~No Bones About It~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Amazing Muslimahs!
 (thought I'd change that up a bit-what do ya think?)

First of all Jummah Mubarak! Insh'Allah you all had a wonderful week, full of love, laughter, and all the happiness your hearts could contain.  May Allah swt bless you with what is best for you and your families and keep you safe and healthy.  Ameen....

Well, we are still in the middle of our travels across country.  Having taken a little detour to visit some family members in the SouthWest, we are taking our time and enjoying ourselves along the way.  The southwestern states have a beauty that is so totally unique from the rest of the United States, with their turquoise colored rocks contrasting with bright pink sunsets.  There is a sense of solitude here that one very rarely feels on the West and East Coasts.  The desert is a beautiful, but also foreboding place that can be spectacular, and a little scary all at the same time.  I am planning to insh'Allah do a post about our trip and all of the beautiful inspirations from nature and the people of the southwest and Mexico as soon as I reach my destination insh'Allah.  It is something I would like to plan, and share some pictures of our adventures, so insh'Allah it will be worth the wait.

Tonight, though I wanted to share with you some tips that I received in an email about something that is a very sensitive, and important topic for us sisters.  It is something that people don't discuss much when discussing women's health, but is very important to our well-being as we mature.  This subject is Osteoporosis.  (I can hear the yawns eminating through my computer screen LOL)

Please don't stop reading now: Osteoporosis is a devastating disease that causes bones to become fragile and eventually fracture, especially in the hips, spine, and wrists.  These fractures are most serious in the hip and spine areas because they can cause debilitating conditions that make the victim unable to walk, and create horrible pain and deformity.  According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, women are FOUR TIMES more likely to develop Osteoporosis so it is absolutely vital that we take every measure possible to prevent this from happening to us and to our sisters.

So...What Can We Do?

Well, one of the easiest things we can do to avoid getting Osteoporosis is something we've been talking about a lot lately, and that is to simply eat a healthier, more balanced diet.  Preventing Osteoporosis, and treating it includes eating diets that are, "...very much the same and largely involve calcium and vitamin D, and getting a lot of fruit and veggies in the diet as well,” says Felicia Cosman, MD, clinical director for the National Osteoporosis Foundation.  If you are experiencing age-related bone loss, then simply eating a bone-healthy diet alone may not help to rebuild your bones, but if you are diagnosed when you are young (or simply want to take precautions to avoid a diagnosis) then changing your diet can be very effective.

A bone-healthy diet does not just include Calcium but also requires a healthy intake of Vitamin D.  For those sisters who are not the biggest fan of drinking milk (I must admit I am one of them) never fear: there are many other foods you can eat in order to reach your recommended daily dose of 1,000 mg of Calcium.  These foods include:
Ricotta Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Canned Sardines
Dark, Leafy Green Vegetables
Various Foods and Juices that are Calcium Fortified

Also for those cheese-loving sisters (I am one of these as well) you can add a serving of cheese to just about any meal or side dish to increase your calcium intake.  Add a slice of melted cheese on top of a side of cauliflower or broccoli, or have a cup of yogurt with your breakfast to instantly boost your daily calcium dose.

In order to get your recommended daily serving of Vitamin D (400-800 IU) you can eat:
Salmon
Mackerel
Tuna
Sardines
Egg Yolks

Although any of these foods can be a great source of Vitamin D, the best way to get your Vitamin D fix is 15 minutes of direct sunlight without sunscreen.  As long as you keep your exposure to 15-20 minutes, you'll be okay not wearing sunscreen, and will also boost your Vitamin D levels.

There are a few other suggestions to help prevent the development of Osteoporosis.  Most of these are simply common-sense measures to ensure a healthy lifestyle, like we've discussed before.  They include:

Eat Fresh Produce:
Maintaining healthy bones requires eating a varied diet of your essential vitamins and minerals.  This is easy to accomplish by simply eating a rainbow of different colored fruits and veggies.  By making a range of fruits and veggies a regular staple of your diet your body will also be able to retain more calcium, which (as we discussed before) is a vital part of a bone-healthy diet.

Don't Drink Alcohol:
As Muslimahs we have a huge advantage in this department.  Alhamdulillah as Muslims, Allah swt has already instructed us not to consume alcohol, but just in case any of us needed another reason (and we DON'T), or in case anyone reading this blog is not Muslim (and mash'Allah I'm happy you're joining us!) then this is it.  Alcohol can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb calcium, so it's best to keep your consumption to a minimum.  (or better yet: don't drink at all)

Limit Your Caffeine Intake:
Now, this opinion varies between sources.  According to http://www.everydayhealth.com/womens-health/osteoporosis/amount-of-calcium-in-foods.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthHealthyLiving_20100304 it is best for us to limit caffeinated beverages as they "have a negative impact on bone health", but when I researched this further (because let's face it: Diet Coke is my best friend) according to The Beverage Institue For Health and Wellness the National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements has stated that "the effect of dietary phosphorous on calcium is minimal" and that "some researchers speculate that the detrimental effects of consuming foods high in phosphate such as carbonated soft drinks is due to the replacement of milk with soda rather than the phosphate level itself."  So, for the time being Diet Coke will continue being my best friend, but if any sisters find any additional information regarding this: please share with the rest of us insh'Allah.

Please Pass The Salt:
And keep passing it right on by.  According to NutritionMD.org it has been proven that eating too much salt can literally leach the calcium from otherwise healthy bones.  Try to change your favorite snack foods to lower sodium options, and don't add any salt to your meals.  It may take some getting used to at first, but eventually you will realize that often times when you skip the salt you can taste the actual food much better.  Most foods are available in low sodium options, and by taking this precaution you will be looking out for your bone's health in the long run.

So there you have it.  By making a few simple changes to your diet you can easily help to maintain your bones' strength.  Because let's face it.  Without our bones we are little more than a quivering pile of Jell-O, and I have NEVER seen a pile of Jell-O look good in a pair of Manolos...I don't care what flavor it is.

For some great bone-healthy recipes you can go here: Recipes For Healthy Bones

Ma'Salaama and Happy Snacking!

Fashionably Yours,
The (Cheese-Loving, Diet Coke-Drinking, Healthy Bone-Having) Mujahada in Prada