A Great Framework: Building Healthy Bones

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As humans, we all benefit from a decent amount of structure. The greatest example of a structure in us, as people, is our bones. We may not be able to see them, but like depression and other internal issues, we feel them, but they’re not necessarily seen. So, what is the best way to build healthy bones, especially as bone density tends to weaken as we get older?

Boost Your Calcium Consumption

Yes, it may be obvious, but while people think that calcium is all they need to build healthy bones, this is not the main solution! The key is to pair calcium with vitamin D, as well as other key nutrients, like magnesium. If you have a diet rich in leafy green vegetables this will be a big help, but if you are struggling to fight a losing battle with a bone condition like osteoporosis, you may want to supplement your healthy diet. You can look at the AlgaeCal reviews on Amazon and see that a lot of people who are fighting osteoporosis or osteopenia have a lot of praise for it. However, remember that supplements aren’t a cure just by itself. You need to make sure you have the adequate diet in place to get the benefits of a wide range of nutrients, like vitamin K as well as Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin.

Delve Into Your Family History

If you have any concerns about your bones, you may want to do some research into your family history to see if there are any issues in your immediate family, such as a parent or a sibling. If you have any close members of the family who have had osteoporosis, you are more likely to develop it yourself.

Start Exercising!

It appears to be the cure all for many health issues, and your bone health is one of those. If you start to integrate weight-bearing exercises into your workout routine, such as running, skiing, or jump rope, these have been shown to keep the bones strong. It's also beneficial to start resistance training, by doing weightlifting or starting at home with body weight exercises.

Cut Down On Your Vices

Yes, unfortunately all those things that we like to consume to excess aren’t particularly good for our bones. Not just nicotine and alcohol, but caffeine has a big impact on how our bodies can absorb calcium. So it's is recommended to cut back on your caffeine intake, but not give up on it entirely, just as long as you have more than your adequate share of calcium in your diet, not just from milk, but leafy vegetables.

Get Out In The Sunshine

As previously mentioned, vitamin D has a sufficient impact on our ability to absorb calcium. If there isn't much sunshine where you live, and you can't get the recommended 10 to 15 minutes in the sun three times a week, you can get your vitamin D intake through shrimp, sardines, egg yolks, or tuna.

 

Building our bones as a strong framework for our body is a priority. It's what will make us run faster and feel much more vibrant. So it's important for you to take control of your bone structure now.

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Want To Wow This Summer? Eat A Balanced Diet!

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Ladies love to look great every single day, but summer is the most important season on the calendar. When the temperature rises, the clothes come off and we tend to spend more time in social situations. So, when you are out with the girls baring more skin, it’s vital to be on top of your game. Plus, there is the beach to think about when you go on an inevitable summer vacation. For these reasons, women have wondered about the best way to wow. Well, The Kashonna Files can confirm it is all about your diet. If you are a non-believer, here are the reasons why. 

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

Nutrients Make Skin Glow

A balanced diet has a range of different nutrients, from L-lysine to cod liver oil and vitamins A to D. And, all of these elements have lots of benefits for a person’s skin. Why? It’s because they contain antioxidants which improve skin tone by reducing damage to the cells. Also, they keep skin less dry and moister, so there is less chance of an outbreak of spots. And, if that wasn’t enough, they can tackle conditions such as eczema and shingles. Studies show that butternut squash is the most powerful food to flatten bad skin.

And Thicken Hair

Don’t you get jealous when you see a woman on the street with luscious locks? Well, there is no need to anymore as the same nutrients that affect your skin work wonders on hair, too. It is mainly down to lysine as this is one of the amino acids which boost the production of keratin. Keratin, in general, is a skin protector as it limits the damage of external and internal factors, such as the cold and stress. Quite simply, it is the guardian of hair, so consuming more will increase volume. Methionine, Glycine and Proline are three other amino acids to implement into your diet for hair growth.

Weight Loss

It isn’t a secret, but it is worth remembering that a balanced diet helps to regulate body weight. Of course, losing a few pounds is always a good way to look and feel good, especially in the summer. To begin with, there is less reason to be anxious about because your body has fewer flaws. Also, there is the fact that losing weight is a health benefit. With less fat in your system, all of the bodily systems and functions are more effective. This can affect everything from skin to muscle tone and beyond.

Improves Mood

It’s easy to own the physical benefits, but the mental side of a balanced diet is very important, too. Let’s face it – everyone wants to enjoy the summer. The sun is out, so are the people, and everyone is having a good time. If you are not, it will affect your appearance. To begin with, you will seem as if you have a bee hive in your mouth, which isn’t attractive. Plus, a bad mental attitude can lead to stress.

 

And, the more you have in your system, the worse your body will look this summer.  

The Top 10 Minerals And Vitamins We're Not Getting Enough Of

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In a world where the focus on our health has dramatically shifted towards it, it’s hard to comprehend why we’re still not getting the vitamins and minerals that our body needs. Partly, we are not to blame; a change in how we grow our food, from the vegetables to the animals, has meant that some of the essentials are lost without us totally realizing it. Our need to eat foods which have been processed and our desire not to wait for meals (hello, drive thru!) has also lead towards a deficit.

So what are we actually missing out on - and how can we go about reversing this?

Magnesium

This inorganic mineral is responsible for a lot happening within your body. It helps conduct the structure of all of your bones, as well as being required for the synthesis of DNA. It can be found in green, leafy vegetables and legumes, so if you’re adding these to your diet then you should be getting your RDA in abundance. Some cereal brands have also started adding it to their product to ensure that you’re getting a healthy dose in the morning.

 

Sulfur

Once upon a time, when organic farmers were the norm and you would rely on your pet cow for both dairy products and the manure to spread on your crops, sulfur was a regular part of our diet. Nowadays, with the introduction of fast farming and a whole load of change to where our food is coming from, we aren’t getting as much as we need. Sulfur helps with disease resistance, increasing enzyme production within your body to fight off any unwanted illnesses. You can buy sulfur crystals to help your body get back right, or start tracing your food; knowing exactly where it comes from and the process used to create it is a good first step to take.

 

Fluoride

We are actually getting more access to fluoride than ever before, with certain water companies adding it to our regular flow so we don’t even notice that we’re getting it. However, a lot of people are purposely not ingesting it as it’s not an essential nutrient. It helps to protect against things like tooth decay, which can be a real concern later on in life. You don’t need a lot of it - too much fluoride is definitely a bad thing, but allowing a little into your water and toothpaste will really help with the condition of your teeth and bones.

Vitamin K

This is the vitamin that is most well-known for the effects that it has to the clotting of your blood. Our blood needs to be able to clot once we bleed, else we just won’t stop bleeding - it’s as simple as that. It works hand in hand with Vitamin D, and if you have been tested for deficiency in either Vitamin K or D, you will be deficient in the other one too. It is a fat-absorbed vitamin, so you need to be eating a good amount of fat in your diet to feel the benefits from it. If you have eradicated fat from your diet entirely, then there is a high chance that your body is operating on a deficit. Vitamin K is important for the prevention of such diseases as cancer and Alzheimer’s, as well as osteoporosis and diabetes. It is naturally occurring within green plants, so ensuring that your plate is full of them either at lunch or dinner time is a great way to go about getting more of this vital nutrient in your system.

 

Potassium

Potassium can be found in so many yummy foods that it’s actually harder to avoid it than it is to remind yourself to eat foods that contain it. If you have been experiencing things like dehydration, headaches and menstrual cramps that are hurting a bit more than they normally would, this can often be attributed to a lack of potassium within your diet. It is required to keep your vital organs functioning, so the more you can get, the better. It’s famously found in bananas, but the levels of potassium in this fruit compared to avocados, sweet potatoes and wild-caught salmon is considerably lower. That doesn’t mean that you should stop eating bananas, though - they’re a natural mood-booster as they help to release the dopamine hormone, giving you a buzz.

 

Sodium

More commonly known as salt, sodium is something that we need in our diet. However, too much of a good thing can turn into being bad for your body with this mineral. The more potassium that you take in, the more it will help with the breakup of sodium in your body. We do need a certain amount of salt to help our blood flow, as well as helping our nerves and muscles to work as they should. It can be easy to go overboard, as a lot of our food already contains the RDA for salt intake. If you know that you’re not getting as much as you need, the symptoms can be quite clear; you may just be having headaches, but more severe cases can see a drastic reduction in the stability of your mental health, as well as seizures.

Vitamin C

A lack of Vitamin C can cause a condition called scurvy to occur; typically associated with 18th century sailors which resulted in bleeding gums, intense bruising and blood spots appearing on the skin, it had appeared to have been completely eradicated … until cases were reported in Australia last year. Our diets are lacking in the fruits - such as oranges - which are big providers of this natural disease-fighter.  We definitely need to be trying to get it into our systems as much as we can.

 

Iron

Iron deficiency anemia is unfortunately on the rise currently due to poor diets. This means that your body isn’t producing as many blood cells as it should. The result of this is that those who are suffering from a lack of iron are more prone to become fatigued quickly, becoming pale in complexion and having an increase of headaches. The less common symptoms include a desire to eat non-food items such as paper or clay; this is due to your body reacting in a way to get you to ingest more iron from any means possible. There are certain tablets that you can take for it (especially within pregnancy, where you may be prescribed medication by your doctor), as well as drink supplements that contain a good amount to get you back to rights.

 

B Vitamins

There’s no such thing as Vitamin B - just a whole host of vitamins that fit under the umbrella! Each one plays a very important role, mainly centered around the nervous system and the functions of the skin. Folic acid counts as a B vitamin, which pregnant women are recommended to take to help with the development of their baby. These vitamins can be found in everyday foods like dairy and cereals.

 

Vitamin E

Not much is spoken about Vitamin E, but it’s still an essential for your body. You don’t need to eat it every day, as your body is clever enough to store it for the future on the days that you have ingested a lot. It can be found in foods such as seeds and nuts, so snacking on these throughout the day can really help to boost your Vit E levels. It helps to keep your eyes and skin healthy, as well as teaming up with the other vitamins to help fight against diseases - so what’s not to love?

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Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: Preventing Health Problems As You Get Older

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It’s very important as you get older to make sure you have all the relevant health checks. With things like diseases becoming more and more common as you get older, you need to be sure that you are keeping on top of everything when it comes to your health. Going to the doctor is never a good thing, even if you are feeling 100% well, so why don't you try and prevent this by giving yourself a health MOT. Regardless of how old you are, we need to always be keeping an eye on our health, whether you are 19 or 90, and especially if you are in your mid-20s, it's now time to start thinking seriously about how healthy you actually are. Have you noticed your hangovers getting a bit worse these days? It is all part of getting older! But not to worry, here are some basics you need to think about.

 

Your Eyes and Ears

While we may wear glasses already, it doesn't hurt to check if your eyes are functioning properly, and it is worth having an eye test on a regular basis, preferably once a year. Going to your local eye doctors on a regular basis can make sure that you prevent certain eye ailments like glaucoma or any other inflammation. It is also worth having a hearing test, especially if you go to many gigs in the meantime! There is a lot of research into the devastating effect of earphones on hearing loss at a young age, which can bring on hearing problems like tinnitus before the age of 30. So, if you see Metallica on a regular basis, or go to many silent discos, start to shield your ears from the loud noise!

 

Your Skin

Keeping an eye on your skin as you get older is something that we tend to overlook for the most part. For example, if you have cracks at the corner of your mouth this may indicate a lack of vitamin B2, and any bruising may be a sign of a lack of Vitamin C or any other nutrients that can affect your blood’s ability to clot. It is also worth keeping an eye out for any changes in your skin tags or moles that do not disappear after a few weeks. Also, as we get older, we may find ourselves intolerant to more foods such as gluten. Have you noticed that your skin is a lot itchier than normal? This could be a sign of a gluten intolerance.

 

Your Digestion

Back onto gluten intolerance, if you find that you bloat very easily, this could be another sign. Other symptoms that could be digestive issues can be tiredness, weight loss that is unexplained or pains in your stomach. If you have any of these, it may be worth checking with a dietitian, especially if the symptoms persist.

 

While these are only a handful of issues that can occur, it is better to be aware of what they are before they become incredibly serious. Prevention is better than cure, so start to prevent them now so you can become a better you.

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