What are bones made of? Like all tissues, they contain protein. They are rich in minerals, not just calcium, but also potassium, manganese, magnesium, silica, iron, zinc, selenium, boron, phosphorus, sulphur, chromium, and dozens of others. And in order to use those minerals, vitamin D must be present and your diet must also contain high-quality fats.

If your diet is poor in any of the above nutrients your bones will suffer. Although bones do start to thin gradually once you get into your 30s, contrary to popular belief getting older and menopause are not the only major causes of osteoporosis. Poor nutrition and lack of exercise are also major causes of weak bones.

 

The foods you eat can work to keep your bones strong as you age, and some can even help you replace lost bone mass.

 

Get plenty of calcium: Did you know that 99% of your body’s calcium is stored in your bones and teeth? This calcium makes up your bone bank. Calcium is “deposited” and “withdrawn” from your bone bank daily, based on your body’s need for calcium. If your daily diet is low in calcium, calcium is “withdrawn” from your bone bank. Bone is broken down to keep your blood calcium level normal. This happens because calcium plays a critical role in supporting your body’s vital functions; such as controlling your blood pressure and maintaining your heart beat.

 

Dairy products (organic) in moderation are a good calcium source but you can also get your calcium from green leafy vegetables, canned fish with bones, soya, dried figs and sesame seeds. It is also worth adding in a supplement containing calcium around the menopause.

 

What decreases calcium intake?

• Caffeine – too much caffeine can affect the balance of calcium in the body.  Try to cut down the amount of caffeine you consume or better still eliminate it completely and drink herb teas and grain coffees.
• Salt – if you eat a lot of salt, it can increase the amount of calcium your body excretes through urine. You should eat no more than 6g of salt a day.
• Fizzy drinks – these contain a lot of phosphorus, which is used to improve the flavour. When phosphorous levels in your blood rise, a message is sent to your brain, telling it that there is not enough calcium. As a result the body draws calcium from your bones and teeth to balance the high levels of phosphorus. If this happens regularly, your bones will begin to weaken.
• Get enough vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for the absorption and use of calcium in your body. Vitamin D has been referred to as “the sunshine vitamin.” Your body can make vitamin D from casual sun exposure of short duration (as little as 5 to 15 minutes of sunshine per day, two to three times per week on the face and hands). Ten to fifteen minutes of sunshine three times a week should enable your body to make all the vitamin D it needs but you can also get Vitamin D from food sources such as oily fish and eggs. If you suspect that you’re not getting enough vitamin D from these sources, or if you’re over 65, consider taking a multivitamin or a calcium supplement (like OsteoPlus) that contains it and having a blood test to check for a deficiency.
• Replace meat with soya: Studies have shown that a diet high in animal protein can interfere with the way your body uses calcium not to mention the saturated fat and other toxins present in meat which have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. So avoid meat, especially red meat and consider replacing with soya and other beans instead.

Soya may help to prevent bone loss and even aid you in building bone after the menopause. Although some tofu provides calcium, researchers think that it may be the phytoestrogens, particularly one called genistein, that really protects your bones. These substances appear to work somewhat like oestrogen, functioning as a sort of natural hormone-replacement therapy. In one study, postmenopausal women who ate soya every day for six months increased bone mass in their spines by 2 percent, while those who didn’t eat any continued to lose bone. You can get more soya into your diet by snacking on roasted soy nuts, tossing some tofu into a vegetable stir-fry, and using organic soya milk on your cereal or in smoothies. Also include lentils, chickpeas etc. 

• Cut down on alcohol and quit smoking: Drinking more than two alcoholic beverages per day can harm bone cells and disrupt their absorption of calcium and vitamin D so avoid or limit to no more than one drink a day and try to have 2 –3 days off a week. And if you haven’t given up by now quit smoking and avoid passive smoking. Smoking puts you at a higher risk for developing osteoporosis and increases the rate of bone thinning once it starts.

Many of us will have spent the last few weeks enjoying well-deserved Christmas festivities and probably feeling the consequences by now. Perhaps your clothes feel a little tighter? Perhaps getting up in the morning is just that bit harder or perhaps you feel tired and sluggish during the day and are struggling with spot breakouts?

If you’re finding it hard to throw yourself into the New Year with energy and enthusiasm because you don’t think you look and feel your best it could be time to give your New Year a kick start with a gentle detox.

 

Over Christmas more toxins than your digestive system can deal with are often introduced and this can explain why you may be feeling sluggish and under par. Fatigue, bloating, skin breakouts, headaches, constipation, irritability and mood swings are just a few of the symptoms of toxic build up.

 

Before you panic at the mention of the word detox it is important to stress that detoxing does NOT have to be about starving for days on end or drinking foul tasting herbal concoctions. Detoxing does not have to be painful to be good for you. In my post-Christmas detox plan below you will not be asked to fast or sweat it out in spinning classes, instead you will simply be asked to make sensible diet and lifestyle changes that can help redress that essential balance of ‘toxins in equals toxins out. You’ll be retraining your body on how and what to eat and reminding yourself that the New Year really is a time when you can look and feel your best.

 

Your post Christmas repair plan:

 

• Sleep hygiene: Just as too much food isn’t good for you too much sleep isn’t either; in fact a recent study showed that people who slept more than 8 hours a day had shorter life spans than those who slept for 6 to 8 hours.

This doesn’t mean you should skimp on sleep if you need it; quite the opposite. After all the Christmas partying, eating and drinking your body needs time to recover and during sleep your body does most of it’s repair and healing. (Sleep is also crucial for successful weight loss because sleep loss tends to increase hunger and affects your body’s metabolism making it difficult to maintain weight loss or lose weight.).

 

What it does mean, however, is that you should aim for between 6 to 8 hours of undisturbed sleep a night – no more and no less – and when you wake up in the morning instead of lying in and getting a headache you should get up, start burning calories and start enjoying the day.

• Go organic: If you make one New Year’s resolution this year why not make a promise to yourself to eat more organic produce. Organic produce is higher in nutrients and free of additives, preservatives, chemicals and other toxins that your body doesn’t want or need. Stay away from processed foods or those loaded with additives and try to eat as much organic food as possible – even more preferable if it local.  It may be a bit more expensive but organic food is better for you and you are worth it.
• Chew it over: Every time you sit down for a meal remind yourself to chew your food thoroughly; this will help your digestion.  Remember poor digestion equals toxic build up and weight gain – something you are trying to avoid.
• On waking: Drink a mug of warm water with the juice of half a lemon added and slice of ginger. This can really boost your digestion and wake up your liver. Wait 30 minutes until you have breakfast but don’t leave it any longer as this isn’t good news for your blood sugar levels.
• Drink up: Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to help flush toxins out of your body. Tap water contains up to 800 chemicals so either filter your water or use mineral water and squashs and soft fizzy drinks.
• Green tea: Avoid alcohol, coffee and tea. Reduce your intake of these to one per day or better still swop to green tea or herbal teas with a slice of lemon.
• Increase your intake of vitamin C: This will help clear your skin after all those parties over Christmas. It also helps maintain teeth and bones and aids our absorption of iron. Great sources of vitamin C are strawberries, kiwi fruit, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower and oranges.
• B vitamins: The B vitamins help soften the impact of alcohol on the liver and encourage cell rejuvenation. So increase your intake of energy and health boosting whole grains, legumes, green leafy vegetables, fish, especially salmon and nuts and seeds.
• Stock up on antioxidants: To combat any signs of ageing that the Christmas party season and winter central healing has brought on, you need to up your intake of foods that contain anti-oxidants. Antioxidants are powerful anti ageing (anti wrinkle) compounds found in brightly coloured fruits and vegetables like peppers, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, apricots and carrots.
• Before 8 pm: Try to eat your dinner, preferably consisting of a selection of cooked vegetables with oily fish, nuts, seeds or legumes) before 8 pm. When you go to bed your body needs to be resting not digesting.
• Psyllium: If you feel constipated over the next few weeks try to increase your intake of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes and if this doesn’t help take a natural product that contains psyllium husks to get things moving.
• Head outside: Walking for a minimum of 30 minutes a day is a great form of exercise and will blow away all those cobwebs that have accumulated from spending too much time inside. As well as being therapeutic it will also help you burn calories and lose weight. So grab your coat and scarf and head outside for plenty of fresh air and exercise.
• Body brushing: Try this once a day to boost circulation and remove toxins your body managed to move to the surface of the skin. If you haven’t done this before buy a body brush and work from the feet up, brushing in a circular, clockwise direction up towards the heart. From your chest upwards, start brushing in a downward movement as if encouraging the blood towards the heart.
• Treat yourself: If you really want to totally relax and recover then treat yourself to a spa treatment, this can be low cost and yet have loads of benefits. We all love to be relaxed and it gives us a sense of well being. So why not nip off to your local beauty salon and get a massage or facial, you will feel loads better for it.

Try not to panic:

 

Within a few weeks you’ll feel on top form again if you keep active, choose healthier options, increase your intake of fruits, vegetable and whole grains so there is a rainbow selection of colours on your plate, don’t starve yourself, drink plenty of water, enjoy your food and listen to your body. It can’t be said enough. Make this the year when you let your body tell you what it needs and can do without. Live a little, but don’t go overboard if it is only going to make you miserable the next day.

 

Believe it or not emotional upset, stress, worry and anxiety can cause your body to use up essential nutrients so try not to panic if you’ve put on a few pounds over Christmas. Most of us will gain an average of two to three pounds over Christmas but studies show that this is not an important health risk if you do not smoke and are not obese–and if, when spring comes, you can manage to shift back to your pre-Christmas weight.

And what’s the best way to do that? Just follow the guidelines above and go back to a routine of healthy eating, sleeping and regular exercise and if you haven’t been eating healthy or exercising regularly the New Year is the perfect time to start.

If you’re eating in a restaurant or café, or ordering a takeaway, you can still eat less salt by making some smart choices.

• When you order a pizza, choose vegetable toppings instead of pepperoni, bacon, or extra cheese.
• At the sandwich bar, go for fillings such as hummous or poached salmon, instead of ham or cheese and pickle, which are usually higher in salt.
• If you’re having a Chinese or Indian meal, go for plain rice because this is lower in salt than egg-fried rice or pilau rice.
• Try not to have salty chips or crisps.
• When you have a salad, ask for the dressing on the side, so you only have as much as you need. Some dressings can be high in salt.