More from Dr. Woliner

[Guest guest]

From what I have been reading over the last 2 years in a dedicated literature search, his recommendations are seriously low, particularly for Oregon. My patients are taught to 1)use a liquid compound, 2) stay at 10,000 IUs/day, sometimes more, depending on the level of their D testing. Anyone UNDER 32 goes to 15,000 for 3 months and we test again. They are taught to reach for a level of 50 - 70 before becoming complacent about their levels. SunnySunny Kierstyn, RN DC Fibromyalgia Care Center of Oregon 2677 Willakenzie Road, 7CEugene, Oregon, 97401541- 654-0850; Fx; 541- 654-0834www.drsunnykierstyn.com To: oregondcs From: twogems@...Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:10:27 -0700Subject: More from Dr. Woliner

Docs:

Another health tip from Dr. Woliner.

Lyndon McGill, D.C.

EvolvHealth Wellness Advisory Council Member

Salem, Oregon

www.SalemSpineClinic.com

www.EvolvingDaily.com

One Simple Step to Help You Stay Independent

When I talk to my mature patients, a few fears come up over and

over. Memory problems and mental confusion are common fears.

Another one is independence.

We spend so much of our lives focused on building independence.

Your first day of school… getting your driver’s license… going off

to college or work… “Pulling our own weight” is a life-long goal

for most of us.

That’s why losing your independence – perhaps having to move in

with a family member or into an assisted living facility – is such

a big deal. We think of it as a failure.

Of course, it isn’t a failure. But knowing that probably doesn’t

help. What most mature adults want is a way to keep their

independence.

And there’s one simple step you can take to help you do just

that.

In 2007, a team at Wake Forest University looked at the

relationship between physical performance and a certain nutrient.

Out of 976 people over 65, more than half the men – and almost

three-quarters of the women – didn’t get enough of this nutrient.

People with low levels of this nutrient had a weaker grip. And

the men with low levels showed overall worse physical

performance.1

Last year, researchers in Ontario reviewed studies on this

nutrient. They discovered that the evidence was convincing. People

who don’t get enough of this nutrient are weaker. And as they get

older, they show poorer balance than people who get enough.2

A review from s Hopkins University had similar results. Study

after study linked mature adults getting too little of this

nutrient to a greater risk of falls.3

What’s even worse, you need this nutrient to build strong bones.

So you’re not just more likely to lose your balance if you’re

short of this nutrient... you’re also more likely to break bones.

And that can easily put an end to your independence.

A brand-new study from the Wake Forest team underlines this

point.

They followed 2,099 mature adults for six years. At the beginning

of the study, all the volunteers were fairly healthy. They could

also walk a quarter-mile, climb stairs and perform day-to-day

tasks without any trouble.

After six years, the team compared their volunteers again. Those

with low levels of the nutrient we’re discussing were 30% more

likely to have lost their mobility.4

And when you can’t get around on your own, it isn’t easy to

remain independent.

So what is this remarkable nutrient? It’s vitamin D. I’ve seen

many studies that show Americans simply don’t get enough of this

important nutrient. But you can get plenty with ease. In fact, for

much of the year, you can make your own.

For half the year or more, simply getting out into the sun on a

daily basis – for as little as 20 minutes – can provide all the

vitamin D you need in a day. And you need plenty.

The government says mature adults should get 800 International

Units (IU) per day… or the amount in 8 cups of milk. But many

experts put the number you need much higher. That’s because the

government number only covers bone health, and not vitamin Ds

other benefits.

Aim for at least 1,000 IU a day. In the winter – or if you can’t

get into the sun enough – consider taking a vitamin D3 supplement.

It just may be the best insurance you can get to help you hold on

to your independence.

Yours in continued good health,

Dr Woliner, M.D.

1 Houston, D.K., et al, “Association Between Vitamin D Status

and Physical Performance: The InCHIANTI Study,” J Gerontol A Biol

Sci Med Sci. 2007; 62(4): 440-446.

2 Muir, S.W. and Montero-Odasso, M., “Effect of vitamin D

supplementation on muscle strength, gait and balance in older

adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” J Am Geriatr Soc.

Dec 2011; 59(12): 2291-2300.

3 Kalyani, R.R., et al, “Vitamin D treatment for the prevention

of falls in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis,” J

Am Geriatr Soc. Jul 2010; 58(7): 1299-1310.

4 “Older Adults May Need More Vitamin D to Prevent Mobility

Difficulties,” Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. May 29, 2012.

[Guest guest]

Docs:

More from Dr. Woliner.

Lyndon McGill, D.C.

EvolvHealth Wellness Advisory Council Member

Salem, Oregon

www.SalemSpineClinic.com

www.EvolvingDaily.com

Strengthen Your Bones – No Matter What Your Age

For many people, one of the scariest parts of aging is the

thought of their bones becoming weak and fragile.

Developing brittle bones may mean giving up favorite activities…

because those activities have become more dangerous. Some people

feel they have to practically become hermits. Because they’re

afraid they’re just one fall away from losing their independence.

Well, I have good news. A brand-new study from the Mayo Clinic

shows there’s an easy way to strengthen your bones without the

side effects linked to drugs.

A team at the clinic looked at the skeletal health of 589 men and

women aged 20 to 97. And they found that there was a clear link

between bone health and another factor.

Muscle mass. The more muscle people had relative to their height,

the stronger their bones were at key points.

The team discovered that women tended to have stronger vertebrae,

forearm and shin bones. Men appeared to have greater bone strength

at all the points they measured.

To take advantage of this discovery, be sure you’re getting the

right nutrients for building both muscle and bone.

To build muscle, you need plenty of lean protein. Vitamin C is

important, too. You need plenty of vitamin C to make collagen – a

protein critical for forming the tissues that connect muscle to

bone.

Calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K are key nutrients for building

bone. Magnesium, potassium and other minerals are also important.

To take advantage of these building blocks, forget spending hours

on the treadmill. Resistance exercise builds muscle mass best. But

don’t worry. I’m not talking about schlepping to the gym every

morning. (Unless you want to.)

You can get an excellent resistance workout in the privacy of

your living room. Here are just a few simple resistance exercises…

1) Sit about 2” from the back of a sturdy chair with arms. (Don’t

use an overstuffed chair.) With your feet flat on the floor and

your back straight, place your hands, palms down, on the chair’s

arms. Using just your arms, raise your body off the seat of the

chair as far as you can and then lower yourself back down gently.

Work up to 10 – 15 repetitions.

2) Stand in the middle of a doorway, with your arms at your

sides. Move both arms outward until the backs of your hands are

touching the doorframe. Push outward on the frame as if you were

trying to raise your arms even further. Maintain the pressure for

about 10 seconds. Work up to 10 repetitions.

3) Standing in the same position as exercise #2, raise your hands

over your head and rest your palms on the doorframe above your

head. (Shorter folks may not be able to do this one.) Flex your

knees very slightly. Keeping your back straight, push downward

with your arms while you push up with your legs. Hold for 10

seconds and relax. Work up to 10 repetitions.

4) Fill two 1-gallon plastic jugs with 5# – 10# of sand each,

depending on your starting strength. Be sure to put the same

amount of sand in each. Stand with your feet flat on the floor,

shoulder width apart, with one jug on either side of your feet.

With your arms resting comfortably at your sides, lower your body

with your knees till you can grasp the jugs. Do so and stand up

slowly. Lower yourself until the jugs are almost touching the

floor and rise up again. Work up to 10 – 15 repetitions.

These are just a few simple muscle-building exercises, but there

are many others you can do. About 20 – 30 minutes of resistance

exercise 3 times a week is great.

The rest of the week, walk, play tennis, ride your bike or garden

– anything that keeps you moving for 20 – 30 minutes. This

weight-bearing exercise is key, because it signals your body to

build more bone. Building muscle mass at the a same time will give

you a “double advantage,” and help you keep your bones stronger,

longer. Always check with your doctor first before starting an

exercise regimen

Yours in good health,

Dr Woliner, M.D.

1 LeBrasseur, N.K., et al, “Skeletal muscle mass is associated

with bone geometry and microstructure and serum IGFBP-2 levels in

adult women and men,” Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 2012.

Published online before print.