We all grow up with the fear to end up with calcium deficiency since that would mean rotten teeth, brittle  and broken bones (osteoporosis). 
Beautiful looking Hollywood stars tell us to keep up our dairy intake, so we don't end up with rotten teeth and brittle or broken bones. 

People in general know little about minerals  but every one is familiar about the importance of calcium, thanks to the FOR-PROFIT-DAIRY companies. (check out my article about dairy from January!!)

Well, I am hear today to tell you that calcium deficiency is not the main reason for brittle bones.
The number one factor of bone loss is actually inactivity!!  Astronauts in space have shown the highest amount of bone loss by just being a few weeks in space. Being in space means no resistance, no gravity pulling against our bones. All astronauts in space developed severe osteoporosis despite the fact of high intake of calcium supplements.

Having some form of weight (resistance) training daily, can keep your bones healthy and strong.
Our ancestors never had problems with brittle bones since they were physical active from morning 'til late night.
Another example would be the women in Africa. African women have the lowest intake on calcium less than 200mg, but still no osteoporosis since women are used to carry heavy jugs of water on their head for miles and miles.
When did you carry gallons of water? Let's just face it, we are a nation of sedentary people. We love to sit in our cozy warm cars instead of walking, we love to shop online, so we don't even need to walk through the aisles  of stores anymore!

As you can see there is no need to increase your calcium intake in fear of bone loss.
Our bodies work in synergy with lots of other minerals to build a strong and healthy bone mass.
Vitamin C, Vitamin D, magnesium are all important for bone health. 
Over years and years doctors have prescribed high dosages of Calcium which causes muscle spasm, muscle cramps, eyelid twitch, constipation, kidney and gallbladder stones.
Next time you take a calcium supplement, take it together with a mineral supplement and a Vitamin D3 supplement.
And never take more than 800 mg calcium since a research team in Finland found out that women who take less than 700mg calcium daily had the highest amount of bone mass compared to the group of women who took 1200mg daily. 

Here are some vegetable options with high magnesium-calcium content: seaweed, spinach, kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli, almond, sesame seeds, apricots, wild herbs and molasses. 

I am sure no horse is drinking milk, instead they are feeding on nettle, oatstraw, dandelions and chickweed. Eat your wild herbs and look as strong as a horse :)) Check out my tea "Everyday" perfect blend for iron, magnesium, calcium, Vitamin K!!

Happy Holidays, stay Healthy and Happy!!
Your Herbalist Birgit 

We all grew up hearing from our moms to eat our vegetables, but you know what, our moms were right. 
Nothing has changed in the last hundreds of years. Vegetables are still the most important food on our plates. 
With today's blog I like to remind you about a few vegetables, so next time you don't know what to cook you remember my blog!!

Kale is one of my favorite greens and here is why:
 Kale is absolutely rich and abundant in CALCIUM, LUTEIN, IRON, VITMAIN A, C and K.

Lutein is one of the carotenoids, yellow and orange pigments found in many fruits and vegetables. Known to prevent eye disease!  Vitamin K is considered the blood clotting vitamin.  It helps to attract and bind calcium to the protein in the body.

Kale has seven times more beta-carotene than broccoli and ten times more lutein!  Kale is rich in Vitamin C and high in fibers which we are all lacking especially in a diet high of processed food. Kale is a great liver cleanser. The naturally rich sulfur content of kale triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals. My favorite way to eat Kale is sautéed with onions, garlic and olive oil.  You can also add fresh kale leaves into a salad or a vegetable fruit juice daily!

MUSHROOMS:

There are over 14000 types of mushrooms in the world, about 3000 are edible, over seven hundred have known medicinal properties and 1400 have been recognized as poisonous!

Pharaohs ate mushrooms as a delicacy, Greeks believed them to be a source of strength and Chinese regarded them as a health food.
  
Mushrooms are a great food source for people on a restricted calorie diet. Mushrooms are high in lean protein, zero fats and cholesterol and high amount of fiber.  Besides being low in calories, mushrooms are rich in calcium, iron, potassium, copper and selenium (very good for health of bones, teeth, nails, hair). The best source of selenium is animal protein, so mushrooms can be the best choice for vegetarians to obtain selenium. Mushrooms are the only vegetable and the second known source (after cod liver oil) to contain vitamin-D in edible form.  A medium mushrooms has more potassium than a glass of orange juice or a banana. (Potassium helps lower blood pressure and prevents strokes)

So next time you are in the supermarket pick up some shiitake, portabellas and white button mushrooms and make yourself a big bowl of soup but please omit DAIRY!!

Parsley (Italian flat parsley)

Parsley is the world’s most popular herb. The word parsley comes from the Greek word meaning “rock celery”.

Parsley contains more vitamin C than any other vegetable, app. three times as much as oranges and about the same as blackcurrants. The iron content is twice as much as spinach and the plant is a good source of manganese, calcium and potassium.

Raw parsley juice cleanses the blood, dissolves sticky deposits in veins, maintains elasticity of blood vessels, helps remove kidney and gallstones, treats ear infections and is a good remedy for bruises.

Many people use parsley root tea to make stiff joints work again.

So next time you feel tired in the afternoon make yourself a juice and you will be amazed how much more energy you will have for the rest of the day.

AVOCADOS

Here are just a few reasons to convince you to eat more avocados!

Avocados are the best source of vitamin E, an essential vitamin!

Vitamin E plays a role in the anti-aging of skin. It helps skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin E intake that is higher than the daily minimum requirements have shown to treat or prevent: low sperm count, cataracts, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis cardiovascular disease and inflammation of eye tissues.

Research has found that certain nutrients are absorbed better when eaten with avocado. In one study, when participants ate a salad containing avocados, they absorbed five times the amount of carotenoids (lycopene and beta carotene) than those who didn’t include avocados.

Avocados are packed with the carotenoid lutein that protects against macular degeneration and cataracts.

Avocados are high in beta-sitosterol, a compound that has shown to lower cholesterol levels. In one study, 45 volunteers experienced an average drop in cholesterol of 17% after eating avocados for only one week.

Avocados have high levels of folate which lowers the risk of stroke.

 A lot of times my clients are worried about eating avocados because of its fat content but avocados don’t have saturated fat instead it is a healthy blend of omega 3s and omega6s which are essential for our health.

As you can see there are lots of benefits of eating an avocado but remember one avocado has 322 calories, so don’t eat it as a snack rather eat it as your main ingredient for your lunch. I sometimes eat one half of avocado a day and keep the other avocado safe in the refrigerator in a special avocado holder to prevent it from getting brown and bruised looking.

 Next time you grab a hot dog for lunch, remember my blog and treat your body with something nutritious. Remember every time you eat you have a chance to nourish your body, so you stay energized, healthy and slim.

Happy Living your Herbalist and Wellness Coach
Birgit