Calcium is one of the most well known minerals, and one of the most often supplemented in the US. We know we need enough to have healthy bones and teeth, but there’s a lot more to calcium than that- muscle contraction, pH balance, blood clotting, and nerve conduction to name a few. Clinically, calcium can be used to help address conditions such as anxiety, polycystic ovarian syndrome, high blood pressure and muscle cramping in addition to osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Dietary Calcium

As with any nutrient, calcium is best derived from the diet. Dairy products do contain calcium, but many other nutrient-dense foods are also fabulous sources such as turnip greens, bok choy, kale, parsley, broccoli, watercress, tofu, sesame seeds, sardines, collard greens, and mustard greens among others. We absorb about 30% of the calcium in our foods, but different factors including poor digestion (including not having enough stomach acid or taking acid blocking medications) will decrease absorption significantly. High protein diets tend to increase calcium loss through the urine, as do a variety of medications such as steroids and diuretics.

Calcium Supplements

If you absolutely have to supplement, there are many forms of calcium to choose from. Calcium carbonate is probably the most commonly found form of calcium in supplements, but isn’t well absorbed. Forms like calcium citrate are better absorbed by folks with low stomach acid, but all forms of calcium are absorbed best when taken with a meal. Calcium blocks absorption of other minerals, especially iron, and should therefore be taken separately.

Though generally well tolerated, there are some risks to supplementing with calcium. Calcium supplements can cause constipation, and taken between meals can increase the potential for kidney stone formation in those who are at risk. Recent research has indicated that supplementing calcium with vitamin D may increase the risk of atherosclerosis, though this may be in the presence of Vitamin K deficiency. If you are supplementing with calcium you must take caution – Long term supplementation with any one nutrient tends to cause imbalances and possibly deficiencies in other nutrients. No food has one single nutrient, so supplementing should be done in appropriate combinations whenever possible- magnesium, silicon, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, etc.

Calcium is our most abundant mineral, and adequate amounts are clearly very important for good health. A varied diet rich in vegetables and whole foods is vastly superior to supplementation, though when necessary quality balanced supplements can be a really helpful addition to your healthcare routine.

Here are 8 things you can do to combat your winter dry skin:

1. Hot water: we often increase the temperature of our bath/shower water in the winter to help warm us up, but overly hot water really dries out your skin. Lower the water temperature somewhat. You might instead move around or drink hot tea before you lather up to get warm instead of relying on your daily scald.

2. Chlorinated water: the chlorine added to our city water is there to help prevent bacteria from growing, but that chlorine can also really dry out your skin. Put a chlorine filter on your showerhead to help avoid exposure (available at most home improvement stores).

3. Dry off: after you shower or wash your hands, pat your skin dry as opposed to wiping. This will help protect the integrity of your skin, especially if it’s already dry.

4. Soap: make sure you’re using a mild soap for the shower as well as mild hand and dish soap throughout the day. Sometimes very strong cleansers can really strip the protective oils of the skin and predispose you to dryness.

5. Moisturizer: apply moisturizer daily after your shower and even to your hands after each wash, especially if you wash your hands frequently throughout the day. Make sure there is no alcohol (drying) or added fragrances (irritating) in the product. Oil-based products are better at moisturizing but you may have to blot away excess oil after you apply. Choose something with healing and emollient ingredients like coconut or sesame oils, calendula, chamomile or other botanicals. Be wary of petroleum based products- yes they moisturize well, but you’re more apt to absorb the chemicals through dry and damaged skin. Generally, if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin either.

6. The air up there: strongly consider using a humidifier in the bedroom and any other rooms of the house where you spend the most time. Winter air is very dry, and putting that moisture back can significantly improve your skin integrity as well as decreasing sinus congestion and susceptibility to colds and flues. Be sure to keep the humidifier clean with routine maintenance to avoid growing and aerosolizing mold all over your house.

7. Drink up: with the cold weather, people think that less sweating means less need for water intake. Not true- the water you lose in the cold, dry air is much less noticeable but very real. Unless you have a medical condition requiring you to limit your water intake (e.g. congestive heart failure, kidney disease, etc.) then be sure to keep your water intake up shooting for approximately half your body weight in ounces of filtered water.

8. Blown away: be sure to protect your skin from wind exposure, especially while skiing, hiking, or during any outdoor activities. Maintaining your activity level during the winter months is absolutely critical for good health, but in addition to hats and mittens you’ll need to use additional moisturizers on all exposed skin before and after you go out.

New England winters are tough on your skin. Your habits have to change with the seasons, and possibly so do the personal care products you use. If these conservative measures don’t do enough, however, be sure to ask your doctor because dry skin can also be a symptom of larger underlying problems (e.g. low thyroid function, eczema or other skin rash, vitamin A toxicity, food sensitivities, etc.). The bottom line is, don’t settle for itching and scratching all day long! Protect your skin and improve your health and your winter experience.

There have been many studies, both formal and observational, about the myriad health benefits of owning pets. Dog owners are generally less sedentary, have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, decreased response to mental stress, improved mood and better overall emotional state.¹ Pets also seem to improve recovery from severe mental illness,² improve recovery post-heart attack,³ and positively impact the mental state of dementia patients.⁴ Other studies even suggest that children exposed to pets around the time of birth (or at least early infancy) have decreased incidence of atopic conditions (e.g. asthma, allergies, eczema)⁵ though other studies suggest that children need to be exposed to both cats and dogs in order to lower risk.⁶

Despite the health benefits of owning pets, we have to acknowledge the risks. In the Northeast, the threat of tick-borne illnesses is very real and generally under-diagnosed. While for some this is enough of a deterrent to owning pets, others are willing to manage the risk. Some methods used include avoiding tick-infested areas, wearing light-colored clothing when outside for easy identification of crawling ticks, regularly checking your body and pets for ticks (daily or even after each outing), wearing protective garments (long pants tucked into socks, long sleeved shirts, etc. to prevent tick access to skin) and closed-toed shoes when outdoors, and wear insect repellent on your clothes (especially if it contains DEET or other strong pesticides). Topical tick prevention products for your pet are readily available, though you must weigh the risk of chemical exposure to you and your children against the risk of contracting a tick-borne illness when you make this decision. I’m hoping to get more information from our vet about less toxic alternatives that still provide significant protection from ticks, because in my opinion the risk of tick-borne illnesses is so high in this area that it’s worth pursuing some kind of additional protection.

In the home, keep pets well groomed, don’t allow pets on the furniture (especially the beds), and check bed linens nightly for the presence of ticks before getting into bed even if you don’t allow pets onto the beds. If you find a bite, remove attached ticks promptly by using tweezers or forceps to apply a steady upward pull, and alert your healthcare provider to get immediate treatment until test results are available. It is actually possible to save the tick (in a plastic bag with a water- moistened cotton ball) and have it tested for the presence of things like Lyme’s disease instead of putting the tick-bitten individual through the series of tests that are required to help identify infection, though immediate treatment before test results are available is still the best way to go.

Having pets can be an incredibly beneficial move for many people, though mitigating the risks pets bring through vigilant pet care and prophylactic approaches for their humans is very important. We are so excited to have Sophie and love learning more about her every day. Already I’m much more active and feel better (walking her three times a day will do that) and am looking forward to seeing how she grows and develops along with my little (and growing) family. Check out your local shelters and foster organizations to find that special member of your family, and let the bonding begin!

1     Arhant-Sudhir, K., Arhant-Sudhir, R., & Sudhir, K. Pet ownership and cardiovascular risk reduction: supporting
evidence, conflicting data and underlying mechanisms. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2011. Nov;38(11):734-8. doi:
10.1111/j.1440-1681.2011.05583.x.

 
2     Wisdom, J. P.; Saedi, G. A.; Green, C. A. Another Breed of “Service” Animals: STARS Study Findings about Pet
Ownership and Recovery from Serious Mental Illness. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2009 July ; 79(3): 430–436. doi:10.1037/a0016812.

 
3     Friedmann E, Thomas SA. Pet ownership, social support, and one-year survival after acute myocardial infarction
in the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST). The American Journal of Cardiology. 1995;76:1213–1217.
[PubMed: 7502998]

 
4     Motomura N, Yagi T, Ohyama H. Animal assisted therapy for people with dementia. Psychogeriatrics. 2004;4:40–42.

 
5      Bufford, J. D., Reardon, C. L., Li, Z., Roberg, K. A., DaSilva, D., Eggleston, P. A., Liu A. H., Milton, D., Alwis, U., Gangnon, N., Lemanske, R. F. Jr., Gern, J. E. Effects of dog ownership in early childhood on immune development and atopic diseases. Clin Exp Allergy. 2008. Oct; 38(10):1635-43. Epub 2008 Aug 12.

 
6      Mandhane, P. J., Sears, M. R., Poulton, R., Greene, J. M., Lou, W. Y., Taylor, D. R., Hancox, R. J. Allergy Clin Immunol. Cats and dogs and the risk of atopy in childhood and adulthood. 2009. Oct; 124(4):745-50.e4. Epub 2009 Aug 22.

Sobering fact: On average Americans gain 0.4-1.8 pounds per year during their adult lives.

Some research indicates that half of this weight is gained during the holiday season (average weight gain 1-2 lbs) and is rarely lost during the remainder of the year. To make matters worse, those who are already overweight or obese (or who used to be) tend to gain twice as much weight during the holiday season in comparison to their healthy weight counterparts and are much more likely to retain that weight.

How does this happen? Few people will remember sitting down and eating an entire pie or polishing off the remaining half of the lasagna. It doesn’t take enormous binges to edge the numbers on the scale higher. One pound of fat mass is approximately 3500 kcal, meaning that you only have to eat and extra 500 kcal per day in order to gain up to a pound of fat per week. While 500 can sound like quite a bit, let’s put this in perspective. There are approximately 500 calories in:

• 1-2 mixed drinks,
• 2 ounces of mixed nuts,
• 1 bagel with cream cheese,
• 3 ½ oz of potato chips,
• 1 slice of quiche….

Let’s be honest, one holiday party could account for a huge increase in calorie intake without eating a large volume of food. To try and make up for this, many people try the ol’ “diet during the week and live on the weekends and holidays” trick… these folks tend to be 1.5 times more likely to gain weight over the course of the year than those who manage their food intake consistently.

Before you start to think that things look bleak and that you’d better put clothes one size up on your Christmas wish list, there are things you can do to avoid the holiday nutritional pit falls. Here are 3:

1-      Always have a bit of protein with each meal and each snack. This is even more important during the holidays. Protein will help to maintain your blood sugar more evenly between meals, and is the most satiating type of nutrient- helps you to feel fuller, longer. Stress plant-based proteins like legumes and seeds which have fabulous amounts of fiber (which also help you feel full) and are fabulously nutrient dense.

2-      Stay well hydrated. People often misinterpret body signals such as fatigue and thirst. Feeling some vague discomfort, instead of identifying the source correctly people assume that they’re hungry and eat instead of resting or taking a drink of water.  On top of that, people generally associate water intake with sweating- when it’s cold outside the last thing you want to do is down an ice cold glass of water. While it may be less obvious, your water needs rarely get lower during the cooler months. That flakey dry skin of wintertime is trying to tell you that you need more water!  Herbal tea and diluted fruit juice count towards your water intake, so dig that water bottle out from the back seat of your car and fill it up!

3-      Keep healthy snacks on hand. The holiday hustle and readily available high-calorie foods can get the best of even the most rigorous advanced planner. Skipping meals because you’re too busy to stop will help insure that you’ll be famished by the end of the day and become more prone to overeating and making poor food choices, while holiday snacks around the house and the office invite a small handful here and a nibble there amounting to big calories by the end of the day. A small baggie of raw nuts and seeds with some dried fruit is very portable, tasty and only 1- 1½  ounces can help you keep going and give you a better option instead of the chips and cookies in the break room.

While taking a vacation from good nutritional habits may sound appealing, it generally is a great way to undo all the work you’ve done during the rest of the year. Taking care of yourself will help you be sure and have a happy holiday season and short-circuiting the common holiday weight gain. Don’t wait until the New Year to make a commitment to yourself.

Start now.

Each meeting we will discuss a variety of topics, including natural body detoxification, environmental exposures, emotional and lifestyle toxicity, healthy nutrition and more. We will have weekly discussion, demonstrations, food tastings and recipe share as we provide you the tools to safely and healthfully detoxify your body and improve your health.

Location: Dr. Smith & Associates located at 2 Narrows Rd., Ste 101A, Westminster, MA.

Fee: $250;  20% off for each friend you bring

Registration: Please call 978-874-1180.

Registration Deadline: January 9th, 2012

During this series, we will discuss healthy nutrition in a practical sense. You will leave understanding what carbohydrates, fats and proteins are, and you will also know how to identify each of them in your meals and make balanced choices. We will cover herbs and spices, and how to incorporate these not only to improve flavor, but also to improve your digestion. You will taste new foods, see balanced portion sizes, and learn new eating behaviors that will help you use your diet as your primary medicine.

Each meeting will consist of approximately 1 hour of nutrition instruction followed by 30 minutes of cooking demonstrations and food tasting.

Location: Dr. Smith & Associates located at 2 Narrows Rd., Ste 101A, Westminster, MA.

Fee: $150;  20% off for each friend you bring

Registration: Please call 978-874-1180.

Registration Deadline: January 9th, 2012

Many studies have shown that indoor air quality is consistently and dramatically worse than outdoor air quality, regardless of where you live. Most people are spending a great deal more time indoors than they are out, live in newer and more efficient homes, and have many more of the ‘creature comforts’ including carpeting, upholstered furniture and electronic equipment surrounding them all day. While many of these are unavoidable parts of our lifestyle, they are all major sources of indoor air pollution, and can have a significantly negative impact on our health.

Join us for a day of discussion focused on improving your health through modifying your home environment. We will discuss areas of concern and areas of opportunity for you to improve your health without compromising the comfort or beauty we all work to establish in our homes. These will include flooring and wall décor options, cleaning supplies, food choices, food preparation and storage materials, as well as personal care products.

Location: Dr. Smith & Associates, 2 Narrows Rd., Ste 101A, Westminster, MA

Fee: $75/person; 10% off for each friend you bring

Registration deadline: April 6th, 2012

During the intake she was adamant that we only talk about her weight struggle, but as I explained to her things are never that simple. We needed to get a lot more information about her in order to find out the particular ‘why’ in her case. Only then could we find the best ‘how’ to address her issues.

Over the course of the intake it became clear that she has a long history of poor sleep because she stayed up late. Why did she stay up so late? Well, it was because she felt anxious and jittery. And this led her to snack (typically high sugar foods) quite a bit. After all that, she was exhausted in the morning so drank significant amounts of coffee to get through the day and try to get through the exercise she’d do three days a week. A quick review of her medical history also showed that she has a history of elevated blood sugar and insulin levels. Classic.

She finished her story, and I paused. I told her that in order to lose weight she had to stop drinking coffee and sleep more. Needles to say she was very confused! All the diet aids she’d tried in the past contained stimulants, especially caffeine (which turns out to be the real reason she started drinking more coffee to begin with!).

Sleep deprivation is an independent risk factor for insulin resistance, which is both a cause and a result of weight gain.

When we don’t get enough restorative sleep, it changes how our bodies respond to food on a hormonal level. Sleep deprivation increases signals of hunger and decreases signals of fullness regardless of what we eat. For this patient, the more she stimulated her system thinking that it would help her lose weight, the later she would stay up because it made her tendency towards anxiety much worse, and the more she would rely on food as a form of self-medication.

Only when you work with the body instead of against it can you make effective change in your overall health. When what you’re doing isn’t working, it’s time to challenge your assumptions that might be causing more problems than they’re solving…  shift gears people!! And go to bed!!