Here’s an extra-healthy recipe for Banana Nut Bread that promotes bone health!
In a mixing bowl, combine and mix well:
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup Xylosweet*
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup mashed bananas
Add to mixture, stirring until thoroughly blended:
1-3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Mix*
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Pour into greased 9″ x 9″ baking dish, and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Yummy!
*These ingredients available at health food stores.
Tags: bone health, osteoporosis diet, Recipes
Here’s another delicious bone-healthy breakfast dish for reversing osteoporosis, created by my daughter, Sarah!
In a skillet, saute in olive oil for 5-10 minutes:
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup matchstick carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
In a bowl, beat 4 eggs.
Add to the vegetables.
Scramble on medium-high heat to desired consistency.
Add salt & pepper to taste.
Add 1/4 cup of shredded rice cheese (cheddar), if desired.
Sarah likes to serve this dish with two slices of toasted Ezekiel bread, with Earth Balance buttery spread, for a hearty breakfast.
“Bone” apetit!
Tags: Add new tag, bone health, osteoporosis, Recipes
I received some words of encouragement from Dr. Steven D’Antonio, the naturopathic doctor who first started me on the healthier diet and supplements that grew to become my OsteoDiet for reversing osteoporosis and promoting bone health. When he read about my biking accident, Dr. Steve wrote:
“Sorry to hear about your fall. With all of the nutrients you take you should heal quickly. Congratulations on the upcoming babies. [Two of my daughters are expecting and are due this winter.] You should be good and strong by that point.”
He added that he would keep me in his prayers.
I have reflected over and over on Dr. Steve’s encouraging message. His words gives me hope as my broken shoulder heals, as I picture myself in the future rocking my two new grandbabies in my two strong arms.
BTW, Dr. Steve is in the process of adding acupuncture to his medical practice. He has only one year left of
acupuncture school. I’ll let you know when he officially completes his training.
Thanks, Dr. Steve, for the difference you have made in my life!
Tags: Dr. Steven D'Antonio, Motivation, osteoporo
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. George White and his physician’s assistant, Mr. Steven Anderson, had another X-ray taken of my arm to see if the shoulder bones are staying in the right position for healing. They are! So, now it’s two weeks down, ten to go in healing from the fractures. I go back again next week for another X-ray.
In the meantime, I am continuing to sleep in a recliner to keep the bones hanging straight–doctor’s orders–and I enjoying time with my children. Yesterday, my 19-year-old daughter Kelly drove me to the doctor in Orlando, then to my part-time secretarial job at my son’s web design business in Port Orange, and then to my ASL (American Sign Language) class in Daytona Beach–and I enjoyed her company tremendously as we talked about life and love and music and more. When we got home, Kelly helped me get a real bath–which is quite a challenge with a fractured shoulder. Then she made us a scrumptious dinner of turkey pot pie with pumpkin pie for dessert, which we ate while watching the “Celtic Women” Concert on DVD together.
My broken shoulder may be a difficult challenge right now, but I treasure this day spent with Kelly–and it would not have happened if not for my bike accident. Who’s to say whether an unexpected curve in the path of life is an inconvenient detour -or- an awesome invitation to enjoy the scenic route? With God as our tour guide, we know He is working all things to our good. So, we can let our hearts relax and keep our eyes open for the blessings He showers on those who love Him–even in the rain.
What it’s for:
Hydrocodone is a narcotic analgesic (painkiller) related to codeine. Acetaminophen is a less potent pain reliever that increases the effects of hydrocodone. Hydrocodone/APAP combines both of these analgesics to relieve moderate to severe pain.
What’s good about it:
When I broke my shoulder last week, the ER doctor gave me a prescription for Hydrocodone/APAP to take at home for pain. Without this medicine, the pain would have been almost unbearable, and sleep would have been impossible. I watched the clock for next dose during the first week in order to keep severe pain at bay. A week after the bike accident when I saw orthopedic specialists Dr. White and Mr. Anderson, they renewed my prescription, but as of today (Day #11) I no longer feel the need for it. I doubt I will even need a tablet at bedtime tonight.
What’s bad about it:
A list of possible side effects was included on the prescription information sheet from Walgreen’s and on Drugs.com‘s online drug information, including “nausea, vomiting, constipation, lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, flushing, or vision changes.” I did feel a bit lightheaded and dizzy from the medication, but I was quite glad to trade my agony for a fuzzy brain! (I mean, I wasn’t going to be driving anywhere anyway, right?)
Friends who have taken Hydrocodone/APAP warned me that I might get constipated while taking it, unless I drank lots of water and maintained a high-fiber diet. Fortunately, since my OsteoDiet for combatting osteoporosis and improving bone health includes lots of water and natural, high-fiber foods, constipation never became a problem.
Finally, hydrocodone can be habit forming; that is, it’s possible to become physically or psychologically dependent on the narcotic if you’re on it for several weeks. I didn’t have any difficulty weaning myself off, though. As the pain from my broken shoulder decreased, I found myself skipping or postponing the next dose until a painful flair-up occurred, until I’m now at the point that I don’t need it anymore.
It’s better than:
Ibuprofen or acetaminophen. They’re great for headaches and muscle aches, but for relief of severe pain, I needed something stronger!
It’s not a good as:
Morphine. That’s what they gave me when I first arrived at the hospital screaming and crying, bent over and clutching my arm to my chest. Morphine = Powerful Pain Relief. After that, the technicians could take X-rays, but not before. Morphine is highly addictive, however, so it makes sense to me that a doctor would prescribe it for only immediate trauma relief.
Why I use this product:
I used Hydrocodone/APAP for comfort and sleep for 10 days after the bike wreck, and I was extremely grateful to have it when I needed it!
Best place to get it: From your local or on-line pharmacy by doctor’s prescription.
For more information about this product:
Visit http://www.drugs.com/hydrocodone.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocodone
Tags: broken bone, fractures, hydrocodone, Hydrocodone/APAP, osteoporosis, pain relief
What can you do if you break a bone? How can you help your body heal most efficiently? Last week, I broke my left shoulder in a bike accident and researched and dug deep to get a good list to follow. If you’re following my osteoporosis diet already, most of these will already be covered.
Check out these top 10 ways to speed the healing of a fracture!
1) No drinking.
It is best to abstain from alcohol while healing a broken bone. To heal properly, bone cells must first form a ‘matrix,’ which later hardens or ossifies into bone. Alcohol consumption changes the makeup of this matrix by hindering the formation of osteoblasts and decreasing their ability to respond to signals that normally trigger bone formation after a fracture.
2) No smoking.
Patients who smoke, have a much longer average time to healing, and a much higher risk of developing a nonunion (non-healing of the bone). Smoking alters the blood flow to bone, and it is that blood flow that delivers the necessary nutrients and cells to allow the bone to heal.
3) Eliminate caffeine.
Coffee, colas, and other caffeinated drinks increase the rate of calcium loss through the urine, and you need that calcium for bone building!
4) Eat a balanced diet that includes the recommended amount of calcium.
For a quick listing of great foods for encouraging bone health, check out my article, “Top 10 Bone-Building Foods.” For a more extensive listing, see the “Foundations” category of this website.
5) Follow doctor’s orders concerning your treatment plan.
*If you are told to use crutches, use them.
*If you are told to rest the injury, rest it.
*If you are told to move the joint to restore full mobility, move it!
*If physical therapy is scheduled, follow through with it!
6) Don’t overdo!
You may feel better on some days than others, but you still need to pace yourself to conserve the energy resources you body needs to use for healing.
7) Stay happy!
Read engaging books, watch comedies and movies with happy endings, call or e-mail an encouraging friend, pet your dog or cat. Simple joys can create happy moments while healing.
8) Take prescribed pain medications when you need them.
There’s nothing heroic about suffering when you don’t need to! On the other hand, foregoing pain meds can sometimes help you focus on the injury so that you can move carefully and protect the bone and affected muscles and joints. You are the best judge of what your body needs. If you need relief from the pain for a time, don’t hesitate to give yourself a break!
9) Do something for someone else.
Look around an you will find others with needs. Doing something to help them will take you out of yourself and your situation, and it will lighten their load–and yours! There may be something you can do physically, even with your current limitations. But even if you can’t move, you can listen to others. You can pray for them. Your time of healing can become a time of healing for them, too!
10) Bless others by opening your heart to receive their help.
If you refuse to allow friends and family to help you for fear of being a “burden” or for fear of losing your independence, you are robbing them of the blessing and happiness they would experience by giving of themselves to you. Why not let them, instead, be a source of joy and comfort to you? Love makes the world go ’round, they say. Giving and receiving love in service to one another transforms our lives into a fulfilling, heart-warming adventure!
Tags: broken bone, fracture, osteoporosis, pain medication
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
When bad things used to happen to me, my first reaction was to be mad at God. Why did He allow this terrible thing to happen to me? Why didn’t He rescue me? I accused God of abandoning me, of not loving me–or at least not loving me enough.
My second reaction was to ask the existential question, Why? Why did this happen to me? Was there something I could have done to prevent it? If I determined that there was something I could have done differently, I would then berate myself for my failure and lack of judgment.
No more. I have come to believe that God loves me exceedingly in all circumstances. I also believe that I am doing the best I can in all things, given my current knowledge and experience, and that I am learning more about life and love every day. These changes in thinking are a great relief. No more condemnation! Instead, when bad things happen, I simply accept that the event has occurred, and then turn to Jesus for help, guidance, and comfort. Every circumstance lived in Christ holds an opportunity to extend love and to experience love. He turns our mourning into dancing as He works all circumstances to our good.
During the next two months while my broken shoulder is healing, I can either complain that I can’t drive, or I can give thanks for the “together time” with my husband, children, and others as they chauffeur me from place to place. I choose to give thanks.
I can either grouse about all the medical appointments and procedures, or I can give thanks for the wisdom of the doctors and technicians–and the medical insurance to help pay the bulk of the medical expenses. Again, I choose to give thanks.
I can spend the next two months resenting the fact that I can’t run or bike or boogie board, or I can give thanks for the ways in which I CAN exercise, including stretching, belly dancing, walking, and riding the stationary bike my parents gave me. I choose to give thanks, for that is where joy is to found…and the joy of the Lord is my strength!
