• Bone health  
• Calcium Supplements  
• Comfrey

This months therapy is  Hopi Ear Candling

Make Your Own Skincare  
Sunday 18th April

Indian Head Massage
Sunday 6th June

Skeletal Health

In an average lifetime each of us will walk the equivalent of twice around the world. Fortunately, on our long journey through life, there are lots of practical steps we can take to look after our hardworking bones!

About Bones
Our skeletons journey begins very early in life, starting to develop just four weeks after conception. From those tiny beginnings our bones grow rapidly throughout infancy, childhood and the teenage years, laying down 150mg of calcium per day until adulthood when the average person contains 2-3lb of calcium, 99% of which is found in the bones and teeth. In terms of bone density we reach our peak around age 30, and after that density slowly decreases, with a more dramatic loss for women immediately after the menopause.

While our genes determine the potential height and strength of our skeleton, lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can influence how healthy bones are and the speed at which they repair themselves. Unfortunately our modern lifestyle seems to be something of a bone of contention for our skeletons; studies of 18th century human remains reveal skeletons then were stronger and had better density than skeletons today...so it seems people really were made of tougher stuff in the old days!

The good news is we can counter our modern tendency to delicate bones by following a good old fashioned healthy lifestyle of nutritious natural whole foods and regular activity as an effective way to delay the onset of osteoporosis, and to slow the rate at which bones become fragile.

Essential Bone Nutrients
Calcium is the most essential and abundant mineral in our body.  It plays a vital role in the formation of bones and teeth, and it also regulates muscle contraction, including the heartbeat, and ensures blood clots normally.

Magnesium is just as important as calcium, and around 70% of our body's magnesium is found in the bones and teeth. It helps in metabolising calcium and vitamin C and helps to convert vitamin D to the active form necessary to ensure that calcium is efficiently absorbed by our body.

 Many other nutrients are equally crucial for healthy bones, and these include vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and boron. A healthy diet can provide what we need for a good foundation for healthy bones and regular exposure of our skin to sunlight also enables the body to utilise vitamin D from our diet.

Shake a Leg
Regular exercise (both weight bearing and resistance) helps keep our bones in tip-top condition, for example walking, running, football, skipping, dancing, and aerobics. Outdoor walking/running is excellent for topping up on exercise and vitamin D all in one go. And for gym-goers the good news is that using weight equipment (which is a form of resistance exercise) not only helps to achieve a more shapely physique but strengthens bones too, through the action of the tendons pulling on the bones.

Bad to the Bone
Alcohol and smoking are two of our skeleton's arch enemies. Alcohol interferes with the body's ability to absorb calcium, while smoking reduces bone density and impairs healing after surgery or injury. (Statistics show that female smokers have a 50% higher risk of developing osteoporosis than non-smokers).Other baddies to watch out for are excessive amounts of salt, sugar, red meat, trans/hydrogenated fats, carbonated drinks, bran, processed foods and caffeine, all of which can interfere with nutrient assimilation and proper functioning of our bones.

Diet
A healthy diet is our skeletons best ally, providing essential nutrients for growth and repair. You can help look after your skeleton by making sure your diet includes plenty of:

• Calcium: sources include dairy products, eggs, small bony fish such as sardines, soya products, most nuts, fortified cereals and leafy green vegetables, especially broccoli. (Effective absorption of calcium from the food we eat is dependent on the presence of both strong stomach acid and vitamin D.) Calcium-rich herbs can also be used as a seasoning in food or taken as a tea. These include parsley, dandelion leaves, nettles, kelp and horsetail.
• Magnesium: sources include green vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, milk, eggs, and sea-foods.
• Vitamin D: sources include eggs, oily fish, butter, cheese, and cod liver oil. Regular exposure to sunlight helps to avoid low Vitamin D.
• Boron: sources include alfalfa, kelp, cabbage and leafy greens.
• Vitamin C: sources include many fruit and vegetables, especially peppers, broccoli, sprouts, sweet potatoes, oranges and kiwi fruit.
• Zinc: sources include meat, shellfish, milk and dairy foods such as cheese, bread, and cereal products such as wheatgerm.
  
  If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have an undiagnosed condition we generally recommend seeing a herbalist or your GP for a diagnosis prior to taking herbs or supplements.