5 Things To Make Your Bones Stronger Now...
“Every morning in Africa, a Gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a Lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest Gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a Lion or a Gazelle... when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.”
Q. I am a youngish girl(29), and my Doctor is telling me to take a calcium supplement because women hitting their thirties may start to develop bone issues. My Doctor is also advocating eating grains to help build bone density. I am a Paleo advocate who reads your blog all the time, and loves your fearless opinion. This can't be what lies ahead for all women...is it?-Maggie
A. Maggie, thanks for reading and asking a question I believe I have failed to address with some very simple info that really just makes sense. I'm sure I could run on, but instead I will "blog highlight" and leave the opportunity for more discussion. I hope this helps quell some confusion.
You know the only reason I say "I'm not a Doctor" is because other people that aren't Doctors say that. I mean seriously, I know my shit works. What are you gonna do? Sue me because you get healthy? Anyway, I'm not a Doctor.
After receiving this question I tried to think in terms of triage, and what would probably prevent the overwhelming majority of issues we see today. Add that to the misconceptions associated with women, calcium and the like, and the list below seems to rise to the top.
1."Vit D"...
Without a proper blood test it would be virtually impossible to determine whether or not a calcium supplement is even necessary. The blood test could show your "Vit D" levels to be spot on or lacking. And anyone missing even a hint of "D" is not living optimally.
"Vit D" is called a vitamin so we'll buy it. In reality, it's a hormone not too far down the chain from testosterone. Proper "D" supplementation ensures you're on your way to proper hormone maintenance which not only makes you happy, but contributes to proper bone density.
In fact, it's not "take more calcium," it's "absorb calcium". And a guarantee for proper calcium absorption is an optimal level of "Vit-D". Calcium will not be absorbed when there is not enough Vit-D present, making added Calcium worthless. Look for "Vit D" Levels of 50ng/dl.
Before we move on, the single greatest calcium eradicator is right alongside the prescription you received. The best way to absorb your calcium is to eat things that promote its retention, not prevent it. Phytates are mineral binding anti-nutrients that attach themselves to various other nutrients and keep them from being absorbed by the body. And guess where you get Phytates from?..grains.
While we're on the anti-grain band wagon... Eating all those grains(carbs) kicks up insulin. When insulin rises, so does cortisol (stress hormone). Increased insulin+cortisol leaches calcium from our bones, while phytates prevents us from absorbing new calcium. Then we are prescribed a calcium supplement as an offset...sound like shoddy medicine at best.
It's not that all this calcium doesn't end up somewhere. It just ain't in bone matter. We likely piss some down the drain, and shuttle the rest right to our arteries to harden for later. Wait isn't that called plaque? Yup, this is exactly how you link Osteoporosis to CVC...scary huh?
Stop eating grains...again. Get a blood test for Vit-D, and if it isn't near the numbers described above take copious amounts until it is. They even make 50,000iu tabs, if I'm not mistaken.
2.Saturated Fat...
Everybody loves Omega-3 (fish oil). So do I, but even a lot of our grain-hater friends who take fish oil tabs by the thousands sometimes believe saturated fat to be less than glamorous. This couldn't be further from the truth, especially when bones are concerned.
To stay focused, I will leave many of the SF benefits off the table, including the ones that help in more a round about way. Specifically, if a large portion of your fat intake (many believe 50% of total fat calories) isn't from saturated fat you won't absorb calcium anyway.
While this may seem counterproductive, all saturated fat means is that it was given to us by nature with a full saturation of Hydrogen. There is no reason to shun it over any other fat. In fact, our little friend fish oil, which is a polyunsaturated fat, needs saturated fats present to be absorbed properly.
Eating Coconut and Ghee along with animal fat are two ways to increase saturated fat intake now while also improving your gut health, but if you're still eating grains or high carbs...forget it.
3.Lift Heavy Shit Often...
The Bulgarians lift weights for hours a day non-stop with no need for calcium supplementation. Not only does heavy ass lifting promote increased HDL (good cholesterol), it also applies one of the many laws our body seems to follow. Wolff's Law states a bone will only be as strong as the force against it.
Use it or lose. Healthy bones mean heavy lifting.
4.Turmeric+Fish Oil...
This one may be a little far fetched, but assuming you're already a Paleo follower the added anti-inflammatory effects of this combo take extra stress off the bones by calming down some of the tissues around it.
For instance, Osteomalacia is softening of the bone. Add that to inflamed tight tissues and you create a breeding ground where tendons can snap a bone...fun.
Snacking on 5g/day Fish Oil, with a 1000mg Turmeric chaser may be just the ticket.
5.Eat Paleo...
This one's easy, and I pretty much covered it above. Preventing as much total systemic inflammation, along with eating foods that make us better rather than kill us, is the most important protector we have against any bone disorder or cancer for that matter.
In fact, if you're not willing to change your lifestyle. If you're not willing to alter the drug schedule of food you're on now, then you might as well forget steps 1-4. Chances are something much worse than a few broken bones is on its way to get you anyway...have fun playing wheel of fortune with your life.
Dynamic:
Hang Power Clean
10x2 @ 70% 1RM
For Time:
-Double Unders
75/50/25
-Swings 35/55
35/25/15
Post weight moved and time to comments.
PJ, you know the first thing I do when I see a wod like this I just say "Would ya look at this, just look at it, and then I look at it" Right, right, right. Double unders just look at em, would ya
Posted by: Francheezy | June 27, 2011 at 09:53 PM
Franchizzle...
Posted by: Double Deez | June 27, 2011 at 11:02 PM
I'll be sending everyone positive vibes from the beach, which is where I'll be doing burpees and whatnot from all week!!!
Posted by: JN | June 27, 2011 at 11:13 PM
John Noel, we will miss you so much. I know you don't possibly want to...but we want you to hurry back!
Posted by: chastity | June 28, 2011 at 04:45 AM
5:43 (M- DU's)
35lb KB Swings
HPC @ 55lb
Posted by: Nikki Jones | June 28, 2011 at 08:34 AM
HPC 95#
7:24 (m)
Posted by: PJ | June 28, 2011 at 09:32 AM
75#/7:08
Posted by: jen w | June 28, 2011 at 10:31 AM
HPC 60#
8:09 OMG got my DUs without a single in between!
Posted by: vicki | June 28, 2011 at 01:31 PM
nice job Vicki...
Posted by: jb | June 28, 2011 at 01:34 PM
Vicki ~ you're awesome! That scream was great. =)
hpc 45#
7:5? m
Posted by: heatherT | June 28, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Vicki...the 2012 Games angels are callin. Kudos to your positive commitment.
Mo...30 unbroken American 45# kb swings...by mid-July (along w your m-up, of course). 10 unbroken American 55# swings (or more) by end of Aug(?). You're becomin' beastly. Thanks for the motivation at 9a.
Teri Gaulker...havent worked with you in so long, those hang pcleans w the bar caught me off guard. Lookin good.
Amelia...took a little sign when I was younger as part of the many "extra" experiences my mother organized. Cool to watch you partner w Ry for the 9am to help Nikki & Richard...who btw are hangin pretty naturally in classes now (great work, you two!). Thanks.
Ry...youve killed Maedder's spirit. Now he wont even let ME love him. He was right up there w the first quiet moments of each AM and coffee as a few of the rare smile highlights of a day. I kill you...
Posted by: k | June 28, 2011 at 02:06 PM
4:04
Posted by: ASH | June 28, 2011 at 05:13 PM
7:59(m)
Dble unders same as swings (35-25-15)
Posted by: Lori | June 28, 2011 at 05:51 PM
4:47+ (american swings)
Fun wod! Good luck to everyone taking on "Cindy" tomorrow!
Posted by: Min | June 28, 2011 at 07:24 PM
At home...6:36 m
(singles 150/100/50 and 25 lb swing)
Posted by: Mindy | June 28, 2011 at 08:09 PM
Scotty too hotty was fast, and Min and Sam were xplosive......
6:06 Amer
Posted by: jb | June 28, 2011 at 08:27 PM
Joe ......its time to give PJ a nickname!!
Posted by: betsy | June 28, 2011 at 09:39 PM
Kudos to Vicki! Glad I got to be a witness to it (and so many of your other "firsts"). I love seeing your motivation and excitement when you achieve! And I agree whole-heartedly with Kara. Red-Headed Beast is Master's Class all the way next year!
7:something +(in the teens or twenties)
*American
Posted by: Bonnie Mac | June 28, 2011 at 09:48 PM
65# HPCs
7:52 + for American swings
Posted by: Dana | June 28, 2011 at 11:07 PM
80# hpc
5:27 mod with su
Posted by: Rachael | June 29, 2011 at 08:54 AM
95# HPC
8:06 + american swings
Posted by: Jen D | June 29, 2011 at 09:24 AM
messed this wod up..did 75/65/55 of doubles...so my time with this was 6:40
Posted by: kara MIKOLAJEWSKI | July 02, 2011 at 02:46 PM