| "It is a bone-deep change you are going into, my | | | | during menopause, follow that craving. CAUTION: |
| beloved," counsels Grandmother Growth. "You | | | | Unfermented soy (e.g., tofu) is especially |
| must open to your very marrow for this | | | | detrimental to bone health being protein-rich, |
| transformation. No cell is to remain untouched. | | | | naturally deficient in calcium, and a calcium |
| You are to open more than you ever dreamed | | | | antagonist to boot. Bones need lots of minerals |
| you could open, more than you have opened in | | | | not just calcium, which is brittle and inflexible. |
| birth or in passion. You open now to the breath of | | | | (Think of chalk, calcium carbonate, and how easily |
| mortality as it plays the bone flute of your being. | | | | it breaks.) Avoid calcium supplements. Focus on |
| What can you do but dance to the haunting | | | | getting generous amounts of calcium from herbs |
| melody, develop a passion for an elegant posture | | | | and foods and you will automatically get the |
| and a long stride?"Ah, ye s," Grandmother Growth | | | | multitude of minerals you need for flexible bones. |
| smiles rather wantonly. "It would do you well to | | | | Because minerals are bulky, and do not compact, |
| develop a taste for dark greens tarted with | | | | we must consume generous amounts to make a |
| vinegar and mated with garlic. These things will | | | | difference in our health. Taking mineral-rich herbs |
| build strong flexible bones to support you as you | | | | in capsule or tincture form won't do much for |
| become Crone."Did you know that your bones | | | | your bones. (One cup of nettle tincture contains |
| are always changing? Every day of your life, | | | | the same amount of calcium - 300 mg - as one |
| some bone cells die and some new bone cells are | | | | cup of nettle infusion. Many women drink two or |
| created. From birth until your early 30s, you can | | | | more cups of infusion a day; no one consumes a |
| easily make lots of bone cells. So long as your | | | | cup of tincture a day!) Neither will eating raw |
| diet supplies the necessary nutrients, you not only | | | | foods. I frequently come across the idea that |
| replace bone cells that die, you have extras left | | | | cooking robs food of nutrition. Nothing could be |
| over to lengthen and strengthen your bones.Past | | | | further from the truth. Cooking maximizes the |
| the age of 35, new bone cells are more difficult | | | | minerals available to your bones. Kale cooked for |
| to make. Sometimes there is a shortfall: more | | | | an hour delivers far more calcium than lightly |
| bone cells die than you can replace. In the | | | | steamed kale. Minerals are rock-like, and to |
| orthodox view, this is the beginning of | | | | extract them, we need heat, time, and generous |
| osteoporosis, the disease of low bone mass. By | | | | quantities of plant material. Green sources of |
| the age of forty, many American women have | | | | calcium are the best. Nourishing herbs and garden |
| begun to lose bone mass; by the age of fifty, | | | | weeds are far richer in minerals than ordinary |
| most are told they must take hormones or drugs | | | | greens, which are already exceptional sources of |
| to prevent further loss and avoid osteoporosis, | | | | nutrients. But calcium from green sources alone is |
| hip fracture, and death.Women who exercise | | | | not enough. We need calcium from white sources |
| regularly and eat calcium-rich foods enter their | | | | as well. Add a quart of yogurt a week to your |
| menopausal years with better bone mass than | | | | diet if you want really healthy bones. Because the |
| women who sit a lot and consume | | | | milk has been changed by Lactobacillus organisms, |
| calcium-leaching foods (including soy "milk," tofu, | | | | its calcium, other minerals, proteins, and sugars |
| coffee, soda pop, alcohol, white flour products, | | | | (no lactose) are more easily digested. This carries |
| processed meats, nutritional yeast, and bran). But | | | | over, enhancing calcium and mineral absorption |
| no matter how good your lifestyle choices, bone | | | | from other foods, too. (I have known several |
| mass usually decreases during the menopausal | | | | vegans who increased their very low bone |
| years.For unknown reasons, menopausal bones | | | | density by as much as 6 percent in one year by |
| slow down production of new cells and seem to | | | | eating yogurt.) Organic raw milk cheeses are |
| ignore the presence of calcium. This "bone-pause" | | | | another superb white source. Horsetail herb |
| is generally short-lived, occurring off and on for | | | | (Equisetum arvense) works like a charm for those |
| five to seven years. I noticed it in scattered | | | | premenopausal women who have periodontal |
| episodes of falling hair, breaking fingernails, and the | | | | bone loss or difficulty with fracture healing. Taken |
| same "growing pains" I experienced during | | | | as tea, once or twice a day, young |
| puberty.I did not see it in a bone scan, because I | | | | spring-gathered horsetail dramatically strengthens |
| didn't have one.The idea behind bone scans is a | | | | bones and promotes rapid mending of breaks. |
| good one: find women who are at risk of broken | | | | CAUTION: Mature horsetail contains substances |
| bones, alert them to the danger, and help them | | | | which may irritate the kidneys.Step 4: Stimulate |
| engage in preventative strategies. There's only | | | | Sedate Beware of calcium antagonists. Certain |
| one problem: bone scans don't find women who | | | | foods interfere with calcium utilization. For better |
| are at risk of broken bones, they find women | | | | bones avoid consistent use of: Greens rich in |
| who have low bone density.I would like to help | | | | oxalic acid, including chard (silver beet), beet |
| you let go of the idea that osteoporosis is | | | | greens, spinach, rhubarb. |
| important. In the Wise Woman Tradition, we | | | | Unfermented soy products, including tofu, soy |
| focus on the patient, not the problem. In the Wise | | | | beverages, soy burgers. |
| Woman tradition, there are no diseases and no | | | | Phosphorus-rich foods, including carbonated |
| cures for diseases. When we focus on a disease, | | | | drinks, white flour products, and many processed |
| like osteoporosis, we cannot see the whole | | | | foods. (Teenagers who drink sodas instead of milk |
| woman. The more we focus on one disease, | | | | are four times more likely to break a bone.) |
| even its prevention, the less likely we are to | | | | Foods that produce acids requiring a calcium |
| nourish wholeness and health.Focusing on | | | | buffer when excreted in the urine, including |
| osteoporosis, defining it as a disease, using drugs | | | | coffee, white sugar, tobacco, alcohol, nutritional |
| to counter it, we lose sight of the fact that | | | | yeast, salt. |
| postmenopausal bone mass is a better indicator | | | | Fluoride in water or toothpaste. |
| of breast cancer risk than broken bone risk. The | | | | Fiber pills, bran taken alone, bulk-producing |
| twenty-five percent of postmenopausal women | | | | laxatives. |
| with the highest bone mass are two-and-a-half to | | | | Steroid medications, including corticosteroids such |
| four times more likely to be diagnosed with | | | | as prednisone and asthma inhalers. (Daily use |
| breast cancer than those with the lowest bone | | | | reduces spinal bone mass by as much as ten |
| mass. And that hormones which maintain bone | | | | percent a year.) |
| mass also adversely affect breast cancer risk. | | | | Restricted calorie diets. Women who weigh the |
| Women who take estrogen replacement (often | | | | least have the greatest loss of bone during |
| given to prevent osteoporosis), even for as little | | | | menopause and "neither calcium supplements, |
| as five years, increase their risk of breast cancer | | | | vitamin D supplements, nor estrogen" slow the |
| by twenty percent; if they take hormone | | | | loss. Among 236 premenopausal women, all of |
| replacement, the risk increases by forty | | | | whom consumed similar amounts of calcium, |
| percent.Focusing on bone mass, we lose sight of | | | | those who lost weight by reducing calories lost |
| the fact that a strong correlation between bone | | | | twice as much bone mass as women who |
| density and bone breakage has not been | | | | maintained their weight. Although chocolate |
| established, according to Susan Brown, director of | | | | contains oxalic acid, the levels are so low as to |
| the Osteoporosis Information Clearing House, and | | | | have only a negligible effect on calcium |
| many others. We lose sight of the fact that | | | | metabolism. An ounce/3000 mg of chocolate |
| women who faithfully take estrogen or hormone | | | | binds 15-20 mg of calcium; an ounce of cooked |
| replacement still experience bone changes and | | | | spinach, 100-125 mg calcium. Bittersweet (dark) |
| suffer spinal crush fractures.Bone-pause passes | | | | chocolate is a source of iron. Recent research has |
| and the bones do rebuild themselves, especially | | | | found chocolate to be very heart healthy. As with |
| when supported by nourishing herbs, which are | | | | any stimulant, daily use is not advised. Chocolate is |
| exceptional sources of bone-building minerals and | | | | an important and helpful ally for women. Guilt |
| better at preventing bone breaks than | | | | about eating it and belief that it is damaging to |
| supplements. The minerals in green plants seem | | | | your health interferes with your ability to hear and |
| to be ideal for keeping bones healthy. Dr. | | | | respond to your body wisdom. If you want to |
| Campbell, Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at | | | | eat chocolate - do it; and get the best. But if |
| Cornell University, has done extensive research in | | | | you're doing it every day - eat more weeds. |
| rural China where the lowest known fracture | | | | Excess phosphorus accelerates bone loss and |
| rates for midlife and older women were found. He | | | | demineralization. Phosphorus compounds are |
| says, "The closer people get to a diet based on | | | | second only to salt as food additives. They are |
| plant foods and leafy vegetables, the lower the | | | | found in carbonated beverages, soda pop; white |
| rates of many diseases, including osteoporosis." | | | | flour products, especially if "enriched" (bagels, |
| Women who consume lots of calcium-rich plants | | | | cookies, cakes, donuts, pasta, bread); preserved |
| and exercise moderately build strong flexible | | | | meats (bacon, ham, sausage, lunch meat, and hot |
| bones. Women who rely on hormones build bones | | | | dogs); supermarket breakfast cereals; canned |
| that are massive, but rigid.Hormone replacement | | | | fruit; processed potato products such as frozen |
| regimes do not increase bone cell creation; they | | | | fries and instant mashed potatoes; processed |
| slow (or suppress) bone cell killers (osteoclasts). | | | | cheeses; instant soups and puddings. To avoid |
| There is a rebound effect; bone loss jumps when | | | | phosphorus overload and improve calcium |
| the hormones are stopped. Women who take | | | | absorption: Drink spring water and herbal infusions; |
| hormones for five years or more are as much as | | | | avoid soda pop and carbonated water. |
| four times more likely to break a bone in the | | | | Eat only whole grain breads, noodles, cookies, |
| year after they stop than a woman of the same | | | | and crackers. |
| age who never took hormones. Women who build | | | | Buy only unpreserved meats, cheeses, potatoes. |
| better bones with green allies and exercise nourish | | | | Avoid buying foods with ingredients; they are |
| the bone cell creator cells (osteoblasts).Hormone | | | | highly processed. Excess salt leaches calcium. |
| or estrogen replacement, taken as menopause | | | | Women eating 3900 mg of sodium a day excrete |
| begins and continued for the rest of your life, is | | | | 30 percent more calcium than those eating 1600 |
| said to reduce post-menopausal fracture rates by | | | | mg. The main sources of dietary sodium are |
| 40-60 percent. Frequent walks (you don't even | | | | processed and canned foods. Seaweed is an |
| need to sweat) and a diet high in calcium-rich | | | | excellent calcium-rich source of salt. Sea salt may |
| green allies (at least 1500 mg daily) have been | | | | be used freely as it contains trace amounts of |
| shown to reduce post-menopausal fractures by | | | | calcium. Salt is critical for health; do not eliminate it |
| 50 percent. The first is expensive and dangerous. | | | | from your diet. Increase hydrochloric acid |
| The second, inexpensive and health promoting. It's | | | | production (in your stomach) and you'll make |
| easy to see why more than eighty percent of | | | | better use of the calcium you consume. Lower |
| American women just "say no" to hormones. It is | | | | stomach acid (with antacids, for example) and |
| never too late to build better bones, and it is | | | | you will receive little bone benefit from the |
| never too soon. Your best insurance for a | | | | calcium you ingest. Some ways to acidify: Drink |
| fracture-free, strong-boned cronehood is to build | | | | lemon juice in water with or after your meal. |
| better bones before menopause. The more | | | | Take 10-25 drops dandelion root tincture in a little |
| exercise and calcium-rich green allies you get in | | | | water before you eat. |
| your younger years, the less you'll have to worry | | | | Use calcium-rich herbal vinegars in your salad |
| about as you age."A woman has lost half of all | | | | dressing; put some on cooked greens and beans, |
| the spongy bone (spine, wrist) she'll ever lose by | | | | too. Step 5a: Use Supplements I really wish you |
| the age of 50, but very little of the dense (hip, | | | | wouldn't use calcium supplements. They expose |
| hand, forearm) bone. Attention to bone formation | | | | you to dangers and don't prevent fractures. A |
| at every stage of life is vital; there is no time | | | | study in Australia that followed 10,000 white |
| when you are too old to create healthy new | | | | women over the age of 65 for six and a half |
| bone." - American MDCALCIUM"Osteoporosis is | | | | years found "Use of calcium supplements was |
| much less common in countries that consume the | | | | associated with increased risk of hip and vertebral |
| least calcium. That is an undisputed fact." -T. C. | | | | fracture; use of Tums antacid tablets was |
| Campbell, PhD. Nutritional BiochemistryStep 1: | | | | associated with increased risk of fractures of the |
| Collect InformationCalcium is, without a doubt, the | | | | proximal humerus." If you insist on supplements, |
| most important mineral in your body. In fact, | | | | go for calcium-fortified orange juice or crumbly |
| calcium makes up more than half of the total | | | | tablets of calcium citrate. Chewable calcium |
| mineral content of your body. Calcium is crucial to | | | | gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium carbonate |
| the regular beating of your heart, your | | | | are acceptable sources. Dolomite, bone meal, and |
| metabolism, the functioning of your muscles, the | | | | oyster shell are best avoided as they usually |
| flow of impulses along your nerves, the regulation | | | | contain lead and other undesirable minerals. For |
| of your cellular membranes, the strength of your | | | | better bones, take 500 mg magnesium (not |
| bones, the health of your teeth and gums, and | | | | citrate) with your calcium. Better yet, wash your |
| your vital blood-clotting mechanisms. Calcium is so | | | | calcium pill down with a glass of herbal infusion; |
| critical to your life that you have a gland (the | | | | that will provide not only magnesium but lots of |
| parathyroid) that does little else than monitor | | | | other bone-strengthening minerals, too. Calcium |
| blood levels of calcium and secrete hormones to | | | | supplements are more effective in divided doses. |
| ensure optimum levels of calcium at all | | | | Two doses of 250 mg, taken morning and night, |
| times.When you consume more calcium than you | | | | actually provide more usable calcium than a 1000 |
| use, you are in a positive calcium balance: extra | | | | mg tablet.Step 5b: Use DrugsEven if you take |
| usable calcium is stored in the bones and you gain | | | | hormone therapy (ERT or HRT) you must get |
| bone mass (insoluble or unusable calcium may be | | | | adequate calcium to maintain bone mass, |
| excreted, or stored in soft tissue, or deposited in | | | | according to researchers at Columbia University. |
| the joints). When you consume less calcium than | | | | That's 1200-1500 mg a day (a cup of plain yogurt, |
| you use, you are in a negative calcium balance: | | | | two cups of nettle infusion, a splash of |
| the parathyroid produces a hormone that releases | | | | mineral-rich vinegar, plus three figs is about that). |
| calcium stores from the bones, and you lose bone | | | | As you increase your intake of calcium-rich foods |
| mass.To ensure a positive calcium balance and | | | | herbs, gradually cut back on your hormone dose |
| create strong, flexible bones for your menopausal | | | | if you wish.Step 6: Break & EnterBone density |
| journey, take care to: Eat three or more | | | | tests are frequently used to push women into |
| calcium-rich foods daily. | | | | taking hormones or drugs. If your bone density is |
| Avoid calcium antagonists. | | | | low, use the remedies in this section and schedule |
| Use synergistic foods to magnify the | | | | another test (for at least six months later) before |
| effectiveness of calcium. | | | | agreeing to such therapies.Legal Disclaimer: This |
| Avoid calcium supplements. Step 2: Engage the | | | | content is not intended to replace conventional |
| Energy The homeopathic tissue salt Silica is said | | | | medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all |
| to improve bone health. What does it mean to | | | | herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, |
| you to support yourself? To be supported? To | | | | cure or prevent any disease, condition or |
| stand on your own? To have a backbone in your | | | | symptom. Personal directions and use should be |
| life?Step 3: Nourish & Tonify What do we need to | | | | provided by a clinical herbalist or other qualified |
| make strong flexible bones? Like all tissues, bones | | | | healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for |
| need protein. They need minerals (not just | | | | you. All material contained herein is provided for |
| calcium, but also potassium, manganese, | | | | general information purposes only and should not |
| magnesium, silica, iron, zinc, selenium, boron, | | | | be considered medical advice or consultation. |
| phosphorus, sulphur, chromium, and dozens of | | | | Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you |
| others). And in order to use those minerals, | | | | are in need of medical care. Exercise |
| high-quality fats, including oil-soluble vitamin D. | | | | self-empowerment by seeking a second |
| Many menopausal women I meet believe that | | | | opinion.Susun Weed |
| protein is bad for their bones. Not so. Researchers | | | | PO Box 64 |
| at Utah State University, looking at the diets of | | | | Woodstock, NY 12498 |
| 32,000 postmenopausal women, found that | | | | Fax: 1-845-246-8081Vibrant, passionate, and |
| women who ate the least protein were the most | | | | involved, Susun Weed has garnered an |
| likely to fracture a hip; and that eating extra | | | | international reputation for her groundbreaking |
| protein sped the healing of hip fractures. Acids | | | | lectures, teachings, and writings on health and |
| created by protein digestion are buffered by | | | | nutrition. She challenges conventional medical |
| calcium. Traditional diets combine calcium- and | | | | approaches with humor, insight, and her vast |
| protein-rich foods (e.g. seaweed with tofu, tortillas | | | | encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. |
| made from corn ground on limestone with beans, | | | | Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and |
| and melted cheese on a hamburger). Herbs such | | | | enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often |
| as seaweed, stinging nettle, oatstraw, red clover, | | | | profoundly provocative.Susun is one of America's |
| dandelion, and comfrey leaf are rich in protein and | | | | best-known authorities on herbal medicine and |
| provide plenty of calcium too. Foods such as | | | | natural approaches to women's health. Her four |
| tahini, sardines, canned salmon, yogurt, cheese, | | | | best-selling books are recommended by expert |
| oatmeal, and goats' milk offer us protein, | | | | herbalists and well-known physicians and are used |
| generous amounts of calcium, and the healthy | | | | and cherished by millions of women around the |
| fats our bones need. If you crave more protein | | | | world. |