Good Nutrition for Bone Health in Seniors

Bone health is important especially for seniors and as we age. Healthy bones are essential for staying mobile, independent, and reducing the risk of fractures. Unfortunately, many older adults are affected by poor bone health or osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones weak and more likely to break.

What Causes Poor Bone Health?

There isn’t just one cause of weakened bones. A number of factors can contribute, including:

• Lifestyle habits, such as smoking, lack of exercise, or a diet low in calcium and vitamin D
• Medical conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, or thyroid issues
• Medications, such as corticosteroids or certain cancer treatmentsThese risk factors can vary from person to person, which is why it’s essential to discuss any concerns with your naturopath and nutritionist as well as your doctor. Identifying risks early can help guide prevention and put treatment strategies in place.

Eating for Stronger Bones

One of the most effective ways to support bone health is through proper nutrition, especially increasing your calcium intake. Calcium is a key mineral that keeps bones dense and strong. Fortunately, it’s easy to add more calcium-rich foods to your daily meals.

Calcium-Rich Food Sources

Here are some examples of foods high in calcium:

• Dairy: Milk, cheese, and yogurt
• Seafood: Sardines, salmon (with bones), trout, snapper, prawns

• Vegetables: Kale, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, silver beet
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, tahini
• Fruits: Oranges, figs, strawberries, kiwi, dates
• Other Foods: Calcium-set tofu, chickpeas, soybeans, eggs
• Meat: Pork, chicken

The recommended daily calcium intake for adults varies depending on your sex, age and health factors as well as your level of ability to absorb. This is why you need to discuss this with your naturopath or nutritionist.

Simple Ways to Boost Calcium

Here are some easy ways to work more calcium into your daily routine:

• Start your day with a smoothie made with yogurt or milk – if you don’t have high cholesterol or lactose intolerance.
• Add leafy greens to soups, stir-fries, and omelettes but watch this if you have a thyroid issue for the leafy greens.
• Enjoy a dairy-based dessert like custard or ricotta with fruit – again if not lactose intolerant or you can always use lactose free ingredients.
• Include seafood dinners, such as canned sardines or grilled salmon
• Snack smart with a mix of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits – watch the nuts if you have diverticulitis as nuts a not good for this.

Why Vitamin D Matters

Calcium alone isn’t enough as it is not absorbed as well without vitamin. Without enough vitamin D, even a calcium-rich diet won’t fully benefit your bones.

Vitamin D is naturally produced when your skin is exposed to sunlight, so getting some safe sun exposure each day can help. However, some people may still be at risk of deficiency—particularly those who spend most of their time indoors, have darker skin, or use sunscreen regularly. Take care not to use chemical sunscreens.

Moving Your Bones: Exercise for Bone Strength

Nutrition is only part of the picture. Exercise is another key player in maintaining healthy bones as we age. The right kinds of physical activity can help improve bone strength, balance, and muscle function reducing the risk of falls and fractures.

Recommended Types of Exercise

• Balance exercises: Improve coordination and reduce fall risk (e.g., Tai Chi, standing on one leg)
• Resistance training: Builds strength using weights or resistance bands; can be done at home or in a gym
• Weight-bearing exercise: Involves activities done on your feet where your body works against gravity (e.g., walking, dancing, stair climbing, tennis)

For those people already diagnosed with osteoporosis, a supervised exercise program is highly recommended. An exercise physiologist or physiotherapist can develop a safe, tailored plan that takes into account other conditions like arthritis or past injuries.

Have You Broken a Bone Recently?

If you’re over 50 and have fractured a bone even from a minor fall—it’s important to speak with your doctor. This could be a sign of underlying osteoporosis. Many people dismiss such fractures as "just bad luck," but they may be early warning signs.

According to the Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry, nearly half of all people who suffer a hip fracture have had a previous fracture. Common fracture sites include the wrist, spine, ribs, and hip.

Getting a bone density test and early diagnosis can lead to treatments that protect you from further fractures and maintain your quality of life.

Remember that good bone health starts with awareness and proactive habits. By eating a calcium-rich diet, ensuring you have enough vitamin D, and staying active with the right types of exercise, you can help your bones stay strong and healthy well into your senior years.

If you want to keep your bones healthier consult us and we can make up a health plan to suit your needs. We can also test for inflammation and assist you if you are having pain or arthritis. You can find us at www.stressfreehealthmanagement.com

Morning sunshine is good for your sleep

Sleep is something that we all need for physical, mental and emotional health. The problem is that not all of us can get that essential amount of quality sleep we need. If you are one of those people who have trouble sleeping you may need to give yourself a sleep reboot.  

What you may not realise is that the key to getting a good night’s sleep starts first thing in the morning. Basically, what you do during the day will help determine weather you fall asleep fast, or toss and turn all night. This is when getting outside within your first hour of waking can lead to a better day and ultimately better sleep as well.

Morning sunlight and your health

Morning sunlight not only sets you up for a better day, by boosting your wellbeing and your mood it sets you up for better sleep. It is also good for producing vitamin D. This is vital for many aspects of your health. Sunlight is also crucial for regulating your body’s normal functions such as your hormone levels and your metabolism. Getting some sunshine in the morning can also improve your productivity.

Hormones: cortisol, melatonin and serotonin

The reason sunlight is important for your health is because when you get some early sun it wakes up your nervous system and the chemical reactions needed to reinforces your natural body clock which then produces cortisol, melatonin, and serotonin.

Serotonin

This hormone is responsible for regulating moods, appetite, memory and sleep. If you expose your body, face and eyes to sunlight, it will increase the production of serotonin in your body and reduce Seasonal Affective Disorder as well as anxiety and depression. Serotonin helps our sleep as it is a precursor to melatonin.

Melatonin

Morning sunlight will boost the amount of raw material needed to make the sleep hormone melatonin which is a central part of your body’s sleep-wake cycle. The morning sunlight exposure will help your serotonin cycles stay aligned with day and night cycles. It will peak mid-afternoon and will drop off after dark. This is what makes you feel tired. When these hormones are not working properly it can result in a bad night’s sleep.

Cortisol

This is your stress hormone and works opposite to melatonin. If your melatonin is high, your cortisol should be low and vice versa. The problem with these being out of balance is that your sleep gets affected. Cortisol in the morning is important as when the cortisol rises early on waking it has a greater positive benefits. This serves to lower your blood pressure and improving mental health while helping you feel alert.

What to do

If you sleep in a dark room there isn’t enough light to trigger the correct timing of the cortisol and melatonin rhythms. At day break there’s a particular contrast between yellows and blues, this triggers the activation of cortisol and it’s important to have cortisol firing during the day so that it doesn’t keep you awake at night. So if you have trouble sleeping, toss and turn take a look at your serotonin, melatonin and cortisol levels. Discuss it with your naturopath and let them help you get into a good sleep rhythm with herbs, Bach and shell essence remedies, aromatherapy oils, meditation and a few lifestyle changes. Soon your rhythms will be working as they should and you will be healthier on all levels.

ADHD and the role of Vitamin D

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is quite common. Children with ADHD can be treated using medication but unfortunately the medication does not always do the work intended for it to do. These medications can also come with side effects and the safety of using these drugs long term is also a concern. There are studies however that are showing positive effects of Vitamin D on children with ADHD.

 

Vitamin D

There have been studies that show that a lack of vitamin D in children, while they are still growing mentally, can have a negative effect. This can leads to symptoms similar to what we call ADHD.

  

A blind parallel clinical trial that was conducted showed that in children aged between 6 and 13 who had been diagnosed with ADHD that vitamin D had a positive effect. Vitamin D increases the serum levels in children. The study was conducted by giving the children either 1000iu of vitamin D3 daily or a placebo.

 

Although these studies have shown positive results the Psychiatry industry still has been slow to embrace these nutritional and natural approaches to ADHD. The vitamin D supplements can improve some of the behavioural problems associated with ADHD and may also help to prevent the child’s behavioural issues or even worse symptoms. It could also possibly help to reduce impulsivity that comes with this disorder.

 

It is important practitioners consider the significant beneficial role of micro-nutrients such as vitamin D when finding a way to assist parents and children to control and improve ADHD symptoms through the action on the neuronal system. Also couple that with the role of genetics in the study of the causes for ADHD as well as undesirable lifestyle factors that may be contributing directly to the inattention and hyperactive symptoms.

 

What can we do to help reduce the symptoms of ADHD?

It is very important if your child has been diagnosed with ADHD to reduce the amount of time they spend in front of a screen, including television, IPad/Tablets, phones, computers and video gaming consoles as studies have shown that children with ADHD tend to spend two hours or more extra time in front of that screen than other children. This has an even more detrimental effect on their health. In exchange for the screen time let them play outside in the sunlight as the incidences of ADHD acting out is much lower in areas that have more sunny weather, so the sunlight can have a protective effect against the disease. The reason scientists think the sun has such a positive effect is because the sun rays increase serum levels of vitamin Dl. However, if your child receives plenty of sunlight but they are still found to be lacking in vitamin D there are absorption reasons for that and it may be necessary to introduce a D3 supplement of 1000iu per day. A supplement may be needed also if you live in an area that doesn’t have a lot of bright sunlight.

There are also many other supplements that will assist your child if they have an ADHD diagnosis. Also for ASD. This clinic specialises also in assisting you to promote natural healthy wellbeing in your child. Give a call or message us to see how we can help you.

Are Causes of Alzheimer's Disease Known?

The causes of Alzheimer's disease are not fully known, however, there are things that have been shown to create a higher risk. Insulin resistance is a commonly talked about factor when it comes to you getting Alzheimer's, although it isn’t the only factor. Processed foods and foods high in sugar cause insulin resistance. This is due to processed foods containing ingredients that are not good for you and they can affect your brain. These ingredients can include vegetable oils, genetically engineered ingredients, gluten and pesticides. If you have high blood sugar it is best to avoid as much of these as you can. Eating a healthy diet rich in fresh foods is best.

We need to remember to look at the fats in the foods we are eating and concentrate on healthy fats. Healthy fats include saturated animal fats and animal-based omega-3, these are critical for optimal brain function but you should not overdo them. They are found in foods such as avocados, grass fed meats, eggs, and raw nuts. We need to avoid bad fats such as trans fats or hydrogenated fats, which are found in margarine, vegetable oils and various butter-like spreads.

Factors for putting you at higher risk

Alcohol can put you at higher risk of developing dementia. These risks are easily removed when you limit your alcohol intake.

Vitamin D deficiency can make your risk higher also. Studies have shown this link. Vitamin D plays a major role in brain health, immune function, gene expression and inflammation. These are all things that can influence Alzheimer's. Vitamin D levels can boost brain chemicals and help protect brain cells by increasing the effectiveness of glial cells in nursing damaged neurons back to health.

Omega-3 level is a crucial component for optimal brain health in general. People with higher omega-3 levels tend to have increased blood flow in areas of the brain associated with memory and learning.

There are several genes that predispose you to Alzheimer's. The most common gene associated with late onset Alzheimer's is the apolipoprotein E or APOE gene. The APOE e2 form has been thought to reduce your risk while the APOE e4 form may increase it. Although, some people never develop the disease even though they've inherited the APOE e4 gene. So, when it comes to genes, while they can be a risk it is not a direct or inevitable cause. Risk for early onset Alzheimer's can also be found through genetic testing.

Getting regular exercise can help to reduce your risk. Exercise has been shown to protect your brain from Alzheimer's and other dementia. It can also improve your quality of life if you've already been diagnosed.

Arterial stiffness is associated with the process of Alzheimer's because of the build-up of beta-amyloid plaque in your brain. There's a strong link between hypertension and brain diseases such as vascular cognitive impairment, which is loss of brain function caused by bad blood flow to your brain, and dementia. To reduce the risk address high blood pressure and risk factors for heart disease.

This clinic can help you reduce all of the above, get on a healthy eating plan and motivate you to a better lifestyle. Check out our website at www.stressfreemanagement.com.au and give us a call today.

Vitamin D – the energy and immunity booster

Many people find that they are lacking in some sort of vitamin from time to time but vitamin D is the most common vitamin deficiency and many don’t realise this. Vitamin D promotes healthy bones and bone strength as well as supports mental health. 

Vitamin D dissolves in fat and can be stored in the body for a long time. The body uses it like a hormone and produces it using cholesterol but if we are not getting enough sunlight this causes a deficiency. If you spend a lot of time working in an office, go to work before sun up and come home after sundown, spend the weekend crashed indoors or doing housework or live in a place that has a colder climate you may require a vitamin D supplement as your levels are too low.

There are a few different types of supplements available that you can use to bring your vitamin D levels back to normal. The two main types though are vitamin D3 which is found in animals such as fish and also in egg yolks. The second is vitamin D2, this is found in plants such as mushrooms. The body can convert both of these into calcitriol when exposed to the sun. If you don’t get enough sun though it can cause you a lot of issues.

These supplements are available in three different forms - capsules, chewable tablets or emulsified oil drops. Some studies have found though that the oil drops have an insufficient level of vitamin D.  Other research has found that the human body prefers the D3 vitamin over the vitamin D2. They found that the body will use up all the D3 before it will use the D2 showing that D3 supplements are more effective.

Why is it important

Do you get tired during the day? Do you wake up tired? Do you fall asleep in front of the TV after a day’s work? Even after a holiday are you still a bit washed out? It’s possible you have a vitamin D deficiency especially if you do not spend at least 15 minutes a day in the sun in the middle of the day? If you need an energy boost try taking a bottle of this and see how your energy levels improve each day. If they do then you are certainly D deficient even without the blood test. Vitamin D also raises your immunity so it’s a great vitamin to make sure you have enough of on a daily basis.

Things to think about

Before taking any vitamin D supplement you should take into consideration the following points:

·      Vitamin D and calcium supplements work well together when taken together and may have extra health benefits when it comes to blood pressure. Also, vitamin K2 can complement vitamin D when taken together, having health benefits when it comes to bone and heart issues.

·      If you suffer from health conditions such as multiple sclerosis a vitamin D supplement is not enough. You also need to spend time in the sun.
·      When taking some steroid medications, weight loss drugs and certain cholesterol-lowering drugs, you may find that these will stop the vitamin D supplements from being absorbed into the body properly.
·      Remember that vitamin D supplements should be taken daily with meals or food that contain fat to be effective.

When choosing your supplements it makes more sense to opt for the D3 supplement as this is the one that the body favours. The recommended dose is 1,000‑2,000iu (International Units) per day, but you should always check with your natural therapist who is specifically trained in this area to make sure what the right dosage is for you.