What Every Woman Ought to Know About Calcium
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Alright, you've bought 'Menopausal Fitness and You' and now you're resistance training 3 days a week, plus you're taking a daily calcium supplement to try and meet your 1200mg calcium requirement to prevent osteoporosis. But is it enough?
As I'm sure you are aware of, calcium is vital to bone health, but just because you're eating yogurt and/or taking a calcium supplement it doesn't mean that the calcium is making it to your bones. In fact if you're taking calcium with certain foods you may be hindering your body's ability to absorb it altogether.
And get this, of the calcium you are absorbing you may be losing a large percentage of it as waste due to poor calcium balance. Calcium balance is a term used to describe the difference between how much calcium you take in and how much you excrete as waste. If you're excreting a large portion of the 1200mg of calcium you're taking in every day you may very well still be at risk of developing osteoporosis.
One of the main factors that determine calcium loss is another type of balance, the acid-base balance, and this is determined by what types of foods you eat. You would think that a diet that incorporates a lot of milk, cheese and yogurts would promote a positive calcium balance. But actually dairy products produce a high acid load in your body which in turn results in more calcium being excreted as waste rather than being absorbed. Do you follow me so far?
However, there is a solution; a diet that incorporates alkaline (basic) foods will result in a more basic load and higher calcium retention. In a report in the New England Journal of Medicine it was shown that diets rich in fruits and vegetables significantly reduced urinary calcium loss in 459 men and women.
Did you get that? Fruits and vegetables are alkaline foods that promote a healthy acid-base balance as well as a positive calcium balance that will promote bone health and reduce your chances of becoming the ONE out of every two women that will develop osteoporosis. The bottom line: Eat your fruits and veggies.
So now, you're eating a diet that adheres to principles laid out in 'Menopausal Fitness and You' and is rich in fruits and vegetables, resistance training 3 days a week and taking a calcium supplement. You're well armed in your fight against osteoporosis, right? Wrong!
There is one more important point! You may be taking calcium sources or supplements with foods that will actually hinder your body's ability to absorb this vital mineral. Check out a few of the offenders in the list below to see what foods you should avoid when taking your calcium.
Sodium -- increased sodium intake results in more of your calcium being excreted as waste instead of being absorbed and used for bone building.
Phytic acid -- This is found in the bran of whole grains, it interferes with calcium absorption by binding to a variety minerals, including calcium. The result is the formation of insoluble salts called phytates which are removed as waste. Legumes, such as pinto beans, navy beans and peas are also high in phytates. While all of these foods are part of a "healthy" diet, just be aware that you're not consuming your calcium when consuming these types of foods.
Caffeine -- Reduces inositol levels in the blood. Inositol is a regulating factor in calcium metabolism. It inhibits formation of the cells (osteoclasts) that draw calcium from the bones into the bloodstream
What does all this mean for you and your bone health? Simply put, it means you need to...
- Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, while minimizing bran consumption.
- Minimize your salt intake.
- Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine, especially when consuming calcium.
- Incorporate the principles outlined in 'Menopausal Fitness and You' if you have not done so already.
And you'll be on your way to improving not only your bones, but also your body and your life!
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Menopause Health Tip: Discover the Most Effective Type of Exercise for Improving Bone Density
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This months Health Tip is from a question that a subscriber had asked about weight training and bone density...
QUESTION: I have a question for you I have heard that the hydraulic equipment used in all women's gyms, does not improve bone density like weight training does can you explain why?
ANSWER: This is half true. If a woman's never done any type of resistance training and starts using hydraulic machines with a proper exercise protocol there will be some benefit to her muscle strength and bone density.
But there comes a point where the hydraulic machines won't offer you enough of a challenge and you should progress to free weights in order to continue building bone density and strength.
Hydraulic machines differ from traditional weight machines in that they work different muscle groups during the lifting and the lowering phases. For instance, if you are doing a biceps curl on a hydraulic machine, you will feel resistance in your biceps when you bend, or curl, your arm, but when you return to the starting position by straightening your arm, you will feel resistance in your triceps.
In each full repetition on a hydraulic machine, you target two different muscle groups, which is very time-efficient. You're also likely to experience less muscle soreness than when using a machine with weight plates, or free weights, since it is the lowering phase, or the "eccentric" contraction, that causes most muscle soreness.
With less of a challenge in the eccentric phase, you won't gain as much muscle strength and won't see as significant an improvement in bone health.
So with that said -- resistance training is still the most efficient & effective way to train for improved health, longevity and maintaining bone density.
If you need help getting started with resistance training, email me at jennymay@menopause-weight-gain.com or check out Turbulence Training.
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Recipe of the Month: Beef and Bean Stew
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INGREDIENTS:
- ONION, RAW - sliced 1 1/2 cup
- OLIVE OIL - salad or cooking 3 tsp
- PEPPER, RED OR CAYENNE 1/2 tsp
- KIDNEY BEAN, CANNED - all types, mature seeds 1 cup
- BEEF ROUND, EYE OF, ROASTED, SLF (CUBE STEAK) - trim to 0'' fat, all grades 6 oz
- BROTH, BEEF, RTS - broth/bouillon canned 1 cup
- TOMATO PUREE, CANNED - 1/2 cup
- SALSA, RTS - 1 cup
- CHILI POWDER - 1 tsp
- BASIL, DRIED, GROUND - 1 tsp
- CURRY POWDER - 1/2 tsp
- OREGANO, GROUND - 1 tsp
Recipe Directions:
1. In sauce pan cook beans and onion in 2 tsp of oil until tender, then add tomato puree, beef broth, spices and salsa.
2. Continue to cook vegetable mixture under medium heat until hot. While the vegetables are cooking, in non stick pan add remaining oil and stir fry beef until cooked.
3. Add beef to vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes. Place equal amounts on 2 plates and serve. (always drain and rinse canned beans before using)
Macronutrient Profile: Based on 1 Serving (Makes 2 servings)
Calories: 428.08
Protein: 38.09 g
Carbs: 43.31 g
Total Fat: 12.92 g
Sat Fat: 2.84 g
Cholesterol: 47.72 mg
Protein-Carb-Fat Ratio: 34-39-26
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5 Common Ab Myths:
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Ab exercises aren't the only thing you have to do in order to get your 6-pack. You also have to work hard on your diet as well, sticking to a fat-burning, muscle-building diet all year round.
Here's a list of 5 common myths about abs.
Myth 1) You don't need to watch what you eat.
Diet is first and foremost the key factor when trying to get 6-pack abs. Plan your nutrition in advance, to avoid dietary downfalls.
Myth 2) As long as you do a lot of ab exercises and repetitions, it doesn't matter how well you do them.
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It is important to do all repetitions with good form. Focus on quality, not quantity. Avoid sit-ups and an excessive number of crunches. Both exercises can damage the lumbar spine in your low back, and crunches are rarely effective anyways.
Myth 3) You can "Spot reduce" the fat on your abs with crunches.
No matter how many crunches you do, you won't be able to get rid of your ab fat with crunches alone. You need a good diet and an increase in your calorie burning from strength training and interval training.
Myth 4) Infomercial products will help you get a 6-pack.
You've probably seen dozens of ab gadgets on TV, but none are magic bullets. You can't expect anything you order from TV to help you get a 6-pack. You have to do the hard work with nutrition and training to get results.
Myth 5) You must do abs every day.
You don't need to do abs every day. Instead, train them twice per week and use non-conventional exercises such as Mountain Climbers and Stability Ball Jackknives to reduce the stress on your low back.
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men's Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training and start recliming your figure today!
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Health Thru Fitness LLC, and Menopause-Weight-Gain.com do
Not assume any liability for the information contained
herein. The information is not intended as an alternative
to medical advice, or for medical treatment.
Consult your physician before you begin any new exercise,
nutrition or dietary supplementation program.
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