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Leafy Greens and Omega-3s: Nutrition to Support Healthy Bones

Bone health is not something that people often think about. But they should: our bones support safe and easy movement and protect our internal organs. Bone health becomes even more critical as we age: we lose bone mass, calcium, and other minerals, resulting in bones that are brittle and at risk for breaks. There are some easy lifestyle adjustments that can support bone health for people in all stages of life, like a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, and vitamin D. While taking supplements may be an option, always consult with your primary care provider before beginning a new regimen. There are natural ways to add more of these vitamins and minerals into your diet.

CALCIUM

cup filled tot he top with green smoothie with spinach laying all around the cup. — *To add more calcium into your diet, turn to dark leafy greens such as spinach.*

As we age, the body is less able to absorb and retain calcium, a mineral necessary for bone health. To add more calcium into your diet, turn to dark leafy greens: collards, mustard greens, kale, and cruciferous vegetables like bok choy (“chinese cabbage”), okra, brussel sprouts, and broccoli. Spinach is another classic leafy green, but it contains a naturally occurring compound that binds to the calcium, rendering the calcium less readily available than in other leafy greens. Bone broth is another excellent source of calcium and an overall nutritional goldmine. Some dairy products are good sources of calcium: sharper cheeses like parmesan or protein-high cheeses like cottage cheese, yogurt, or milk are your best bets. You can also find calcium in nuts and seeds such as almonds and almond milk, hazelnuts, and poppy and chia seeds.

VITAMIN D

With age comes a lack of vitamin D because the skin’s capacity to synthesize vitamin D decreases as we age. In addition, many seniors spend less time in the sun, which is a primary source of the body’s vitamin D. Vitamin D is thought to support calcium absorption from food, and many studies show that calcium and vitamin D can help strengthen bones in people with osteoporosis, along with other health benefits. The National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that “most people must take vitamin D supplements to get enough to support bone health.” Vitamin D is found in some foods: fatty fish like salmon and tuna, and is often added to milk and nut milks, dairy products like yogurts and cheeses, orange juice, and some cereals.

pill container opened laying down with yellow pills coming out of it on the table. — *Omega 3s support the calcium absorption that is necessary for healthy, strong bones.*

OMEGA 3 (FATTY ACIDS)

Omega 3s support the calcium absorption that is necessary for healthy, strong bones. You can get Omega 3s from many of the same foods as calcium: leafy greens, fish, and nut butters and nut milks, along with tofu and soybeans, seeds like flaxseed and pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, avocados, and eggs. While Omega 3 fatty acids are necessary for the body and bone health, many of the foods they are found in can be high in calories, so consume conscientiously.

RECIPE: SPRING BERRY SALAD WITH SEARED SALMON.

For a light, spring meal rich in omega 3s, calcium, and vitamin d, check out this Spring Berry Salad with Seared Salmon. The fruity salad is perfectly complemented by a simple, crispy-skinned, pan-seared salmon. With prep included, this all comes together in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the Salad

5 cups of mixed leafy greens (try Trader Joe’s power to the greens – a mix of chard, kale, and spinach)

1 avocado, sliced.

⅓ cup of sliced nuts (your choice – I like walnuts, almonds or pistachios are great choices too)

¾ cup of berries (your choice: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries)

⅓ cup of crumbled feta cheese

Poppy seed salad dressing (store bought or make your own)

Optional: chia seeds, hemp hearts, flax seeds – you can add them to the poppy seed dressing or

sprinkle over avocado)

For the Salmon

2 salmon filets, 3oz-6oz

Juice of one lime

Salt and Pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Pat salmon fillets until dry. Season liberally with salt and pepper, preferably 10-15 minutes before you plan to cook.
Prepare the salad: Wash all produce, and toss together berries, greens, and avocado with your preferred amount of poppy seed salad dressing. Top with sliced almonds and feta.
Heat a skillet (preferably cast-iron) with a layer of extra virgin olive oil until it shimmers (you can test by flicking water droplets, they should sizzle).
Add salmon to skillet, skin-side down. Press with spatula until the skin of the salmon easily releases from the bottom of the skillet – 3-5 minutes. Flip, and cook for another 1-2 minutes to your preferred doneness.
Season salmon with a healthy squeeze of lime juice and serve alongside salad.

Greet the Sun with Sun Salutations

Yoga has many benefits for the mind, body, and soul. It can strengthen muscles and enhance flexibility while also encouraging mindfulness, patience, and acceptance. Yoga comes in many different forms, though they all have two common threads running through them: uniting breath, ujjayi (oo-jai-ee), and poses, asanas. Try a variety of different styles to find one that best fits your fitness level, body type, and personality.

Starting Your Day On the Right Foot

Yoga has a distinct mindfulness aspect that sets it apart from a personal training session at the gym and makes it an excellent addition to your morning routine. Moving through different poses, or asanas, can help you shake the sleep off and stretch out before beginning your day. Try hitting your yoga mat right after you hit the alarm with this simple “Sun Salutation” adaptation.

silhouette of a woman standing in mountain pose. — *Mountain Pose*

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Begin with your feet flat on the floor, with your weight evenly distributed. Bring your hands to prayer pose at your chest. Next, swing them straight above your head, hands facing each other. Raise your head up to look at the sky.

Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Suck in your belly and spread your arms out to the side as you fold forward to touch the ground or as close to it as possible. Keep your leg muscles engaged, and bend your knees if necessary.

Half Standing Forward Fold (Ardha Uttanasana)

On an inhale, bring your hands to your calves or knees to straighten out your back. Set your gaze about 2 feet in front of your feet, to elongate your neck.

Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Release your hands back toward the ground to forward fold again and let your head lower towards the floor.

Plank Pose

From forward fold with your hands on the ground, step both feet back into a plank position. If this is too difficult for you, you can rest your knees on the ground. Your hands should be shoulder-distance apart and your feet should be hip distance. Try holding this pose for 10-30 seconds.

Lowered Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)

As you exhale, lower your body to hover above or land fully on the ground. While lowering, keep your elbows tucked into your sides and your heels pressing out behind you.

Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Murkha Svanasana)

On an inhale, extend your arms so your chest is lifted toward the wall in front of you. You can hover your thighs off the ground or release them to the floor. Roll your shoulders back to squeeze them together, and keep your leg and gluteus muscles engaged.

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Push your hips and bottom back from upward facing dog into downward facing dog. Take a moment to evaluate the position of your hands and feet – they should be shoulder and hip distance apart. If you have tight hamstrings, walk a few steps back to create more space. Stay here for a few extra breaths, relaxing your neck and peddling out your legs.

Lunge

Step the left foot forward into a lunge pose. If this is difficult to do from downward facing dog, bring both knees to the floor and step your left foot between your hands, then straighten your back knee into lunge pose. Play around with tucking your tailbone, and leaning forward and backward into this pose to stretch out your hip flexors.

Mountain Pose

Bring your right leg up to your left and rise slowly, rolling up so your head is the last thing to rise. Return back to standing firmly in mountain pose with your weight evenly distributed. You can try closing your eyes and breathing deeply as you bring your hands up to prayer at your chest.

woman in a bra and yoga pants with crossed legs and arms in prayer. — *Yoga can be simple or intricate, calming or energizing.*

After moving through this sequence once, try to do it a second time linking each movement to a deep, belly-filling inhale. Move to the next pose on an exhale.

Yoga can be simple or intricate, calming or energizing. It encourages you to tune into your body and your mind, and releases endorphins. By adding these Sun Salutations to your day, you can improve your posture, tone your body, and clear your head before beginning your day.

Give me a Break: The Pomodoro Technique

Have you ever hit a roadblock when working on a project, and felt like you just couldn’t work on it for one second longer? For some of us, that’s due to procrastination: feeling like we need to race against the clock to finish assignments and meet deadlines. Others are overachievers: filling our schedules down to the last minute and viewing downtime as an enemy. Either of these mindsets can cause stress and anxiety, physical and emotional fatigue, and a feeling of being burnt out. The Pomodoro Technique is a series of 6 simple steps that teach you to work with time instead of against it.

yellow clock with the words "25 Min" in the middle. — *The trick is to break your to-do list down into manageable, 25-minute blocks of time, or “pomodoros.”*

What Is A “Pomodoro”?

According to the Pomodoro technique, the trick is to break your to-do list down into manageable, 25-minute blocks of time, or “pomodoros.” Creator Franceso Cirollos named these for the tomato-shaped timer he used throughout college. During each block you focus exclusively on one task until it’s complete, and reward yourself with short, relaxing breaks. All you need to get started with this time-management tool is a piece of paper, a pen, and a timer.

Step 1: Pick your task.

Decide what to prioritize first. It should be something worthy of your full, uninterrupted attention. The task can be big or small. It can be something that just came onto your radar today, or something that’s been on your to-do list for weeks.

Step 2: Set a timer for 25 minutes.

It’s time to commit. Francesco Cirillo, originator of the technique, says, “make a small oath to yourself: I will spend 25 minutes on this task and I will not interrupt myself. You can do it! After all, it’s just 25 minutes.”

woman sitting at a desk with her hands over a laptop and notebook next to the laptop. — *For 25 minutes, work exclusively on the chosen task.*

Step 3: Work until the timer rings.

For the next 25 minutes, work exclusively on the chosen task. If another task or idea comes into your peripherals, write it down on a piece of paper as something to revisit when the 25 minutes is up.

Step 4: Mark it down.

When the timer goes off, make a checkmark on the piece of paper. Congratulate yourself for spending an uninterrupted “pomodoro” on your task!

Step 5: Take a short break.

You can take a breath, meditate, go for a short walk, or anything else you find relaxing. Give yourself 5-10 minutes of free time to reset, then dive back into the same project. Set the timer, and get back to work!

Step 6: Reward yourself.

As you work, mark off every 25 minute block. After every 4 blocks of time, take a longer break of 20-30 minutes. Get up, stretch, move your body around. Your brain needs a minute to catch up to the work you’ve done and rest before the next round.

With this strategy to help focus your brain, narrow your attention span, and use time efficiently, you’ll be moving through your to-do list in no time!

Cleaning Out The Closet: A Fresh Start

By now most people have heard of Marie Kondo’s method of “sparking joy.” She suggests that in order to declutter and organize your home, you must first pay attention to the details of the objects in your home, and any emotional attachment you might have to them. You can then remove or repurpose things that don’t bring joy to your life. Maybe you’ve tried this method and found that you don’t have the time for it, or you have children, roommates, or a partner who’s, er… ‘organizational techniques’ (or lack thereof) don’t fit with the KonMari method. If a full household overhaul seems out of your reach, you might want to focus on an area you can tackle in one day. By dedicating just 2-5 hours to cleaning out your closet, you can turn your bedroom into a more relaxing space, save time in your morning routine, make space for summer fashion, and feel good about checking something off your to-do list.

pile of colorful folded clothes — *Sort items that are in good condition for donations or consignment, and recycle.*

First, gather your supplies: a trash bag, donation box, consignment box, and labeling supplies.

If you have 2 hours:

The Cut & Dry method: go through pieces that no longer fit or have obvious damage or stains. Be meticulous: try items on to evaluate their comfort and fit, be realistic about getting items repaired, and call in a second opinion if necessary. Sort items that are in good condition for donations or consignment, and recycle or repurpose the rest (think scraps for weaving, household polishing cloths or rags, or compost if they’re made of natural fibers).

If you have 3-4 hours:

old dry cleaners shop — *Ask yourself if the clothing is high maintenance and requires dry cleaning. It might be too expensive to take care of.*

The Thoughtful method: If you’ve completed the cut & dry method and want to go further, try asking yourself the following questions:
- When was the last time I wore this? If it’s been longer than one season, it’s time to consider if it still fits in with your style; if it doesn’t, let it go. Is there something more seasonally versatile that serves the same purpose in your wardrobe?
- Does it require a high maintenance cleaning method (steaming, dry cleaning)? For some people, steam cleaning or trips to the dry cleaner are within their time or budgets. If that doesn’t work for you, it might be time to pass it on to someone who is more willing to take care of it.
- Do I have multiples of this item? In the name of downsizing, it might be prudent to cut back to just one pair of black jeans, or a single white button down.

closet full of colorful dresses. — *After looking at your clothing, it’s time to go one step further and assess your personal reaction to pieces in your closet.*

If you have 5 hours:

The Personal Reflection method: After looking at your clothing critically, it’s time to go one step further and assess your personal reaction to pieces in your closet. This can be hard! Some of us have attachments to articles of clothing – a hand-me-down from an old friend, Grandma’s shawl or Grandpa’s sweater. It is 100% okay to keep articles for sentimental value. But let’s think about what happens next – do you actually wear grandpa’s sweater? If not, consider making it into a decorative pillow or passing it on to someone else in your family who might also love it. Your emotional connections to articles of clothing may also be based on how they used to make you feel. Perhaps you associate them with a past lifestyle, job, or relationship. Ask yourself, “How do I feel when I wear this now?’ You may find they no longer fit, both literally and figuratively.

Once you complete the downsize, where does it all go? Look into local thrift stores, maternity coalitions, homeless shelters, or outreach programs. For high-quality pieces in excellent used condition, you can look at consignment stores or an online consignment store. They sustainably recycle the clothing they don’t accept, and you can choose payout in the form of cash, store credit, or donation. Other options include posting on your local buy-nothing group or giving hand-me-downs to friends and family.

If you’ve completed one, some, or all of these steps – congratulations! Take pride in your thoughtful curation of your clothing, fill in the gaps with staple items that you may need, and cross one more thing off your to-do list.

Intermittent Fasting 101

Intermittent fasting has become a popular trend over the past couple of years. Why? Well it has so many benefits, such as helping shed extra pounds, improving health, and helping you live longer! Contrary to popular belief, your body does not go into “starvation mode” or store fat when you go without eating for hours. A lot of studies show that intermittent fasting has many benefits for your body. So how do you go about starting and easing into intermittent fasting?

Types of Intermittent Fasting

different colored clocks of all sizes layered on top of each other — *There are different kinds of intermittent fasting, and you can choose the time you want to start fasting and end it.*

There are several ways of doing intermittent fasting. Some do it daily, while some people do it weekly. Here are the most popular forms of intermittent fasting:

16/8– This is also called the Leangains protocol. For this kind of fast, you fast for 16 hours, and then consume all of your calories during the 8 hour window that you are not fasting. For example, you can begin fasting from 8pm until 12pm the next day (16 hours), and then can eat from 12pm-8pm. You can choose which hours work best for your schedule.
20/4– The same concept applies as the 16/8 method, except you fast for 20 hours and eat during a 4 hour window.
East Stop Eat– This form of intermittent fasting requires more discipline. You fast for 24 hours for one or two non-consecutive days per week. The easiest way to do this kind of fasting is to fast from one day’s dinner to the next. You can do this from lunch to lunch, or breakfast to breakfast.
The 5:2 Diet– This diet focuses on the amount of calories you consume for the day. You limit caloric intake to 500-600 on two non-consecutive days of the week. Generally for this diet women should consume 500 calories, and men consume 600 calories. During the other 5 days you would eat normally.
Alternate Fasting– This is also called the ADF protocol. This is when you alternate between days of eating normally and days of fasting. You fast every other day, which may be harder for some to do. Studies have shown people are more likely to abandon their diet.

Can You Eat At All During Fasting?

Generally no. When you are fasting, all you can have is water, black coffee, tea, and other non-caloric beverages. The goal is not to consume any calories during the fast. When you fast, your body adjusts hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible.

Health Benefits

Reduced Insulin Resistance– During the fasting period, lower insulin levels improve fat burning in the body. Not only will it improve fat burning, but the lowered insulin levels will help encourage muscle growth. Studies show that fasting reduces insulin by 20-31%.

Detox The Body– When you fast, your body removes toxins. One way this occurs is from shedding weight. When you intermittently fast, your body will burn fat, using it for the energy it’s not getting from food. The fat cells are the usual culprits for toxin storage, keeping it from what we eat and breathe.

When you cleanse your body from toxins, you will find that you have more energy, stamina, clear skin, better brain function, and restful sleep patterns.

Lose Weight– Because your body lowers it’s insulin levels, your body burns\ the fat for fuel, and it no longer receives the signal to store extra calories as fat. Intermittent fasting can increase norepinephrine, a hormone and neurotransmitter that can boost your metabolism! That way, your body will burn calories throughout the day.

caucasian belly with hands over the button in a heart shape, and a daisy over the belly button — *Fasting boosts gut health and mood.*

Improved Gut Health & Mood– Not only does your body burn more, but your gut health improves. Your mood and mental health go hand in hand with your gut microbiome. So, when your gut reboots due to intermittent fasting, your stomach and your mood are overall happier.

Heart Function– At least one study indicates that people who follow a fasting diet may have better heart health than people who don’t. When you fast, your levels of hemoglobin, red blood cell count are affected, in a good way. This improves heart health.

Autophagy- The process of cells eating themselves to get rid of damaged cells, and recycle into better, more youthful ones is called autophagy. Viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens are destroyed in this process. The simple way to activate this is by fasting. Damaged cells are removed, and cellular and tissue rejuvenation occur.

Brain Function– Your body will burn glucose reserved in your blood and liver when you are fasting. The liver will turn the fat into ketones and use them for fuel. Your brain prefers ketones over glucose, and in turn, will work better and increase your ability to learn and think.

How It Affects Your Cells

Some of the changes your body will go through are:

Cellular Repair– Also known as autophagy, your cells break down and recycle old proteins that accumulate within cells, and make new healthy cells. Viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens are destroyed in this process. Damaged cells are removed, and cellular and tissue rejuvenation occur.
Growth Hormone– The levels of growth hormone increases by 5 times or more. This growth hormone aids in fat loss, and muscle gain.
Metabolic Rate– Your metabolic rate boosts as much as 3-14%when you are fasting for two days. However, other studies suggest that if you fast for longer than 48 hours, then you will slow down your metabolism.
Insulin– When fasting, your insulin levels stay low. Low insulin levels means that fat burning is increased.

Easing Into Intermittent Fasting

It can be easy to begin fasting, but most people will give up within the first week, because they are not prepared. Some tips to make the transition easier:

Start Slow– The easiest way to start fasting is by skipping a meal. Skip a meal, breakfast for example, and have water or coffee instead. You can eat lunch, which will break the fast.
Drink a lot of water and electrolytes.
Stay Hydrated– Drink a lot of water and electrolytes. This is very important for cognitive function. A plus is that water can help you feel full when you are hungry.
Eat High-Quality Foods– When it comes time to break your fast, make sure to eat foods that are beneficial and essential to your health. Try to avoid junk food. Eat foods full of vitamins, minerals, and protein so you can fuel your body correctly.
Plan & Prepare– When you know when you are going to eat, it will make you obsess over the thought of food less. There are apps you can download that help you keep track of your fasting hours and send you notifications of when to start fasting, and when you have completed fasting and can eat. The app will have a timer to show how long you have been fasting, and how much longer you have
Sleep is very important for cognitive productivity, fat loss, and metabolic reasons.

to go.
Sleep!– Get an adequate amount of sleep! Sleep is very important for cognitive productivity, fat loss, and metabolic reasons. When you do not sleep enough your hormones are affected as well as your insulin sensitivity. The less sleep you get, the hungrier you are.

Consult With Your Doctor About Fasting If You:

Are underweight or have a history of eating disorders
Are pregnant or trying to conceive
Have a medical condition
Have diabetes
Have low blood pressure
Take medications

8 Foods That Are Good For You, But Toxic If Eaten Too Much

Too much of anything can be a bad thing, even something that’s good for you like water! We are told by doctors and nutritionists that we should be drinking at least 8 cups of water a day. This has been proven to be a myth, and not only that, but if you drink too much water, you can get water intoxication, which leads to electrolyte imbalance. But this is only one of the few instances in which too much of a good thing is toxic. If you are not careful, too much of

bowl of nutmegs with a grater on the table with ground nutmeg next to the grater. — *Nutmeg contains a compound called myristicin, which can lead to myristicin poisoning.*

some healthy foods will kill you.

1. Nutmeg

Did you know that nutmeg can be a hallucinogenic drug? Yeah, apparently if you ingest too much nutmeg, about 3-8 hours after, you will experience anxiety, fear, and some will experience psychotic episodes. Nutmeg contains a compound called myristicin, which can lead to myristicin poisoning.

Doses as much as 20 to 80 grams of nutmeg in powder form is not deadly, but beware consuming too much. A sprinkle in your latte or dessert is fine, buta few tablespoons can be dangerous!

2. Star Fruit

When eaten in normal quantities, starfruit does not possess much risk to a person. However, the delicious fruit contains a potentially toxic neurotoxin for people with kidney disease. It can cause kidney failure. Some common symptoms for people with kidney problems to look for are:

Vomiting
Weakness
Mental Confusion
Hiccups
Insomnia
Altered Consciousness
Hypotension
Convulsions (long-lasting epileptic seizures)

3. Spinach

Bowl of spinach on a table. — *Eat your spinach, but not too much, or else!*

“Eat your spinach so you can grow big and strong,” as your mom would say. Well yes, but in moderation, as it is high in oxalic acid. Consuming too much will result in:

Kidney stones (ouch!)
Low blood pressure
Tremors
Weak pulse
Stomach pain
Vomiting

4. Canned Tuna

Tuna has more mercury than any other fish in the sea. Too much mercury can have serious side effects. Consuming too many canned tunas will result in:

Vision Problems
Hearing Problems
Speech Problems
Muscle Weakness
Balance/Coordination Issues

More than 3-5 cans a week can be dangerous, try to stick to 3 cans or less, preferably of the “light” ones.

5. Kidney Beans

A lot of beans come with the toxin phytohemagglutinin, which comes in especially high concentrations in raw red kidney beans. Eating raw kidney beans are toxic and can lead to severe nausea and vomiting. Luckily raw kidney beans are pretty unappealing.

The only way to be safe eating kidney beans is after it has been cooked or boiled for 10 minutes.

6. Rhubarb

A lot of people enjoy rhubarb pie, and if you are one of those people, then know that you will be fine if you decide to eat the whole pie by yourself. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid, which is used in bleach. If you eat the leaves, you will experience a burning sensation in your mouth and throat, as well as nausea, convulsions, and death.

Don’t worry, keep eating rhubarb pie, just stay away from their leaves!

7. Potatoes

Bag of potatoes over dirt on the ground — *If a potato starts sprouting, throw it away!*

Have you ever left a potato, or a sack of them in your kitchen for a while and not had the chance to use them yet? Did you come across a potato or two sprouting? Throw it away! These potatoes contain solanine, which is a natural pesticide toxic to humans. It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations, and even cardiac arrest.

8. Pitted Fruits

Pitted fruits like cherries, peaches, and plums all have cyanide in their pits. Yes, cyanide. If you swallow the pit whole, you will be fine, however, if you chew it, that’s when things will take a turn for the worst.

A single cherry yields roughly 0.17 grams of lethal cyanide per gram of seed, so depending on the size of the kernel, ingesting just one or two freshly crushed pits can lead to death.

When you do anything, moderation is key. This rule also goes for things you eat that are good for you. Make sure to not overeat the mentioned foods, or it can be lethal!