The following is a guest post about why you may actually be doing more damage than good with those calcium supplements you are taking – this post comes straight from the desk of Dr. Carolyn Dean (visit her fantastic website by clicking here). Leave your comments and questions below!

Calcium is prominent in the news these days. A July 29, 2010 British Medical Journal meta-analysis says that “Risks outweigh benefits for calcium supplements.” This study indicates that calcium supplements cause more cardiovascular events (such as heart attacks and stroke) than the number of fractures they prevent.

The study analyzed data on 12,000 people involved in the 15 trials. The increased risk was about 30 percent. The seven authors of the study say the risk is modest but they are concerned that with so many people taking calcium supplements “even a small increase in incidence of cardiovascular disease could translate into a large burden of disease in the population.” They even go so far as to “suggest that a reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is warranted.”

That’s a huge admission of failure of the main treatment for osteoporosis—high dose calcium supplementation.

Now, if you are a regular reader of my blog, you’ve heard me say all this before. Most calcium supplements are only absorbed 4%-15% and the other 85%-96% deposits in various body parts. These deposits create gall stones, kidney stones, heel spurs, atherosclerotic calcium plaques and breast calcifications. It’s the calcium deposits that are the problem. If these supplements were 100% absorbed we wouldn’t need so much and there would be nothing left over to cause problems.

What will you do for your bones instead of taking calcium supplements? Here’s what I suggest:

1.) Eat calcium rich foods. If you go to whfoods.com you could research calcium-rich foods. Add up the amount you get in your diet.2.) Eat magnesium-rich foods and add up the amount you are eating on a daily basis. 

3.) Take twice as much magnesium as you do calcium.

4.) If you aren’t getting enough magnesium, take supplements. Magnesium differs from calcium because if it’s not absorbed the excess is eliminated through the bowels as a laxative effect.

5.) If you feel you need more calcium than you get in your diet, take an angstrom form of calcium to avoid the non-absorbed forms. Angstrom minerals are a bit smaller than a picometer…and that’s very small. You only have to take a small amount because these minerals are 100% absorbed.

6.) Check your vitamin D levels. Have your doctor use the 25(OH) D test. If your levels are not in the high normal range, get out in the sun for 20-30 minutes a day without sunscreen and take a few thousand IU’s of Vitamin D3 per day.

” I woke up this morning and had a healthy breakfast. Then I didn’t eat anything til lunch, when I had a turkey sandwich. I  then had a salad for dinner. Great right? I kept this up for 4 days and then it hit…. I BINGED!!!

Does this sound familiar? Diets are everywhere. Everyone you know for the most part is either on one right now or has been on some crazy fad diet in the recent past. And how is it working out for you or them?

Almost ALL diets will work for a while because they are simply causing us to pay attention to what we eat, abstain from all the sugars, sweets and carbs, and calorie count. But let’s face it, is this really the lifestyle we want forever? Is this just a quick fix or is it really going to stay off this time?

In a recent study done through the National Weight Control Registry, 95% of dieters regain their weight! It is becoming much more apparent that the question we should be asking is not, “how can I be successful at weight loss?” but rather, ” how can I be successful at maintaining the weight loss?”

Results of the NWCR suggest that establishing a dietary pattern that can be followed consistently throughout the week and year, not only promotes weight loss but weight maintenance. Very low calorie or low carb diets are difficult to maintain for long periods of time because of the physiological stresses they cause, such as dizziness, fatigue, hunger and weakness, as well as big mood swings. These diets often lead to binge eating and guilt.

Here are some tips and ideas for establishing a consistent dietary pattern.

• Distribute your calories throughout the day- This means getting 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day. If you eat every two to three hours, you will not have time to get very hungry-which will help you avoid binge eating.If you leave the house in the morning with nothing in hand or with no game plan for meals/snacks for the day, you are asking for big trouble!
• Balance your meals and snacks- Combining healthy carbs with protein and fat will help your body feel fuller longer, while still giving you plenty of energy. Some snack ideas include: string cheese and an apple, an ounce of almond or sunflower seeds with a small piece of fruit.
• Eat plenty of fruits and veggies(8-10 servings/day minimum)- I tell all my clients they can eat as much raw fruits and veggies as they would like! A diet high in colorful fruits and vegetables helps you meet your fiber needs and get your daily dose of phytochemicals and antioxidants.
• Learn to recognize your body’s natural hunger and fullness signals- If your stomach grumbling progresses into a headache, your body is telling you that you are excessively hungry/thirsty and need to eat and drink some water. Remember to eat slowly as to give your body time to make the calculation that food has arrived. Far too often we starve ourselves all day and then wolf down whatever we can so quickly the brain doesn’t have time to realize we are full and we end up feeling sick afterwards.

Some other strategies for losing and keeping it off would be:

Stay physically active- Enjoy at least 1 hour of moderate activity every day! Apart from aiding in weight loss it can help in stress reduction and better quality sleep.

EAT breakfast- So many people think that if they skip meals then they are also skipping out on those calories which should lead to fat loss. WRONG! Skipping meals can lead to a decrease in our metabolism. Breakfast is vital as we most likely are coming off  a  6-10 hour fast. Imagine trying to drive your car to work in the morning with no gas in it! I know DUH! But how many people skip this important refueling time.

Have a plan- As I mentioned before, if you know you will be attending an event with food, try and have a snack and some water before. This way you will eat less at the event. If you do have to eat on the go, consider heading into a grocery store instead of a fast food restaurant ( and all the temptation that comes when you step inside) and load up on some fruits and veggies. Also enlist friends and family as well as a food diary to help keep you accountable and on the ball.

Weight loss is no easy task and with all that is around us, at every turn, convenient, quick and cheap. We must arm ourselves and educate ourselves if we ever want to not only beat the battle of the bulge but keep it from ever coming back!

If you have any questions or would like more tips and advice for creating a healthy, balanced, realistic diet email me at linkfit@yahoo.com

                                                                                                                                       Women today deal with more stress and a whole different kind of stress than women 20 or even 10 years ago.

The pressures that come with the perfect body image, what to eat, juggling careers and the traditional responsibilities of womanhood and motherhood are enough to cause anyone big time stress. What is usually the first thing to fall to the wayside? Our health!

Whether it be women or men, we have got to get a handle on our stress levels if we want to be able to get our lives in order. 

If your mind and body are constantly on edge because of excessive stress in your life, you may face serious health problems. That’s because your body’s “fight-or-flight reaction” — its natural alarm system — is constantly on.

When you encounter perceived threats — a large dog barks at you during your morning walk, for instance — your hypothalamus, a tiny region at the base of your brain, sets off an alarm system in your body. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, located atop your kidneys, to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.

• Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies.
• Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain’s use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes.

This complex natural alarm system also communicates with regions of your brain that control mood, motivation and fear.

Stressful events are a fact of life. And you may not be able to change your current situation.

But you can take steps to manage the impact these events have on you. You can learn to identify what stresses you out, how to take control of some stress-inducing circumstances, and how to take care of yourself physically and emotionally in the face of stressful situations.

Stress management strategies may include:

• Exercise
• Relaxation techniques
• Fostering healthy friendships
• Getting plenty of sleep
• Professional counseling or psychotherapy

The payoff of managing stress is peace of mind and — perhaps — a longer, healthier life.