Dr. Laura Anderson NDNaturopathic Doctor
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A Closer Look at Bone Health; it’s More Than Just Taking Calcium

12/13/2017

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 (this blog is also featured on CanPrev's Blog)

Bone tissue is very dynamic because it is constantly being remodelled by dissolving and replacing minerals to keep the bones healthy. Osteoporosis is a disease where the bone is dissolving and losing minerals faster than it can be replaced making the bones hollow, porous and very susceptible to fractures.

It is common knowledge that calcium and vitamin D3 are needed for increasing bone health, both of which are fairly prevalent in North American diets. Yet magnesium, boron, zinc, vitamin K1 and K2 are equally important in proper bone maintenance to make sure calcium is directed to the bones and not deposited elsewhere in the body such as the heart. Can Prev’s Osteo Prolong and Vitamin D3/K2 are formulated with these nutrients so they work together synergistically in absorbable forms to help maintain bone health but also muscles, teeth and skin.

The pH balance in the body is another factor important to bone health that is not usually addressed or well known. The reason this is important is that the blood needs to stay at the pH level of  7.0-7.4. This is a very tightly regulated system in the body so if the body is undergoing an acidic state (i.e. smoking, stress, nutrient poor diet, and pharmaceuticals etc), the body will draw from the bones to get the minerals needed that are alkaline in nature. The alkaline nutrients that are helping to buffer the blood are calcium, potassium and magnesium, the very nutrients we want to stay in our bones!

Can Prev’s pH Pro is a formula containing sodium bicarbonate, spirulina, magnesium bicarbonate and potassium, all nutrients that are alkaline to decrease acidity and keep those precious nutrients in the bones. In each bottle of CanPrev pH Pro there are pH test strips so you can check your pH using urine or saliva. If you tend to be acidic, then start increasing your alkalinity by taking 1 or 2 caps of this formula.

The prevention of osteoporosis actually begins in childhood and adolescence to gain as much bone density as possible by the age of 20 - 30 and then to maintain that density for the rest of adulthood. Having a youth’s diet full of healthful nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, K1 and K2 and zinc from a varied diet are essential in providing the building blocks for the bones to grow and be maintained.

Beverages such as soft drinks and energy drinks are popular among youth should be limited. They contain both phopsphoric acid and caffeine which increase the amount of calcium lost from the bones. Caffeine causes about 6 mg of calcium to be lost for every 100mg of caffeine ingested. About 2 cups or a 16 oz of coffee contain 320 mg of caffeine which can leach about 20 mg of calcium from your body.

Processed foods are usually very high in  salt, which is another substance that should be limited because every 2.3g of salt consumed about 40 mg of calcium is lost in the urine.


In adulthood multiple factors start to add up that can deplete bone minerals such physical inactivity, smoking, stress, alcohol, recreational drugs, increase of salt, caffeine and sugar,  pharmaceutical drugs such as corticosteroids and proton pump inhibitors and hormonal changes in women.

Even pregnancy can leave the female depleted in many nutrients, as the requirement for calcium is very high due to the developing skeletal frame and formation of teeth, thus taking Can Prev’s Prenatal Multi ensures that the mother is receiving the therapeutic amounts of bioavailable calcium and vitamin D3 for the baby.  

Taking Can Prev’s Osteo Prolong and Can Prev’s Vitamin D3/K2  are easy additions for those at risk for osteoporosis.  Can Prev’s Adult Multi and Can Prev Core for Women or Can Prev Core for Men are also important to add in to help balance out the unfavourable bone loss health lifestyle factors that may be occuring.

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Five Natural Therapies to Lower Your Blood Pressure

12/6/2017

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(this blog is also published over on the CanPrev Blog, check it out!)

Holiday season is here, the days are filled with the hustle and bustle to get organized, presents purchased, house cleaned, food prepped, dinner parties to attend and orchestrating who will host dinner on Christmas Day. Do you feel your blood pressure rising thinking about this? Well, that’s the thing, you cannot feel your blood pressure rise which is why high blood pressure, or hypertension, is notoriously called the silent killer.

Hypertension is thought to affect more than 1 in 5 Canadians which means many people are on blood pressure medication. Sometimes, blood pressure is well controlled on these medications, other times it may need extra support for lowering and many want to prevent hypertension from occurring.

Luckily, there are many natural substances and therapies to lower your blood pressure naturally and also benefitting the body in numerous other ways than solely just lowering blood pressure.

Here are the top 5 natural therapies to lower blood pressure:

1.Magnesium
Magnesium is one of the best minerals to supplement with if you have high blood pressure and can quickly relax the blood vessels. It is a mineral that many of people are depleted in and is required for over 300 biochemical reactions. Can Prev’s Magnesium + Taurine, B6 and Zinc was specifically formulated to help with proper cardiovascular function.


2. Water
Water is vital for any living organism, yet, so under utilized as a therapy for health concerns.  It is one of the most cost effective natural therapies to help almost all of your physiological systems function optimally. Dehydration can cause the release of a hormone called vasopressin which is telling the body to release more water but this hormone will constrict the blood vessels thus increasing blood pressure.


3. CoQ10:
Co enzyme Q10  is a vitamin-like component that is important for energy production in each cell’s mitochondria, which functions like the cell’s own engine. CoQ10 is found in organs that have large energy needs like the heart, so a deficiency in CoQ10 is going to affect the heart first. Now, statin drugs (cholesterol lowering medications) can inhibit CoQ10 to work properly and after the age of 30 your body is less able to metabolize coQ10 on it’s own. Therefore, taking Can Prev’s Ubiquinol; the active form of CoQ10, is superior for absorption and therapeutic benefits for cardiovascular health while reducing high blood pressure.

4.Exercise, Meditation and Relaxation Methods:
Similar to water, exercise, meditation or other relaxation methods are very under utilized but extremely effective therapies to help lower your blood pressure. As these activities help to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which dilates the blood vessels to release heat, slows heart rate down and induce that ‘rest and digest’ state that allow our bodies to switch into a restful and calm mode.


5. Diet:
There are certains foods that you can incorporate daily to give your body the nutrients that helps specifically with lowering high blood pressure.
  1. Three celery stalks, six prunes and avocados provide magnesium and potassium
  2. Half of a cup of beet juice has inorganic nitrates release nitric oxide which allows for the blood vessels to relax
  3. Half of a cup of pomegranate juice contains natural ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzymes) inhibiting properties that allow the blood vessels to relax; and ACE inhibitors are a class of pharmaceutical drugs to lower blood pressure
  4. Half of a raw onions or 1 to 4 cloves of garlic contain quercetin that acts a natural anti-hypertensive
  5. Two tablespoons of raw extra virgin olive oil have potent antioxidants that are protective of LDL and HDL cholesterol that lower plaque buildup and reduce narrowing of the blood vessels.

  More specifically:
  • 3 celery stalks: fiber, magnesium and potassium
  • ½ cup of beet juice; inorganic nitrates release nitric oxide which allows for the blood vessels to relax
  • ½ cup of pomegranate juice: contains natural ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzymes) inhibiting properties that allow the blood vessels to relax; and ACE inhibitors are a class of pharmaceutical drugs to lower blood pressure
  • ½ tsp of turmeric powder: a powerful antioxidant and anti inflammatory that reduces the platelets sticking together in the blood
  • 2 tbsp of raw olive oil (not cooked or heated): potent antioxidants that are protective of you LDL cholesterol and reduces plaque buildup that can cause narrowing of the blood vessels and subsequently raising blood pressure
  • ¼ cup of almonds or walnuts: a source magnesium, fiber and healthy fats (which keeps a healthy dose of fats that moderates your cholesterol levels to reduce plaque build up in the blood vessels
  • 23-30 g (1 small square) of unsweetened 70% or more dark chocolate: provides flavonoids that dilate blood vessels and helps to moderate healthy LDL and HDL cholesterol levels
  • ½ raw onion or 1- 4 cloves of raw cloves of garlic: contains the flavonol quercetin that is as a natural anti hypertensive
  • 6 prunes or 1 avocado: contains potassium which helps to control the negative effect of too much salt in your body
Start to incorporating these in to you daily routine to have multi factorial health benefits!


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    Hi I am Dr. Laura: mum of 2, Naturopathic Doctor, Health and Wellness Expert, Educator, Speaker, & Entreprenuer 

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