Archive for the ‘Take Control Naturally’ Category
You Need The Rest Of The Story
Last week a patient lamented that according to TV and Radio, “just about everything is bad for me”. So we discussed that reporters are paid to get people to watch and listen. Nobody wants to hear that their mother was right when she said “Drink your Milk”. But everyone will listen to a report that “Calcium is Bad for you if you take Daily Supplements “. This is true ONLY IF you take enough daily supplements and enough additional Calcium in your food to total way over 1500 mg in a day, but that ruins the story.
We miss Paul Harvey. He always told “The Rest of the Story”.
Not an Accident – It was a Bone Attack
If you have a Heart Attack or a Stroke (Brain Attack), you don’t say it was an accident. You check out your heart or blood pressure to see what is wrong that can be corrected. In this way, you decrease the risk of another heart attack or stroke.
If you have a Fracture after a fall, don’t say it was an accident. Check out your Bone Health to see what can be improved or corrected. In this way, you won’t have increased Fracture Risk the next time you fall. Anyone can fall, but not everyone fractures. A fall can be an accident, but a fracture is a Bone Attack – a warning to check your bone health.
In 7 years, I have never evaluated someone for bone health without finding at least one issue that can be improved. That included myself, when I was honest and actually evaluated my own situation.
Low Salt is a Double Win
Most people know that a diet high in Sodium puts them at increased risk for high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke (brain attack). Very few people realize that a diet high in Sodium puts them at increased risk for Osteoporosis and Fracture (Bone Attack). How can this be?
The exact same molecule controls both Sodium and Calcium in the kidney. This means that you cannot pee out excess Sodium without also peeing out needed Calcium. If you take in more Sodium than the 1500 mg you need daily, you need to take in extra Calcium to make up for the Calcium you pee out along with the extra Sodium. Or you could cut down on Sodium. That is not easy.
Don’t Be a Humpback – Prevent Humpback
Last time we discussed the disabilities caused by “humpback” kyphosis.
A major factor in “humpback” is weak back muscles. Upright posture decreases the strain of gravity pulling you forward. Strong back muscles maintain upright posture. A great exercise is to lie on your stomach and then lift your chest and thighs off the floor (or firm mattress). Do this several times a day.
Far more important is workplace posture. Too many of us slouch forward because our computer screens are below eye level. Adjust your work station so that you are comfortable sitting upright, looking straight ahead. If you are reading from a book or paper, use a slanted stand to bring your work to you. Don’t be a pretzel trying to bring yourself to your work.