properties. For a more comprehensive list, see The Acid-Alkaline Food Guide by Susan Brown and Larry Trivieri, Jr.

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We’ve done our best to answer these questions for you. In the Resources section at the back of this manual are our own custom-designed recipes and meal plans that will help you get the needed amounts of alkalizing foods to get your pH balance back to optimal levels. When you’re ready to begin, you can use these meal plans and food suggestions to get started.

For now, concentrate on our quick rule of thumb. For the first three months, you should strive for 80% of your foods from the alkaline-forming group and the remaining 20% from the acid-forming group (this is to ensure you get enough protein). Later, when your pH balance has improved (and we’ll tell you how to validate that yourself—check the Resources section beginning on page 105), you can lower the alkaline-forming part of your diet to around 65%.

But we can’t emphasize enough how important it is that you pay attention to your pH balance and focus on eating alkaline-forming foods. It’s truly the cornerstone of success in this approach. If you don’t alter your diet to reduce acidity, you may still see some improvements in your bone health—but you aren’t likely to get the optimal bone renewal that will protect you against fractures and osteoporosis. And if prevention of fractures and osteoporosis is your ultimate goal, then this is a step you must take. It doesn’t have to come first . . . but it does have to be taken. In more than 20 years of clinical experience at the Center for Better Bones, we’ve seen very few cases where bone loss was halted in a patient who didn’t maintain an alkaline pH by following an alkaline diet and using alkalizing supplements as necessary.

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Nourishing your bones Why diet alone isn’t the answer

the bones are the body’s storehouse for many of the nutri-ents we take in when we eat. If we’re not getting enough of one or more necessary nutrients, the bones are last on the list of body tissues to be replenished—all the other tissues take their share first. Like a mother with many children, our bones make sure that the other organs get what they need before taking care of them-selves. For those of us with the average American diet, this means that our bones are often contributing nutrients vital to proper functioning of other parts of the body, leaving the bones short changed. A good diet complete with nutritional supplementation generally tips the balance back in favor of bone health.

Of course, everyone’s nutritional needs are a little different. What qualifies as a good diet for one person might not be quite right for another. Women who have conditions like insulin resistance or diabetes, for instance, do better with more protein in their diet, and women who are gluten intolerant need to substitute other forms of carbohydrate for whole grains that contain gluten. The Better Bones Package is intended to meet your specific needs, so you should feel free to adjust our recommendations to fit your own health circumstances.

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Women’s Health Network 20Nourishing Your Bones

The calcium mythWe’ve been told for decades that the key to bone health is calcium, largely because calcium makes up a large portion of our bones’ physical mass. However, after many years of research we’ve learned that it’s not the calcium by itself that determines whether bones are healthy. We’ve seen that even when calcium is readily available, people suffer from poor bone health. Excess bone loss is a common problem in the United States despite the fact that we get more calcium in our diets than just about anyone else.

All the misplaced emphasis on this single mineral disguises the fact that our bones are very complex structures that perform many vital functions in the body. To keep our bones healthy, we need to take in a variety of the vitamins, minerals, essential fats, amino acids, and other nutrients that the bones use to create a solid, strong framework for our muscles and organs.

When we get these nutrients, our bones perform some pretty remarkable work in turning these nutrients into a building material that is far superior to any man-made substance. Bone withstands compression forces twice as well as granite, holds up to stretching forces four times as well as concrete, yet it has only one-fifth the weight of steel—and it’s self-repairing!

At the Center for Better Bones we have spent decades researching total bone nutrition. We’ve identified 20 key nutrients that are vital for bone health. Two of them, vitamin D and vitamin K, are particularly critical, but for optimal health, we really need all of them. Just as flour and water won’t make bread dough rise until you add yeast, your bones are unable to form a strong matrix when vital ingredients are either missing or present in low amounts.

Dyna m I c B o n e

Each day some 360 mg of calcium are drawn out of bone for use in the blood. Ideally, an equal amount is daily redeposited in bone. In this fashion, each year more than 20% of an adult’s bone calcium is replaced.

(Heaney and Barger-Lux, Calcium and Common Sense.

New York: Doubleday, 1988)

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Calcium (Ca) 800–1200 mg

Phosphorus (P) 800–1200 mg

Magnesium (Mg) 500–1000 mg adult women

Chromium (Cr) 200–1000 mcg

Silica (Si) 10 mg and up

Zinc (Zn) 20–30 mg

Manganese (Mn) 9–20 mg

Copper (Cu) 1–3 mg

Boron (B) 3–5 mg

Potassium (K) 4000–6000 mg

Strontium (Sr) 3–30 mg (supplements); up to 680 mg (medications)

Vitamin A 5000 IU or less

Vitamin B6 25–75 mg

Vitamin B9 (Folic acid/folate) 800–1000 mcg

Vitamin B12 10–1000 mcg

Vitamin C Oral 500–3000 mg and upward to bowel tolerance, as needed

Vitamin D 800–2000 IU and up, as needed

Vitamin K K1: 1000 mcg K2: 45 mcg–360 mcg MK-7 (menaquinone-7)

Fats 20–30% of total calories from high quality fats, including essential fatty acids, is ideal.

Protein 1.0–1.5 g/kg from a variety of sources, including meats, dairy, legumes, and so on.

THE 20 ESSENTIAL BONE-BUILDING NUTRIENTS: THERAPEUTIC RANGE

Nutrient Therapeutic Range (includes diet & supplementation)

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Why our bones need supplementsWe are deficient in these key nutrients largely because we don’t eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. The average American consumes 30% of his or her calories from fat, 20% from sugars, and 20% from refined grains, leaving less than a third of the calories for nutrient-rich sources like fruits and vegetables. However, it’s not that simple: the other part of the problem has more to do with how we live and how we get our food.

For example, one of the crucial nutrients for bone health is vitamin D. Several studies now show that vitamin D in appropriate doses reduces osteoporosis fractures by 25 to 50%—more effective than bisphosphonate drugs. Vitamin D is one of the easiest nutrients to get—all you have to do is go out in the sun, and your skin will make it for you! But our modern society is focused on living, work-ing, and playing indoors. Vitamin D deficiency is on the rise as a consequence—and with it, poor bone health.

Another problem that affects the nutrients we get is the way our food is produced. Modern agriculture has depleted our soils of the minerals we need by up to 85%, so the fruits and vegetables grown in that soil now contain less of these vitamins and minerals. Moreover, many of these fruits and vegetables are picked green and allowed to ripen during shipment—which means they don’t draw nearly as many nutrients from the sun and earth as produce that ripens on the vine or branch. So even if we do eat the recom-mended quantities of fruits and vegetables, the minerals simply aren’t available in our food!

Overprocessing of whole foods also strips out essential nutrients; a commonly used example is white flour, which loses a significant amount of its nutrient value when processed from whole grain (see our Table on the next page).

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Finally, we have to take into consideration “the nutrition tax of modern living.” While our diet is less nutrient-dense than that of our ancestors, our nutrient needs are higher than ever due to a variety of environmental and lifestyle factors. Pollution from heavy metals, petro-chemicals, and industrial wastes in our food, air, and water increase our need for detoxify-ing nutrients, as do lifestyle factors like smoking or second-hand smoke, excessive alcohol intake, recreational drugs, and prescription medications.

What it all boils down to is this: in the modern world, we simply don’t get all the nutrients we need from our food. This is partly because our food contains fewer nutrients, and partly because we need more nutrients than ever—making a good multivitamin a necessity.

This seems to be the element that is the easiest for women to incorporate into their lives. The other three elements of the Better Bones Package build on the use of supplements. In fact, in more

L o s s e s o f v i ta m i n s a n d m i n e r a l s i n r e f i n i n g o f w h i t e f l o u r

Magnesium 87% Vitamin E 91%

Riboflavin 80% Calcium 66%

Niacin 81% Potassium 77%

Chromium 40% Copper 68%

Manganese 86% Zinc 74%

Four reasons why diet alone can’t provide the needed nutrients for bone health:

Soil depletion = lower nutrient yield in each food item.

Food that is picked green and shipped over long distances contains fewer nutrients.

Environmental toxins in food, water, and air add stress to our body systems and increase our nutrient needs for healing.

Greater physical and emotional burdens of our modern lifestyle lead to greater nutrient needs.

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than two decades of practice at the Center for Better Bones, we have never seen a patient rebuild bone strength without including an appropriate nutritional supplementation regimen. That’s why we stress the importance of taking your Better Bones formulas as recommended, each day.

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Reducing your burdens

to regain bone health (as well as your overall health), you also need to take steps to reduce the load that you are carrying. Like the camel shown at the beginning of this guide, your body is likely suffering under the weight of multiple burdens. About 20% of them are factors like age, body type, or genes, over which you have no control. The remainder, however, are burdens that you may be able to eliminate or at least reduce. Most of these burdens are habits or ways of living that introduce toxins and stress into your system. In this section, we’ll give you pointers on how to “unload your camel” through detoxification and discuss how you can address lifestyle factors to lower your health burden.

What is detoxification? Most of us come into contact every day with unwholesome foods and other substances that interfere with the body’s ability to absorb and use nutrients. These substances create imbalances that the body naturally tries to correct. Recognizing and eliminat-ing these factors is an important way of stopping bone loss and

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Women’s Health Network 26Reducing Your Burdens

facilitating the bone’s own healing mechanisms. That’s why one element of the approach is detoxification, or detox for short.

Unfortunately, there are toxic chemicals in the environment that can stress our bodies. Our immune system, liver, kidneys, and excretory systems are able to process many of these chemicals when we’re healthy, but they can only handle so many “emergency calls” at any given time. When we’re getting poor nutrition, their ability to respond decreases markedly. So one way you can support your body is to cut back on the number of calls for help by reduc-ing the total number of toxins you consume in your food.

For everyone who follows this approach, we suggest finding ways to limit harmful chemicals and heavy metals. Some simple meth-ods for this practical approach to detox include:

• Drink spring water, mineral water, or tea (preferably decaf or herbal varieties) instead of juices, sodas, or coffee. If you must have caffeine, drink black or green tea—the antioxidants in the tea’s tannins offset some of the acidifying effects of the caffeine. Green tea is especially high in antioxidants. And make sure you drink enough water to help flush toxins from your system—about 8 glasses of water a day (64 ounces).

• Choose certified organic produce whenever you can, fresh rather than packaged, and try to buy from local producers when possible.

• Wash your fruits and vegetables well (even if they’re supposedly pre-washed) and practice good kitchen hygiene, keeping meats and produce separate when you prepare them and washing your hands after handling meat.

• Buy meat, dairy, and eggs from producers that certify them as free of hormones and antibiotics—again, from local farmers if possible. Go for grass-fed if it’s available.

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• Avoid eating fish more than once weekly, and choose fish from the bottom of the food chain rather than the top (that is, trout or salmon rather than tuna or swordfish). A rule of thumb is that the smaller the fish is, the lower it is on the food chain.

• Use glass storage containers instead of plastic, and avoid pots and pans that contain Teflon or other non-stick coatings, as these leach chemicals into your food.

• For more tips and links, see our article on food safety at www.womenshealthnetwork.com

Any of these steps will reduce your exposure to the chemical fertilizers, pesticides, bacteria, medications, additives, and hormones that we often ingest unknowingly, which is one less burden your body has to carry. We offer many other techniques and suggestions in our on-line articles on detoxification at www.womenshealthnetwork.com/library/detoxification.aspx.

Reducing inflammationOne burden you may be carrying without realizing it is chronic inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s basic mechanism for addressing challenges to health, such as injury and infection, and in small doses it’s life-saving because it eliminates disease-causing bacteria and aids in wound healing. But as is often the case, too

The top 3 reasons to quit colas:

Colas are particularly high on the list of bone-robbing foods for three reasons: sugar, phosphoric acid, and caffeine. All of these ingredients are highly acid forming and generally represented in large amounts in any 12 ounce serving.

1. Phosphoric Acid: the pH of this additive ranges from 2.7 to 3.2. It would take the equivalent of 4 Tums to neutralize this acid load.

2. Sugar: Would it surprise you to learn that one 12-ounce can contains anywhere from 9–12 teaspoons of sugar? The diet versions which contain the chemicals sucralose and aspartame are only slightly less acidifying.

3. Caffeine: A highly acidic ingredient that exacerbates the acid effects of stress hormones.

Giving up colas can be a difficult step for some of the women, but it is one of the most important and effective lifestyle changes I see at the Center for Better Bones.

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http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/library/detoxification.aspx

http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/library/detoxification.aspx

Myriad HD


much of this “good thing” can be harmful. If the body is in a state of chronic inflammation, it may emphasize bone breakdown over bone building, creating a net loss of bone. Conditions like asthma, aller-gies, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and fibromyalgia, among many others, are signposts that chronic inflam-mation is part of the picture—so if any of these conditions affect you, reducing inflammation would be an important step in improv-ing your bone health as well as your overall well-being. Fortunately, many of the suggestions we make in the Better Bones Package can serve double duty by calming inflammation at the same time they promote acid-alkaline balance and overall bone health.

In addition, we suggest that you take steps to identify any food sensitivities you might have.

What are food sensitivities and how are they identified?You’ve probably seen all the warnings on food labels about prod-ucts containing wheat, nuts, milk, or eggs, designed to protect people with allergies from inadvertently triggering an acute reaction. What you may not realize, however, is that many people have allergic responses to such ingredients that are delayed, or so mild, they barely register! Unless you’re actively watching for a response—listening for a signal from your body that might be fairly quiet (or even delayed by a few days)—you may not make the con-nection between something you ate and a feeling of malaise.

There are all kinds of challenge tests that you can take under the supervision of a nutritionist or functional medicine practitioner to determine if you’re sensitive to a given food, but one quick and easy way to figure out your potential sensitivities is to make a list of foods you’ve found yourself craving. It may surprise you to learn that strong, constant cravings are sometimes a symptom

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of sensitivity or allergy. If you continually crave foods that contain sugar, chocolate, milk, or wheat (gluten), chances are you’re sensi-tive or mildly allergic to these ingredients.

This is where many people think, Oh, no, I have to give up all the things I enjoy! and wonder if it’s really worth it. But if you give it a good, committed effort, you will immediately see and feel an improvement in many aspects of your health. You’ll find that many small discomforts you may have taken for granted as “just the way my body is” or “part of getting older” will gradually disappear. You will also discover which foods are best for you (that is, which foods facilitate good digestion, reduce hunger, eliminate food cravings, stabilize and increase energy, and so on). And as your overall burden decreases, you may even be able to reintroduce into your diet some of the foods you’re sensitive to.

We should make it clear that it’s neither necessary nor helpful to try to reintroduce foods to which you have a known or lifelong allergy. If you’re moderately or severely allergic to a food item, there is little to be gained from reintroducing it, and attempting to do so could make you seriously ill if your reaction is severe—so we caution you not to try it without the supervision of your healthcare practitioner.

At right is a list of food ingredients that commonly trigger reactions. Check off any that you find yourself craving regu-larly, particularly if you find that you experience physical symptoms after eating them. These are the first foods you should consider as possible sources of allergy or sensitivity.

The next step is to confirm your sensitivity. There’s an easy way to test whether you’re sensitive to a particular food. For two weeks, avoid all forms of that food entirely. So if you are eliminating dairy, for example, you should avoid all milk, cheese, yogurt, butter,

Common foods that cause reactions*

Sugar chocolate

Wheat Corn

Coffee Soy

Eggs Shellfish

milk nuts

* If you have a known allergy to any of these foods that was diagnosed by an allergist’s IgE test, we do not recommend you try confirming this sensitivity by an avoidance/challenge test. Food allergies that cause an IgE response may lead to anaphylaxis, which is a serious, life-threatening medical condition. Speak to your allergist in regard to any food sensitivities you’re uncer-tain about.

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ice cream, and any foods that contain as an ingredient the milk protein casein. After this two-week period ends, eat a lot of the eliminated food for one day. If there is no immediate reaction, keep eating that food over the next few days and see how you feel. Watch for stuffy sinuses, watery or itchy eyes, sore or scratchy throat, headaches, bloating, gas, intestinal cramping, diarrhea, skin breakouts, redness, or hives, nonspecific aches or pains, mood swings, irritability—or any other symptom that begins relatively soon after that one day of indulgence. Symptoms may not start immediately—sometimes we have delayed reactions—but if you’re sensitive, you should notice a significant change in your well-being within four days.

If there are multiple possibilities in your diet and you’re not sure where to start, you can try eating only fruits, vegetables, and fresh (non-processed) meat such as lamb for a week or so, then reintro-duce different foods one at a time, leaving a few days between each effort. Keep a diary of your physical responses to help you pinpoint which foods cause a reaction. Those are the foods you want to decrease or remove from your diet.

Stress is toxic, tooWe’ve seen many times at the Center for Better Bones that there are certain emotions that go hand in hand with poor bone health. Scientists have documented a link between low vitamin D levels, depression, and osteoporosis, but clinicians have also noted that people who spend a lot of time feeling worried, anxious, and “stressed out” seem to be prime candidates for osteoporosis and fractures. One reason for this is that emotions and stress are acid-forming, too!

Research has shown that negative emotions do make us more acidic through their effects on our metabolism. When we’re under stress, hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline ramp up our

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metabolism, which can lead to acid accumulation in the body and a loss of minerals from the body. Particularly in perimenopausal women, depression seems to magnify the effects of cortisol on the bones. Ultimately, the science and our experience tell us that unless we take time to relax and de-stress regularly, we have little opportunity to rid ourselves of this acidity through the normal mechanisms our body uses.

Unfortunately, continual exposure to high levels of stress also promotes certain habits that only make the problem worse. If we are to break free of the cycle of poor nutrition that promotes bone loss, it helps to rid ourselves of these habits—and that means addressing the emotional states of depression and anxiety, and the stress that produces them.

On the next page is a list of some stress-related habits that add to the body’s acidity. Take a moment to review the list of stress habits. This is a place where you might consider making changes to improve your bone health. The list is not comprehensive, but it includes some of the most common stress-related habits that exacerbate acidity.

You might find the last item on the list surprising because of the implication that exercise can be bad for you. But it’s true: overemphasizing strenuous exercise only adds to acid imbalance. In our next section, we’ll talk about ways to make sure you get the right kind of exercise for healthy bones. The most important thing to remember about exercise is that you should exercise for the fun of it, not because you feel like you “have” to do it.

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Emotional wellness and bone health We’ve all felt the mind-body connection as it relates to stress. If you’re standing in the street and you think you hear a truck coming, your body physically prepares you to move out of the way, even if the sound

is something else entirely.

As more and more research is bearing out, unbalanced stress takes a significant toll on our physical bodies, upsetting our natural bal-ance and disrupting normal functions like blood sugar metabolism, and the immune system, and increasing the risks for autoimmune disorders like allergies, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and hypothy-roidism. Stress and worry also have an impact on our bones.

Untying the knots at the root of chronic stress has long-lasting physical and psychological benefits. But understand that this is a highly individualized process. What stresses one woman does not provoke the same physical or emotional responses in another.

If you’re wondering how to start examining your own stress roots, it might be helpful to take a look at the work being done at McGill University’s Centre for Studies on Human Stress. Dr. Sonia Lupien, director of the center, has come up with a “recipe” for stress which can be remembered by the acronym NUTS. The letters stand for

“ Stress habits” that exacerbate the acid effects of stress hormones

Choosing foods low in nutrition and high in fats and sugars

Poor sleep

Smoking

Excessive use of caffeine

Alcohol or drug use

Eating too rapidly or while “on the run”

Negative thinking or excessive worry

Exercising too much or not enough

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Novelty, Unpredictability, Threat to the ego, and Sense of loss of control. Each of these elements triggers the stress response in the body, and the more of them you encounter, the greater the impact on your health. But you can learn (or be taught) to recognize when you’re responding to one or any combination of these “ingredi-ents,” redirect yourself, and stop yourself from “going NUTS.” This acronym works for both short-term stress and long-term stress, real threats or perceived ones.

Self-care lessens the physical toll of stressIn our overly scheduled, high-pressure world, it is important to find ways to offset your stress through basic self-care fundamen-tals. These basic options at the very least diminish the immediate symptoms of stress. They can also help to lessen the negative effects of cortisol on your body and your bones.

• Focus on your breathing several times each day. Slow your mind and body down with simple deep breathing exercises like the ones in the chart below. Experiment with how much you can expand your chest and torso with your inhalation and how much you can contract with your exhalation.

Breath Ratio Chart: Just by breathing differently, you can

I n h a l a t i o n H o l d e x h a l a t i o n H o l d e f f e c t

4 1 8 4 Relaxing

6 1 10 1 Relaxing

8 1 8 1 Balanced

6 2 6 2 Balanced

6 4 6 1 Energizing

6 6 6 1 Energizing

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create a shift in your well being. Follow the grid below to see how many seconds you should allow for each breath segment to achieve a sought after effect.

• Experiment with meditation. Meditation is not mysterious or abstract but rather directly applicable to the stresses of daily life. Meditation for even a short period of time each day can teach you how to conserve and regenerate your energies.

• Explore other relaxation practices. Acupuncture, reiki therapy, yoga, and massage are just some of the many wonderful mind–body methods for reducing stress and tonifying the nervous system. Don’t ever feel guilty about scheduling time in for relaxation—it’s fundamental to balance, whether that’s in your stress hormones or your life as a whole!

If you have reached a point in your life where you are ready to uncover more deep-seated emotional stress, here are some options we’ve found helpful.

• The Hoffman Quadrinity Process. This involves an eight-day workshop dedicated to profound healing and transforming negative thought patterns, actions and emotions, while working toward the integration of our four fundamental dimensions of being: intellect, emotions, body, and spirit. The Quadrinity Process is a superb way to resolve chronic stress for good—but note that this option requires a higher financial and time commitment than some others.

• “The Work” by Byron Katie. The Work is a process of inquiry designed to help people keenly identify and question their emotional suffering. Katie offers an informative website, has authored several books, speaks around the world, and conducts a nine-day program she calls “School for The Work,” which teaches you to unlearn the fear-based stories we’ve heard throughout life.

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• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Finding a counselor or psychotherapist you connect with can be the key for some women to work through past emotional stress. My advice here is to be patient. Finding the right fit doesn’t always happen right away, and you may find yourself talking to several therapists before settling on the right person. Cognitive behavioral therapy is another method that can help you hone in on the exact triggers for your stress.

• The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). The practice of EFT is based on the belief that all negative emotions are a disruption in the body’s energy system. Similar to

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acupuncture, EFT stimulates energy meridian points by tapping them with your fingertips. One great benefit of this technique is that it can be done anywhere at any time.

Hidden health issuesOver time, you may find that you are not making the progress you hope for. For clients at the Center for Better Bones, this lack of progress alerts us to focus on other health issues as contributing factors. For example, you may not be experiencing any symptoms of elevated thyroid hormone levels, but that is often a factor in accelerated bone loss. In the Resources section, we explain some of the tests that you might be interested in taking to identify whether hidden health issues are contributing to your bone loss.

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Exercise as supportMore effective than drugs, no matter when you start!

We all know that exercise is important to good health, but not all exercise provides equal benefits to all people. Particularly if you have already been diagnosed with severe osteoporosis or have experienced a fracture, some forms of exercise can do you as much harm as good. So let’s take a moment to look at which forms of exercise are right for you.

A balanced approach to exerciseMany studies have shown exercise to have a powerful impact on bone strength, both directly by stimulating the action of osteo-blasts and indirectly by affecting the levels of hormones in the body that influence bone turnover.

Where bone health is concerned, the kind of exercise that’s “just right” is exercise that builds muscle mass and improves flexibility without working you into a state of physical exhaustion. Your goal when you work out is to feel energized rather than tired, because when you push yourself to the point of tiredness, you’re actually increasing the strain on your body—and your acidity.

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Women’s Health Network 38Exercise as Support

Types of exerciseBefore you design your own personal exercise routine, let’s define some terms.

• Weight-bearing exercise involves movements where the person supports her own body weight, or more, while working against gravity. Forms of exercise like running, jogging, climbing stairs, walking, tennis, dancing, and lifting weights are weight-bearing. These forms place wide-ranging stresses on the muscles and bones and stimulate the development of bone strength.

• Non-weight-bearing exercise is any form where body weight is being externally supported. This includes swimming and bicycling. Like all physical activity, this type of exercise builds muscle mass and thereby encourages bone growth, but not as much as weight-bearing exercise.

• Aerobic exercise involves rhythmic body movements using large muscle groups over an extended period of time that results in increased heart rate and enhanced oxygen uptake. Both weight-bearing and non-weight bearing exercise can be aerobic if the heart rate and oxygen uptake are sustained at a high level. Aerobic movement improves oxygen uptake, cardiovascular strength, and muscle mass and also benefits bone, but not as much as rigorous weight-bearing exercise.

• Strength training is one type of weight-bearing exercise that involves working with weights and resistance to increase muscle power. Strength training signals the need for bone to grow stronger. Numerous studies document the fact that strength training builds new bone mass.

• Flexibility and balance training enhance all the other elements of a bone-protective exercise plan. These exercises are important for reducing falls and thus can dramatically reduce fracture risk. Yoga, t’ai chi, Pilates, and qi gong all enhance balance and flexibility.

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Not all forms of exercise are created equal when it comes to bone health. Most health programs emphasize the need for aerobic exercise over strength training, which is important when the goal is weight loss or cardiovascular fitness—but with this approach, strength training, weight-bearing exercise, and flexibility are the key forms to pursue.

Strength training and stretching cause the skeletal muscles to place pressure on the bones, which stimulates bone regeneration and encourages bone to become denser and stronger. Scientists call this the “muscle-bone unit”, noting that as we build muscle, we build bone. We can see from this that exercise is essential for optimum bone health. Without physical activity, we lose 40% of our bone mass in nine months. With increased physical activity, you can build bone mass again—and it doesn’t matter how old you are, because the bones are capable of rebuilding at any age.

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Aerobic exercise improves bone health too, but not as effectively, and it tends to be more stressful when you’re not at optimal health—and in people whose bones are fragile and prone to fracture, it can be downright hazardous. If you’ve got a regular aerobic workout that you enjoy, by all means, continue—just make sure you don’t exercise to the point of exhaustion, and alternate it with stretching and weight-training components to make sure you’re getting all the bone-health benefits of a well-rounded exercise program.

For those unaccustomed to any exercise, or those who’ve experi-enced a fracture, we recommend gentle forms of exercise that will allow you to build up your muscle and bone strength gradually. You should talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist about any exercise program before you begin.

The most important aspect of your exercise routine, however, is how much you enjoy it. No matter what you choose to do, make sure it’s something you like doing. If it’s not, you’re less likely to keep up with it—and the benefits of exercise only last as long as you continue exercising. Don’t hesitate to try something different for inspiration, and to keep yourself motivated, use the exercise log form to keep track of your progress.

If you do not currently have any sort of exercise routine, or if you find exercise to be a chore, you might feel like exercise is the last thing you want to do right now—and that’s fine! If you find the other ele-ments of the Package to be easier or more appealing, by all means, begin there first. You may discover that those changes alone will improve your sense of wellness and your energy enough to make an exercise program seem more enjoyable. And if you haven’t exercised in a long time, consult your healthcare professional before you start.

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Beginning exercise guidelinesOption 1 Moderate exercise five times weekly for at least 20–30

minutes: walking, jogging, dancing, yoga, Pilates, t’ai chi, etc.

Option 2 Greater intensity exercise two to three times weekly for 20 minutes to one hour: strength training with weights, machines, or weighted vests, alternating with high-intensity aerobic exercise. Water sports such as swimming or water polo can provide an intense low-impact aerobic workout if you’re concerned about fracture.

A special note for women near or in menopauseIf you are nearing menopause or a few years past it, a regular exercise routine is especially important for your bone health. Accelerated bone loss is common the few years before the last period, and continuing a few years after the last menstrual period. Although some women lose little or no bone in the years before and following menopause, many lose 2% of their bone mass per year during this hormonal transition period—and a few may lose as much as 20%.

Regular exercise helps lessen this transitional bone loss; intense strength training with appropriate nutritional supplementation can prevent not only the menopause transition bone loss, but also the muscle loss and weight gain common in this life stage. In one typical study, just two sessions per week of strength training yielded women in early menopause a small gain in spinal bone density, and stabilized hip density. Women who exercised as part of this study also increased oxygen uptake and controlled weight

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and menopausal symptoms, while the women in the non-exercis-ing control group did not see these benefits. So there are many good reasons for you to commit to an exercise program in this phase of your life.

If you have osteoporosis If you have already fractured a bone, or if you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, exercise is still important and beneficial. In these cases, you would do well to seek the advice of a physical therapist or other specialist knowledgeable about osteoporosis. Studies have found that even wheelchair-bound nursing home residents can build bone with simple exercises and nutrient modifications. As for avoid-ing a second fracture, a Mayo Clinic study found that simple back strengthening exercises done over the years reduced the incidence of new spinal fractures by 67%.

However, there are a few necessary cautions. If your spine is fragile, it is wise to avoid any “flexion” exercises that require you to bend for-ward, as they can stress the vertebrae. “Extension” exercises (bending backwards), on the other hand, are spine-friendly and helpful. Your physical therapist or health practitioner will also likely suggest you avoid high-impact exercises and activities to prevent spinal fractures.

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Date Exercise Duration Intensity How I Felt After Exercise

t h e b e t t e r b o n e s f l e x i b l e e x e r c i s e o p t i o n s

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Date Exercise Duration Intensity How I Felt After Exercise

t h e b e t t e r b o n e s f l e x i b l e e x e r c i s e o p t i o n s

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The Alkaline for Life® 30-Day Meal Plan“You are what you eat” has never been more important.

the most important step you can take in creating an ideal acid-alkaline balance in your body is to make smart food choices. The Alkaline for Life® 30-Day Meal Plan emphasizes whole foods and varies food components according to your general pH balance. If your chemistry is too acidic, we suggest that 80% of the food you consume should be alkaline-forming and only 20% acid-forming. As your pH comes into the healthy range, the proportions can shift toward 60% alkaline-forming and 40% acid-forming.

The flexible approachIf you are a woman who doesn’t like to follow a strict meal plan, following the general guidelines included over the next few pages will keep you on the Alkaline for Life Plan. Combine the major food categories with an emphasis on vegetables, root crops, and to a lesser degree fruits, whole grains, and beans; spring water, green tea, and other alkalizing beverages, and smaller amounts of essential fats, meat, fish, eggs, and dairy (if tolerated). Just

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Women’s Health Network 46The Alkaline for Life® 30-Day Meal Plan

remember to keep an eye on the 80% alkaline/20% acid balance in your daily meal plan.

Processed and artificial foods, caffeine, white sugar, and white flour are eliminated, when possible, but don’t be afraid to use real butter and full-fat milk (if you use dairy), and you may dress salads or cook with high-quality fats such as cold-pressed virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil.

It’s important that you tailor these recommendations to your specific nutritional needs. If you are diabetic or insulin resistant, you may need to include more protein (meat, dairy, nuts, and beans) and fewer carbohydrates than we suggest in our meal plan. If you are gluten intolerant, seek out gluten-free varieties of suggested products such as those offered by Glutino. If your caloric needs are higher than what we suggest, remember that there is no limit to the amounts of fresh vegetables you can have—so pile them on! Clearly, if you’re allergic to specific foods, you’ll need to substitute others when we recommend them (for example, if we suggest nuts as a snack, and you’re allergic to nuts, try some roasted pumpkin seeds or a dried-fruit trail mix instead). And

Non-starchy vegetables

Unlimited amounts, at least five to eight ½-cup servings per day.

Leafy greens of all kinds:Beet greensBok choyChardCollard greensEndiveKaleLettuces

Mustard greensSpinachTurnip greensWatercress

ArtichokeAsparagusBean sproutsBroccoli

Brussels sproutsCabbage (and

sauerkraut)CeleryEggplantGreen beansJicamaMushrooms

OnionsPea vinesSea vegetablesShallotsSnow peasTomatoesSummer squashZucchini

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Fresh or frozen fruit

Two to five ½-cup servings per day.

AppleAvocadoBananaBlueberries

BlackberriesCantaloupeCherriesGrapefruitGrapesHoneydew melon

LemonLimeMangoNectarineOrangePapaya

PeachPineappleRaspberriesStrawberriesTangerineWatermelon

Whole grains

AmaranthBrown riceBuckwheatJaponica rice

MilletOats (whole or steel-

cut)—borderline glutinous grain

Quinoa Teff

one to three ½-cup servings per day. It is preferable to soak whole grains overnight before cooking them, when possible. Limiting grains in favor of root vegetables as a source of complex carbohydrates will help build alkaline reserves.

Barley, rye, and wheat, as well as spelt (a form of wheat) and oats, can be problematic for people with gluten sensitivity. Use gluten-free options in porridges and pilafs if this is an issue for you.

Starchy vegetables

Two or more ½-cup servings per day.

PumpkinRutabagaSweet potato

Winter squash (such as butternut, acorn, spaghetti squash)

Yams

CarrotsParsnipsPotato

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*Note: avoid nitrites/nitrates.

Meat, fish, and eggs*

Limit to one 4–6 oz. serving a day.

Beef (occasional, preferably grass-fed)

PorkLamb

Eggs (two eggs = one serving, so one egg + 3 oz. meat in a day would be okay.)

Dairy

Zero to three servings per day, as tolerated.

Yogurt is the most easily digested and preferred form of dairy. Use plain, full-fat organic versions, if you can find them. For those who can’t tolerate milk, try almond, rice, or organic soy milks, and you can also use goat milk, occasionally.

Fish/shellfishChickenTurkey

Dried beans/peas

one or more ½-cup servings per day.

LentilsMung beansRed kidney beansSplit peas

Cooking beans with a stick of kombu or other seaweed improves digestibility and adds micronutrients to soups, stews, or bean dishes.

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Adzuki beans Black beansCannellini (white

kidney beans)Chickpeas (garbanzos)

Spices and flavorings

Unlimited amounts; use fresh, organic herbs where available. Fresh herbs and spices, including:

AllspiceBasilBlack pepperChili pepper or chili

powderCilantro

CinnamonClovesCuminCurryDillGarlic

GingerMarjoramMustardNutmegOreganoParsley

RosemarySageThymeSea saltLemon or lime

juice and zest

Balsamic or apple cider vinegar

SteviaMaple syrup

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Nuts and seeds

one or two handfuls (1–2 oz.) fresh nuts and seeds.

It is usually best to soak raw nuts before consuming them; they can then be toasted at lowest heat in the oven for up to 12 hours if desired. They may also be consumed as nut butters; choose versions containing only nuts and (sometimes) salt.

Pumpkin seedsSesame seedsSunflower seedsWalnuts

Alkalizing beverages

Water: 8 glasses a day. Experiment with boosting minerals and flavor by adding:

MolassesFresh ginger, grated, to make

hot teaCinnamon (stick or tea bag)Fresh or dried herbal teasHerbal coffees such as Pero

or Teechino, made with roasted barley or chicory

Fresh vegetable juiceKombuchaMiso brothGreen tea (despite small

amount of caffeine)

Essential fats

3–4 tsp per day. Use cold-pressed or expeller-pressed vegetable oils.*

Olive oilCoconut oilSesame oilGrapeseed oil

Avocado oilFlax oil (for salad dress-

ings, etc.; do not heat)

*Note: Fish or krill oils may be used as supplements (do not heat!) for omega-3 fatty acids, but are not featured in the food choice menus.

Store all oils in the refrigerator and avoid high-heat frying, which damages most oils.

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AlmondsCashewsCoconut (and

coconut milk)Pecans

Fresh lemon or lime juice (with or without a little natural sweetener, such as honey, stevia, or maple syrup)

Raw apple cider vinegar (with or without natural sweetener)

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finally, if you prefer recipes with a bit more “zip” to them, feel free to add herbs and spices so the recipes better meet your tastes—there’s no rule that says an alkalizing diet has to be boring! (We’ve included a list of spices and flavorings on page 48.)

Notes on cooking supplies:Juicer: Because it is not expected that everyone will have access to a juicer, fresh fruit/vegetable juices are not specified in this plan unless they can be made in a standard blender. Nevertheless, fresh vegetable juices are excellent for flooding the body with alkalizing minerals and provide a great energy boost. They are almost always a good option, if available, and if you like juice, it might be worthwhile to get a juicer for your kitchen.

Pressure cooker: Whole grains and beans provide protein, carbohydrates, and minerals in a healthful form, and are often specified in the menus and recipes that follow. The instructions given are for standard stove-top preparations, but a pressure cooker can reduce the cooking time needed by more than half without compromising on nutrition. Modern pressure cookers are safe and convenient and may be worth the investment for long-term healthy eating.

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BreakfastReplace coffee and sodas with alkalizing beverages such as lemon water, ginger tea, herbal coffee, herbal tea, fresh vegetable juice, or miso broth.

To start your day with fruits and vegetables, include them in dishes such as:

Fruit smoothies: a handful of bok choy added to a smoothie with blueberries will be undetectable by color or taste, and will boost your intake of calcium-rich leafy greens. Add high-quality rice protein powder if desired.

Fruit salads with yogurt

Sautéed vegetables, including greens and potatoes, along with egg or tofu

Hearty whole-grain porridges with fresh, frozen, or dried fruits (sweet) or broth, butter, and greens (savory) added

Try soup at breakfast.

Some people do best with a lot of protein in the morning, and may choose eggs and/or a nitrate-free sausage to begin the day, or even leftovers from dinner the night before. This is fine; the goal is simply to balance the day. Just keep an eye towards limiting meat, fish, and eggs for the rest of that day and maximizing leafy greens and vegetables at lunch and dinner. (Don’t forget the boost a vegetable/fruit blend or juice can add to a protein-rich morning.)

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LunchSalads: Pile the greens and vegetables into salads, with beans, nuts and seeds, and the occasional hard-boiled egg for protein. Experiment with a variety of vinaigrettes to enliven your salads.

Soups: Made with fresh vegetables or with canned tomatoes, pumpkin, or beans, soups are a mainstay. They are easy and affordable to make, delicious to eat, and a quick way to get several servings at once of alkalizing minerals. Extras can be kept in the fridge for three days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Fruit: Fresh, seasonal fruit is an effortless and satisfying addition to lunch; add almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butters to enrich.

Vegetables: Serve fresh, raw vegetables with hummus, guacamole, or seed butters.

Inverted sandwiches: Rather than two slices of bread, lots of turkey, a piece of lettuce and some mayonnaise, try one slice of sprouted, whole-grain bread or pita, spread with avocado or hummus, and piled with fresh greens and herbs. Add tomato, cucumber, sprouts, and sliced turkey, chicken, tempeh, or hard-boiled egg.

Flour-free rollups: Use butter lettuce or other large green leaves in place of tortillas to roll up vegetables, diced chicken or shrimp, fresh herbs, and a sesame-ginger dressing for delicious Vietnamese-inspired lunches.

Or use a Mexican combo of brown rice, beans, peppers, onions, avocado, and cilantro, topped with salsa.

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DinnerStart with a leafy green salad or plate of crudités (fresh sliced veg-etables with a healthy dip), then add:

Bean- and grain-based stews or pilafs

Fish, poultry or grass-fed beef (4 oz.): Serve on a bed of sau-téed greens with root vegetables, squash, or whole grain pilaf.

Warm vegetable salads: Include eggs, tempeh, or a little meat on top.

Soups or stews from many lands: Try Asian fish stews, vegetable curries, egg-lemon soups, Moroccan vegetable stews, etc.

Fruit desserts: Finish off a meal with bananas sautéed in coconut oil, baked apples and raisins with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream, stewed strawberries with rhubarb, halved nectarines stuffed with cherries, almonds and cream, peach and apricot compotes, or broiled pineapple slices with shredded coconut.

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The Alkaline for Life 30-Day Meal Plan has been custom designed to enhance overall health and eating enjoyment while providing bal-anced bone-strengthening nutrition for most women. Where you see an asterisk (*) next to a menu option, that item is listed in our recipes section. In our practice we often make slight adjustments to the diet based on a woman’s health goals and/or conditions. We’ve included the most common ones below.

• If you are perimenopausal, not feeling well, and have noticed unwanted weight gain around the waist and hips, you may be experiencing a condition known as insulin-resistance. If this is the case, you may want to experiment with reducing the recommended intake of the complex carbohydrates like the root crops, non-gluten flours and grains and substitute in more protein and low carbohydrate vegetables.

• If you find you are losing too much weight on this eating plan, simply add more complex carbohydrates like the root crops (sweet potatoes, yams, red and white potatoes, parsnips, etc) and non-gluten grains (rice, millet, quinoa), and add more nuts and seeds.

In all cases, we recommend that you use the pH paper to gauge your success in creating an internal alkaline environment. If you are having trouble alkalizing using this meal plan (with or without modifications), here are some modifications that we have found successful:

• Increase your intake of alkalizing drinks such as herbal teas, lemon water, or Green Agua Fresca* each day.

• Add alkalizing mineral compounds to your supplement regimen.

• Use our phone support. Our Wellness Coaches will be happy to assist you with further modifications based on your personal situation.

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Day 1

Breakfast—Veggie scramble: 1–2 eggs per person, scrambled with green onions, tomatoes, chopped spinach or other leafy greens and bell peppers

Cup of ginger tea

Snack—Jicama slices with lime juice

Handful (1 oz.) of toasted pumpkin seeds

Lunch—“Taco” salad: mixed greens, canned kidney beans, cherry tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, avocado, cilantro, a little shredded organic cheddar. Dressed with oil and vinegar seasoned with cumin and chili powder.

Snack—1 tangerine

½ cup plain organic, full-fat yogurt (try stevia as a sweetener)

Dinner—4 oz. white fish fillet, sautéed with garlic, chopped fennel, and fresh or dried dill.

Wilted leafy greens

Steamed broccoli with lemon juice

Sliced tomato, jicama, and avocado drizzled with olive/flax oil mixture and fresh pepper.

Day 2

Breakfast—1 cup seasonal fruit salad

¼ cup organic, full-fat yogurt

1 tsp ground flax seeds

1 poached or soft-boiled egg with sautéed spinach

Snack—1 pear

Handful (1 oz.) of toasted pumpkin seeds

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Lunch—Apple, celery, and cucumber mixed green salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette*

Bowl (approx. 1-½ cups) White Bean Stew*

Snack—Celery with 1 tsp almond butter

Dinner—4 oz. oven-roasted salmon (make an extra fillet to use for tomorrow’s lunch)

½ baked sweet potato with organic butter and cinnamon

Kale with Currants and Pine Nuts*

Day 3Breakfast—Hearty Oatmeal* of steel-cut or whole oat groats,

served with ground flax seed or toasted almonds, cinnamon, chopped apples, and organic, full-fat whole milk or soy or rice milk, if dairy sensitive.

Snack—1 orange, sliced, with ¼ avocado, diced, sprinkled with balsamic vinegar.

Lunch—4 oz. cold salmon, served over 2–3 cups of mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, broccoli, or other fresh vegetables

Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette*

Snack—Handful of almonds

Dinner—Green Frittata*

Simple mixed green salad

Sliced cantaloupe

Day 4Breakfast—Hearty Oatmeal* with blueberries (fresh or frozen),

toasted walnuts, organic butter, organic whole milk or rice milk , and soft-boiled egg

These forms of oatmeal take 30–50 minutes to cook, but they reheat beauti-fully. For whole oat groats, add 1 cup oats to 5 cups water with a pinch of sea salt, bring to a boil, and simmer 50 minutes. Store leftovers in the fridge up to four days. Reheat with a little water in a saucepan and add fruit, nuts, spices, etc.

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Snack—Cucumber slices topped with a little miso paste or dipped in guacamole

Lunch—White Bean Stew* (from Day 2)

1 apple

Snack—Hard-boiled egg, sliced and sprinkled with sea salt and chopped flat-leaf parsley

Red bell pepper strips

Dinner—3–4 oz. roasted chicken

¾ cup roasted sliced sweet potatoes & parsnips

Roasted Brussels sprouts with roasted red pepper

Simple green salad with oil and vinegar

Day 5Breakfast—Quinoa porridge simmered with cinnamon, served

with organic butter and pure maple syrup

Asian pear, sliced

Cup of ginger tea

Snack—1 cup Simple Miso Soup with Spinach and Green Onions*

OR Celery sticks with hummus

Lunch—Chicken-Almond Roll-Ups*

1 tangerine

Snack—Handful of tropical trail mix: toasted nuts, dried coconut, dried apricot pieces, dried mango.

Dinner—Curried Eggplant with Garbanzo Beans*

Mixed brown and wild rice

Yogurt

Carve the meat off the chicken and make stock from the bones and wings. Simplest stock: The easiest method uses a crock pot. Simply break up the carcass and place in the crock pot insert. Add ¼ cup vinegar. (This helps draw all the minerals out of the bones and into the broth; there is no detectable vinegar flavor.) Fill the insert with filtered water. Optional additions: bay leaf, a carrot and/or celery stalk, (coarsely chopped), the green part of a leek, a stick of kombu. Simmer on low for 10–36 hours. Strain and cool, then store in freezer bags for use in soups, grain dishes, etc. Without a crock pot: Simmer, covered, on a stovetop at low heat for 10 hours or more. Add water if needed. Strain, cool, and freeze.

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Simple green salad dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, and naturally fermented soy sauce

Day 6Breakfast—1 cup warmed rice with avocado, chopped parsley

and cilantro, and hard-boiled egg, chopped (Seaweed sprinkles, optional)

Cup cinnamon-orange tea

Snack—½ cup organic full-fat yogurt with chopped apple and 1 tsp ground flax seed

Lunch—Chicken Vegetable Soup*

1 small orange

Snack—Carrot and celery sticks with hummus

Dinner—Spaghetti Squash with Broccoli and Bell Peppers*

Steamed artichoke with garlic-infused olive oil for dipping

½ small baked sweet potato

Day 7Breakfast—Nitrate-free turkey sausage

Sautéed spinach or other leafy green

¾ cup applesauce with ground flax seed and cinnamon

Snack—Steamed, marinated artichoke (left over from Day 6)

Lunch—Tomato soup topped with diced avocado

Steamed broccoli with garlic olive oil

Note: A good-quality packaged, organic tomato soup can be used if you’re pressed for time; it is also quick and easy to make your own. Sauté half a sliced onion and 1 sliced carrot in a little olive or coconut oil; add a 64-oz. can of organic tomatoes, 1 cup

Make extra rice to use in subsequent days.

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Cook extra artichokes and marinate them for future snacking. To steam: cut off bottoms and tops of fresh artichokes and place upright in steamer basket. Add water and 1 bay leaf to pot. Steam 18–22 minutes, until you can easily pull out a center leaf. To marinate, slice extra steamed artichokes in half and scrape out the choke. Lay them flat in glass dish, add thin slices of red onion between the leaves, if desired, and drizzle with oil-lemon juice vin-aigrette. Refrigerate overnight.

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of water, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through, then blend smooth. Add cream, if desired. Top with herbs, avocado, or other garnish if desired.

Snack—Celery sticks with 1 tsp almond butter

Dinner—4 oz. fish, such as Tilapia, sautéed with olive oil, garlic, orange slices, ¼ cup orange juice, and red pepper flakes

Rainbow Slaw*

Warmed brown and wild rice

Banana sautéed in 1 tsp coconut oil with ground ginger

Day 8Breakfast—1–2 poached egg(s) with steamed asparagus or wilted

greens

Tomato soup (left over from Day 7)

Snack—Red bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, hummus

Lunch—Sandwich of avocado, cucumber, tomato, chopped fresh basil, and lettuce on organic, sprouted whole grain bread

1 plum

Snack—1 banana

Dinner—Lentil Soup with Greens*

Roasted root vegetables (sweet potato, yellow potato, parsnips, rutabega, turnip, etc.)

Simple green salad

Day 9Breakfast—Rich breakfast smoothie: combine seasonal or frozen

fruits (strawberries, blueberries, banana, for example) with 1⁄3 cup plain whole yogurt, a handful of spinach leaves and/or green powder and ½ cup water or juice.

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Add high-quality whey protein or have a soft-boiled egg alongside, if you need a protein boost in the morning.

Snack—Rice cake with almond butter and sliced banana

Lunch—Lentil Soup (left over from Day 8)

Sliced jicama with lime or other fresh raw vegetable

Snack—1 apple

Dinner—Coconut Fish Stew with Sweet Potatoes*

Steamed kale with raw apple cider vinegar

Day 10Breakfast—Hearty Oatmeal* with chopped apples, ground flax

seed, cinnamon, and organic whole milk or rice milk

OR Green Frittata*

Lemon/ginger tea

Snack—Handful of homemade trail mix: toasted nuts, dried fruits, dried coconut

Lunch—Cold Cucumber Soup*

Canned salmon or trout on mixed greens with vinaigrette of choice

Snack—Rice cake with almond butter and apple slices

Dinner—Snow peas, stir-fried with ginger and sprinkled with sesame oil and sesame seeds

Wilted greens

Buckwheat Soba with Tofu*

Optional: banana sautéed with coconut oil, maple syrup and ground ginger

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Day 11Breakfast—Green Agua Fresca*

Fresh seasonal fruit salad topped with chopped nuts or seeds and ¼ cup full-fat, organic yogurt

Snack—Fresh vegetables with guacamole dip

Lunch—Coconut Fish Stew (left over from Day 9)

Simple green salad

Snack—Leftover Green Agua Fresca

Dinner—Pasta with Bitter Greens: cook pasta made from buckwheat, rice, amaranth, or quinoa rather than wheat and top with bitter greens such as broccoli rabe or arugula plus chopped zucchini, pine nuts or slivered almonds, garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper.

Add a grating of Pecorino-Romano or fresh Parmesan cheese, if desired

Seasonal fruits: in summer, try nectarines and cherries, or grapes and melon; in winter, try roasted pear or baked apple

Day 12Breakfast—2-egg omelet with fresh vegetables, green onions and

fresh herb(s)

½ cup fresh organic fruit (strawberries, melon, banana, or whatever is in season)

Ginger tea

Snack—Sliced watermelon

Lunch—Pasta with bitter greens (left over from Day 11)

1 apple

Make a double portion for tomorrow’s lunch.

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Snack—1 oz. pumpkin seeds

Celery and carrot sticks

Dinner—Colorful salad Nicoise: make a large mixed-green salad and add steamed green beans, steamed cubed sweet potato, sliced red onion, good-quality olives, and canned tuna or salmon, with olive oil and lemon juice vinaigrette. Add a mix of any fresh herbs on hand.

Day 13Breakfast—Whole-wheat pita with feta, tomatoes, and smoked

salmon

¼ cup plain, organic, full-fat yogurt per person, with ½ small cucumber, chopped and blended in

(Pour yogurt over assembled pita bread)

Herbal coffee such as Teechino

Snack—½ cup applesauce mixed with 2 Tbsp tahini and cinnamon to taste

Lunch—Large mixed-green salad with vegetables, topped with sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and seaweed sprinkles (optional).

1 slice of sprouted whole-grain bread with nut butter

1 small banana

Snack—½ warmed sweet potato (left over from Day 12) with ground ginger

(Add chopped pecans, if desired.

Dinner—Ratatouille Salad*, served over cooked quinoa and wilted greens Make extra quinoa

for future meals.

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Steam an extra sweet potato for snacking later.

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Herbal coffees are high in magnesium and other minerals for bone-building; they are alkalinizing and have no caffeine. The taste can be delicious, though not exactly the same as coffee. Experiment!

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Day 14Breakfast—Tropical quinoa: For each 1-cup serving of cooked

quinoa, add ¼ of a banana, some chopped dried mango, grated ginger and 3 Tbsp canned coconut milk

Hibiscus or other herbal tea

Snack—½ cup applesauce with cinnamon and ground flax seed

Lunch—Greek lentils: Mix 1–1.5 cup cooked lentils with chopped cucumber, lemon juice, feta, and fresh herbs. Serve over baby greens.

1 apple

Snack—Raw veggies with hummus

Dinner—Meatball Soup*

Simple green salad or steamed broccoli with lemon juice

Day 15

Breakfast—Greek lentils (leftover), topped with 1 poached egg

Snack—Mixed green salad with veggies and simple vinaigrette

Lunch—Simple Minestrone*

Snack—1 orange

Dinner—Roasted Orange Chicken Breast:

Rub 2 bone-in chicken breast halves with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika, and roast with 4 whole garlic cloves and ½ an onion, sliced, in ¾ cup orange juice.

½ roasted acorn squash seasoned with powdered ginger

1 cup steamed green beans with lemon juice

Make extra cooked lentils for future meals.

Look for brands of coconut milk free of preservatives, such as Thai Kitchen.

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½ cup sautéed bitter greens, such as mustard or arugula, with garlic

Day 16Breakfast—Hearty Oatmeal* with fruit, nuts, and organic whole

milk or rice milk

Snack—1 cup minestrone (left over from Day 15)

Lunch—Curried Chicken Salad*

Snack—Fresh raw vegetables with hummus dip

Dinner—Stir-fried cooked rice and vegetables (such as bok choy, broccoli, snow peas, garlic, ginger, carrots) with 1 egg per person stirred in at last stage of cooking

Mixed green salad with avocado and ginger-lime dressing

Day 17Breakfast—Leftover stir-fried rice and vegetable or egg with

wilted greens

Small glass of fresh orange juice or sliced oranges drizzled with yogurt

Snack—Rice cracker with almond or cashew butter

Lunch—Sandwich of hummus, avocado, sprouts or greens, shaved carrot, cucumber and tomato on sprouted, whole-grain bread

Cup of tomato soup (prepackaged organic soup, or make your own with the recipe from Day 7)

Snack—½ an avocado filled with diced mango and sprinkled with lime juice

Dinner—Grilled or broiled turkey sausage (from package of frozen sausages in week 1)

1 cup cooked spaghetti squash with pesto

Use high-quality fermented soy sauce (shoyu, or tamari if you have a wheat sensitivity).

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Steamed broccoli and lemon

Simple green salad with vinaigrette

Day 18Breakfast—Banana Milk*

1 cup cooked quinoa, served with organic butter, sea salt, pumpkin seeds , chopped hard-boiled egg, and chopped parsley

Snack—Leftover spaghetti squash with pesto, topped with extra pine nuts

Lunch—1-½ cup Pumpkin-Ginger Soup*

Spinach salad with lemon vinaigrette

Snack—Sprouted, whole-wheat tortilla or ½ pita with avocado and fresh vegetables

Dinner—4 oz. roasted salmon

½ cup mashed cauliflower and potato with 2 tsp organic butter, sea salt

1 cup steamed or sautéed kale with diced carrots, sprinkled with high-quality fermented soy sauce

Day 19Breakfast—1 cup muesli (rolled oats, dried fruit, sunflower seeds,

slivered almonds, chopped apple, and a little honey) served with almond or rice milk or organic whole milk

1 cup herbal coffee

Snack—Salad greens with ¼ avocado and vinaigrette of choice

Lunch—1-½ cup Mixed Bean Salad* served over cooked quinoa or brown rice

1 apple

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Snack—Simple Miso Soup*

OR Fresh veggies with hummus

Dinner—Marinated Portobellos*

½ baked potato with butter, sea salt, and chives

Steamed green beans with lemon

Mixed green salad

Day 20Breakfast—Veggie scramble: 2 eggs sautéed with green onion,

red pepper, spinach, etc.

Sliced organic strawberries drizzled with plain, organic full-fat yogurt

Cup of ginger tea

Snack—Handful of toasted nuts or seeds with dried fruit

Lunch—Marinated Portobello* with roasted red pepper on small sourdough or whole-grain roll

Salad of ½ mango, ½ avocado, sprinkled with orange juice, over mixed greens

Snack—½ apple

Dinner—Warm Greek Salad*

Gazpacho Swirl*

Day 21Breakfast—Toasted whole-grain roll with 1 egg, tomato, and

avocado

Glass of fresh vegetable juice or Green Agua Fresca*

Snack—Celery with cashew butter and raisins

Lunch—1 cup Gazpacho Swirl (left over from Day 20)

Make 1 extra mush-room per person for tomorrow’s lunch.

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Double the recipe of gazpacho to have extra for future lunch.

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Mixed green salad with ginger-lime dressing and toasted almonds

(add egg, tofu, or a little turkey for protein, if necessary)

Snack—A piece of fresh seasonal fruit with 1 oz. organic cheese

Dinner—Pan-Broiled Rosemary Lamb Chops*

½ cup dilled carrots (sauté sliced or baby carrots in coconut oil or butter over low heat with sea salt and ½ tsp dill for 20 minutes or until soft and glossy)

1 cup wilted greens, such as kale

½ baked potato

Day 22Breakfast—Sweet amaranth porridge: cook ½ cup amaranth in

1 cup water for 20 minutes until water is absorbed. Serve with maple syrup, chopped dried apricots, cinnamon, and coconut milk.

OR Two-egg omelet with fresh veggies and herbs

Snack—Celery or apple slices with cashew butter

Lunch—Big salad of mixed greens, vegetables, seeds, canned beans (drained) and a hard-boiled egg (optional), with vinaigrette of choice

Flax crackers or slice sprouted whole-grain toast

Snack—Banana

Dinner—Cold Cucumber Soup*

Spinach-Stuffed Sole*

Roasted tomatoes (Slice Roma tomatoes in half, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake along with the fish, finishing under the broiler for 1 minute.)

Mixed wild and brown rice with scallions

Make extra rice for future snacks.

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Day 23Breakfast—Buckwheat Almond Pancakes* smothered in fresh

fruit

Optional protein boost: Nitrate-free turkey sausage or soft-boiled egg

Snack—Green rice: leftover rice with ¼ of an avocado and chopped parsley. Add scallions and/or nuts (slivered almonds, pine nuts, etc.) if desired.

Lunch—Whole-wheat pita sandwich stuffed with hummus, avocado, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, and green onions. Drizzle with tahini.

1 plum

Snack—Sliced red pepper and baby carrots. Add hummus if desired.

Dinner—Pumpkin Curry Soup*

Platter of greens and cannellini, sautéed with garlic

Sliced cantaloupe with prosciutto

Day 24Breakfast—Fruit smoothie: Seasonal fruits, yogurt, avocado,

banana, and handful of mild greens, blended. Add high-quality rice protein powder, if desired

OR Green Frittata*

Snack—1 hardboiled egg, sliced, with cucumber slices and sea salt

Lunch—½ cup Curried Pumpkin Soup (left over from Day 23)

1 slice sprouted, whole-grain bread with avocado, greens, sliced peppers, and herbs

1 small apple

Make an extra batch of pancakes and freeze for another breakfast or snack.

Tip

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Snack—Handful of toasted nuts and dried fruit trail mix

Dinner—Lemon Garlic Shrimp*

Spinach salad with garbanzo beans, avocado, red onion and sliced oranges

½ cup brown rice

Day 25Breakfast—2 Buckwheat Almond Pancakes (left over from Day 23)

with almond butter, ½ a banana, and 1 tsp maple syrup

Snack—Celery or bok choy stems with hummus or guacamole dip

Lunch—1-½ cup Chicken Vegetable Soup* with leftover brown rice added

1 orange

Snack—Cantaloupe with prosciutto

Dinner—4 oz. roasted chicken breast with rosemary

½ roasted acorn squash with cinnamon and nutmeg

Roasted red peppers, garlic, and onions, sprinkled with raw apple cider vinegar and served over a bed of greens

Day 26Breakfast—Poached egg with greens

Slice of nitrate-free bacon or sausage

Fruit salad of orange and banana slices

Snack—Acorn squash (left over from Day 25), warmed. Add chopped nuts and raisins, if desired.

Lunch—Large chef’s salad of greens, vegetables, sliced chicken, and crumbled feta, with vinaigrette

Snack—Chicken Vegetable soup (left over from Day 25)

The elements of this dinner can all be roasted in separate pans at the same time, at 400°. Watch the peppers and onions for burning. To roast a whole head of garlic, cut off the top, smear with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 30 minutes till soft. Make extra squash to use later.

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Dinner—Beef Fajita Salad*

Mashed potato or cauliflower with butter

Day 27Breakfast—Simple Miso Soup* with scallions and tofu (optional)

Potato cakes: dip leftover mashed potato in beaten egg and fry in a little olive oil.

Snack—Toasted nori or fresh vegetables with hummus

Lunch—Large mixed salad with vegetables, beans, nuts and vinaigrette

1 peach

Snack—Handful of trail mix

Dinner—White fish fillet, pan-cooked in fresh tomato salsa

1 cup spicy greens: Sauté chopped Swiss chard or other greens in oil and garlic and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

½ cup cooked quinoa mixed with ¼ cup canned, drained black beans and chopped parsley

Optional: avocado, plain yogurt or sour cream, sliced black olives, fresh cilantro

Serve quartered oranges alongside

Day 28Breakfast—Tropical fruit salad: Try mango, papaya, orange, and

banana, with yogurt.

Two-egg omelet with fresh veggies and herbs

Snack—Rice cake with avocado

Lunch—Beets and Greens* with Orange-Mustard Vinaigrette*

Quinoa with mushrooms: cook quinoa in broth or water with

Make extra mashed vegetable for break-fast cakes.

Tip

This meal can be served layered: first the quinoa, then the greens, with fish on top. Garnish with optional extras.

Tip

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some dried shiitake mushrooms, chopped. Stir in drained, canned black beans and chopped scallions at end of cooking time.

Snack—Raw vegetables, such as pepper strips, snow peas, baby carrots, with 1 oz. cheese

Dinner—Frittata, such as the Green Frittata*

Simple green salad

Tomatoes with basil, sea salt, and olive oil

Day 29Breakfast—Hearty Oatmeal* with chopped apples, pumpkin

seeds, and organic, whole milk or soy or rice milk

1 soft-boiled egg

Snack—1 orange

Lunch—Mushroom quinoa (left over from Day 28) topped with greens dressed with ginger, garlic, tamari soy sauce and sesame oil (use leftover beet greens or sauté others of your choice)

Snack—Apple with cashew butter

Dinner—Large spinach salad with red onion, celery, oranges, avocado, toasted walnuts, toasted pecans, and orange- juice-based vinaigrette

Cannellini beans (may use canned) simmered in chicken broth with garlic, onion, and escarole or other bitter greens

Day 30Breakfast—Fruit smoothie (fresh or frozen strawberries and

blueberries, spinach, banana, orange juice, yogurt, flax seeds, ginger, and optional rice protein powder)

Make extra quinoa for another meal.

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Toasted whole-grain bread or roll with almond butter

OR Green Frittata*

Snack—Rice cake with avocado and tomato

Lunch—Large mixed salad of greens, vegetables, nuts, and seeds with favorite vinaigrette

1 plum

Snack—Cannellini left over from Day 29 or carrot and celery sticks with hummus

Dinner—Quick Broccoli Soup*

Chicken Primavera*

Simple green salad

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Apple Cider Vinaigrette

1 cup apple juice or cider

¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup flax oil

1 Tbsp honey

pinch sea salt

Mix all ingredients in jar with a screw-top lid. Shake. Can be stored in refrigerator for several weeks.

Banana Milk

2 bananas (frozen, if preferred)

1 cup almond milk

2 tsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp coconut milk

2 Tbsp carob powder (optional)

Blend until creamy. Top each serving with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon.

r e c i p e s

All recipes are two servings unless otherwise noted.

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Beef Fajita Salad

½ lb skirt or flank steak

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

1 bell pepper (red or green)

½ small red onion, sliced into thin rings

1 tomato

1 handful cilantro

2 cups green lettuces

Avocado, salsa, or cilantro, if desired

Marinate steak in lime juice, oil, garlic, cumin, and salt for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.

Slice peppers, onion, and tomato, and arrange in salad bowl with lettuce.

Remove steak, reserving marinade, and grill or broil about 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile, bring marinade briefly to a boil.

Take steak off the heat, let rest briefly, then slice thinly. Lay strips of steak over the salad, pour marinade over, and top with avocado, cilantro, and salsa.

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Beets and Greens

½ onion, sliced

1 Tbsp olive oil

2–3 peeled, shredded beets with greens

Sauté onion in olive oil.

Add peeled, shredded beets.

Stir, then add washed, chopped greens from the beet bunch.

Cover and simmer 8 minutes.

Remove beets from pan, top with Orange-Mustard Viniagrette*, and serve immediately.

Buckwheat Almond Pancakes

1 cup buckwheat flour

½ cup barley flour, or whole wheat flour

¼ cup ground almonds (optional, or add ¼ cup other flour)

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

1-¾ tsp baking powder

1-¼ cup whole milk or almond milk

½ tsp vinegar

2 eggs

Butter or coconut oil for the pan

Fresh or frozen blueberries to top

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Buckwheat Almond Pancakes (cont.)

Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, vinegar, and eggs, then add to the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Mix together. Heat skillet with fat and scoop batter by ¼ cupfuls into hot skillet. Sprinkle blueberries on top of each pancake, cook till bubbles form on surface, then flip.

Buckwheat Soba with Tofu

6 oz buckwheat noodles (soba)

3 Tbsp coconut oil

¾ lb firm tofu, cubed and patted dry

2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms

1 tsp grated ginger

1 cup bok choy, thinly sliced

2 cups vegetable stock (homemade or store-bought)

3 Tbsp tamari soy sauce

Fresh cilantro and/or green onions, for garnish

Boil noodles in water until cooked, about 10 minutes.

In separate skillet, heat oil and stir-fry tofu at high heat until golden. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat and stir-fry mushrooms till tender, then add ginger and bok choy. Stir until fragrant (1 minute), then add stock and tamari and bring to a boil.

Serve noodles into 2 bowls and top with tofu broth. Garnish with herbs.

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Chicken Almond Roll-Ups

Chicken salad

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed

½ red onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

⅓ cup slivered almonds

Juice of 1 lemon, + zest

⅓ cup plain, organic full-fat yogurt

1 Tbsp curry powder

3 Tbsp fruit chutney, such as Major Grey’s

Greens

8 leaves Bibb lettuce

10 leaves fresh basil

1 handful fresh cilantro

4 radishes, sliced

½ cucumber, sliced

In medium bowl, mix chicken, onion, celery, and almonds. In small bowl, blend yogurt, curry powder, chutney, and lemon juice. Stir yogurt mixture into the chicken mixture.

To serve: spoon chicken salad into a lettuce cup and top with fresh herbs, radishes, and cucumber.

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Chicken Primavera

2 small boneless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic

¼ cup broth or water

1 medium-sized zucchini, sliced

1 head broccoli, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

basil, fresh or dried

2 small tomatoes, chopped

sea salt

pepper

Cube chicken breasts and sauté with garlic in olive oil, approx. 10 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan

Add broth or water to the pan and cook zucchini, broccoli, carrot, and tomatoes with some of the basil. Return chicken to the pan, warm, and serve sprinkled with sea salt, pepper and remaining basil.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

3 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil

½ cup onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 bay leaf

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Chicken Vegetable Soup (cont.)

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 15-oz. can chopped tomatoes

6 cups chicken broth, water, or a mixture of both

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté chopped vegetables and herbs in oil for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add tomatoes, broth, and chicken, and simmer 20 minutes. Add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste; garnish with fresh herbs if available.

Coconut Fish Stew with Sweet Potatoes

1 small sweet potato, cubed and steamed until tender (about 10 minutes)

½ lb firm white fish, cubed

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp lime zest

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1 small red onion, diced

1 tsp grated ginger


1 Tbsp curry powder

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Coconut Fish Stew with Sweet Potatoes (cont.)

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup coconut milk

1 Tbsp Asian fish sauce (optional)

1 hot chili pepper, minced, or dash hot sauce

1 cup spinach, chopped

½ cup Fresh basil, cilantro, mint (about ½ cup, total)

Marinate the fish in lime juice while preparing rest of stew.

Steam the sweet potato and set aside.

Sauté onion in oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and curry powder and stir, 1 minute. Add tomato, fish sauce, hot pepper, and coconut milk, along with sweet potato and fish and its juices. Cover and simmer 7 minutes.

Stir in greens and herbs, season with salt, pepper, and additional lime juice, to taste.

Cold Cucumber Soup

1 large organic cucumber

4 leaves butter lettuce

¼ cup buttermilk

¼ cup plain, full-fat organic yogurt

1 Tbsp chopped shallot or green onion

3 Tbsp herbs: dill, basil, cilantro, or a mixture (or use ½ tsp each dried dill and basil)

Juice of 1 lemon

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Cold Cucumber Soup (cont.)

sea salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill until serving. Top with herb garnish and optional teaspoon of olive or sesame oil.

Curried Chicken Salad

1 cup yogurt

1 Tbsp curry powder

2 tsp honey

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

1 stalk celery, chopped

¼ cup jicama, chopped

½ small cucumber, sliced

1 green onion

½-inch fresh ginger, grated

¼ cup dried currants

2 cups salad greens

Mix yogurt, curry, and honey in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix chicken with vegetables in a medium bowl and stir in yogurt mixture. Top with currants and serve over bed of salad greens.

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Curried Eggplant with Garbanzo Beans

3 Tbsp olive oil

½ cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small eggplant, cubed

1 Tbsp curry powder (or more, to taste)

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 bunch fresh spinach

1 15-oz. can chopped tomatoes

1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans

1 tsp sea salt

Juice of 1 lemon

Cilantro, mint, and/or scallions to garnish

¼ cup water

Saute onion in olive oil until the onion is soft. Add garlic, ginger, sea salt, and lemon juice and cook for one minute. Add eggplant and mix well over low heat until the eggplant is coated with spices. Add water, tomatoes, garbanzoes, and spinach. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until eggplant is very tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook about 10 minutes longer, until liquid is reduced. Serve garnished with cilantro, mint, or scallions.

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Gazpacho Swirl

3 ripe tomatoes, diced

1 large cucumber, diced

½ red onion, diced


1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

Mix together in a bowl.

In food processor or blender, puree:

½ cup fresh herbs: basil, parsley, cilantro

1 Tbsp olive oil

6–8 leaves spinach, red leaf lettuce, or other mild green

¼ cup water

Blend smooth. Transfer to small bowl

To serve: Spoon gazpacho tomato mixture into bowl and swirl a spoonful of cumin mixture into it. Optional: top with slivered almonds and diced avocado.

Green Agua Fresca

3 cups fresh watermelon

2 cups fresh spinach or other mild green

Place in blender jar and blend until smooth. The result will be bright green and will taste entirely of sweet watermelon. Refreshing! (Save some for a snack later.)

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Green Frittata

4 large eggs

1 oz Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese, grated

½ cup parsley leaves, chopped

½ tsp grated pepper

sprinkling nutmeg

2 tsp olive oil

½ cup zucchini, sliced thin

1 small potato, cubed

Mix eggs, cheese, parsley, pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a medium-sized, oven-safe skillet. Sauté potato cubes 3–4 minutes. Remove from pan, then add remaining oil and sauté zucchini 3–4 minutes until softened.

Add potatoes to pan, pour in egg mixture, and cook gently 5 minutes.

Place pan in oven and broil 3–5 minutes until cooked through.

Serve immediately.

Hearty Whole-Grain Cereals

In general, it is best to soak whole grains overnight before cooking them, to improve digestibility and nutrient quality, but it is not a required step. These whole grains also reheat beautifully; make a big batch and store leftovers in the refrigerator up to four days.

Reheat with a little water, and add fruit, spices (such as cinnamon), nuts, seeds, butter, milk, etc. to enhance. See menus for specific suggestions.

If your skillet is not oven-safe, you can flip the frittata by inverting the skillet over a large plate and sliding the uncooked side back in to finish cooking on the stovetop.)

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Hearty Whole-Grain Cereals (cont.)

To cook whole dry oatmeal groats (2 servings):

2-½ cups water

pinch sea salt

½ cup oat groats

Bring water and salt to a boil, add oats, return to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer 40 minutes.

If you soaked the oats the night before, pour off remaining water, bring water and salt to a boil, and add soaked oats. Cook about 20 minutes.

Optional: add cinnamon stick to last half of cooking time.

Kale with Currants and Pine Nuts

6 cups kale, chopped

½ cup water

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil


¼ cup pine nuts

⅓ cup currants (or raisins)

Wash and chop kale and add with water to large skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Cook over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, until kale is tender.

Drain kale and dry skillet. Return kale to dried skillet and add oil, garlic, and pine nuts and sauté over low heat 3 minutes, stirring often to avoid scorching. Add currants and sauté 30 seconds, stirring to combine.

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Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

¼ cup lemon juice (from 1–2 lemons)

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp dry dill weed

1 tsp sea salt

1 clove garlic, minced

Mix in a jar and shake well.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp butter or olive oil

¾ lb large peeled shrimp

¼ cup white wine

1 lemon ( juice and peel)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Saute garlic in butter or oil.

Add shrimp, wine, and lemon juice.

Cook 3 minutes and remove from pan.

Serve topped with chopped parsley and lemon peel.

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Lentil Soup with Greens

½ onion

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced


1 tsp dried oregano, basil

1 bay leaf

1 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 cup dry lentils

5 cups water or broth

sea salt and pepper

½ cup chopped fresh greens

Juice of 1 lemon

Sauté the onion and vegetables in oil until softened, then add garlic and herbs. Stir one minute, then add tomatoes, lentils and water. Bring to a boil and simmer about an hour, until lentils are soft.

Add greens and heat through. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Marinated Portobellos

2–4 portobello mushrooms (1 per person + 1 per person extra for next day), sliced

Marinade:

(Recipe for 2; double if using extra mushrooms)

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Marinated Portobellos (cont.)

¼ cup olive oil

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce

1 Tbsp lemon juice (from ½ a lemon)

2 tsp tamari soy sauce

1 inch fresh ginger, grated


Place sliced mushrooms in large skillet and pour marinade over. Cook over low heat 10 to 15 minutes, until mushrooms are soft. Serve warm marinade on the side, if desired.

Meatball Soup

For meatballs:

⅓ lb ground beef or turkey

½ egg, beaten

¼ cup cooked quinoa or rice (optional)

2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 green onion, minced


pinch nutmeg, sea salt, and pepper

For soup:

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, sliced

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Meatball Soup (cont.)

1–2 stalks celery, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 tsp olive oil

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

5 cups broth or water

1 handful fresh herbs, chopped

2 cups spinach, chopped

Mix meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

In soup pot, sauté vegetables in olive oil for 3–5 minutes, until softened. Add tomatoes and broth; bring to a gentle boil.

Using a teaspoon to scoop the meat mixture, form tiny meatballs and drop them directly into the boiling broth to poach. Cook meatballs in soup for 10–15 minutes.

Add herbs and spinach and cook 3–5 more minutes.

Mixed Bean Salad

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 green pepper, diced

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, minced

½ cup orange juice

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

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Mixed Bean Salad (cont.)

1 Tbsp tamari (fermented soy sauce)

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate till serving.

Orange Mustard Vinaigrette

Juice of 1 orange

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp mustard

Mix in a jar and shake well.

Pan-Broiled Rosemary Lamb Chops

4 small lamb chops (2 per person)

Marinade:

¼ cup olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1 Tbsp tamari soy sauce


1 Tbsp fresh or dried rosemary, minced

Marinate chops 30 minutes or more, then remove and wipe dry. Reserve marinade. Cook in skillet 3 minutes/side at medium-high heat, then lower heat and cook 5–10 minutes more, until cooked through. Remove to plate.

Add marinade to pan, add ½ cup water (or white wine), bring to a boil, reduce liquid, then pour over chops. Serve immediately.

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Pumpkin Curry Soup

1 small yellow onion, diced


2 tsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp curry powder

1 16-oz. can organic pumpkin

4 cups water or broth

¼ cup plain, full-fat organic yogurt

⅓ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

In soup pot, sauté onion in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and curry powder, lower heat, and cook 1 minute. Add pumpkin and water, bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. For totally smooth consistency, blend the soup.

To serve, add salt to taste, top each bowl with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Ginger Soup

½ onion

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 16-oz. can organic pumpkin

4 cups broth or water

pinch of cinnamon

Sauté onion with ginger and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Add pumpkin and broth or water and simmer 20 minutes. Blend if desired, and serve with yogurt.

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Quick Broccoli Soup

1 head broccoli

½ onion

1 cup broth

1 cup plain, full fat yogurt

sea salt, pepper, and cumin, to taste

Simmer broccoli and onion in broth, covered, for 10 minutes.

Blend with yogurt, thinning with a little water if needed

Season with sea salt, pepper, and cumin to taste.

Rainbow Slaw

1 small apple, shredded

½ carrot, shredded

½ small Savoy cabbage, shredded

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup toasted walnuts

⅓ cup Apple Cider Vinaigrette*, with a splash of cream

added

Mix ingredients and chill until served.

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Ratatouille Salad


2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 Japanese eggplant, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow summer squash, sliced

½ red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch cubes

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

5 button mushrooms, halved

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

8 olives, drained and halved

½ tsp each dried oregano, dried basil

Add garlic to 1 Tbsp olive oil and set aside.

Mix vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle with garlic oil. Stir until all vegetables look shiny; add more oil if needed.

Spread vegetables flat in a metal pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then broil (watching carefully!) 3–5 minute per side until softened.

Arrange vegetables in a serving bowl, adding 1 Tbsp oil, vinegar, olives, dried herbs, and pepper.

Serve over cooked quinoa with wilted greens.

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Simple Minestrone

1 onion, diced

2–3 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 potato, diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp each dried oregano, basil, thyme

stick kombu seaweed (optional)

3 cups beef broth

3 cups water

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups greens (spinach, kale, or other), chopped

½ cup fresh basil, if available, chopped

Saute fresh vegetables and spices in olive oil 5–8 minutes till onions are translucent. Add remaining ingredients, except the fresh greens, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Add chopped greens and herbs, simmer, and serve with grated cheese. Optional: Add alternate-grain pasta or cooked brown rice.

Store leftovers in the fridge for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Simple Miso Soup

Japanese miso soups use a dashi broth made of dried fish or seaweed flakes, but this Westernized version uses ingredients more people are likely to have on hand. If you have bonito or seaweed you can certainly use them; otherwise, the spices below are flavorful and healthy. You can use yellow, red, or white miso as you prefer. Be careful not to boil the soup once the miso has been added.

2 cups water

¼ sheet nori, cut into strips (optional)


½ tsp soy sauce

½ tsp sesame oil (optional)

½ cup tofu, cubed, or a handful of sliced white mushrooms

1 scallion, sliced

1 Tbsp miso paste

Heat water to a near-boil and remove from heat. Stir in the miso to dissolve. Add remaining ingredients, allow them to warm through, and serve.

Spaghetti Squash with Broccoli and Bell Peppers

1 small spaghetti squash

1 small head of broccoli

1 organic red bell pepper

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp butter (clarified if available)

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Spaghetti Squash with Broccoli and Bell Peppers (cont.)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried basil (or a handful of fresh, chopped)

sea salt, pepper

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Optional: sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese

Optional: chili-garlic sauce

Cook the spaghetti squash:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. Place cut side down in baking dish and add water about 1 inch up the sides of the squash. Bake at 350° for 25–35 minutes. Remove from oven, cool enough to handle, then scrape out squash strands with a fork.

While squash is cooking, separate broccoli into small florets and peel and slice stems, if desired. Slice red pepper into thin strips.

In large saucepan, add broccoli and ¼ cup water. Steam, covered, over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until softened. Remove broccoli and set aside.

In same saucepan, melt butter and oil.

Add garlic and peppers and sauté over low heat, 1 minute.

Add squash, broccoli, basil, salt, and pepper. Sauté two more minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and optional Parmesan.

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Spinach-Stuffed Sole

2 cups fresh spinach

1 tsp olive oil


Sea salt, pepper

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 5-oz. filets of white fish, such as sole, tilapia, etc.

1 tsp melted butter + butter for the baking dish.

Butter a baking dish and set aside. In a skillet, add olive oil and sauté garlic with spinach, salt, pepper, and sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Lay the filets in the buttered baking dish, spoon half the spinach mixture in the middle of each, and roll up the filets. Turn seam-side down and brush with melted butter. Bake for 8–10 minutes.

Warm Greek Salad

¼ cup Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette* (substitute basil for dill, if desired)

3 cups (mixed salad greens, ideally with bitter greens (arugula)

1 cup broccoli, trimmed

2 small yellow potatoes, halved

2 large carrots, chopped

2 eggs, hard boiled

10 Greek olives

⅓ cup sheep’s or goat’s feta, crumbled

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Warm Greek Salad (cont.)

Optional: Chopped fresh herbs

Place salad greens in large serving bowl. Mix vinaigrette and set aside.

Steam all hard vegetables about 8 minutes until soft, but still vividly colored, then drain. While hot, mix veggies with lemon-basil vinaigrette and arrange over salad greens.

Slice eggs into wedges and add to salad, along with olives and feta. Add fresh herbs if available.

White Bean Stew (from dried beans)

Beans

1 cup white beans (Great Northern, Canellini), soaked overnight

4 cups water

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

1 bay leaf

1 stick kombu (optional)

Additional vegetables

1 small onion, chopped


1 small potato, chopped

1 carrot chopped

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White Bean Stew (from dried beans) (cont.)

½ head Savoy cabbage, chopped

½ cup parsley, chopped

Place all ingredients for beans in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, and then simmer about an hour, partially covered.

Add onions, potato, carrots, and cabbage; return to a boil, then lower heat and simmer another hour, partially covered.

Remove bay leaf. Puree two-thirds of the soup in a blender, then add it back to the pot, making a slightly chunky, thick bean stew.

Stir in parsley and simmer 30 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a swirl of olive oil on top of each bowl.

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s h o p p i n g l i s t sWeek 1

FruitLemonLimesTangerineApplesPear/ Asian pear CantaloupeAvocado ApplesauceDried fruit for trail mix:

coconut, apricot, and mango

VegetablesArtichoke (two per

person)Bell peppersJicamaBroccoliCarrotCeleryCucumberTomatoMixed lettuce greensSpinachKaleSavoy cabbageOnion

GarlicSweet potato (two or three)Spaghetti squashGreen onionCilantroParsley

Nuts and SeedsPumpkin seedsFlax seedsAlmondsPine nutsWalnutsAlmond butter

Grains and Beans(These are staples; buy in bulk

if possible, as they are used throughout the month and can be kept in the pantry almost indefinitely.)

Whole or steel-cut oatsQuinoaCanellini/white kidney beans

(dry)Red kidney beans (15 oz. can)Brown riceWild rice

Fish/MeatWhite fish fillets (one per

person, 4–6 oz. each)Salmon fillets (two per

person, 4–6 oz. each) Roasting chicken (free-range,

organic) approx. 3–4 lbs.Turkey sausage (nitrate-free)

Eggs/DairyEggsOrganic, plain full-fat yogurtOrganic butter

Other staples(These are ingredients you

should keep on hand throughout the month.)

Dried currantsCinnamon (powdered and

stick)GingerMiso pasteMaple syrupOlive oilRaw apple cider vinegarGinger teaCinnamon-orange tea

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Week 2

FruitApplesApplesauceAvocadoBananasBlueberries, strawberries,

blackberries (fresh, in season, or frozen)

PlumsLemonsWatermelonExtra seasonal fruit for

desserts: try nectarines, cherries, or pears

VegetablesFresh artichokes (one or

two per person) Asparagus (in season, or

use leafy greens)Bitter greens, such as

broccoli rabe or arugula (as available)

CarrotCeleryCucumberTomatoes, fresh and either

high-quality packaged tomato soup or a 16-oz. can of chopped tomatoes to make your own

Red pepperCucumberEggplant

GingerGarlicGreen onionsGreen beansFresh herbs, such as basil, for

sandwiches if desiredMixed leafy greens to cook, such

as kale, escarole, spinach, chard, mustard greens, etc.

Salad lettucesSavoy cabbageSmall spaghetti squashSnow peasSweet potato, yellow potato,

parsnipsZucchini

Nuts and SeedsHummusAlmond butterPumpkin seedsFlax seedsWalnuts and/or pecansCoconut milk (one can, without

metabysulfite preservatives if possible)

Firm tofuGreek olives

Grains and BeansSprouted, whole-grain bread

and/or whole-wheat pita Buckwheat noodles (soba)

and/or brown rice pasta

Rice cakeOatmeal (steel-cut or whole

oat groats) LentilsQuinoaBrown riceSunflower seedsWild rice

Fish/MeatNitrate-free turkey sausage (only

two needed; freeze the rest)White fish, such as tilapia (two

4–6 oz. fillets per person)Salmon or tuna, 1 canGround turkey ½ lb.

Eggs/DairyEggsYogurt, plain, organic, whole milkFeta (preferably sheep’s or goat’s

milk cheese) Milk or rice milk Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan

cheese, fresh (for garnish)

Other StaplesRaisinsApple cider vinegarOlive oilCoconut oilHerbal coffee (optional)

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Week 3

FruitApplesAvocadoCantaloupeOranges (plus orange juice

for cooking) PlumsStrawberries (in season) Lemon, limeMango

VegetablesAcorn squash (one for every

two people) Bok choyBroccoliCauliflowerCeleryCarrotCucumberRed pepperTomatoes, both slicing and

cherry varieties Tomato soup (packaged organic)

OR a 16-oz. can of chopped tomatoes to make your own

Green beansMixed leafy greens to cook, such

as kale, escarole, spinach, chard, mustard greens, etc.

ParsleyPotatoes

Portobello mushrooms (one or two per person)

Pumpkin, one 16-oz. can Salad greens, including spinachSpaghetti squash SproutsSnow peasGarlicGinger Onion

Nuts and SeedsHummusPumpkin seedsCashew or other nut butterAlmonds

Grains and BeansOatmeal (steel-cut or whole oat

groats) QuinoaBrown or japonica riceRice crackerWhole-grain tortilla/pita/

sprouted bread (your choice) Whole-grain rolls (if desired, or

use one of the other breads) Buckwheat flourGround almond flour (you can

make your own in the food processor or blender with whole or slivered almonds)

Kidney beans, one 16-oz. canGarbanzo beans, one

16-oz. canCannellini beans, one

16-oz. can

Fish/Meat2 whole chicken breasts, bone-inChicken or turkey sausage (may

use frozen ones left from Week 1)

Salmon (1 4–6 oz. fillet per person)

Lamb chops (two per person) Large frozen shrimp, 12 oz.,

peeled and deveinedChicken broth

Eggs/DairyEggsMilk, almond milkYogurt, plain, organic,

whole-milkFeta cheese

Other StaplesCurry powderTamari soy sauceGood quality pesto sauce (basil,

olive oil, pine nuts, garlic) White miso pasteWhite wine (optional)

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Week 4 (9 days)

FruitApplesAvocadoBananasCantaloupeOranges MangoPapayaPlumsSeasonal or frozen

strawberries, blue-berries, blackberries

VegetablesAcorn squash (one or

two)Beets with greens (one

bunch)Bok choy (one small)Broccoli (large bunch)CeleryCucumber (two or more

for snacking)Butter lettuceGreen onionsSpinachParsleyRed pepperDark leafy greens, such

as kale, mustard greens, escarole, etc.

Sweet potato (one or two)

Snow peasYellow potatoes

(approx five) Zucchini (one or more

for snacking)Tomatoes (about 2 lbs.)Garlic Onions (red and yellow)

several of eachDried shiitake mush-

rooms (½ oz.) Brown mushrooms

(about 4 oz.)Fresh basil, mint and

cilantro, if availableCanned pumpkin

(14 oz.)

Nuts and SeedsAlmonds Almond flour (or grind

your own from almonds)

Almond butterCoconut milk (one can)Cashew butterPine nutsPumpkin seedsWalnutsPecansHummusTahiniOlives

Grains and BeansAmaranthQuinoaOatmealWild riceBrown riceBuckwheat flourBarley flour (optional)Flax crackers (optional)Rice cakeSprouted whole-grain

bread and/or whole-wheat pita

Kidney beans, one 16-oz. can

Cannellini beans, two 16-oz. cans

Garbanzo beans, one 16-oz. can

Black beans, one 16-oz. can

Tofu, firm, 1 lb.

Fish/MeatFillet of sole or other

white fish (two 6-oz. fillets/per person)

Frozen large shrimp (¾ lb.)

Nitrate-free turkey sausage or bacon

Prosciutto (a few slices)

Chicken breasts (4 small)

Flank steak (½ lb.)

Eggs/DairyEggsButtermilkPlain full-fat yogurtButterWhole milk (optional)Rice or almond milk

(optional) Feta cheese (preferably

sheep’s milk)

OtherCinnamonCurry powderMaple syrupDry apricotsOlive oilCoconut oilApple cider vinegarBalsamic vinegarRice protein powder

(optional) White wine (only ¼

cup; can substitute broth if desired)

Chicken broth MisoRed pepper flakes

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104

Testing Resources

What’s the best way to assess my bone health over time?It’s not easy to tell what condition your bones are in at any given time. The only real outward signals that your bones may be weak-ening are receding gums, weak or broken teeth, and muscle loss—and even those signs don’t necessarily indicate how much bone you’ve lost, if any. So what can you do to assess how healthy your bones are right now?

At the Center for Better Bones, we use various tools to help assess bone health over time, some of which you may find useful.

• Testing your pH gives you a sense of whether your body is tending toward acidity, or is in the balanced, slightly alkaline state that’s necessary for healthy bones. These tests are relatively simple and can be done in your own home.

• Bone resorption and calcium testing involves evaluation of urine or blood samples by a laboratory. There are several different tests that check blood calcium levels or measure the excretion of calcium or proteins in the urine, which occurs when bone is breaking down faster than it is rebuilding.

C h A p t e r

7

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Women’s Health Network 105Testing Resources

Some of these tests must be done in conjunction with your healthcare practitioner, but others may be done directly with the laboratory.

• Direct bone testing is most often performed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and must be done in coordination with your healthcare provider. Alternatively, ultrasound measurement of the heel is a radiation-free method for estimating bone strength in general.

• Other tests that assess overall health concerns affecting the bones—including vitamin D status and thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels—may be helpful in addressing hidden health concerns.

How to test your pHYour pH can be measured using a simple at-home test that measures the acidity of your urine (first of the day is best) or saliva. The test is available at our website or through other online resources. Instructions on how to use it come with the test. Follow these simple steps to test your pH at home with the kit we included in your initial shipment:

1. Become familiar with the pH test paper included in your ship-ment. This paper measures the acid-alkaline state of any liquid. Readings at the low end of the scale are in an acidic state, and those on the higher end are more alkaline.

2. First thing in the morning, preferably after 6 hours of sleep, get a test strip.

a. Testing with urine: Either urinate directly on the paper or collect urine in a cup and dip the paper into the urine in the cup. Please note that first morning urine (after 6 hours of sleep without urinating) is the most valuable pH reading

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according to our research.

b. Testing with saliva (if you can’t go 6 hours without urinat-ing): Rinse your mouth with water, spit it out into the sink, and spit again. Now, collect some saliva in a spoon and moisten the paper in the saliva. Do not eat, drink or brush your teeth before the test.

3. As the test paper is moistened, it will take on a color. The color relates to the acid or alkaline state of your urine or saliva and ranges from yellow to dark blue. Match the color of your test strip with the chart provided on the back of your test kit.

Any number below 7 means that your urine is on the acid side. The lower the number, the more acidic the condition. Seven indicates a neutral state, neither acid nor alkaline. Ideally urine readings should be between 6.5 to 7.5, and saliva readings should be between 7.0 to 7.5, with an occasional lower (more acidic) reading.

Below, we give you tips on what to do if your reading is not in the ideal zone.

Readings below 6.5: In the beginning, most people will have low pH readings due to the acid forming tendency of the standard American diet. In this case, follow the alkaline meal plan suggestions, striving to get 80% of your nutrition from alkalizing forms like vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruits. Make sure that you are taking your Better Bones supplements twice a day.

Readings above 7.5 A highly alkaline reading is likely due to catabolism, the process of breakdown of body tissue which triggers excess nitrogen in the urine. If you are consistently getting readings at 8.0, contact your health professional about how to stimulate the repair state to

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reverse this catabolic cycle.

Be patient and persistent. Remember, your pH indicates your reserve of alkaline minerals. It can take time to build up these reserves. Do not be discouraged with a slow movement towards the ideal alkaline measurement. It may have taken decades to get where you are; a few months to sustained repair and renewal are well worth the effort and attention.

Assessing your current bone healthTesting bone resorption and calcium levelsBone is composed of a living protein framework upon which mineral crystals are placed. As bone breaks down, bits of this living protein framework appear in the urine. Bone resorption tests mea-sure the amount of one specific bone protein in the urine (or in the blood) and thus gauge the current rate of bone breakdown.

At the Center for Better Bones we use the urine NTx Osteomark Test and we have developed special instructions on how to collect the urine for this test. You can use the test instructions your doctor gives you, or you can see our instructions at www.betterbones.com.

The standard laboratory range for the NTx test is very wide and not helpful. Ideal is a NTx urine level in the high 30s or low 40s. The healthy pre-menopausal average is around 36.

A second urine test for bone resorption is the deoxypyridinium crosslinks test. This test is also good to use, and your doctor will give you collection instructions. Again, the laboratory test result range is wide, but a desired level is in the 4s or a low 5.

In addition to the NTx, three other tests look at calcium levels to determine whether calcium is being lost from the bone: 24-hour urine calcium excretion, serum blood calcium, and ionized blood

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http://www.betterbones.com


calcium level. The first test looks at how much calcium is being excreted in the urine—usually a sign that the body is too acid. For this test, you collect all your urine over 24 hours for laboratory analysis to measure the amount of calcium in the urine. High urine markers of bone resorption strongly suggest excessive bone loss. Many studies suggest that almost 20% of all women with osteo-porosis are losing too much calcium in the urine. The second and third tests require a blood draw to determine the level of calcium in the blood; of the two, the ionized calcium level is more precise. Although blood calcium stays within a fairly tightly controlled range, small variations in blood calcium levels can provide useful information for your physician.

Direct bone density testing The best available tool for assessing bone health is the bone density test performed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). This test is useful in providing sequential snapshots of your bones’ health over time, but it doesn’t predict whether you’re at risk of fracture and is rather imprecise. To be truly significant,

tests that measure mineral levels or acidity

Test Date S core Date S core Date S core

pH test

nTx test

24-hour urine

calcium test

Serum blood

calcium/ionized

calcium

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there must be at least a 6% change in bone density. At the Center for Better Bones, we look for trends over time in bone density, but don’t get overly concerned with small variations. Significant changes are rarely seen in less than two years, and some European researchers are now suggesting that bone density testing be performed only every five years for most people. An alternative is ultrasound heel measurements, which offers a general estimate of bone strength but does not measure the density of hip or spine, which are common fracture sites.

If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or have had a frac-ture, bone density tests will already have been done by your physi-cian, and follow up tests will likely be scheduled. Let your doctor know that you’re following this approach and ask him or her to let you know the results of any follow up bone density tests.

B one D ensity Tests

DEXA M easurements –Total Hip

Date DEXA T Z % machine* Place BmD Score Score change

* Measurements may vary depending on what kind of DEXA machine is used.

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B one D ensity Tests (cont.)

DEXA M easurements –Spine

Date DEXA T Z % machine* Place Region BmD Score Score change

* Measurements may vary depending on what kind of DEXA machine is used.

L 1–L 4

L 1–L 4

L 1–L 4

L 1–L 4

Other useful medical testsThere are a number of common medical problems that can cause bone loss and contribute to osteoporosis. If you have a serious bone health concern, it is important to have your physician do a simple “medical work-up” for osteoporosis. These common tests will help uncover “hidden” medical issues contributing to your bone loss.

• 25(OH)D Test — This test determines your blood level of vitamin D. It is used to establish the amount of vitamin D supplementation you need to reach a therapeutic blood level of this key bone nutrient. The minimum level for adequate calcium absorption and basic bone support is 32-34 ng/m/L; below this level calcium absorption greatly decreases. The ideal vitamin D blood level for overall health and cancer protection is now held to be 50-60 ng/mL. Life Extension (1-800-208-3444) provides this test to the general public for a fee.

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• Intact Parathyroid Hormone Blood Test (PTH) — The tiny parathyroid glands are located in the neck, near the thyroid. Their job is to control blood calcium levels. When blood calcium drops, they stimulate the breakdown of bone to free calcium for transfer into the blood. When blood calcium levels are high, they signal a reduction in bone breakdown and intestinal calcium absorption. High parathyroid hormone levels are associated with excessive bone loss. The parathyroid gland can become overactive because of vitamin D deficiency, because of growths on the gland, and for other medical reasons. This test is regularly included in a medical work-up for osteoporosis. Your testing lab will provide their normal range for the test results.

• Thyroid Hormone Test (TSH) – Thyroid hormone levels that are too high or too low can contribute to osteoporosis, as can a dose of thyroid medication (levothyroxine) that is too high. Your testing lab will provide their normal range for the test results.

These pages supply you with charts in which you can enter the results of medical tests you undertake. Over time, as you enter the

tests that l o ok for hidden health issues

Test Date S core Date S core Date S core

25(oH)D

Test

PTH

TSH

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results of your follow-up tests, you should see gradual improve-ment in the test results. If your results don’t improve, or if you’re having difficulty understanding what the results mean, ask your doctor to discuss them with you.

A commitment to changeThere’s one other building block that’s needed to construct a foundation for better bones: a commitment to make the necessary changes. The success of this approach depends on your ability to change your way of living so that you incorporate the elements of bone health into your life. We know that change can be diffi-cult, and more than anything else, we want to help you make this change successfully. So let’s take a moment to figure out what will work for you in your effort to make these changes.

When psychologists and social scientists looked at how people make changes in their lives, they found that most people go through five stages (see the table on the next page). First, they’re in a stage where they’re not even thinking about changing. At some point, some event or information causes them to leave this stage and begin to think about altering their lives. When they make the decision that change is necessary, they often must make preparations and plans before embarking on the new way of acting. Then the time comes: they’re ready, they’ve made their preparations, and at last . . . they act. But change doesn’t end with the action itself—because unless the new behavior is consciously maintained over time, the person will eventually slip back into old habits, and the “change” becomes nothing more than a short-term alteration in behavior. True change—the kind you need to make if you’re to improve your bone health—is a long-term alteration in behavior.

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You are already long past the pre-contemplation and contempla-tion stages. You’ve made the decision to act and have even taken a step toward action. The next step is to get started with the changes recommended in the Better Bones approach in order to be on your way toward bone health. And that’s what we’re here to help with.

Some people are very self-directed and single-minded. When they decide to do something, they stop at nothing to get it done, and do everything in their power to make it happen. If you’re one of those, great! This change should be easy for you to accomplish.

The majority of us, however, aren’t like that. We’re busy people who have many responsibilities that compete for our attention. We have children, pets, or elderly relatives who need care; we have jobs; we have bills to pay; we have laundry to wash and groceries to buy; and we have very little time for relaxation. If you’re part of this group, you’re not used to putting your health at the top of the long list of things you need to take care of, and maybe your health has suffered as a result. Learning to think about yourself first is not something

Stages of change Characteristics Shorthand Pre-contemplation Not currently “Ignorance is bliss” considering change

Contemplation Not considering change “On the fence” within the next month

Preparation Planning to act within “Testing the waters” one month

Action Practicing new behavior for “Ready, set, one to three months go!”

Maintenance Continued commitment to “Steady as she goes” sustaining new behavior

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that’s likely to come easy when you’ve been putting your health last for so long. But that’s exactly why we created the Better Bones Pack-age: to help you stay focused on your health long enough that the changes become long-term—even permanent.

Take a moment to fill in the blanks in the worksheet on the next page. You can fill in some blanks, all of the blanks, or even just one—but find at least one that represents how you made your decision to get started with the Better Bones Package.

Week G oal 1 G oal 2 G oal 3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

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Testing ResourcesWomen’s Health Network 115

I got started with the Better Bones Package because:

wanted

believed

thought

hoped

Next, state your personal goals using our approach: What is it you want to achieve? Put down as many goals as you can think of, but try for at least three. They should relate to what you wanted, believed, thought, or hoped about the Better Bones Package.

I want to

___________________________________________________________

and _______________________________________________________

and _______________________________________________________.

Look back at the four elements of the Better Bones Package we’ve outlined. Think about which of these four would be easiest to incorporate into your current lifestyle over the next two or three weeks. Set specific, measurable goals for yourself, and return to this section to monitor how you’re doing.

As these new lifestyle elements become good habits that you do without having to plan or think about them, create new goals for yourself so you can keep moving forward.

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Diet and Lifestyle e-Guide - Women's Health Network · 2015-08-19 · Right now, your primary focus...

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