Optimum Bone Health ::

Optimum Bone Health
by author Simone Gabbay, RNCP

Healthy kids rarely sit still! They are continuously on the move–and for good reason: they have bone to build.

Bone is living tissue that continually renews and regenerates itself throughout the entire lifespan. Most bone-building, however, takes place in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. Bone is composed of a strong protein matrix and mineral salts which are deposited into the matrix to make it hard and unbending. The major mineral salts in bone are calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Silicon and several other minerals, as well as water and fat, are also present.

The special cells that build bone are called osteoblasts; those that dissolve bone are osteoclasts. In childhood and adolescence, osteoblastic activity naturally predominates. However, diet and lifestyle are two important factors. By far the major promoter of osteoblastic activity is exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise, in which strain or weight is applied to the bone. The greater the activity, the stronger the bone becomes. A predominantly sedentary lifestyle results in bone loss because the osteoblasts are not being stimulated into action.

Children’s natural urge to exercise should be encouraged as much as possible. They need to run, jump, play ball and climb trees, and the more of it they do outdoors, the better. Natural sunlight, in moderation, encourages the production of vitamin D in the subcutaneous fatty tissues of the skin. Vitamin D is crucial for healthy calcium metabolism, an important aspect in bone health.

Food And Bone Metabolism

From a nutritional perspective, it’s important to emphasize calcium-rich foods in the diet. Dark-green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, chard, turnip greens and romaine lettuce are excellent sources of calcium. Calcium from green foods is highly bioavailable because greens also provide vitamin K and magnesium, necessary for calcium synthesis in the body. Sesame seeds, legumes and nuts, especially almonds, are other good sources. If you eat dairy, choose cultured whole milk products such as kefir, yogurt and buttermilk for better calcium absorption.

A diet rich in plant foods promotes bone health in more than one way. Earlier this year, a study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that "intakes of nutrients found in abundance in fruits and vegetables–namely, potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin C and magnesium–were positively associated with bone health."

Fruits and vegetables also help to maintain a healthy pH balance in body fluids. They promote alkalinity, whereas meat, dairy and grains are predominantly acid-forming. Whenever the body becomes overly acidic, the parathyroid gland, which regulates calcium metabolism, releases a hormone which activates the osteoclastic bone cells to dissolve calcium salts from bone for release into the extra-cellular fluids. As an alkaline-forming mineral, calcium is needed to bring pH levels back to normal.

If the diet is predominantly acid-forming for extended periods of time, the parathyroid is continuously called upon to stimulate osteoclastic activity, resulting in a gradual erosion of bone tissue. For optimal health and bone strength, the diet should be based on 70-80 per cent alkaline-forming foods from the vegetables and fruits category. The remaining portion should come from whole grains, legumes, free-range eggs, fish and organic meat and dairy. How many families today eat such a diet? Not many. Yet, along with exercise, this is the surest way to build and maintain healthy bones-for life.

If the diet is less than optimal, a well-chosen supplement can also help fill in the gaps. Calcium alone is not enough. Magnesium and vitamin D should also be present. Certain forms of calcium, such as hydroxyapatite, citrate and lactate, are better absorbed than others. Other nutrients important for bone health include vitamins A, C, B₆ and B₁₂ and folic acid. Your health food store carries several supplements formulated for children’s special needs, in liquid or chewable form. Choose good nutrition today for healthy bones tomorrow!

The Calcium Difference

If your little ones have trouble absorbing calcium, feed them coral. Calcium absorption is affected by many factors and the body may have trouble with certain forms of calcium. Choosing a source can make a significant difference--now and later in life when the negative effects of calcium deficiency tend to show up.

One good source is stony coral, which contains a natural balance of 70 minerals. These minerals are ionic: they’re electrically charged and 1,000 times smaller than chelates or colloids, making them readily bioavailable. Chelated minerals increase absorption through a bond with an amino acid molecule that is recognizable by the body; a colloidal mineral is suspended in a liquid molecule (usually water) that the body recognizes and absorbs, but ionized minerals-including the notoriously difficult-to-absorb calcium–pass readily through cellular membranes and are nearly 100 per cent bioavailable.

Stony coral is also an organic mineral. Although all minerals originally stem from an inorganic rock source, organic minerals have been absorbed into roots and leaves of plants and transformed into a form humans use more easily.

Soda Pop And Stress: Bone Robbers

Soda pop and cola drinks contain considerable amounts of phosphorus, an acid-forming mineral in the body. Research has shown that phosphorus can interfere with the skeleton’s ability to absorb calcium. A recent study reported in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine suggests that teenage girls who drink lots of soda may increase their risk of developing bone fractures and osteoporosis. These drinks also contain large amounts of refined sugar or equally dangerous sugar substitutes, which further encourage bone loss. During the teenage years, when 40 to 60 per cent of peak bone mass is built, a natural whole foods diet, free of bone-robbing soft drinks, is most important.

Prescription drugs, such as corticosteroids (for rheumatoid arthritis or asthma) and anti-convulsants (for epilepsy), can also contribute to loss of bone mass. So can prolonged stress and worry, which stimulate the excretion of calcium mineral salts. Recent research indicates that many children and adolescents today feel stressed and that childhood psychiatric emergencies are on the rise. Natural ways to reduce stress, including physical exercise, massage and relaxation methods, can help kids (and adults) cope better with today’s hectic lifestyles.

Simone Gabbay is a registered nutritional consulting practitioner in Toronto and the author of Nourishing the Body Temple.

Source: alive #215, September 2000

How To Raise Athletes Not Couch Potatoes
Children are 10 pounds heavier today at age 10 than they were a decade ag.

Kids First
Living a healthy life in North American society can be like fighting a battle, and the best weapon in this battle is knowledge. Kids need to be brought up knowing which foods are best for them and why: organic fruits and vegetables and whole grains because they provide the nutrients necessary for proper growth.

Healthy Snacking
Children need snacks. In their school lunches and when they come home in the afternoon famished, they need healthy, tasty treats.

Natural Sweets for School Treats
It's back to school this month, which means kids will need healthy, tasty foods to keep their energy up and provide the nutrients their growing bodies need.

Teen Tanks Need Heavy Fuel
Teenagers need lots of calories each day to keep up their energy for sports and activities and still have some left over for building muscles and bones. The common tendency is to resort to fast and convenient foods that are cheap and abundant. Too often good nutrition gives way to the stimulation of salt, sugar and additives.

Combating The Childhood Obesity Crisis
Kids and youth are eating worse and exercising less. Something has got to change. In his 29 years as a physical education teacher, David Lively has seen "big" changes in his students. Frightening ones.

Nutrition for Today's Children
For parents and children, September is much like New Year's. The start of the school year presents new challenges, adventures and opportunities. It's time for your children to hit the books again. It's also a perfect time to brush up on your healthy shopping habits.

Struggling at School?
Too often we label a child or teen with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), then prescribe Ritalin, a nervous-system stimulating drug th.

Nutritious Nibbles for Kids
It's that time of the year again. When our precious children head back to school, good whole food nutrition throughout the entire year will give them the essential building blocks for the brain to function well and for the whole body to stay alert and alive.

Healthy Snacks for Kids
With the abundance of commercially processed, high sugar and brightly coloured foods available, it can be hard to teach kids about more natural, satisfying options. When preparing healthy snacks it's key to consider nutritional value along with fun presentation.

School's In: Time to Eat Right!
Quick September Snacks When kids are active it can be hard to get them to stop and eat, and if they do, you certainly want to make the most of the opportunity.

Winning The Food Fight
Do your children refuse to eat their vegetables? Do they prefer sugary foods and drinks to fresh produce and whole-grain breads and pastas? If so, you're not alone. Many parents are frustrated by having to compete with slick advertising campaigns luring their children toward the next sugary treat or fast-food snack..

Cereal Killers Lurking in Your Home?
Let's examine a child's typical breakfast: Processed breakfast cereal (sugar) with milk (more sugar), toast and jam (even more sugar), served with a glass of fruit juice (still more sugar). All carbohydrates break down into sugars in the body.

Omega-3s and Children
Omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated fats that protect against heart disease, have anti-inflammatory properties, aid in proper retinal and brain development, and improve focus and behaviour in children.

Managing the Munchies
With an increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes in young people-so much so they don't even bother calling it "adult onset anymore-it's clear that eating habits play a major role in our health. But for many teens, snacking on high-sugar, high-fat food is as much a part of life as homework or driving lessons.

When Food is Love
Although parents find it tempting to use junk food as rewards, this "food is love mentality can create a whole host of problems and set a child up for an eating disorder later in life.

Not Milk?
The best food for babies is their mothers' milk; it is perfectly adapted to their needs. For adults, however, lactose intolerance is just one reason to look for an alternative to cows' milk.

Nag Me Not
In 2000 the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported that children are increasingly choosing to watch TV, surf the Internet, and play video games instead of staying active with sports and outdoor play. Today the average Canadian child sits in front of a screen three to five hours a day.

Bone Health for Children
By the time you are in your early 20s, you have reached your peak in bone mass development. After this age you can expect a slow and steady decline to occur each year.

Soy Beverage
As parents, we want to provide our children with the best food possible. However, kids are sometimes put off by the taste and appearance of healthy foods. Some children, for example, don't like the taste of certain soy-based beverages.

School Lunch Recipes Your Kids Will Love
With a little preplanning and experimentation, packing healthy school lunches doesn't have to be a chore. The key is to focus on the foods your children eat willingly.

Proper Protein Portions
Parents with sport-oriented children want to be involved and informed in both their child's athletic activities and nutritional need. One of their common questions is about protein, which plays a vital role in children's development as well as in their performance.

You Can Have Healthy Children
A young mother, in her mid-20s and grossly overweight, was pulling a four-wheeled cart behind her. In the cart was an obese six-year-old child. The young boy, sitting cross-legged, was eating a mound of pretzels and potato chips piled high in his lap.

Nutrition Tips for Healthy Vegetarian Kids
Parents who eat vegetarian diets are often nutrition savvy, but there are different nutritional requirements for children and adults. Most importantly, children have higher metabolic rates and energy requirements.

Lead by Example
Raising healthy children isn't just about giving them a vitamin pill with dinner. It's about creating a family life that promotes and sustains health for all. While a holistic diet is the cornerstone of a natural lifestyle, other elements such as fresh air and exercise are also important. When parents eat a balanced natural foods diet, they provide their children with the foundation for future health.

We're Pregnant! Now What?
"How do I ensure a healthy pregnancy? You can have a healthy pregnancy by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet augmented with the right supplements for baby and maternal health, making sure exercise is part of your weekly routine, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Teach Your Children Well
There are certain well-researched health and nutritional truths that can improve your children's health and overall well-being. Once implemented in your household, the following practices will optimize your children's health and wellness, both physically and mentally.

Baby Food Basics
New parents want to make the best choices for their children. Proper nutrition and good eating habits should be established at a very young age and affect a child's health for a lifetime.

Healthy Lunches
Are you sometimes faced with the decision between taking a chance on a slice of pizza or picking up a corner-store burrito to stuff into your kid's lunch bag? Instead of relying on those fast-food lunches loaded with calories and fat, here's how you can pack a healthy on-the-go lunch in just minutes.

Eating Well-For Two
The earliest weeks of pregnancy are a critical time for fetal development. In fact, you'll need to start taking care of yourself before you even conceive in order to have the healthiest pregnancy possible. Nutrition will be key to helping you keep your growing baby healthy and safe while inside the womb.

What's for Lunch?
Encourage your children to take part in selecting the foods they want to find in their lunchboxes.

Sugar and Your Child
Many parents realize that sugar is not their friend when it comes to raising happy, healthy children. Childhood obesity and the accompanying health hazard of childhood diabetes are serious health concerns.

Food Additives and Hyperactivity
If you take your children grocery shopping, you know the draw of brightly packaged food. It doesn't stop there: inside the packaging you'll often find additives and colouring to enhance flavour and fun.

The Organic Picnic
Eating alfresco surrounded by nature makes us realize how much we need to take care of our precious planet. We can start by packing an organic picnic—its positive impact can go much further than just the foods we choose.