What You Should Know About Vitor Ribeiro

By Linda Powell

Taking part in competitive sports programs can be very beneficial for young kids. This is especially true for kids with lots of energy and insufficient outlets for their energy. Vitor Ribeiro is a seasoned fighter and trainer who has dedicated his time to helping his students develop physical skills and vastly increased mental strength.

As the director of mixed martial arts club, Vitor understands how intense physical training can help people become better in all areas of life. He has his own journey to success as proof. With 20 wins and just five losses on his record, there is ample history in this field for knowing how to guide young students towards their own athletic goals.

Through his instruction, people are able to push past their own perceived barriers and limitations within the physical arena. They do this by pushing their bodies harder and longer than they have ever thought possible before. Once they recognize that they are capable of moving past their imagined boundaries, they begin to feel both confident and limitless.

Being confident in sports can grow a child's confidence in many other areas. When kids know that they can achieve their dreams by pushing themselves and remaining dedicated, they see that they can achieve similar success at school, in their relationships and at work. This is why young athletes tend to be superior students as well, even if they struggled in school before their training began.

Kids have the additional benefit of learning real self defense techniques as part of this training. This way, they do not have to worry about attackers or other aggressive people causing them physical harm. They tend to feel very empowered by this instruction. Kids discover that there is no need to live their lives as victims. They realize that they are able to alter their own circumstances, even in situations in which there is no need to use physical force.

One major part of studying self defense techniques is knowing when and how to put these to use. Kids who are taught how to protect themselves are directed to avoid using their skills to become bullies. In fact, they are taught to avoid physical confrontation until it is absolutely necessary. This fosters patience and increased self-control so that kids are calmly able to respond to adversity.

After kids know the best strategies for physical protecting themselves, they tend to become less introverted and more proactive. This makes them better citizens all around, given that they respect the need to reach out and help others in any way they can. This is how martial arts instruction builds character and respect in those who receive it. Additionally, students in these programs can go on to compete. This makes them work hard at being their very best.

Ribeiro is an strong example of people who chose to pay it forward. With the wisdom and skills that he has gleaned from his own fighting career, he's choosing to help young adults improve their own lives. Given the vast increases that they can gain in both knowledge and person strength, students who engage in this training are invariably primed for success.

About the Author:

If you are looking for the facts about Vitor Ribeiro, go to our website online here today. Additional details are available at http://www.brawlhouse.com now.

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Significance Of Martial Arts Classes Westfield NJ To Children

By Jose Morris

Children are born with different behavioral traits. Martial Arts Classes Westfield NJ will enable them to learn important life skill regardless of which habits they have. This education teaches on similar practices and therefore it does not depend on which type of art class you encourage your young star to attend. They will only emerge to be important and mature individual in the future.

Today, cases of obesity are rampant among the youth. Most of them end up being overweight, a condition which renders a good number of them inactive. Martial art studios help your child to be active. They ensure that they are fully fit from the physical exercises that are offered.

Every parent wishes for their child to remain focused in life. This is achievable. It is because martial arts classes do not play loud music and gimmicks that will avert the attention and focus of your child. Such an environment offers a conducive setting to sit back and reflect on life. They are then able to evaluate themselves especially in those areas that need improvement.

Most parents have brainwashed their children with the notion that regardless of how they conduct themselves, they will at least at a point in life win a trophy. This illusion is very blinding. These martial art classes enable them to develop the knack of taking hits and getting back up after a hit. With this in mind they are able to relax their mind. This enhances their defensive skills.

When you have the opportunity to visit a martial arts class, you will get to witness the high level of confidence in the room. This kind of confidence and self respect will make them advance and play with other colleagues who are experienced. Through this, they develop a sense of humility. This trait will enable them not to use their fighting skills in the wrong way but use them to make peace in a conflict situation.

Paying attention to how your body communicates with you is healthy yet you can hardly find such ability in most of the health clubs around. After gaining the ability to see your thoughts and wallow in your inner self you will sure be in touch with both your internal self and the surrounding area. This good relation with your emotions is one of the lessons a martial artist will teach your child.

Controlling your breathing is important in ensuring proper body movement. An experienced martial artist will tell you that can tell how good one is at fighting simply by looking at how they breathe. Tapping into the life force of our essence, which is our breath, is the way to achieve good and smooth body movements. Any athlete will tell you that.

Children develop the ability to resolve conflicts. They are taught to restrain themselves from resolving to fights as a way of conflict resolution. One essential lesson they learn is that words are not supposed to be grounds for fighting. They will be peaceable and maintain good relations at all time.

About the Author:

You can get great tips on how to pick a provider of martial arts classes Westfield NJ area and more information about an experienced instructor at http://www.brawlhouse.com now.

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The Benefits Of Enrolling Your Child To Martial Arts Classes

By Joshua Jackson

Physical activities like kung fu, tae kwon do, and aikido are a fun way for both girls and boys to reach focus and fitness. Actually, some parents think that these activities can promote violence among these children, but that is only a myth. The martial arts basically help socialization and self discipline skills. As a parent, you might get surprised to learn that these activities are actually beneficial for your kids.

The truth is, this physical training is not that brutal and vicious pastime as you see in Hollywood movies. In fact, here are reasons why you should enroll your children to martial arts classes Fanwood NJ. The first aspect is that it foster self discipline. One of the main principles of martial arts is a deep focus on Self discipline. These days, children receiving self discipline and restraint are not easy to come by.

Another aspect to think about is that it helps everyone boost their socialization skills. Kids who are not thriving in social environments find it easy and simple to know other people while making new friends. They are able to share common interests and ideas than those who are not enrolling to this class.

It also helps to encourage physical activities among children. That is why, it is best to let them learn various lessons through the training than letting them play video games or watch TV for the whole day. This is also another way to keep them from health problems. When children strive to achieve new belt, then it means he has learned a lot of things from the class.

It is helpful in increasing self confidence and esteem. Usually, confidence takes place along with an achievement. This way, the self confidence of your child will be enhanced along with his new moves and reaching new belts. Children who struggle a lot with their low self esteem often become confident as time goes by while they are enrolled to this class.

More than that, enrolling to this class helps improve their listening skills. In order to master the lesson being taught, your kid needs to be practice better listening skills. Those who are not proficient when it comes to paying attention will learn the lessons and would benefit from different instructions and one on one session.

So, whether he is breaking the boards to obtain new belts or practicing a new maneuver, there are certain things that your kid does in his classes that will be applied on his own. Working as a team in learning new techniques while reaching such goals are crucial for every child to learn.

Enrolling your little one in aikido available in Fanwood, NJ, and other physical activities is helpful in all aspects of life. The increased fitness level, the boost in confidence, and new cooperation skills are also helpful for them to navigate the social and academic aspects of school which can affect his behavior at home.

Teaching your child protect himself is very important. That way, you do not have to worry with their safety. The training will help them understand the better techniques to protect themselves from possible harm that comes their way. As you see, there are lots of benefits that your children can obtain from these classes.

About the Author:

You can get excellent tips for choosing a provider of martial arts classes Fanwood NJ area and more information about an experienced instructor at http://www.brawlhouse.com now.

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How Vital Is Martial Arts Classes

By Kathleen Parker

Think about classes as one of the things that you go over if you wanted to learn something new. Of course, these are not the only factor that you could settle for if you wish to get into it without having a lot of problem or something like that.

While you are growing, there are tendencies that you will learn a lot of things. Martial arts classes Watchburg NJ is where you can find the best training facilities that you can ever thing of, especially in this kind of filed. Their professionals are fully trained, to make sure that they can impart everything to their classes. If you are parent and wants your kid to get involved, then get on with that.

Mainly, you need to seek for an expert first. Someone that has tons of experience on this field. Keep in mind that the more experienced they are on the field, the better that they can work into the task. However, there could be some other individuals out there that will help you with that aspect. It might sound like you are doing the best, but at least the whole idea is there.

In talking for the basics, we should learn a few things on what we should be doing in every way. There are times that we might not have any clue about this. Some of your ideas are pretty much the same and they will most likely assist you when it comes to the problem you should settle into. Doing that quite often should be your main goal all the time.

Some of the resources you have right now might not be too beneficial in every way. If that is the case, try to seek for more ideas about that aspect. For sure, they would be glad enough to work into it. If there are some points you find really vague, then let us walk us through to some of the rules that are pretty helpful in every way.

When you are about to ask questions, we should try to be more aware of how these details would work into. If you are able to do that with ease, there are will be good aspects that will help you with that. When some questions are quite bad for you, then let them work into the whole aspect with ease. As long as questions are asked, the better it should be.

When there are some information that you can find on the book, you should give that a try too. Books are pretty much focused on providing you with the details, but you, as the user should do your best to work on the exercises that are provided there. Doing that quite often will not only improve your understanding, but it will help you as well on what to do.

Setting some hours of practice is crucial. If you can make a schedule, the better it should be. Sometimes, these things are pretty vague for you to work on, so try to be more certain about these aspects and focus on the goals.

If you wanted to be more active with what you wish to achieve, then get on with these tips and see what could happen in the process.

About the Author:

Get a complete overview of the reasons why you should attend martial arts classes Watchburg NJ area and more information about an experienced instructor at http://www.brawlhouse.com now.

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Fall Season (3,244 icons)

Fall Season as of October 5th:

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im feelin focused man, money on my mind
i got a mill out the deal and im still on the grind

For anyone having issues with the Icon Matcher in Windows 10, please provide details. 

It should be compatible; for any Windows 10 users, let me know if this is the case.

Non-seasonal icons... again, eventually.

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The Power of AWE on Health and Well Being

"When people think of an Ironman competition, it may elicit the emotion of awe...at least it does in me. And, when a person strives to overcome a disease like osteoporosis, to me, it elicits awe as well. But awe is apparent in every aspect in life - big and small. The key is to put away distractions and stay completely present and connected; you will experience awe-inspiring stuff all around you."
                                                                                                              Dr. McCormick

What is "awe"?
Wikipedia says that awe is "an emotion comparable to wonder but less joyous." The dictionary defines it as "an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear..." and "produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful..." Maybe a more gut-generated definition would be "that which drops your jaw"..."that which leaves your mouth agape"..."that which powers through your
body, not just as some exciting visual titillation, but something that sends extreme ripples of energy throughout every single cell, tissue, fluid and organ in your body"...and yes, even your bones (more about that soon!)

The emotion of awe can be aroused by a sight, sound, feeling, smell, or taste, or any combination there of. It can be evoked by the actions of a person, an animal, or by a weather event or music. It can be caused by something as small as nanoparticles or as large as the universe. It can be inspired by something as common as a crow or as rare as a natural pearl. It can be from something that may cause one person's heart to race while barely producing a blip in another. It can be fickle...something that may inspire awe in a person one day may completely flat line on another. And awe can also be both complex and simple. I've sometimes been left in awe by something only to analyze it later and then loose the awe. Sometimes it's best to not over-think or analyze the thing that gives you awe. Just let whatever it is do its thing. Let it simply and thoroughly pull that guttural awwwwwwwe of inspiration out of you.. and then let it continue producing the awwwwwwwe of expiration...as it tantalizes all through your body...all the way to your bones.

J.E. Stellar and colleagues explain in a recent issue of the journal, Emotion, that awe has clear health benefits. We have all experienced a grumpy neighbor or coworker who is negative about everything and has every health issue in the book; it's difficult to know if the negativity is responsible for the health problems or the poor health is the root of the negative attitude. Suppose you were able to help that individual experience things in a new light - elicit a smile and physical signs of joy, open his/her eyes to new possibilities and the good, amazing things that happen every day all around us? Stellar has shown that it really would help - emotionally, physically, and bio-chemically.

Stellar studied college student's reactions to various emotions and found that there was a relationship between discrete positive emotions and the blood level of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6). This is very important because excessive levels of IL-6 not only promote inflammation but it also stokes osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone and are responsible for bone loss. (For more on how this happens and what it does to your skeleton check out Chapter 4, "Chronic Systemic Inflammation and the Conflagration of Bone" in The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis

We want to lower IL-6 levels. IL-6 is natural to the body but when its levels get too high we are in a state of chronic systemic inflammation and this leads to disease...to osteoporosis. We want to do everything we can to lower this pro-inflammatory cytokine and Stellar's work demonstrates how important it really is to be more positive in our lives. Stellar specifically demonstrates that the positive emotion of awe is "the strongest predictor of lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines."

Rudolf Steiner, the great Austrian philosopher who founded the first Waldorf Steiner School, believed that wonder and awe were key to the acquisition of knowledge. It was through the opening of one's body, mind, and spirit to the wonders of nature that Steiner believed we were best able to develop acute emotional sensitivity and a state of well being. Steiner didn't know anything about IL-6 but he sure understood the importance of awe.

Make it a point to look on the bright side of things, check out the greatness of life...and above all, simply observe sometimes and be in awe.

Stellar, J.E., et al. 2015. Positive affect and markers of inflammation: discrete positive emotions predict lower levels of inflammatory cytokines.

Emotion 15(2):129-33.

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Creatine and Resistance Training Improves Bone Mineral Density

Having just completed the Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon and qualifying for the Ironman World

Championships to be held on October 10th in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, I thought it might be fitting to talk about exercise and bone strength.

Ironman triathlons cover a distance of 140.6 miles (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run) which, I guess (well, I know), is kind of crazy...especially since competitors do it all in one day. I'm actually not so sure this form of exercise is really that healthy but it just happens to be something I enjoy doing. (It is amazing I can say I enjoy it just 3 days after the Lake Placid race...gosh am I sore!). In any case, exercise IS very important for bone health. But we need to have the right nutrients for that exercise to do its job.  

Calcium and magnesium of course are important for bone health, as are trace minerals. Vitamins D and K help us absorb and utilize calcium and without these vitamins the mineral intake would be fairly ineffective. If you have never had your vitamin D level checked, now is the time to do it. Please don't rely on just taking 1,000 or 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D, as I have had MANY patients who have told me they take 2,000 IU/day, yet when I test them we find they are lacking in vitamin D. Some people just have a harder time absorbing D than others and even at 2,000 IU/day they need more...so TEST!!!  Your target for an optimal vitamin D level should be between 35 and 60 ng/ml. The best time to test vitamin D is in March or April when your stores are the lowest after a long dark winter with its low intensity sun. That said, if you have never had it tested NOW is the best time.  

In addition to supplementing with bone-health promoting minerals and vitamins, another product I often recommend is creatine. Creatine is an amino acid natural to the body and vital for building muscles and for muscle contractions. Creatine is naturally manufactured by the body (from arginine, glycine, and methionine) but as we age our ability to form creatine declines. We can obtain creatine from our diet but the best sources are fish and meat which are acidic and large quantities of these foods may not be the best way to ensure adequate creatine levels. Because creatine is only obtained through animal products, vegetarians have difficulty maintaining adequate creatine levels. For these reasons supplementing with creatine, especially if you have bone loss, is a good idea.  

A recent article by Chilibeck, et al. in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed that "twelve months of creatine supplementation during a resistance training program preserves femoral neck BMD [bone mineral density] and increases femoral shaft subperiosteal width, a predictor of bone bending strength, in postmenopausal women." Creatine can help us maintain muscle strength which is important for reducing falls (falling is the number one cause of fractures). Creatine also helps build muscle tissue and since robust active muscles release bio-chemicals called myokines to signal bone strengthening, muscles are a good thing to develop if you have bone loss.  

Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor to start an exercise program, I suggest hooking up with a personal trainer. Trainers can help keep you from injuring yourself by making sure you are doing exercises properly. You wouldn't want to break a bone while loading them to stimulate strengthening. In addition to exercise, take in adequate vitamins and minerals such as our OsteoNaturals products and consider adding creatine to your nutrition supplement list. I typically recommend KreAlkalyn Pro by Designs for Health but there are many other companies that produce good creatine products. Shop around and see what fits you the best. Now, get exercising and have fun making your skeleton stronger and healthier! Maybe I'll see you in Kona!  

Chilibeck, P.D., et al. 2015. Effects of creatine and resistance training on bone health in postmenopausal women.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 47(8):1587-95.

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Summer Season (3,159 icons)

Summer Season as of July 2nd:

[Full] [Summer]  |  [Torrent]
 

This will be a comfy summer.

Will do non-seasonal icons... eventually.

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Do You Know Your Level of Risk?

May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention month ~ Do You Know Your Level of Risk?
 

It is my opinion that every woman and man should have a bone density examination (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry or DXA) between the ages of 40 and 45...even if there are no risk factors for osteoporosis. THAT is a bold statement considering the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) only recommend osteoporosis screening with DXA for women 65 years and older, and for men over 70. (Earlier for both groups if risk factors are present.) (Risk factors are such things as family history of osteoporosis, weight under 127 pounds, history of smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, etc.) So why would I go so much against the grain and recommend such an early screening? 

My recommendation comes not just from my own tussle with this disease but also from clinical experience. My personal story (which many of you are already aware of) is that I had no risk factors for osteoporosis but was diagnosed at age 45 with severe bone loss. It wasn't an examination of any kind that alerted me to my "silent" disease...it was just that I began to...crumble. (I had a -4.3 T score of the spine and suffered 12 fragility fractures over a five year period.) I REALLY wish I would have had a DXA scan 5 years earlier. Maybe all those fractures could have been avoided. In the clinical setting, I see quite a few patients in my office under the age of 50 with osteoporosis. How did they find out they had weak bones? Well, initially it wasn't because they had a safe, non-invasive, in-expensive procedure (DXA)...it was because they broke a bone doing...well...not much...

Here are some facts that will make the reasoning for my recommendation more clear: 

1) 48% of patients with osteoporosis have no risk factors (Watts, N.B., et al. 2001)

2) 10 million Americans have osteoporosis

3) 50% of women and 20% of men will sustain an osteoporosis-related fracture

4) There is a 24% increase in mortality rate within 12 months of a hip fracture

5) There are over 1,200,000 osteoporosis-related fractures each year

6) Retaining bone density is WAY easier than regaining it once lost.

7) Bone density exams are inexpensive and radiation exposure is minimal. 

A recent review (Amarnath, A.L. et al., 2015) published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine determined that too few women are getting bone density scans. Researchers examined the medical records of 51,000 women aged 40 to 85 living in California and determined that only 57.8% of women aged 65 - 74 and 42.7% of women over age 75 received DXA screenings. Even with women age 60 to 64 with at least one risk factor, only 58.8% had a DXA. The researchers concluded that DXA screening is being underutilized.

My plea to you is to MAKE SURE YOU AND ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY get DXA scans. If you can’t convince your doctor to order it at age 40 or 45 then please, at least by age 50...women and men...whether or not there are any risk factors for osteoporosis.

Fractures can dramatically impact your life. Fractures of the spine can cause pain, reduced mobility, thoracic kyphosis (Dowagers hump), and reduced lung and heart function. Hip fractures are typically repaired through surgery and when a partial or total hip replacement is performed on an osteoporotic hip there is much greater risk of failure. The more osteoporotic a person is, the more risk of complications (hip dislocations, inflammation and loosening of the implant, infections, blood clots, etc.) from the surgery. Couple this risk with the possibility of faulty implants such as the Stryker-Rejuvenate device that was pulled off the market in 2012 and the Zimmer Persona knee replacement device that just had a piece of it (the trabecular metal tibial plate) recalled this February, and there is considerable cause for concern. Osteoporosis is a major pubic health problem; PREVENTION of osteoporosis is the way to go.

With May being Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month please help us get the word out to friends, family, colleagues - to anyone who will listen. It is important to find out early if bone loss is present because some day it may dramatically impact the quality of a person's life. We have compiled a great deal of information on risk factors over the last few years. Many of these factors can be reduced by individual action, and those that cannot be reduced through lifestyle changes can be lessened by taking measures to increase bone health. The key is knowing your level of risk and making a plan.

To find out more about osteoporosis and how it can be approached naturally through changes in life style and diet, strategic exercise, and supplemental nutrition go to www.OsteoNaturals.com.  

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Kale Salad Recipe

I am often asked for my favorite kale salad recipe. Well, here it is. It comes from Frog Bottom Farm.

Massaged Kale Salad with Tahini-Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

3/4 lb curly kale, chopped into 1-inch ribbons
salt to taste
1 Tbsp or so olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp tahini
1-2 cloves garlic
2-3 dates, pitted
additional vegetables

Put the kale in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and drizzle with olive oil.  Massage with your hands until it begins to wilt and darken, less than a minute.  Set aside.  Put the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, tahini, garlic, and dates in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth.  Taste the dressing; add more dates if it’s too tangy, or more apple cider vinegar if it needs a little more kick. Add about two tablespoons of the dressing to the kale, and massage again to coat.  Taste the salad at this point to see if you want to add more dressing.  Add any vegetables you like; we like grated carrots, sliced apples, golden raisins, and toasted sunflower seeds on this one.  Makes two generous portions with some leftovers. You’ll also have plenty of dressing left.  Store it in a jar in the fridge and use it on tomorrow’s kale salad!

(I often add slices of avocado. Enjoy!)

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Spring Season (3,079 icons)

Spring Season as of April 10th: 
[Full] [Spring]  |  [Torrent]

SEASON 3 UP IN THE LIMOUSINE

• K - Missing Kings
• Persona 3 - The Movie - #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream
• Persona 3 - The Movie (general icon)
• Robot Girls Z Plus
• Yuru Yuri Nachuyachumi!

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Supplemental Calcium - Concerns Addressed

Two of the most frequently asked questions I field from patients: #1) Are there safety issues with

supplemental calcium...and specifically...is there an increased risk for heart disease from taking calcium in a pill form? And, #2) Do calcium supplements cause kidney stones?

My response to both is, "no". Calcium supplements ARE safe and especially if you make sure your body has enough magnesium, and vitamins D and K. And, no, there is no convincing evidence that calcium supplements cause stones.    

Questions regarding the safety of supplemental calcium arose 7 years ago when a researcher (Bolland, 2008) announced that taking calcium supplements could modestly increase a person's risk for a heart attack. This literally shocked the nutrition and osteoporosis research worlds. But close scrutiny by other researchers (check out my earlier blog on this topic) called into question both the design of this study, as well as the way Bolland interpreted his results. There has been a raging debate and LOTS of misinformation being disseminated ever since. Some professionals say "just get your calcium through food" while others say "taking supplemental calcium is not only perfectly safe but can be very beneficial to your bones".  

With so many people taking calcium to improve their bone health, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) stepped in last year to take a good look at all the evidence. Their results:

"Although there was no overall indication of a connection between calcium intake and atherosclerotic heart disease or stroke, a few of the cited studies showed a weak but statistically significant positive association of calcium intake and cardiovascular disease, whereas a similar number show the opposite (protective) effects. Because of these mixed results, Heaney and colleagues determined that the findings from available clinical trials and prospective cohort studies indicated that there is no significant effect of calcium supplements on cardiovascular disease (Heaney, et al., 2012)."

The CRN went on to say: "A wide range of clinical and epidemiological studies discussed by the IOM, the EC SCF, the EVM and several published reviews and meta-analysis have shown no adverse effects with calcium intakes of 2,000 mg or less in adults ages 51 years or older. Based on the judgement of the IOM, the calcium UL for persons aged 19 through 50 years should be 2,500 mg, which is the midpoint between the value for individuals ages 51 years and older and the 3,000 mg UL for adolescents. Considering the quite variable calcium intake from foods, dairy products, and fortified foods, CRN agrees with the EVM that a maximum supplement level for adults should be 1,500 mg. Thus, the CRN UL for supplemental calcium is set at 1,500 mg per day for adults."

When I went to the 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland the question over the safety of supplemental calcium was a huge topic. I spoke with several researchers and the answer was always the same. "Supplemental calcium is safe." A sampling:

Douglas Bauer, et al. Dietary and supplemental calcium intake and the risk of mortality in older men: the MrOS study concluded: "...there was no evidence that supplements increased the risk of mortality among those with the highest dietary calcium intake..." and, "...calcium supplements and the combination of high dietary calcium intake and supplement use were not associated with total or cardiovascular mortality."
Joshua Lewis, et al. The cardiovascular safety of calcium supplementation with or without vitamin D in elderly women: A collaborative meta-analysis of published and unpublished trial level evidence from randomized controlled trials concluded: "The data from this meta-analysis does not support the concept that calcium supplementation with or without vitamin D increase the risk of ischemic heart disease or total mortality in elderly women."

I hope this helps clarify the question about the safety of calcium supplements. Our OsteoSustain has 525 mg of calcium in three caplets. That is 175 mg in each caplet. This amount was chosen for a reason during the formulation process of this product. Obtaining adequate calcium is vital for skeletal health but we also know that it is not good to ingest high amounts of calcium all at once. Since it is virtually impossible to obtain adequate calcium and magnesium from one's diet alone, we need to supplement. This is ESPECIALLY true if you are osteoporotic. But we also want to avoid a "spike" in blood calcium levels...a problem that could potentially interfere with normal heart rhythms. This has been shown (although research has not determined if this has any long term detrimental effect) when a person ingests 500 mg or more of calcium all at once.

Our OsteoMineralBoost contains 140 mg calcium in each caplet. Once again, a very manageable amount of calcium for the body to assimilate without causing any excess spike of calcium in the blood. Taking 3 caplets of OsteoSustain throughout the day (not all at once)* and 1 to 2 caplets of OsteoMineralBoost (also spread throughout the day)* gives a person between 665 mg and 805 mg supplemental calcium. With another 600 mg or so of calcium from the diet, this is PERFECT for someone with bone loss. In addition, with OsteoSustain and OsteoMineralBoost you are also getting bioavailable magnesium, vitamins D and K, and trace minerals...all important for utilizing the calcium and helping your body put this vital mineral where it belongs...in your bones.

For the second question: Do calcium supplements cause kidney stones? With literally hundreds of research studies asking this exact question over the past 25 years you would think we would know the answer to this question. But studies have been conflicting. In an attempt to analyze all of this material, Candelas et al. (2012) did a systematic review from three sources to determine the answer. Candelas examined: 1) Medline and Embase from 1991 to 2010. 2) Cochrane Centered register of Controlled Trials up to 2010, and 3) Abstracts from the annual meetings of the American College of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism from 2008 thru 2010. Candelas' conclusion: "Calcium supplements in the treatment of osteoporosis alone or in combination with another type of treatment does not significantly increase the risk of nephrolithiasis or renal colic."

From both my clinical and personal experience, I know how important it is for people with osteoporosis to consume (and absorb) adequate calcium. This mineral is vital for improving bone health. But so too are vitamins D and K, and trace minerals. When taken on a regular basis, these nutrients will provide a safe and effective approach to improving skeletal health.  

*If you choose to take 3 OsteoSustain and 2 OsteoMineralBoost per day it is difficult to completely spread these 5 caplets out throughout the day by taking them one at a time. Therefore, it would be perfectly fine to take 2 caplets at a time. For example: Breakfast - 2 OsteoSustain, Lunch - 2 OsteoMineralBoost, Dinner - 1 OsteoSustain. (or any other combination you desire)  

Boland, M.J., et al. 2008. Vascular events in healthy older women receiving calcium supplementation: randomised controlled trial. BMJ. Feb 2,336(7638):262-6.

Boland M.J. and Reid I.R. 2011. Calcium supplements with or without vitamin D and risk of cardiovascular events: reanalysis of the Women's Health Initiative limited access data set and meta-analysis. BMJ. 342:d2040.

Hathcock, J.N. 2014. Vitamin and Mineral Safety, 3rd Edition. Council for Responsible Nutrition, pp 104-110.

Candelas, G., et al. 2012. Calcium supplementation and kidney stone risk in osteoporosis: a systematic literature review. Clinical and experimental rheumatology. Nov-Dec., 30(6):954-61.

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Hampshire ID Article

It was fun...and an honor...to be spotlighted by the Hampshire Daily Gazette in their weekly "ID" article. Here is the link:
http://www.gazettenet.com/artsentertainment/hampshirelife/16145519-95/id-keith-mccormick

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Teresa Maldonado Marchok's Blog

Teresa Maldonado Marchok wrote a very nice article about my book, The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis, in her most recent blog post. If you want to check it out go to:
http://pilateswithteresa.com/a-new-way-to-look-at-osteopor…/
Teresa is a physical therapist who knows a great deal about improving skeletal health through exercise.

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Our OsteoNaturals Mugs Are Finally In!

We are so excited that our OsteoNaturals mugs have finally arrived. Since there is nothing more

soothing and healthy for your bones than sipping a cup (or two!) of warm OsetoMineralWhey each day, we decided to help encourage people to try this product by giving them a mug. So, if you order a container of OsteoMineralWhey from now to the end of March, you will also find a beautiful ceramic OsteoNaturals mug inside the box...our gift to you.  Enjoy!

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Bone Smart Pilates with Teresa Maldonado Marchok

If you have been reading my bone blogs over the past several years you know how much I emphasize the importance of eating a good bone-healthy diet and getting regular exercise. Yes, taking your OsteoNaturals supplements IS really important but without eating a diet rich in vegetables and taking time to exercise you will be missing half the battle plan. And that exercise needs to be effective to stimulating bone...and SAFELY! Well, I just reviewed a great exercise video specific for people suffering from osteoporosis and it is exactly what I have been looking for for my patients with osteoporosis. Produced by Teresa Maldonado Marchok, this DVD will help you to tone your muscles, keep your joints supple, and stimulate bone strengthening..all while having fun following Teresa's lead. Teresa has 17+ years experience as a physical therapist and certified Pilates teacher and is the owner of Pilates with Teresa in Mountain View, CA.

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of speaking with Teresa and while listening to her talk about osteoporosis and exercise it became immediately clear that she is no ordinary therapist.
Teresa is an energetic firecracker with expertise in bone health and LOTS to offer. She is REALLY smart and no newcomer to helping people improve their bone health. That is really important as it takes time to understand what works with this disease and what doesn't. It was evident that she has totally immersed herself in the study of osteoporosis and how exercise...safe exercise, for people with fragile bones...was her thing. Teresa really knows her stuff.

I must admit, Teresa's connection with my alma mater did make me perk up and listen. With Stanford being near and dear to me and knowing that they take ONLY the best :), it was very impressive that Teresa had founded a Pilates program at Stanford University School of Medicine's Health Improvement Program. Teresa's background as an elite athlete (she was a soloist with the renowned Martha Graham Dance Company) also gives her that important understanding of exercise that a person only gets after years and years high-level intense training. Take that, and couple it with her physical therapy degree and a background in Pilates instruction, and you have someone who really knows how to squeeze optimal benefit of exercise into the bones. And, she will keep you safe while doing it. Please check out Pilates with Teresa, here is a link to the trailer for her DVD. It is the best exercise video for people with osteoporosis that I have seen.

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Bone Health, Digestion, and the Need for Resistant Starch

A good place to start improving bone health is in your gut. Poor digestion and rotting food in your intestinal tract provides both a smorgasbord and a breeding ground for pathogens. This causes gas, bloating, abdominal pain, belching, and lots of flatulence. If you have these signs and symptoms your digestion is impaired, your gut is full of toxins, and you are not able to absorb the nutrients you need for good bone health. In addition to reduced absorption, an unhealthy gut causes the immune system to go into overdrive. This creates a continuous outflow of pro-inflammatory substances from the intestinal mucosa. When this happens for an extended period of time it can lead to a condition called chronic inflammation, one of the most common causes of osteoporosis.

Improving gut health starts with a better diet. Reduce your sugar intake, cut back on the alcohol, and stop eating processed foods. After that, you may need to try taking hydrochloric acid (HCL) and/or digestive enzymes with your meals to aid digestion. Many of us, especially as we age, don't produce enough HCL to fully digest our food. The third step is to supplement with probiotics (live cultures of microorganisms) either in supplemental form or by drinking cultured milk called kefir. (Check out my blog on kefir and bone health.) Reinoculating your gut with "good" bacteria will help prevent gut colonization by pathogens and other opportunistic bacteria. We want to keep our digestive tract healthy, not only for better nutrient absorption but also as a way of reducing inflammation.

If you read chapter 5 in my book, The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis, you will get a better understanding about how all this works and why it is so important for improving bone health. In addition to probiotics, it's a good idea to make sure the probiotics you are putting into your gut have something to eat so they can thrive. This is where "pre"biotics come into play. Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that act as a food source for the good bacteria in your gut. If you want to learn more about the importance of prebiotics check out this great video from The Hungry Microbiome. And if you REALLY want to learn more about the importance of prebiotics, and specifically the use of potato starch for promoting gut health, check out Richard Nikoley's two part article on resistant starch.

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An Interview Done With Dr. McCormick for Osteo Naturals

How long did it take for you to turn your osteoporosis around?

It took several years of intense study of bone biology and the pathophysiology of osteoporosis before I was able to understand the disease process itself, and that was only the beginning of my recovery. Of course, during this time I took the calcium and vitamin D that the "experts" suggested. However, my bone density didn't improve, it actually got worse, and I kept breaking bones. Finally, after piecing together several huge "brain maps" that interconnected four areas of complex information: 1) bone biology, 2) the causes and mechanisms of bone loss, 3) the specifics of my own symptoms and laboratory test results, and 4) nutrigenomics, the study of how diet and supplementation can affect the body, I was able to piece together this incredibly complex puzzle that we call osteoporosis. I could see where I was--terribly fragile--and where I wanted to go--healthy and strong--but getting there seemed a long way away. My goal was to create an environment inside my body that would be physiologically conducive to building bone. To do this I needed to reduce the catabolic, or destructive forces, and increase those that were anabolic. I knew this would take time. It became very clear to me after making these brain maps that recovering skeletal health was a lot more complex than just taking calcium.

When people are under unusual stress, whether emotional or physical, it sets a perfect breeding ground for inflammation. This can, and did in my case, lead to bone loss. There is no doubt that I had stressed my body physically for years training for the Olympics and triathlons, so it didn't surprise me that I not only displayed symptoms of a catabolic/inflamed/destructive physiologic state but my lab tests confirmed it. And this, from what I could determine, resulted in a loss of muscle tone and the extremely poor density and strength of my bones.

Before I was to see any improvement, I needed to decrease any pro-inflammatory agents that were either entering my body or already there. And, I needed to actually, somehow, turn off those hyper-inflammatory signaling systems, those inflammation-producing circuits that were apparently deeply embedded in this destructive type of activity, and pull this run-a-way train back down to a normal speed. It was only by understanding how cellular and systemic mechanisms worked; by understanding things like what could be up-regulating pro-inflammatory molecules, what could be uncoupling mitochondrial activity, and what could be messing with my neurotransmitters that I could piece together what and how specific nutrients would be able to affect these processes and positively influence bone remodeling in my body. I needed to go way beyond the simplistic concept of loading up with calcium and hoping for the best.

I needed to "rethink bone strength" and the factors that went into it. Hormones, body pH, vitamin/mineral status, digestion and absorption capacity, immune function, energy systems...all of this was important. And all of this had to be improved for me to regain bone strength.

So the short answer to this question is that it took me five years to slowly start turning things around and get healthier and stop breaking bones. The good news is that it doesn't really have to take that long...I just didn't know what I was doing at the beginning. That is where OsteoNaturals products can make a huge difference in other people's lives...and that is cool! It can actually be fairly simple to improve bone strength. But it does require a change in diet (lots of veggies to make the body more alkaline), some exercise (check with your doctor, of course, first), and supplementing with the right nutrients--they are all there for you in the OsteoNaturals products.

At what age were you diagnosed with osteoporosis?

45

How many fractures have you had?

Lost track. But thankfully, it doesn't really matter any more. I've moved on from those days and never intend to go back there...ever.

How old are you now?

60

What is your favorite meal?

A huge plate of lightly sauteed kale and chard (topped with lemon juice), broiled flounder, and rice with miso.

Really?!!

Yes, I have kale or chard just about everyday.

What is your favorite sport?

Triathlons, but I just love moving and running, especially in the woods. The only things I shy away from now are contact sports (never liked them anyhow), heavy lifting, and training race horses. (I used to have a horse that was a bit rank and would often flip over backwards onto me...I would have to roll out quickly at the last millisecond to avoid being crushed.) My bones are a lot stronger than they used to be but I'm not going to push my luck. I've always said there are no limits in life and I truly believe that...except bones do break at a certain point...and I know where that point is for me now.

What are your goals?

On a professional level my goal is to help people see that regaining skeletal health is more difficult than maintaining it in the first place. But I understand that there are also a lot of people who have osteopenia or osteoporosis and I would like to make there battle against bone loss a whole lot easier.

On a personal level, my goals are to keep training and competing. Whether it's training for the Ironman World Championships, the Boston Marathon or just doing crazy events like Tough Mudders or the Mt. Washington Road Race, I'm the happiest when I have a big carrot in front of me. Goals are important for everyone. They certainly keep me exercising but they are also what I use to inspire me. They help keep my engines running on all cylinders. Goals are one of those things in life that keep me ringing the doorbell to "living." I love putting myself on the line and seeing how fast I can go and how far I can push myself. And of course, I want to stay healthy and strong. That is a goal, but continuing to train and compete helps maintain my health so it's a win win situation. I don't take health for granted any more. I cherish each and every day.

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2015 - A New Year

I never do quite get over how fast time flies. I can't believe it is already the end of January. With this New Year I hope you have all made some good healthy resolutions - like eating more kale and engaging in regular exercise. As always, my exercise level is a bit in excess (but I love it) and I've
taken on a few more races than I should have for 2015. It will be quite a year on the racing front but what the heck...why not. My first big one will be Boston. I had so much fun running there last year that I thought I would tackle Heart Break Hill again. Coming down Boylston Street those last 300 yards to the finish line was so surreal...like being in a movie. Experiencing it again will be a real treat. I hope you all have a fun, healthy, and productive 2015. Good bone health to you all.

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Winter Season (3,002 icons)

Winter Season as of January 10th: 
[Full] [Winter]  |  [Torrent]

Hope you enjoyed your holidays.

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