HEALTHY BONES, HAIR, SKIN AND NAILS

Bone Health

Good bones require a good supplements, the correct exercises and a healthy diet. 

Products for Bone Health

JARROW’S BONE-UP   Take 3 capsules 2 X day with meals.

BONE-UP provides ossein hydroxyapatite complex (OHC) (from free-range Australian/New Zealand calves), which includes the superior combination of the inorganic calcium lattice of microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (MCHA) within an organic protein milieu rich in naturally occurring growth factors. The OHC is combined with vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 as MK-7 (a more bio-available form of vitamin K) to support the deposition of calcium into the bones as well as to assist in building up the organic bone matrix.  Potassium citrate is also added for optimal osteo support.

Adequate calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthful diet, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. For best results, use with Jarrow’s JarroSil, the biologically Activated Silicon.   Talk with your doctor is you are using a prescription blood thinner before using this product.

Or 

JARROW’S VEGAN BONE-UP   Take 3 Tablets 2 X day with meals.  Easy-Solv tablets dissolve within minutes of entering the stomach.

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN Bone-Up provides calcium citrate, a vegetarian/vegan source of the essential mineral calcium and a form that has demonstrated superior absorption. Also, VEGETARIAN/VEGAN Bone-Up® is formulated with vitamin K2 as MK-7 (a more bio-available form of vitamin K) and vitamin D2 to support the deposition of calcium into the bones as well as to assist in building up the organic bone matrix. Potassium citrate is also added for optimal osteo support.

Adequate calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthful diet, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. For best results, use with Jarrow FORMULAS® JarroSil, the biologically Activated Silicon.  Talk with your doctor is you are using a prescription blood thinner before using this product.

JARROW’S JarroSil   Take 10 drops per day; mix into 4 to 8 ounces water or juice and drink promptly.

 JarroSil is a synergistic formulation of highly bio-available silicon. A patent pending Activated Silicon™ formula, JarroSil contains stabilized molecular clusters of silicic acid, which provide a biologically active form of silicon upon dissolution into liquids. JarroSil’s Activated Silicon improves the strength and elasticity of collagen by stimulating collagen production. Stronger collagen means healthier, more elastic skin, and fewer and shallower wrinkles.

The outer shaft of hair is rich in silicon. Adequate silicon helps hair grow thicker and stronger.

Supplementation with JarroSil also strengthens weak, brittle nails associated with an inadequate silicon intake.

JarroSil strengthens bones, joints & collagen.

Silicon plays an important role in bone calcification, including during the growth of new bone. Bone building cells (osteoblasts) start by constructing a connective tissue matrix. When this is done, the osteoblasts switch their function and begin to fill in this matrix with minerals. This process requires silicon.

JarroSil is an essential partner of calcium for bones, glucosamine for joints and antioxidants for supple and healthy arteries.

Jarrow’s Vitamin D3- Vitamin D3 is essential for bone health as well as helping to strengthen your immune system.  There is a blood test your MD can do to determine how much you need.  There is 1,000 IUs in the Bone Up formula.

Homeopathic Cell Salts for Bone Health

Calc fluor 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt is found in the surface of bones and teeth.  It helps to tighten the elastic fibers around joints.

Calc phos 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt is found in the interior of the bones and teeth.  It is the main bone builder.

These salts do not replace Calcium in the body but rather they help the Calcium you take to be utilized by the body in the proper way.

Diet

A healthy diet is essential for strong bones.  Acidic foods like sugar, sodas, coffee, black tea, alcohol and an excess of meat and dairy will require the body to pull calcium from  the bones to maintain a slightly alkaline environment in the body.

Some of the foods that are rich in calcium are dark leafy green vegetables (chard, mustard greens and especially kale), broccoli, oats, prunes, sesame seeds, tofu, brewer’s yeast, blackstrap molasses and beans,   Herb teas and herbs rich in calcium include alfalfa, burdock root, chamomile, chicory, dandelion, fennel seed, hops, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaves, red clover and yellow dock.  Calcium should not be taken with calcium binders such as iron, zinc and spinach, beet greens, almonds, cashews, and soybeans which contain oxalic acid.  The binding of calcium with oxalic acid can eventually cause the formation of kidney stones.

Exercise

Exercise is essential to help the body take the calcium into the bones.  Walking 5 days a week is adequate.

Carla Kazimir, PT talked about building bones with exercise and proper posture.  The following is an article she went over with the group.

Osteoporosis Prevention Exercises

At any age, exercise is essential for maintaining healthy bones.If you exercised regularly as a child and young adult, you probably helped maximize your bone production, most of which occurs by age 35.  If you continued to exercise into middle age and beyond, you probably helped reduce your risk of developing the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.

But it's never too late to start a bone-healthy exercise, even if you already have osteoporosis or are at high risk of developing osteoporosis.

Although people with osteoporosis may believe that exercise increases the risk of injury from broken bones, the truth is quite the opposite. A regular, properly designed exercise program may actually help prevent the falls and fall-related fractures that so often result in disability and premature death. That's because exercise strengthens bones and muscles, and improves balance, coordination, and flexibility, which is especially important for older adults and people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the best exercises for building and maintaining bone density are:

• Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, that makes you work against gravity while staying upright.
• Muscle-strengthening exercise, such as weight lifting, that makes you work against gravity in a standing, sitting, or prone position.

Non-impact activities such as balance, functional, and posture exercises also may benefit people with osteoporosis. Although these exercises don't build or maintain bone density, they may increase muscle strength and decrease the risk of falls and fractures.

Medical Evaluation Is Key

If you have osteoporosis or are at risk of osteoporosis, most experts believe that supervised weight-bearing exercise and strength training exercise is safe and effective. Studies of postmenopausal women report that aerobic, weight-bearing, and strength training exercise can increase bone mineral density in the spine, and that a simple walking program can increase bone mineral density in the spine and hip.

Before beginning any exercise program, it's important to undergo a thorough medical examination to determine which activities are safe for you.

There is no single exercise regimen that's best for everyone with osteoporosis. Each regimen should be specifically tailored to the individual patient based on a medical evaluation of:

• fracture risk
• muscle strength
• range of motion
• level of physical activity
• fitness
• gait
• balance

During the evaluation, your doctor also will consider any other chronic conditions that can affect your ability to exercise, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. If you're at risk for osteoporotic fracture, the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that your doctor refer you to a specially trained physical therapist for a through physical assessment and exercise prescriptions that focus on body mechanics and posture, balance, gait and transfer training, resistance weights, and progressive aerobic activities.

Weight-Bearing Exercises for Osteoporosis

If your doctor determines that it's not safe for you to perform high-impact weight-bearing exercises, he or she may recommend low-impact weight-bearing exercises that are less likely to cause fractures and also build and maintain bone density. These include:

• elliptical training machines
• low-impact aerobics
• stair-step machines
• walking (either outside or on a treadmill machine)

If you're new to exercise, or haven't exercised for awhile, you should aim to gradually increase your level of weight-bearing exercise to 30 minutes per day on most days of the week.

Muscle-Strengthening Exercises for Osteoporosis

Programs that maintain muscular strength can slow the loss of bone mineral density associated with osteoporosis, and may help prevent fall-related fractures. Examples of muscle-strengthening exercises include functional movements such as standing and rising on your toes, lifting your own body weight, and the use of equipment such as:

• elastic exercise bands
• free weights
• weight machines

Experts recommend performing strength-training exercises two to three days per week.

Non-impact Activities for Osteoporosis

Certain non-impact activities can improve your coordination, flexibility, and muscle strength and reduce your risk of falls and fractures while increasing your mobility and overall quality of life.

Balance exercises such as Tai Chi can strengthen your leg muscles, and help you stay steadier on your feet. Posture exercises can improve your carriage, reduce the "sloping" shoulders associated with osteoporosis, and decrease your risk of fractures, especially in the spine. Functional exercises can improve your ability to perform everyday activities such as getting in and out of bed and chairs, and climbing stairs.

Balance, posture, and functional exercises can be performed daily.

Non-impact programs such as yoga and Pilates can improve strength, balance, and flexibility in people with osteoporosis. But some of the movements associated with these programs -- including forward-bending exercises -- can increase the risk of fracture. If you're interested in such programs, ask your physical therapist to tell you which movements are most likely to be beneficial or harmful.

Although exercise can benefit almost everyone with osteoporosis, it's important to remember that it's only one component of an overall treatment program. Other essential lifestyle recommendations include a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, maintaining a normal body weight, and avoiding tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption. You also may require osteoporosis medications to either build or maintain bone density. By working with your doctor, you can develop an osteoporosis treatment program that's right for you.

This article was taken from WebMD, Osteoporosis and Exercise online.

SKIN/HAIR/NAILS

Source Naturals Hyaluronic Acid- provides the fluid matrix for joint lubricatin, skin hydration and skin repair.  Take 1 softgel 2 X day.

Jarrow’s EPS- probiotics strengthen the skin’s barrier function and help the skin hang on to moisture.  The cosmetic companies are developing skin products with live cultures of probiotics at this time.  These benefits explain why anti-bacterial soaps should not be used on a regular basis.

JarroSil- see above, under Bones.

Futurebiotics- Hair, Skin and Nails is a nutritional supplement.

Essential Fatty Acids are essential for healthy skin.

Skin is the largest organ in the human body and is often the first visual indicator of an essential fatty acid deficiency.  EPA and DHA – the omega 2 essential fatty acids in fish oil- and GLA- the essential fatty acid found in borage oil and evening primrose oil- are crucial nutrients for skin health and function.  These essential fatty acids (EFAs) reside in the membranes that surround skin cells, where they regulate a large number of cellular processes that directly impact skin health.

The research-backed benefits of fish oil + GLA include:
Nourishes skin, hair and nails.
Protects against age-related damage.
Supports the body's natural anti-inflammatory response.
Hydrates skin by retaining natural moisture.
Protects against free radicals.
Stimulates production of healthy skin cells.
Supports a clear and healthy complexion.
Is natural and safe for long-term use.
                                   
Nordic Naturals’ Complete Omega- 3-6-9

Complete Omega 3-6-9 is a high potency formula that delivers full-spectrum omega essential fatty acid support by blending the omega 3s EPA and DHA from cold water fish with GLA from borage oil.  GLA is a beneficial omega-6 fatty acid that supports the body’s natural anti-inflammatory response, enhances hormonal balance, promotes a “feel good” effect and improves mood.  Research shows that the benefits of GLA greatly increase when taken with the omega 3s EPA and DHA.

UDO’s CHOICE - UDO’s Oil DHA 3-6-9 Blend

A vegetarian version of the above.  It contains flax seed oil, sunflower seed oil, sesame seed oil, evening primrose oil, algae oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, soy lecithin, rosemary leaves extract (as a preservative), oat germ and bran oil.  

Cell Salts

Calc phos 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water. Used for wrinkled and withered skin.

Calc sulph 6X  Take (4) 2 X day in water.  Builds skin cells.  It heals wounds.  It helps with liver spots.

Kali phos 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water.  Used with Calc phos for wrinkled and withered skin.

Kali sulph 6X   Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt is needed in the formation of new skin growth.  It works with Ferr phos 6X to help blood carry oxygen to the cells.  It helps unplug and clean the pores.  It lubricates the skin.  It helps with liver spots.

Nat mur 6X     Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt balances the fluids in the body.  It is used for dry skin, dry mucus membranes and thinning hair. 
 

Silicea 6X       Take (4) 2 X day in water.  This salt helps any type of nail problem.  It is also used for alopecia and hair loss with Nat mur.

Several cell salts can be combined in water to assist you with various imbalances.  Put (4) of each in a liter of water.  Let sit for a couple of minutes and then give the liter bottle a quick bang or two on your palm or the table.  Just drink through the day.  When you refill your water bottle add more cell salts.

If you would like to learn more about Cell Salts a good, “user-friendly” book  is Natural Healing with Cell Salts by Dr. Skye Weintraub.  You can order this and several other books on cell salts at the link to the right of this page.