Remember that legendary advertising campaign? “Milk; it does a body good.” Well, that tagline is code for: “Calcium; it does a body good.” Calcium and Vitamin D are both critical to building strong bones, but a new study shows overloading on calcium supplements could actually be harmful.

The average person ingests enough calcium in their diet to avoid bone deterioration from deficiency. This level is about 600 milligrams per day. But recommendations indicate most adults should now target roughly 1,000 milligrams per day, with teenagers and men and women 50 years or older requiring 1,200-1,300 milligrams.

If you or a loved one is having trouble getting enough calcium from food, calcium supplements can be used in moderation. However, American Bone Health cautions that 500 milligrams is likely the maximum amount needed as a supplement to a person’s diet.

Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville recommends revisiting your diet, as simple adjustments can make a big difference. Below is a list of food to add to your shopping list along with its average calcium serving (courtesy of Go Ask Alice!):

• Milk: 300 mg (8 oz)
• Yogurt: 300 mg (8 oz)
• Cheddar cheese: 303 mg (1.5 oz)
• Tofu: 258 mg (1/2 cup)
• Chinese cabbage: 239 mg (1/2 cup)
• White beans: 113 mg (1/2 cup)
• Pinto beans: 45 mg (1/2 cup)
• Red beans: 41 mg (1/2 cup)

Our friends at American Bone Health also offer the Calcium Rule of 300 for maintaining a healthy calcium intake.

Bone health is an important issue in the African American community and one we will spotlight as part of Black History Month. “The age-adjusted prevalence of osteoporosis and the rate of hip fracture are lower in Black women than in White women in the United States,” according to a report from the Surgeon General.

Despite these numbers, there are some key issues plaguing African American bone health, particularly when it comes to diagnosing and treating osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease classified as low bone mass and it usually affects elderly women.

The following list of facts is credited to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and can also be found on its website:

• Osteoporosis is under recognized and under-treated in African American women.
• As African American women age, the risk for hip fracture doubles every seven year time span.
• African American women are more likely than white women to die following a hip fracture.
• Diseases more prevalent in the African American population, such as sickle cell anemia and lupus, can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis.
• African American women consume 50 percent less calcium than the recommended dietary allowance. Calcium plays a crucial role in building bone mass and preventing bone loss.
• As many as 75 percent of all African Americans are lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance can hinder optimal calcium intake which can weaken bones.

Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville is proud to celebrate Black History Month and encourages you to share these bone health facts with your friends and family.

Stay heart healthy during February’s American Heart Month. The American Heart Association website offers useful tips on nutrition, physical activity and stress management which not only keep hearts healthy, but are healthy for bones too.

A recent survey by the American Heart Association (AHA) showed that only 20 percent of Americans get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. That breaks down to roughly 20 minutes per day. Regular physical activity can stop heart disease before it starts, and as we’ve shared before in our blog, exercise is also important for treating and preventing bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

While our focus is on orthopedic medicine, OAZ wants to make sure our patients have all the resources necessary to lead a healthy life. The AHA’s My Life Check is a tool that ranks your health in seven categories. We encourage you to give it a try and commit to a healthy heart, healthy bones and a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise is key for people of all ages to create and maintain healthy bones and to prevent osteoporosis. Walk into any gym in American and you will see individuals trying to build muscle mass, but what a lot of those people don’t know is they are also building bone mass. Much like our muscles, bones are made up of living tissue, which can become stronger through exercise. Below are a few tips that can help maximize your bone-building efforts from a variety of sources, including National Institute of Arthritis (NIH).

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes, 3 times per week.
• Focus on weight-bearing exercises such as yoga, Tai Chi or golfing. These promote bone growth more than non-weight bearing activities such as swimming.
• Switch up your routine to keep your body moving in new ways, in turn, working different body parts.
• Listen to your body. Typical workout pain should not last longer than 48 hours.
• Supplement your workout with a healthy and balanced diet rich in calcium C and vitamin D.

At OAZ, our primary goal is to educate our patients on how to make the right choices for their bodies and their bones. If you or a loved one has suffered an orthopaedic injury, please schedule an appointment with one of our physicians by visiting our website or calling 740-454-3273.

From healthy bodies to healthy bones, food is the building block of our lives. This Christmas, we at Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville want to make sure your family finds healthy holiday recipes and gives thanks for another year.

Below are a few healthy recipes we found online which we wanted to share with our patients this holiday season. Enjoy!

Get started with some Spiced Apple Cider from Health Magazine:

Ingredients

• Lemon rind strips (from 1 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 gallon apple cider
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 20 whole cloves
• 5 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks, halved
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup Calvados (apple brandy) or applejack (such as Laird’s)
• Additional cinnamon sticks (optional)

Preparation

1. Bring first 8 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes.

2. Pour mixture through a sieve over a large bowl, reserving liquid; discard solids. Stir in brandy.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Calories per serving: 173, fat per serving: 0g, saturated fat per serving: 0g, monounsaturated fat per serving: 0g, polyunsaturated fat per serving: 0g, protein per serving: 0g, carbohydrates per serving: 38g, fiber per serving: 0g, cholesterol per serving: 0mg, iron per serving: 0mg, sodium per serving: 31mg, calcium per serving: 1mg

For you main course try this Glazed Ham With Apricots from Good Houskeeping:

Ingredients

• 1 (7-pound) fully cooked bone-in smoked half ham
• 1 package(s) (6-ounce) dried apricot halves
• 2 tablespoon(s) whole cloves
• 1/2 cup(s) orange marmalade or apricot jam
• 2 tablespoon(s) country-style Dijon mustard with seeds

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. With knife, remove skin and trim all but 1/8 inch fat from ham. Secure apricots with cloves to fat side of ham in rows, leaving some space between apricots. Place ham, fat side up, on rack in a large roasting pan (17″ by 11 1/2″); add 1 cup water. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake 2 hours.
2. After ham has baked 1 hour and 45 minutes, prepare glaze: In 1-quart saucepan, heat marmalade and mustard to boiling on medium-high. Remove foil from ham and carefully brush with some glaze. Continue to bake ham 30 to 40 minutes longer or until meat thermometer reaches 135 degrees F, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes. Internal temperature of ham will rise 5 to 10 degrees F upon standing. (Some apricots may fall off into pan as you glaze.)
3. Transfer ham to a cutting board; cover and let stand 20 minutes for easier slicing. Slice ham and serve with apricots from pan.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Calories 240, total fat 7g, saturated fat 2g, cholesterol 62mg, sodium1,525 mg, total carbohydrate 16g, dietary fiber 0, protein 29g