Get Into Your Skinny Jeans With Calcium - Vitamin D Supplements!

A new study says those calcium and vitamin D supplements may do more than just strengthen your bones - they could help you lose weight too! Here's the big skinny on getting into those skinny jeans! 

By Colette Bouchez

Whether you’re struggling to lose those last 10 pounds – or facing up the task of tackling a 50 pound loss or more – take heart.    Brand new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that boosting your intake of both calcium and vitamin D may be your ticket to skinny jeans! 

In research conducted at Ben-Gurion University in Negrev Israel doctors discovered that dieters who had a modest calcium intake of just 580 mg daily, and maintained a blood level of vitamin D around 30 nanograms per milliliter were able to naturally and easily lose more  weight over a two year period of time than those lower levels of both. 

“Our study suggests that both higher dairy calcium intake and increased serum vitamin D are related to greater diet-induced weight loss,” wrote the researchers, led by Danit Shahar from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. 

This new study tosses a bit more fuel on the fire burning around the idea that calcium-rich dairy products can help you lose weight. Indeed,  numerous studies have shown that increasing your intake of dairy based products while dieting could make weight loss easier. 

But while many dairy products, particularly full fat milk, ice cream and cheeses do indeed offer high levels of calcium, and some, like fortified milk also offer increased  vitamin D,  the high fat content can have some health concerns.  This includes not only an increased risk of heart disease, but possibly an increased risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers for women.   

And, in fact, since hormones are stored in fat, cattle which are given hormones such as estrogen (and many are) will yield a dairy product that could, for some women, increase some health risks. 
And some believe that’s too much of a trade – off for losing a few extra pounds.

But if, in fact, the weight loss was tied not to the dairy products, but the calcium and vitamin D these products provide, at least theoretically, you should  be able to gain the benefits without the risks by simply taking these nutrients in supplement form. 

And that in fact is what one study published earlier this year has found. Reporting in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, doctors found that patients who consumed calcium supplements containing between 1,400 and 1,500 mg daily  - with or without vitamin D3 – were able to better control that dangerous “belly fat” seen in the lower trunk and develop higher muscle mass in this same area.  

That said, an earlier Canadian study found that the weight-loss benefits of calcium supplements in women may be limited to those who are calcium deficient – and that no additional weight loss benefits will be derived if you’re calcium levels are already up to speed. 

So, what’s a gal to do? As with all things in life, moderation could be key. If you’re not taking calcium supplements then certainly you should talk to your doctor about adding at least 1,000 mg per day in conjunction with Vitamin D.

As to adding dairy products to your weight loss diet,  experts say if you stick to low-fat varieties such as low fat yogurt, milk or cheese, and limit your intake to no more than 3 to 4  servings per day,  you can gain the benefits without dramatically increasing any health risks.  

Also remember you can get calcium from sardines, pink salmon, soy beverages, oatmeal,  kale and fortified beverages such as orange juice. 

FOLLOW-UP To BONIVA'S BIG OOPS!  Several weeks ago we published "Boniva's Big Oops" - wherein we pointed out that the makers of the osteoporosis drug Boniva  suggest spinach as a way to increase calcium intake naturally - even though this goes against what most nutritionists recommend.  Because spinach contains oxalic acid -which interferes with your body's ability to absorb calcium big time  - spinach is not a good choice to increase bone health. In fact, adding it to your diet may actually reduce the amount of calcium you are able absorb from other calcium-rich foods such as milk, cheese or yogurt.   Since the article appeared we heard from hundreds of you who pointed out that not only are Boniva's erroneous ads still running on TV,  but that these same ads advocating spinach as a calcium-rich food  have even appeared in the  WebMD  magazine and on their website - where we all know the docs and nutritionists on staff  know better.  

So...if the Boniva folks don't think enough of your health to make the change in their ads and give you the correct dietary information to stay healthy, maybe you should think twice before accepting a prescription for this drug- who knows what else they are wrong about?  Either way, talk to your doctor - she'll know what's best for you.  And never stop taking a prescription drug unless you check with your doctor first. 

For the latest health, beauty and style advice for women over 40 subscribe to RedDressDiary - It's Free! And be sure to check out CheapChicDiary.com for money saving beauty and style tips!

Copyright by ElleMedia Network 2010 - All Rights Reserved. In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements. The creators of this blog may or may not benefit from products mentioned or featured on this web page.

Don't Have A GYN Surgery Without This Fruit Juice!

New research shows a common fruit juice could help you avoid one of the most serious post-surgical complications.  Read on to discover how to protect yourself!

By Colette Bouchez

If you’re facing any kind of surgery –even a minor operation – then you probably already know the risk of acquiring a hospital-based infection can be high.  Among the most dangerous is MRSA  (S. aureus) – the "staph"  infection that is often resistant to medication and can have life threatening consequences, particularly following gynecological surgeries such as a hysterectomy.

Now, a new study says you may be able to protect yourself  via the simple addition of a  fruit juice drink to your diet. And that drink is cranberry juice!

In studies conducted at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), researchers reported that a cranberry juice cocktail was able to block a strain of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in a way that  prevented an infection from forming.

"Most of our work with cranberry juice has been with E. coli and urinary tract infections, but we included Staphylococcus aureus in this study because it is a very serious health threat,"  said lead researcher Professor Terri Camesano.

The results, she says, were surprising – and important.

Indeed, in  the past studies have shown that  cranberry juice  may reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) by interfering with the ability of bacteria to cling to the walls of the urinary tract. This in turn prevented the creation of a “bio film” that would otherwise act as a kind of incubator encouraging the bacteria to grow.  With no biofilm, no infection could develop.

While the protective mechanisms of cranberries  was believed to be limited to E.coli – the bacteria most responsible for UTIs -  today’s research shows that various forms of staph infection may also respond to cranberries protective effects.  This , say researchers, is key since staph not only can cause a UTI but a range of infections from minor skin rashes to the potentially deadly toxic shock syndrome.   Between 1999 and 2005 the number of deaths from the antibiotic resistant strain of staph known as MRSA ( S. Aureus) more than doubled.

While MRSA can affect both men and women and develop after any surgery,  there is some evidence that women may be more susceptible, particularly if their surgery involves open an incision in the pelvic region, such as that used during an abdominal  hysterectomy. Indeed, the US Centers for Disease Control reports  that  the rate of post operative infection following abdominal hysterectomy runs a close third, just behind open heart surgery and a colon surgery. 

A recent study conducted by the University of Nottingham in England found that in particular women undergoing gynecological surgeries were at greater risk for post operative infections.

How Cranberry Juice Might Help You

The new study was conducted on urine samples taken from patients who recently consumed cranberry juice.  When the samples were incubated  in a laboratory dish with strains of either E.coli or S. Aureus (staph) bacteria,  cells were unable to form the biofilm necessary to promote proliferation of the bacteria.  The end result: The dangerous infections could not develop.

"What was surprising is that Staphylococcus aureus showed the most significant results in this study,” said Camesano.

"We saw essentially no biofilm in the staph samples, which is very surprising because Staph aureus is usually very good at forming biofilms. That's what makes it such a health problem,” she added.

Indeed, not only can staph infections quickly and easily form the biofilms necessary for bacteria to grow,  once formed they can difficult to break down - so the infections continue to proliferate and thrive.  Currently there are numerous strains of drug-resistant staph infections  threatening to become completely unresponsive to any drug therapy.

While this new study on the protective effects of cranberries  is far from conclusive, when presented recently at the national meeting for the American Chemical Society in Boston, it appeared to attract significant interest from other researchers. So, don't be surprised to see more on this  in the coming months.

In the meantime, if you are facing a surgery anytime soon - but particularly a hysterectomy,  or any type of bladder reconstruction - do  check with your doctor about whether or not adding cranberry juice, whole, fresh cranberries, or a cranberry supplement to your diet prior to and just after surgery might help reduce your risk of infection. While there is no proof at this point, if your diet permits it,  remember that cranberries are generally healthy,  brimming with vitamin C and other antioxidants which can boost your overall health and could make recovering from any surgery faster and easier.

For the latest health, beauty and style advice for women over 40 subscribe to RedDressDiary - It's Free! And be sure to check out CheapChicDiary.com for money saving beauty and style tips!

Copyright by ElleMedia Network 2010 - All Rights Reserved. In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.  The owners of this blog may or may not  indirectly or directly benefit from product mentions featured in the text or visual portions of this site.