If you could only do one thing to be healthier..... choose walking

If you only had the time to add one thing to your day to make yourself feel better and live longer, that one thing should be walking regularly. Adding just 200 minutes of exercise a week to your schedule can make long lasting changes to your body.

Many people find that doing things for their health is one of the hardest things to fit into their daily lives. Constantly running around and taking kids to ball games, and other social commitments leaves little time for many people to think about themselves. I recommend that you add daily exercise to your schedule so that you are sure to make time for it. It is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

In a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1989, 13,000 men and women were studied for eight years. The data showed that an unfit man could reduce his risk of death from all diseases by nearly 37 percent by becoming fit, and an unfit woman could reduce her risk by about 48 percent. *

Walking is so beneficial to your health and well being. Many studies have been done over the last several decades proving that walking is important to the mind and body. What are some of the benefits ?

• Lowered blood pressure - whether you walk 30 minutes several times a week or 10 minutes several times a day, regular walking has been proven to lower blood pressure by about 5 points. A 40 minute walk can reduce blood pressure for 7 hours!


• Lowered blood sugar - regular walking can lower blood glucose levels. Get that 200 minutes in every week to prevent type 2 diabetes and reduce the symptoms!


• Lower cholesterol - Walking can improve HDL (good cholesterol) which in-turn helps to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol.


• Improved circulation - Getting the heart pumping forces blood into the tiny capillaries and increases oxygen distribution to the tissues.


• Decreased risk of heart disease - According to The New England Journal of Medicine, August 26, 1999 Walking 3-4 hours a week can reduce female heart disease risk by 30-40%. Walking is a known benefit for cardiovascular health!


• Reduced inflammation - Getting that oxygen to all parts of your body with increased circulation also helps reduce inflammation. The blood carries O2 and nutrients out to the capillaries and brings the trash back to the liver and kidneys to be cleaned out.


• Reduction of stress - walking reduces stress. It gets you away from constant stressors and if you get outdoors, into the fresh air. A little sun adds some vitamin D which is also known to aid with depression or mood enhancement.


• Improved mood/reduced depression - If you are depressed, get outside and go for a walk. Moving around and getting some sunshine and fresh air can do a lot for your mental state. Getting away from television and constant noise can also help. Listen to the birds, smell some flowers and enjoy the outdoors.


• Reduced cancer risk - Studies show that not only does walking reduce the risk factors for heart disease but people in those same studies also show that they have a lower risk of getting cancer.


• Bone Building / reduces risk of Osteoporosis - Walking is very beneficial to your muscles, tendons, cartilage and bones. You have heard that old saying " if you don't use it you lose it"? well that is definitely true when it comes to bones, muscles, tendons and cartilage.


• Weight Management - Walking about 2.5 miles an hour for 40 minutes burns about 175 calories. That equals out to about a mile every 16 minutes. Do that 3 times a week and you have burned 525 calories.


• Better sleep - More oxygen, using your muscles, better mood and circulation all add to a better nights sleep.


• Improved energy - the more you walk the better you feel, which in turn gives you more energy. Get up and move around to give yourself more energy.


• Improved immunity - helps clear lymphatic system. Walking helps the immune system by clearing out the lymphatic system. Keep your system cleaner and healthier by walking.


• Brain health - walking improves circulation which in turn benefits the brain. You should also challenge your brain by doing things that require thinking every day. Read, do crossword puzzles or put together puzzles.

As you can see... walking has many benefits and if there was only one thing you could do to make yourself feel better, have more energy, live longer and be more mobile, it should be the thing you do.

Of course there are lots of other things you can do to increase your odds of living a fuller, healthier life. Eating right, which means increasing your vegetable and fruit intake and eating a variety of healthful foods. Avoiding inflammatory foods such as cow's milk, pork, chocolate, soda, diet drinks and fried foods. Supplementing your diet with additional nutrition when it's necessary is also very important. As we age, we lose the ability to build and to process some of the nutrients we need to be as healthy as possible. Supplementation is required in these instances to make sure we have what we need to build strong bones and new healthy cells.

CoQ10 is a good example of a supplement that we have a harder time making as we age. Calcium is a good example of a nutrient that we have more trouble breaking down and using, as we get older, because our stomach acid is not as strong as it was when we were young. For more information on supplementation, please come visit us at the office. We would love to help you get more information on your individual needs.

Have a good week and get out there and do some walking this week!

*(from all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com)

Bone Density and Osteoporosis

Have you had a bone density test?

Do you know what information a bone density test provides you?

Do you know if your calcium or vitamin D levels are in an optimal range?



Your bones are not just bones. Bones are actually a living organ system that protects your internal organs, give you strength and the ability to move, and they are a vital part of blood cell production.



All of the systems in your body, including your bones, are constantly being torn down and rebuilt. The old cells are recycled and new ones are created to take their place. As a growing child bones are very flexible, but as they age they become more brittle. If proper nutrition is not provided to nourish the bones they can become brittle or weak, because they are not able to properly rebuild. This process is called bone loss. Bone loss causes the bones to become more porous and less flexible; therefore, more breakable!



Using prescription drugs to prevent osteoporosis actually defeats the purpose. These drugs stop the bones from tearing down and rebuilding the old bone cells. Which results in more dense, but old, fragile bones. Some drugs claim to stop bone loss, however if we stop the body from doing what it is meant to do, we can not expect it to function properly. Preventing bones from getting rid of old, used bone cells does not result in stronger bones. Supporting the body's natural process of rebuilding is what we should be focusing on.



Calcium alone does not make strong bones. It requires vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium in the proper ratios (among other things) to provide the nutrients that bones need to rebuild. This said, these nutrients must be in the proper ratios in order to be effective. For Example; eating a diet high in phosphorus can cause the body to pull calcium from the bones to help the body process excess phosphorus. Carbonated beverages are high in phosphorus, and phosphorus requires calcium to be utilized by the body; so by consuming soft drinks (soda) and having insufficient calcium in your diet, you are depleting your bones every time you drink a soda. The same process happens if you have a low blood calcium and your body needs calcium for something, it pulls it from your bones! Sugar can also upset the balance of phosphorus/calcium in your body. Osteoporosis is not just a problem for the elderly any more!



Vitamin D has been found to be a very important nutrient and is essential for calcium absorption. Most Americans are low in vitamin D because of a lack of sun in the winter time, and many use sunscreen when outdoors. It is important to know what your vitamin D levels are, and take a supplement if necessary. Vitamin D supplementation can be very tricky and if you do not use an easy to absorb form, you are wasting your money. Vitamin D supplementation should be monitored by a health care practitioner. Vitamin D is responsible for helping calcium to be absorbed, building the immune system, fighting some kinds of cancers, and believe it or not, scientists are still learning about this wonderful vitamin.



Magnesium is found in the bones, but is also used in other body functions. It is known to assist in muscle relaxation, cardiovascular function and many other processes in the body. Calcium and magnesium also work together just as calcium works with phosphorus and vitamin D. If magnesium levels are too low or too high, it can be a serious condition.



The acid in your stomach is also an important factor in the utilization of calcium and other nutrients. If antacids are taken to reduce stomach acid, then calcium is not properly broken down and it can not be utilized by the body. Some antacids brag that they have calcium in them, but the calcium in those antacids (calcium carbonate) is not easily absorbed by the body, and if the stomach acid is reduced by the antacid.... how are you supposed to digest that calcium anyway?



All forms of calcium are not created equally. Calcium citrate is the most readily absorbed by the body. Calcium lactate is great for muscle cramps, and calcium gluconate is most often used for children. Again, taking a calcium supplement without the supporting minerals and vitamins doesn't provide the proper balance, so it's important to discuss this with your doctor.



Osteoporosis can be prevented, and in most cases reversed. Nutrients are very important in this process, but weight bearing exercise is also very important. The bone's ability do stay dense hinges on the body's need for bone strength. If you compare a sedentary person and an active person of the same age and sex with similar diets, the active person will have a higher bone density than the sedentary person. The body only does what it deems is necessary for survival and if you are not using your bones, you lose them!



Most hip fractures are not caused by a fall, but instead, actually cause the fall. Spontaneous hip fracture is common in the elderly. Sometimes they are the result of a simple twist which snaps the bone and causes the person to fall. These hip fractures caused by osteoporosis tend to force the individual to be confined to a wheelchair and can be very painful. Many people never fully recover from this type of fracture. Many times these painful falls could be prevented by proper dietary changes, regular weight bearing exercise, and necessary supplementation.



A bone density test can be done at any age, and provides you a comparison of what your bones look like compared to other healthy people your age. This information can be a pivotal point in your own personal health care goals. Having your bone density and vitamin levels checked is crucial in managing bone loss. Call us today to schedule an appointment to make sure that your bones are healthy and strong.

For a short video on Osteoporosis click here.