|
|
Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter July 1, 2002 Issue Vol. 2 No. 10 In This Newsletter Introduction Healthfully yours Health Hints Introduction*** The Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter is written bi-weekly, sole for information to help seniors, baby boomers and anyone who may have an interest in staying healthy, living a vigorous, active lifestyle and combating the aging process. The newsletter also includes know-how in the form of useful tips and links to more extensive material on the Internet. It is not meant to prescribe treatments for any particular condition except as something that the individual may wish to discuss with their healthcare professional. Website: http://www.doctorsexercise.com How to subscribe: Click Newsletter on left menu at website for more info and to subscribe or browse directly to: http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/dsenews E-Mail address: newsletter@doctorsexercise.com The Doctor’s Senior Exercise Newsletter strives to give you the best available news that we hope will help you in your efforts to maintain a vigorous, pain-free and happy lifestyle. However, you should always seek advice from your healthcare professional before trying any new treatments that you feel may help you. Discussing your intentions with your doctor is always the proper procedure. Healthfully Yours*** DEGENERATIVE DISEASE Degenerative diseases are very prevalent and almost a way of life for a majority of seniors. Two such common diseases linked to the degenerative and autoimmune process are, osteoporosis and arthritis. There are many contributing factors as to the cause of degenerative and autoimmune diseases. Why our body cells react to certain chemical stimuli can perhaps be linked to evolution. Man evolved from an ocean environment, which is alkaline in nature. Coming from this ocean environment has programmed the cells of our body to also be alkaline at a pH level between 7.1 and 7.3 (7.0 being neutral). Normal function is best at these levels. The cells of an individual with a degenerative or autoimmune disease are very often linked to the bodies over acidity. This condition is known as “Chronic Acidosis”, which is the contributing factor in all-degenerative and autoimmune diseases. Most bodily chemical reactions necessary to maintain normal life functions, and there are literally thousands, must occur within the narrow pH range of 7.1 to 7.3 as mentioned above. When this range is over the normal level, the body becomes acidic. It is when the condition of acidosis occurs, the body cells will develop a free radical state and it is this free radical state that is destructive to the cells. As this process is allowed to continue without intervention, the development of degenerative diseases will occur, and is highly dependent on our diet. The expression “you are what you eat” has more meaning than you can realize. As you can see, the body works best in an alkaline state. Keeping the body in an alkaline state is the ideal situation. The average American Diet will fall into the acidic range and tends to neglect the alkaline diet range. As this occurs the body will leech the alkaline reserves, such as calcium, magnesium and manganese from the bones and muscles. If the leeching of these minerals is allowed to continue, osteoporosis, arthritis and other autoimmune diseases will occur. What then can the individual in this acidic state do to counteract this free radical destruction? Read the Health Hints below for the best way to stop this insidious destruction to our bodies. Health Hints*** You should know that most fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming. Most meats and refined carbohydrates are acid forming. Carbonated soft drinks are also acid forming. Most people have been or are on some type of. Diet in their lifetime. What they don’t realize is that each of us is different biochemically speaking, and that our needs are vastly different from one individual to another. Because of this it stands to reason that one diet will not fit all. Knowing what you have just learned about maintaining the pH level of the body to maintain optimum health in preventing disabling degenerative diseases, it will be up to the individual to find a happy medium in their diets. You need to choose foods that have the highest concentrations of calcium and magnesium. Calcium will help build bone mass and maintain healthy teeth. It also promotes nerve function and strengthens heart muscle. It activates the enzymes that give the body its energy. Above all it will prevent the body from leeching the calcium in bones, thus preventing osteoporosis. Excellent sources of calcium can be found in: Green leafy vegetables, milk, buttermilk, yogurt, and other dairy products. Sardines are also an excellent source of calcium. Magnesium is another needed mineral to promote the growth of bone. It too, will activate enzymes that release energy in the body and helps build cells and genetic material. Good sources for magnesium can be found in: Green leafy vegetables, whole grain cereals, nuts, and breads. Scallops and oysters are also an excellent source of magnesium. Magnesium is an often-overlooked mineral and is not given the respect that it is due in our diets. Most of us find it difficult to incorporate the needed 5 servings of vegetables in our daily diet. If we are fortunate enough to get the full daily requirement, the chances are we will not be getting the needed vitamins and minerals. This most likely will be due to how the vegetables are prepared. A good part of the nutrients are lost in the preparation, the vegetables may not be fresh, and a good part of the nutrients lowered in the farming procedures. Another important factor is the decrease in metabolism, as we grow older. This decrease in metabolism reduces the vitamins and minerals that the body absorbs. These much needed nutrients can cause the body to go into a state of acidosis that will result in the leeching of the necessary vitamins and minerals from the bony structures. Because of this undernourishment of the needed vitamins and minerals, it is important that we supplement our diets with additional vitamins and minerals so that we get our full daily requirements. Calcium 1200 mgs should be taken up to age 70. Over age 70 1600 mgs should be the daily dosage. In addition to the calcium, 400 mgs of vitamin D is needed to aide in the absorption of the calcium. Osteoporosis is generally thought to be a female problem, which is not true. Men can be as prone to osteoporosis as women and need to observe the daily requirements as specified above. Magnesium, the forgotten mineral is a must and should be taken according to the condition of the body’s skeletal structure. Normally, 30 mgs will be sufficient, but can be taken up to 200mgs if the body reveals a higher requirement. This requirement can only be checked with a blood test to determine if the blood magnesium is high or low. If it is found to be low the milligrams of magnesium taken should be increased. You can learn more at: www.doctorsexercise.com . In the Doctor’s Journal you can read the article on Vitamins And Minerals and the article on Nutrition. More nutritional information can be found in the Products Section…and see The Factor Series. Doc Cane Copyright, Disclaimer, and Trademark information
Copyrightã 1997-2002 Emanuel M.
Cane. All rights reserved. Except stated below, this material or parts
thereof may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed by
any means whatsoever without explicit, written permission from the author. |
