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Dr. Susan E. Brown

99 ways to get 9 daily servings of alkalizing vegetables, fruits and spices

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There is an ever-growing body of scientific studies showing that the more colorful vegetable, fruits, nuts and seeds you eat, the healthier you are!  Your risks for needless fracture, heart disease, cancer, stroke, autoimmune disease, depression, inflammation, and many other disorders are dramatically reduced for those consuming abundant vegetable foods.

Given this evidence, we recommend aiming for 9 to 13 servings a day of life-supporting vegetables, fruits nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. While tweaking our diet a bit may sound daunting, it is really within our reach. Here are our favorite 99 ways to consume more alkalizing, wholesome vegetable foods — feel free to add your own to the list!

1. Fermented veggies (think sauerkraut or kimchi) are the BEST — not only do you get the veggies but you get additional probiotics, and they last for a LONG time!

2. Prunes are where its at! Two prunes after dinner can curb your sweet tooth or make them into a jam with warming spices.  (And prunes help build bone!)

3. Try baking apples with a dusting of cinnamon as a tasty dessert.

4. Make a trail mix for a snack using dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.

5. Leave the skin on your fruits & vegetables, as they often are the most nutrient-dense portion of the food.

6. Bake your fruits and vegetables into healthy bread alternatives — recipes for zucchini bread and banana bread abound online.

7. Add lemon, lime, cucumbers, or other tasty fruits to seltzer or plain water for additional flavor —and then eat them once they’ve infused into the liquid.

8. Bake kale or other greens into tasty chips for snacking.

9. Try freezing bananas and using a blender/emulsifier to make homemade frozen “milkshake” treats.

10. Start your meal with fruits and vegetables first before you eat things like bread and other carbs—you’ll eat more of the veggies and less of the carbs.

11. Dice a mixture of assorted vegetables into your breakfast omelet.

12. Eat fresh fruit as your dessert instead of unhealthy dessert options.

13. Power up your lunch wrap or sandwich by doubling the amount of veggies to proteins/meats.

14. Steam up enough of your favorite veggies for 2-3 days and keep them in a container in the fridge so that you can grab and go.

15. Set out a bowl of fruit so that during the day as you walk by you might be more likely to grab a piece of fruit.

16. Load up one meal with 5–6 serving of veggies using this veggie Buddha Bowl recipe

17. Try making homemade veggie packed soups and stews. These are great warming foods for the winter and your digestion. Plus they can last all week and are easy to grab when time is limited!

18. Make one night a week a meatless meal. This will encourage you to see what new recipes you can try that are more plant-based!

19. Follow a few plant-based cooking pages on social media like Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. These pages are constantly sharing new recipe ideas that can help you get out of the same old cooking slump!

20. Farmers’ markets are your friend! See if your area has a farmers’ market and make it a point to go there before the grocery store. You will leave with more fruits and vegetables that are a better quality and more nutrient dense!

21. Add a salad to any meal for an instant 2–3 servings of veggies

22. Always add some sort of vegetable to your sandwich, such as dark leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, or slivers of jalapeño pepper for a little kick.

23. Bring pre-cut vegetables to work to snack on throughout the day.

24. Try baking pears with peaches with a pinch of cinnamon for a healthy dessert!

25. Make a cauliflower crust pizza with fresh tomato sauce, basil leaves, and a healthy cheese!

26. Try juicing! Carrot juice is delicious and easy to incorporate into daily life.

27. Spiralizers for thin-slicing veggies are widely available at grocery stores now. These veggies act as a great substitute for pastas and are very filling. So instead of pasta, make “zoodles” out of zucchini and serve with tomato sauce or pesto (and drop in a few mixed veggies for still more servings!)

28. Olive oil counts! 1 Tablespoon of olive oil counts as a serving and also packs additional bone building benefits! Put some in a jar with herbs like garlic, oregano, rosemary, and thyme to add flavor to spiralized veggie pasta.

29. Add blueberries or fruit to your morning yogurt.

30. Blend vegetables and fruit into a smoothie.

31. Using lettuce or greens instead of bread can help alkalize your meal as well get you additional servings of veggies!

32. Warming peppermint, ginger, or spiced teas are great for your bones, and the aromatic qualities aid in the digestion of your food which help with absorption of your vitamins and minerals.

33. Bok choy is a great filler and leafy green it has little flavor so you can add it to almost anything as a way to pump up your serving count

34. Add true pickles as a flavorful snack or addition to any sandwich or wrap.

35. Buy local veggies in season and freeze. Locally sourced organics veggies are the best; however, they have a short window. Buy in bulk and freeze your veggies for use all year long if canning is not an option. Most veggeis freeze well; if you’re not sure whether you should freeze a certain type of veggies, here is a quick guide.

36. Purge your fridge of store-bought salad dressings. Making your own homemade dressing is simple and effective for getting more fresh herbs and spices in your diet. Plus you’re going to need something to put that new lovely dressing on!

37. Skip the dips and be the person who brings the veggie dish to the next party. You will be looked on as an innovator as many people look for the healthful options at the party yet always get the same old appetizers!

38. Plant-based chili is a filling, warming dish and a great opportunity to add more veggies and fresh spices in! If you have a slow-cooker, it’s super easy and you can freeze half of it for later.

39. Don’t forget the sweet potatoes on your grocery list! An alkalizing root crop sweet potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving. Kids love them too!

40. Ever see a veggie you don’t recognize at the store? Buy one and challenge yourself to find a recipe for it for the weekend.

41. Don’t ever see anything you’re unfamiliar with at your store? Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) Boxes are great ways to try new veggies! Ask around at the farmers’ market for local CSA opportunities.

42. Add avocado to toast with a slice of tomato.

43. Make apple chips in the oven for a great snack

44. Swap your white rice for cauliflower rice. The recipe is easy and it actually tastes better and is better for you too!

45. Cauliflower can also act as a bread substitute! Swap bread for cauliflower in your grilled cheese or pizza crusts

46. Don’t forget veggies from the sea! Spread chopped avocado and grated carrot on a sheet of nori seaweed. Roll up and slice for an easy veggie “sushi” roll.

47. Make veggie shots—a quick and dirty way to get the veggies in!

48. Swap the fries for the veggie of the day when out at restaurants.

49. Start a veggie garden—even a planter with a small collection of vegetables or herbs will inspire you to eat more veggies. And if you worry about vegetable plants taking over your tiny window ledge, keep in mind the dwarf varieties have been developed specifically for people like you who have limited space.

50. Keep bone broth handy in the pantry, it is a great bone builder and you can add any type of veggie for an instant warming soup.

51. Don’t skip the pizza — just add lots of veggies! Also, lots of new gluten-free crusts are available and are very tasty!

52. Eating out? Explore your taste buds and order a veggie entree.

53. Prep is key if you want to ensure success! Plan your meals for the week, buy what is needed, and pre-prep anything that might take time.

54. Avocado deviled eggs are a great mix of proteins and good fats!

55. If you crave fries, try making you own with sweet potatoes or zucchini. Air fryers are a more heathful alternative to regular deep frying.

56. Have the right tools for the job! Sharp knives, dicers, and graters can take the “labor” out of chopping & prepping veggies!

57. Invest in your kitchen! It will save you money in the long run and boost your health. Crockpots, food processors, steamers, pressure cookers, and spiralizers are all kitchen must haves that will make your meals easier to manifest.

58. It is easier to stay motivated when you have support! Find like-minded family & friends to go on this plant-based journey with.

59. Snack on veggies as you cook.

60. Find a great motivational food blog and subscribe. This will give you a weekly or daily dash of inspiration.

61. Measure your pH first thing in the morning. Based on the results, reflect on what you ate the previous day — and plan the alkalizing veggies you can eat today. Stay motivated by using the Alkaline for Life Diet Starter Kit.

62. Try this easy recipe for veggie breakfast hash.

63. Make a frittata for breakfast!  A frittata mixes eggs with lots of veggies!

64. Mix minced broccoli or cauliflower into scrambled eggs; they don’t change the texture.

65. Make avocado-based pudding.

66. Use veggie-based salad dressings.

67. Add carrot or sweet potato puree to cookie dough — it doesn’t really change the taste.

68. Add olives to all salads and as a side dish.

69. Add raw sunchoke to salads for great alkalizing prebiotic. Grate or thinly slice for an easy topping.

70. Add 1 Tbsp chia seeds and 1 Tbsp pine nuts to cooking oatmeal for texture.

71. For a healthy snack, cover canned chickpeas in a little olive oil and sprinkle with Adobo seasoning, then roast them.

72. Make spicy hot lemon water with a bit of cayenne and maple syrup.

73. Put fresh lemon juice in your hot cider (great for sweet cravings).

74. Slow-cook odds and ends of veggies with veggie broth for a great soup.

75. Explore different flavors and spices with this easy recipe for Thai veggie curry.

76. Add pumpkin or butternut squash to smoothies, pancakes, or soup

77. Dehydrate veggies and make a great snack or trail mix.

78. Plant an indoor herb garden on your kitchen counter.

79. Add cucumbers and mint to water.

80. Instead of mayo, add avocado to your tuna fish.

81. Try making sweet potato brownies

82. Baking a cake? Substitute a cup of cooked, mashed butternut squash for the oil. The cake will be amazingly moist and no one will know the difference (and if the squash is particularly sweet, you can cut back on the refined sugar by 1/3 while you’re at it!)

83. Eat more turmeric root to harness its anti-inflammatory superpowers — like this easy recipe for soothing golden milk.

84. Try butternut squash ravioli!

85. Instead of potato chips, try sliced bell peppers with hummus to achieve the same crunch!

86. Used chopped parsley as a final touch in many dishes.

87. Remember that a serving is only 1/2 a cup — so you can get 2 or 3 or more servings by loading up your plate with one vegetable

88. Change it up this holiday season and make pumpkin pie — without the crust! Or take it one step further by subbing in sweet potato.

89. Slice a cucumber lengthwise and hollow out. Load with sandwich fixings and enjoy this bread-free treat.

90. Try this recipe for a easy alkalizing & filling lunch or dinner

91. Instead of nut butter and crackers, revisit that childhood favorite of “bumps on a log”: half a stalk of celery slathered with peanut butter, with a few raisins sprinkled on top. Crunchy and filling!

92. Save time by chopping and peeling all your veggies for the week on Sunday evenings (or a day of the week when you have time). Wrap and store in the fridge crisper until ready to use.

93. Easy roasted garlic! Cut the very top off a head of garlic and bake in a small separate baking dish the next time you make a casserole. Roasted garlic is soft, creamy and flavorful.

94. Add pureed carrots or finely chopped broccoli to mac and cheese for a healthier spin on this hearty favorite.

95. Instead of fries, chop fresh veggies and serve with a creamy dressing for easy dipping.

96. Remember stuffed peppers? For a change from taco night, mix browned and drained ground beef with onion, garlic and stewed diced tomatoes and rice, stuff peppers and top with cheese.

97. Herbs! Sprinkle fresh cut herbs over omelets and casseroles for an instant flavor pop.

98. Challenge yourself to double the vegetables in any recipe. Making quiche? In addition to broccoli and onions, add some chopped peppers or carrots!

99. Substitute pureed broccoli or cauliflower for cream in soup recipes. Steam veggies, then blend with an infusion blender until smooth. Thin with broth as needed. Easy!

100.  Don’t just spiralize zucchini! Daikon, fat carrots, turnips, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and the neck part of butternut squash work great, too! Toss with a little olive oil and spread out on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 or higher. Toss once or twice while baking. Bake until al dente. Wonderful pasta substitute! Check out inspiralized.com for some great recipe ideas! – Deborah

101. Add extra onions and grate a carrot into your pasta sauce. An extra grated garlic clove is always good. – Diane Reich

102.  I add fruit and nuts to my hot cereal: Blueberries and walnuts to oatmeal; apples, raisins, and walnuts, plus cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric to steel cut oats; cut up pears and blueberries with walnuts and nutmeg and ginger to brown rice farina/amaranth cereal; and perhaps my favorite, unsweetened shredded coconut, cut up date, walnuts, and half a banana, plus some coconut oil with brown rice farina/amaranth cereal. – Janet

103.  Remove skin from Rutabaga, cut into sticks, toss with olive oil and bake at 400 degrees till golden. – Lyn

104.  I dehydrate surplus kale, spinach & silverbeet, powder it, sieve it (fine) & keep it in a jar to sprinkle it on my breakfast cereal (can’t taste it with the cinnamon & tumeric I use), & also on any savoury dishes. A great way to get the extra greens in. – Carole

What’s your favorite way to work in more servings of fruits and veggies?  Put your ideas in the comments for others to enjoy!

How much magnesium prevents fracture
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Magnesium for bones – is it a missing ingredient for preventing bone fracture?

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Are you getting enough magnesium? The mineral may not immediately spring to mind when you think about important nutrients for your bones — but two new studies that found a strong relationship between insufficient magnesium and fracture risk could change this.

Low magnesium and hip fracture are connected

The first study (Kunutsor et al. 2017) found that having low magnesium levels in the blood correlated to a 44% higher risk of bone fractures, particularly hip fractures. This was done by looking at serum magnesium levels of 2,245 middle-aged men (age 43-61 years old).

The study noted that none of the men with what they regarded as “high” magnesium levels (more than 2.3 mg/dL) fractured at all. I should mention that the FDA sets the serum magnesium reference range at 1.8-3.6 mg/dL, so 2.3 mg/dL hardly qualifies as a “high” level of magnesium. It’s not even in the middle of the range! And that raises the possibility that chronic, latent magnesium deficiency may have been depleting the study participants’ bones of this needed mineral (Elin, 2011).

How much magnesium do you need to lower fracture risk?

Researchers also continue to reveal the importance of dietary intake of magnesium — especially for women. The second study (Veronese et al. 2017) included 1,577 and 2,071 women with an average age of 60 years. During the 8 year study, 560 participants — almost 15% — had a fracture. The risk of fracture also decreased significantly in the people who had the highest magnesium intake — 53% in the men, and 62% in the women.

One of the important findings was that in women, the effects were only seen to a significant degree in the ones who achieved the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of dietary magnesium, which was 320 mg/day (for men, it was 420 mg/day).

I generally recommend a daily magnesium intake of: 400-800 mg/day (which is somewhat higher than the RDA).

 

Here’s how to get the magnesium you need

I get two messages from these studies. One is obvious: We need to pay more attention to magnesium for healthy bones! Both studies show that people who lacked adequate magnesium would have benefited from having more, either through changes to their diet or by taking a magnesium supplement. They also show that even a small increase in daily magnesium intake can produce a significant effect. Ideally, though, we want to get enough to keep our bones healthy — and current ideas of what constitutes “enough” are probably too low.

The other message is perhaps less obvious, but no less important: chronic, latent magnesium deficiency is something you can probably fix pretty easily, assuming there’s no hidden disease process that prevents absorption. A good way to start is to try adding more magnesium-rich foods to your diet, like this easy salad recipe that gives you 350 mg of magnesium. You can also learn more about supplementing for magnesium with my Better Bones Basics.

Magnesium rich salad recipe

Try this magnesium-rich warm salad

In a bowl, toss:
1 cup steamed or sautéed spinach (157 mg of magnesium)
1 avocado, sliced (58 mg of magnesium)
1/4 cup almonds (105 mg of magnesium)
3.5 ounces of sautéed tofu (30 of magnesium)
Sea salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Hear Dr. Susan Brown talk about the importance of magnesium for bone health

References:

Elin RJ. Re-evaluation of the concept of chronic, latent, magnesium deficiency. Magnes Res 2011;24(4):225-227.

Food and Drug Administration. Investigations Operations Manual 2017: Appendix C. Silver Spring, MD: US FDA. Available at https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/inspections/IOM/ (accessed August 7, 2017).

Kunutsor SK, Whitehouse MR, Blom AW, et al. Low serum magnesium levels are associated with increased risk of fractures: a long-term prospective cohort. Eur J Epidemiol 2017; doi: 10.1007/S10654-017-0242-2.

Veronese N, Stubbs B, Solmi M, et al. Dietary magnesium intake and fracture risk: data from a large prospective study. Br J Nutr 2017; doi: 10.1017/S0007114517001350.

Dr. Susan E. Brown

Answers to your top 5 questions about calcium supplements

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Calcium is the nutrient people think about when it comes to bone strength. Every day I’m asked, “How much calcium should I take, and when? What’s the best form? Can I take too much?”

Perhaps you have one of these questions yourself, so here’s a brief “Calcium 101”:

#1. How much calcium should I take?

The current recommended calcium intake for adult women is 1200 mg a day between diet and supplements.You may need more calcium if you don’t absorb it as well as most people. Nocturnal leg cramps, for instance, may indicate a higher need for calcium.

#2. When should I take my calcium supplement?

It’s best to take calcium supplements with food so they absorb better — ideally, spread them out over two meals for best absorption. Blood calcium can dip at night, so it helps to take some of your supplemental calcium with dinner.

#3. What is the best form of calcium?

I suggest a mix of different calcium salts, including calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium ascorbate, calcium glycinate and calcium malate. All of these forms of calcium are well absorbed and highly alkalizing, which is a top priority here at the Center For Better Bones.

#4. Why is the calcium in Better Bones Basics and Better Bones Builder so good for bone?

In my products, I use a mix of alkalizing calcium forms, including calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium ascorbate. These forms are concentrated – so that you can get the optimal dose with the fewest pills possible. Calcium carbonate is the same form of calcium as found in marine algae calcium pills and it is highly absorbable if taken with food

But what makes the calcium even more highly effective in Better Bones Basics and Better Bones Builder is that it paired with other nutrients it needs to do its job — magnesium, vitamin K2, and vitamin D. For example, calcium absorption depends on vitamin D. A person with inadequate vitamin D absorbs 65% less calcium than someone who has adequate vitamin D (or 32ng/ml).

#5. Can you take too much calcium?

Yes. Although we need calcium in relatively large quantities, you can take too much. For those looking to maximize bone health generally, supplement with calcium in the range of 600 and 700 mg/day. I don’t recommend using over 1000 mg supplemental calcium, as doctors tended to prescribe in the past.

 

References:

NIH. Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/. Nov. 17, 2016.

Heaney, RP et al. Absorption of calcium as the carbonate and citrate salts, with some observations on method. Osteoporosis International, 1999;9(1):19-23.

Are you getting enough chromium?
Dr. Susan E. Brown

Chromium: A hidden nutrient for bone and energy metabolism

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Chromium is an old friend of mine! I first used it to help women tame their sweet tooth in my days as a nutritionist. And now, chromium is one of the key essential nutrients I recommend to women for their bone health.  I’m also excited to see that researchers are learning more about how chromium plays a role in the truly amazing way the skeleton helps regulate energy metabolism.

Key benefits of chromium

  • Preserves bone mineral by reducing the loss of calcium in the urine, promoting collagen production, increasing adrenal DHEA levels and improving insulin regulation.
  • Stabilizes blood sugar
  • Reduces craving for sweets
  • Helps the skeleton regulate energy metabolism — the complicated process includes osteocalcin (a hormone secreted by the bone-building osteoblast cells) acting on the pancreas to enhance insulin production and in peripheral tissues to increase glucose utilization, as well as to increase insulin sensitivity and reduce visceral fat (like abdominal fat accumulation).

Are you getting enough chromium?

Unfortunately, probably not.


That’s because not many foods have chromium.  Plus, chromium is a nutrient easily lost in food processing and soil mineral depletion.  But — as you’ll see below in the list of chromium-rich foods — there is some good news.  Red wine can have a fair amount of chromium!

How to get enough chromium (red wine is on the list!)

Most everyone in this country could benefit from chromium supplementation.  While there is no RDA established for chromium, I recommend 200 mcg per day. Here’s a great list of foods with chromium from the National Institutes of Health. As you’ll see, getting a daily dose of 200 mcg from food alone is difficult!

What foods have chromium?

FoodChromium (mcg)
Broccoli, ½ cup11
Grape juice, 1 cup8
English muffin, whole wheat, 14
Potatoes, mashed, 1 cup3
Garlic, dried, 1 teaspoon3
Basil, dried, 1 tablespoon2
Beef cubes, 3 ounces2
Orange juice, 1 cup2
Turkey breast, 3 ounces2
Whole wheat bread, 2 slices2
Red wine, 5 ounces1–13
Apple, unpeeled, 1 medium1
Banana, 1 medium1
Green beans, ½ cup1

Source: National Institutes of Health

Adding to the difficulty of getting enough chromium is that our levels also tend to diminish with age. Stress, a high sugar diet, an infection or vigorous exercise can diminish chromium levels in the blood.

You can help your body absorb chromium by getting enough with vitamin C and the B vitamins through foods and/or supplementation.

To get the most beneficial effects of chromium, I suggest you supplement with a chelated form of chromium such as chromium picolinate or chromium polynicotinate. My Better Bones Builder includes 300 mcg of chromium (as chromium polynicotinate) so you can be sure you’re getting the optimal amount of chromium.

 

References:

Clemens, TL, and G Karsenty. 2011. The osteoblast: An insulin target cell controlling glucose homeostasis. J Bone Miner Res 26(4):677–680.

Evans, GW et al. 1995. Chromium picolinate decreases calcium excretion and increases dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in postmenopausal women. FASEB J 9:A449.

National Institutes of Health. 2013. Chromium.

 

 

3 trace minerals that make a vast difference in bone health
Dr. Susan E. Brown

3 trace minerals you didn’t know your bones needed

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What do you think of when someone says “bone-building minerals?” If you’re like most people, calcium jumps to mind immediately. Maybe you also think of phosphorus, magnesium and even zinc.

But most people aren’t aware of three important trace minerals that are essential for bone health — manganese, copper and boron. While only needed in small amounts, they make a huge difference for our bones. Here’s what the research says:

Big benefits of manganese, copper and boron

  1. Manganese is needed for functioning of several enzymes central to bone formation.
  • Women with osteoporosis have 75% lower manganese than those without osteoporosis, according to studies. (Interestingly, women have more manganese in hip bone than men.)
  • One study, which looked at 25 different variables, found that only manganese was significantly different between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic women.
  • Multi-nutrient studies have incorporated manganese supplementation and showed an increase in bone mineral density.

2. Copper helps form collagen for bone and connective tissue, and low copper levels are associated with osteoporosis development.

  • One early study found copper levels in elderly patients with hip fractures were significantly lower than those of matched controls.
  • Another study of perimenopausal women who consumed 1 mg of copper daily reported a decrease in bone loss of the spine after supplementation with 3 mg copper.

3. Boron is essential for bone growth, and it also supports other bone-building nutrients.

  • Boron supplementation markedly reduces excretion of calcium and magnesium.
  • Boron increases Vitamin D utilization.
  • Boron also helps to reduce inflammation and protect against oxidative damage from heavy metals and other toxins.

How much of these nutrients do we need?

If people don’t know about the importance of these trace nutrients, it probably comes as no surprise that most of us aren’t getting enough!

  • The current daily allowance for manganese is 2.3 mg/d for adult males and 1.8 mg/d for females.
  • Copper, which can be toxic in higher amounts, is set at 900 micrograms — just under 1 mg — for adults. Nearly three-fourths of US adults failed to consume even this tiny amount.
  • While there is no RDA for boron, researchers suggest a minimum intake of 3 mg a day and a maximum of 20 mg/day. Unfortunately most of us consume only ½ to 1 mg of boron daily.

When choosing your bone health supplements, the research is clear that you should look for trace nutrients on the label. You’ll find them in my Better Bones Builder. You can learn more with my article 20 key bone-building nutrients.

 

References:

Beattie JH, Peace HS. The influence of a low-boron diet and boron supplementation on bone, major mineral and sex steroid metabolism in postmenopausal women. Br J Nutr. 1993 May;69(3):871-84.

Brodziak-Dopierała B1, Kwapuliński J, Sobczyk K, Wiechuła D. The content of manganese and iron in hip joint tissue. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2013 Jul;27(3):208-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2012.12.005. Epub 2013 Feb 15.

Conlan D, et al., Serum copper levels in elderly patients with femoral-neck fractures. Age Ageing. 1990;19(3):212-214

Qu, Xinhua, et al. Serum Copper Levels Are Associated with Bone Mineral Density and Total Fracture. Journal of Orthopaedic Translation, Chinese Speaking Orthopaedic Society, 31 May 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6034109/.

Hunt, CD. The biochemical effects of physiologic amounts of dietary boron in animal nutrition models. Environ Health Perspect 1994;102(suppl 7):35-43

Klevay, L. evidence of dietary copper and zinc deficiencies. JAMA, 1979; 241: 1917-18

Nielson, F. et al., Effect of dietary boron on mineral, estrogen, and testosterone metabolism in postmenopausal women. FASEB J 1 (1987): 394-397.

Pizzorno, L. Nothing Boring About Boron.  Integr Med (Encinitas). 2015 Aug:14(4):35-48.

Strain JJ. A reassessment of diet and osteoporosis–possible role for copper. Med Hypotheses. 1988 Dec;27(4):333-8.

Strause L, Saltman P, Glowacki J.The effect of deficiencies of manganese and copper on osteoinduction and on resorption of bone particles in rats. Calcif Tissue Int. 1987 Sep;41(3):145-50.

Strause LG, Hegenauer J, Saltman P, Cone R, Resnick D. Effects of long-term dietary manganese and copper deficiency on rat skeleton. J Nutr. 1986 Jan;116(1):135-41.

Strause L, Saltman P, Smith KT, Bracker M, Andon MB. Spinal bone loss in postmenopausal women supplemented with calcium and trace minerals. J Nutr. 1994;124(7):1060-1064.

Dr. Susan E. Brown

How much vitamin D should you take? That depends on you

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As we head into cooler weather, it’s the ideal time to get your vitamin D tested – whether you live in the north like I do or a warmer climate too.

You may not realize that even people who get adequate sunlight may become vitamin D deficient — with an impact on their bones.  That’s because vitamin D absorption and utilization differ, sometimes dramatically, from person to person.

Vitamin D needs vary greatly

Here are just a few interesting examples I’ve seen:

  • One woman in Connecticut had a vitamin D of level of 33 ng/mL in March — barely above the acceptable lower limit — despite taking 6600 IU of vitamin D during winter.  She increased her intake to 8600 IU for several months to reach the ideal 50 ng/mL level.
  • Another northeastern woman tested in August — when you’d expect her levels to be highest — was only 35 ng/mL despite taking 2000 IU of vitamin D daily year-round. She needed to add 2000 IU more to reach an optimal level. Contrast this to another client living in Denver, who had 53 ng/mL vitamin D in January when she was only taking 1000 IU daily.
  • And then there’s my own case — living in central New York, I was using 2800 units of vitamin D during the summer and getting lots of sunshine from my outdoor activities, but I still tested at 35 ng/mL in October.  If I had not raised my wintertime vitamin D intake substantially to 5,800 IU/day, I would’ve had a very inadequate level of vitamin D during the winter.

On average, vitamin D levels are expected to increase 10 ng/mL for every additional 1000 IU of vitamin D — but as you can see, the average doesn’t mean much in real-world situations! That’s why it’s crucial to get vitamin D testing to identify where you are starting — and retest a few weeks later to see if the amount you use is having an impact.

How much Vitamin D should I take?

How much Vitamin D should I take?

References:

Boroń, D., Kamiński, A., Kotrych, D. et al. Polymorphisms of vitamin D3 receptor and its relation to mineral bone density in perimenopausal women. Osteoporos Int (2015) 26: 1045. doi:10.1007/s00198-014-2947-3

Hollis, B. W., Wagner, C. L., Howard, C. R., Ebeling, M., Shary, J. R., Smith, P. G., … & Hulsey, T. C. (2015). Maternal versus infant vitamin D supplementation during lactation: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics,136(4), 625-634.

Drincic, Andjela T., et al. “Volumetric dilution, rather than sequestration best explains the low vitamin D status of obesity.” Obesity 20.7 (2012): 1444-1448.
Mayo Clinic. Vitamin D toxicity rare in people who take supplements, researchers report. ScienceDaily, 30 April 2015.

* Information presented here is not intended to cure, diagnose, prevent or treat any health concerns or condition, nor is it to serve as a substitute professional medical care.

Dr. Susan E. Brown

Is Vitamin K2 your body’s best buddy?

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There’s been an explosion of research on Vitamin K2 showing how much it affects overall health. When you look at what it says, it makes a pretty good case for why we need more of it.

Here are just three reasons Vitamin K2 may be one of your body’s best friends:

1. Vitamin K2 protects your heart and arteries

There’s a bunch of studies showing Vitamin K2 has benefits for cardiovascular health. Two Dutch studies, one including over 16,000 women, showed that Vitamin K2 decreased risk of coronary heart disease substantially.

Another study showed that 180 micrograms of MK-7 also prevented — and even improved — age-related stiffening of arteries. A 2015 Polish study had similar findings. These studies found that Vitamin K2 is essential to a key protein that inhibits arterial calcification — so we can actively protect our arteries by making sure we get enough K2. This is great news for us all!

2. Vitamin K2 benefits joints

A 2013 study shows that patients with rheumatoid arthritis who took Vitamin K saw reductions in C-reactive protein, which is a marker of inflammation. And a 2015 study in osteoarthritis patients showed that those with better Vitamin K status had less arthritis damage to their joints.

3. So now you’re asking, “What about bones?”

Well, of course there’s plentiful information on Vitamin K2’s role in bone health already — but a couple of good new studies adds to the list. A 2015 Korean study of over 7,000 men and women showed a correlation between Vitamin K2 intake and higher bone density in the spine and femur — one that was especially strong in women. This supports the findings of two earlier studies, one in 2013 and another in 2014, showing that MK-7 supplements decreased bone loss in postmenopausal women’s spine and femur.

It all adds up to one thing: Vitamin K2 isn’t just good for bones. It’s good for bodies.

Looking to supplement? Find our recommended Vitamin K2 supplement in its preferred form (MK-7) here.

P.S. As always we remind you that any form of Vitamin K should not be used by those on the blood thinner known as Coumadin (Warfarin).

 

References:

Gast GC, de Roos NM, Sluijs I, et al. A high menaquinone intake reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2009 Sep;19(7):504-10.

Kim MS, Kim ES, Sohn CM. “Dietary intake of Vitamin K in relation to bone mineral density in Korea adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2011).” J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2015 Nov;57(3):2237.

Knappen MH, et al. Three-year low-dose menaquinone-7 supplementation helps decrease bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. Osteoporosis Int. 2013 Sep;24(9):2499-507

Kurnatowska I, Grzelak P, Masajtis Zagajewska A, Kaczmarska M, Stefańczyk L, Vermeer C, Maresz K, Nowicki M. Effect of Vitamin K2 on progression of atherosclerosis and vascular calcification in nondialyzed patients with chronic kidney disease stage 35. Pol Arch Med Wewn. 2015 Jul 15. pii: AOP_15_066. [Epub ahead of print]

Shea MK, Kritchevsky SB, Hsu FC, et al.; Health ABC Study. The association between Vitamin K status and knee osteoarthritis features in older adults: the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.

Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2015 Mar;23(3):370-8. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2014.12.008. Epub 2014 Dec 17.
Yamaguchi M. Osteoporosis treatment with functional food factor: Vitamin K2. J Osteopor Phys Acta 2014;2:e108. doi: 10.4172/2329-9509.1000e108

Dr. Susan E. Brown

Your food may have fewer nutrients than you think

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Even if you eat a healthy diet — including lots of fruits and vegetables — you may be surprised to learn that you’re not getting the amount of nutrients you think you are. That’s because research shows the vitamin and mineral content of many common fruits and vegetables has been declining in the last decades.

Declines of up to 75%

You would need to eat 2½ times as much broccoli today to get the same amount of calcium as you would have in 1950. And twice as many onions to get the same amount of iron. In fact, a study comparing the nutrient value for 43 garden vegetables from 1950 to 1999 shows an average decrease in nutrient content of 25-50%.

Research on popular fruits like apples and oranges shows the same significant losses of vitamin and mineral content. Eleven of 12 fruits showed reduced amounts of iron, 10 with loss in calcium and 9 with loss of vitamin A. The drop in iron in several fruits — including oranges, tangerines and strawberries — was quite extreme.  Tangerines dropped 65% for calcium content and 75% for iron (I’m not sure what caused the increase for vitamin A — perhaps it’s related to the fertilizers used).

What’s the nutrient loss for your favorite vegetable or fruit?

Here are more examples of nutrient loss in vegetables and fruit using the USDA’s standard nutrient data for 1950 and for 1999.

Nutrient chart

 

Here’s another intriguing example about nutrient decline. During the 1960s scientists found an Arctic campsite of explorers from 100 years earlier, which included a can of peaches frozen in heavy syrup. Somebody had the forethought to test the peaches. Even accounting for the food value lost from being frozen, the canned peaches from the 1860s were 50% higher in every measurable nutrient than modern canned peaches.

If you are concerned about getting enough nutrients to maintain good health and build bone, it’s still a good idea to increase your intake of vegetables and fruits. That said, I strongly suggest you consider supplementation to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need — no matter what you eat — especially if you are trying to build bone and overcome years of neglect.

 

References:

Davis, D. R., M. D. Epp, and H. D. Riordan. 2004. Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 23(6):669–682.

Jack, A. 1998. Nutrition under siege. One Peaceful World Journal, Spring:1, 7–8.

Jack, A. 2005.America’s vanishing nutrients- Decline in fruit and vegetable quality poses serious health and environmental risks. Amberwaves, Becket, MA.

Mayer, A. M. 1997. Historical changes in the mineral content of fruits and vegetables. British Food Journal 99(6):207–211.

 

Dr. Susan E. Brown

Is exercise enough for bone health?

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Who else has spring fever and is ready to spend more time outdoors walking, gardening and just moving? Spring definitely reminds me to brush off my exercise plan.

A big motivating factor is the explosion of recent research emphasizing the profound benefits of exercise. One 2015 long-term European study showed a 50% reduction of all low trauma fracture overall with a multipurpose exercise program mixing  endurance, jumping, strength training and stretching done 4 days a week.

Another study shows improving fitness may counteract brain atrophy in older adults, including those already diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.

With all the clear benefits, it’s hard not to think that exercise is everything you need for healthy bones, body and mind. But in reality, if you’re getting the exercise you need for better bones, you’ll need more nutrients too. Here’s why:

Nutrient needs increase with exercise

If you’re already exercising, keep moving!  The average woman will lose 45% of her bone and muscle as she ages from 35 to 85. Exercise is an important piece of the puzzle to limit bone loss — but it’s not enough alone. What might surprise you is that exercise creates nutrient needs in your body that need to be considered in your overall bone-building program.

  • Exercise uses vital minerals, vitamins, amino acids and other nutrients needed to build and maintain bone strength. This is especially true with exercise that makes you sweat a lot!  For example, during a basketball season University of Memphis college players lost an average of 247 mg calcium in their sweat alone. Even more, there was an overall decrease of 6.1% in total bone mineral content and a 10.5% decrease in mineral content in their legs, and the average player lost 3.8% of his bone density in 3 months while playing. Calcium supplementation during exercise and with meals reversed these decreases in bone mineral content. (Klesges et al. 1996)
  • Exercise also creates oxidative damage. The more strenuous the exercise the more free radicals produced and the more oxidative damage to cells. For this reason, exercise substantially increases our need for a wide range of protective anti-oxidants such as vitamins C and E, N-acetylcysteine, CoQ10, flavonoids, beta carotene, etc. (Finaud et al. 2006; Ji 1999)
  • Exercise can disrupt acid-alkaline balance. Strenuous exercise acidifies by creating excess lactic acid, oxidative damage and other metabolic by-products. In fact, elite athletes given alkalizing mineral compounds to combat exercise-induced acidosis performed significantly better than non-supplemented athletes (Heil et al. 2012).

Increase your nutrient intake

Again, I encourage you to keep up with your personal exercise plan!  But as you do, it pays to compensate for any losses by getting enough of the key nutrients your body requires.  Vigorous exercise helps strengthen bone, but the exercise-induced changes should be counterbalanced with extra nutrients and the alkaline mineral reserve compounds found in an alkaline diet and the Better Bones products.

If you participate in tai chi, Qi Gong and yoga, these mindful gentle exercises do not create oxidative stress and they help alkalize the body. Nonetheless, research shows that even these mindful exercises should be accompanied by intake of all the essential 20+ key bone-building nutrients (Shen et al. 2007).

 

References:

Kemmler, W. (2015, October 15) Exercise and fractures in postmenopausal women. Final results of the controlled Erlangen Fitness and Osteoporosis Prevention Study. Osteoporosis International Volume 26, Issue 10, pp 2491-2499.  (Retrieved February 26, 2016:  http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00198-015-3165-3)

University of Maryland. (2015, November 19). Improving fitness may counteract brain atrophy in older adults, study shows: Exercise may help to reverse neurodegeneration in those with mild cognitive impairment, an early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 26, 2016: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151119113458.htm

Finaud, J., G. Lac, and E. Filaire. (2006) Oxidative stress: Relationship with exercise and training. Sports Medicine 36(4):327–358.

Heil, D. P., E. A. Jacobson, and S. M. Howe. 2012. Influence of an alkalizing supplement on markers of endurance performance using a double-blind placebo-controlled design. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 9:8.

Ji, L. L. (1999) Antioxidants and oxidative stress in exercise. Experimental Biology and Medicine 222(3):283–292.

Klesges, R. C., K. D. Ward, M. L. Shelton, W. B. Applegate, E. D. Cantler, G. M. Palmieri, K. Harmon, and J. Davis. (1996) Changes in bone mineral content in male athletes: Mechanisms of action and intervention effects. Journal of the American Medical Association 276(3):226–230.

Shen, C. L., J. S. Williams, M. C. Chyu, R. L. Paige, A. L. Stephens, K. B. Chauncey, F. R. Prabhu, L. T. Ferris, and J. K. Yeh. (2007) Comparison of the effects of tai chi and resistance training on bone metabolism in the elderly: A feasibility study. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine 35(3):369–381.

Dr. Susan E. Brown

Zinc is good for fighting colds and building bone

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Do you hear more coughs and sneezing now than you did during the dead of winter? I’m not surprised, given that the change of season can up your chances of catching a cold.

When I feel the sniffles coming on, I load up on zinc. It’s been shown to help to shorten the length of a cold when taken at high doses within 24 hours of exposure to a cold.

This is yet another example of how everything you do for your bones is good for your body, as zinc is one of the key minerals for bone health.

The latest research about zinc

Researchers are constantly adding to the knowledge about the bone benefits of zinc. Most recently, a study in Iran (1) showed that postmenopausal women with osteopenia or osteoporosis had significantly lower than normal levels of dietary intake of zinc as well as calcium and magnesium. On the basis of their results and previously published studies, the researchers suggest “mineral supplementation especially with calcium, magnesium, zinc and perhaps copper may have beneficial effect on bone density in post-menopausal women with low bone density.”

Are you getting enough zinc?

The average person in the U.S. takes in about 46–63% of the recommended daily allowance of zinc. That’s 8 mg a day  (which is the amount found in Better Bones Basics). The common therapeutic range for bone health for the same woman is 12-30 mg a day (with my Better Bones Builder containing 15 mg). And in case you’re wondering how much zinc you need to fight off a cold, zinc lozenges with a dose of 75 mg showed benefits! (2)

 

References:

  1. Mahdavi-Roshan, M. et al. 2015. Copper, magnesium, zinc and calcium status in osteopenic and osteoporotic post-menopausal women. Clinical Cases in Mineral and Bone Metabolism, 12(1):18–21.
  2. Hemilä, H. 2011. Zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of colds: A systematic review. The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal 5:51–58.