Herbs and Vegetables for Healthy Bones
The essentials for healthy living bones; exercise, herbs and vegetables. Besides mineral supplementation there are a number of safe herbs and vegetables you can lean on for added mineral support. Herbs: One of my favorite herb is nettle, in fact it is a favorite among most herbalists, simply because it safe for most everyone and makes a great tonic. Nettle is a common spring herb which grows along streams, at the edge of the woods and along yards and fence lines. Come spring time you won’t have to look far to find it, but be careful because it stings. So if you do want to harvest fresh nettles for tea and soup wear gloves. Once dried nettle loses it sting but retains its rich minerals. One of the most popular ways to take nettle and other mineral rich herbs is via a water decoction, a tea. To really get the most from the herbs steep the tea overnight. Extended steep time allows a full and thorough mineral extraction. A simple formula for mineral rich herb tea is to use 2 heaping tablespoons worth of dried herbs for each liter of water. Pour hot water over your herbs, cover and let sit overnight, you may reheat the tea or drink it cold. Besides nettle other mineral rich herbs which make a tasty tea include; oat-straw, dandelion root, burdock root and alfalfa. These herbs are know to be gentle and safe. When you make your tea consider adding either peppermint, lemon verbena or spearmint for flavor. Vegetables: Out of all the vegetables available the most nutrient-dense are the sea vegetables. They are full of macro and trace minerals. The most readily available sea vegetables include, kelp, dulse, wakamea, hydrilla verticalla and sea palm. My two favorite land vegetables for bone health are kale and collard greens. These hearty leafy greens are an excellent source of calcium, chlorophyl and other minerals. Kale and Collard greens were once after thoughts but now you can find them just about any where. Kale chips have made inroads everywhere and are now available in conventional supermarkets. You don’t need to look far to find good sources of calcium. But one thing you do need to be aware of is limiting foods and beverages which create an acidic body environment (to find out more, read our blog post The Importance of Alkalizing your Body). This is because it takes alkaline minerals like calcium to neutralize acids in the body. You want to insure your calcium is not being diverted away from bone building to acid neutralization. Exercise: Last but certainly not least, exercise, a vital component to building strong bones. On top of proper nutrition including the right amount and types of exercise is vital to keeping bones healthy. Physical activity tones bone and muscle, and strong muscles minimize the risk of bone-shattering falls. New bone formation and growth requires that the exercise stress the bone. Simple weight-bearing exercises which stress the bone are walking, jogging, jumping rope, climbing stairs. Also consider adding strength-training exercises such as lifting weights or other forms of exercise that offer resistance. For greater equilibrium consider engaging in a yoga or tai chi practice. These simple forms of exercise are known to improve balance and improved balance can lead to fewer falls. If trying to eat the right amount of herbs, sea veggies and land veggies seems like too much, and keep you body alkaline . . . Then consider an All in One supplement like Vitamineral Greens. Its ingredient list is a through . . . From the Land • Nettle Leaf • Shavegrass (Horsetail) • Alfalfa Leaf Juice • Dandelion Leaf Juice • Barley Grass Juice • Oat Grass Juice • Barley Grass • Wheat Grass • American Basil • Holy Basil/Tulsi • Moringa Leaf • Yacon Leaf • Nopal Cactus • Chickweed • Ginger Root • Broccoli Juice • Kale Juice • Spinach Juice • Parsley Juice • Carob Pod • Amla Berry From the Waters • Spirulina • Chlorella From the Oceans • Icelandic Kelp • Dulse • Nori • Alaria • Bladderwrack There you have it. Healthy bones can be easy to build and maintain . . .