For years we have been taught that calcium was the great solution to weakened bones. Pre and post-menopausal women are recommended to take calcium supplements to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis. New research has shown that the theory of calcium supplementation improving bone health is a myth.

Calcium is the cornerstone mineral in bones. However, calcium consumption does not build bones. Countries with the highest dietary calcium consumption (US, Canada, & Scandinavian countries) have the highest rates of osteoporosis.

A recent meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal showed that calcium supplementation actually increased the risk of heart attacks. This study and others have looked at individuals taking calcium supplements in isolation without other key nutrients that play a role in calcium homeostasis.

New research has shown that very little dietary calcium actually makes it into bones. Experts estimate that it is around 1-2% at best. Many forms of calcium such as coral calcium, oyster shell calcium, calcium citrate and calcium carbonate are not metabolized well in the body. These forms of calcium are not well tolerated and form small rocks that get deposited in the soft tissue structures of the body.

Nanobacteria use the little calcium blocks to form hard shells of calcium phosphate as protection against the body’s immune system. This is similar to a snail using a shell as a form of armor from predators. This encapsulation provides a hiding spot for pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites. This promotes a continual inflammatory process in the area around the calcium shell creating plaque formation.

Proper Calcium Mineralization Depends upon Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2
These nutrients stimulate the activity of the osteoblastic protein osteocalcin. Osteocalcin acts to strongly absorb and selectively place calcium from the bloodstream into the bone matrix. This acts like a vacuum, creating a very strong pull that sucks the excess calcium stones out of the bloodstream and possibly out of mineralized plaques.

Osteocalcin only becomes active when adequate levels of vitamin K2 are present. Vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 also act to inhibit osteoclasts, which act to break down bone. Most individuals are both deficient in D3 and K2. This creates an environment of poor calcium metabolism that leads to weakened bones and calcium deposition in soft tissues.

The bones also need a good mix of essential minerals and fatty acids for healthy bone function. This includes plant-derived magnesium and silica as well as animal forms of saturated fat and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA & DHA.

The best forms of silica come from cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, horsetail, nettles, oat straw & alfalfa. Magnesium comes from many different sources including nuts, seeds, legumes and green vegetables. The best source of magnesium is raw, organic cacao and high quality dark chocolate.

Another powerful form of essential minerals is found in pink salts including Himalayan Sea Salt. These salts provide ideal mineral ratios for optimal absorption and usage in the body. Sea vegetables such as kelp, dulse and other forms of seaweed and sea algae like chlorella are also fantastic sources of bone-building nutrients.

The best forms of calcium and bone building nutrients come from leafy green vegetables and fermented, raw milk products from 100-green fed cows and goats. Pasteurized forms of milk and grain-fed animals provide inflammatory fatty-acids and other metabolites that promote calcium mineralization into arterioles.

Raw cheese and fermented drinks from 100% green-fed animals provide the perfect ratio of vitamin D3, K2, calcium, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and saturated fat. Raw cheese is perhaps the best bone building, cardio-protective food one could consume.

Sources For This Article Include

http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c3691.full

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/26/the-delicate-dance-between-vitamins-d-and-k.aspx

Rheaume-Bleue, Katie. Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little-Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life. 2012.
Proper calcium mineralization depends upon optimal levels of vitamin D and vitamin K.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034677_calcium_bones_vitamin_D3.html#ixzz1jvtV8DnD

Green Juice
This first one is made in a Juicer and is a lighter alternative to the spinach-based juice we used to make in Wellness. The recipe makes about 16 ounces. A serving is 8-16 ounces so enjoy yourself or share with a friend if you want. This juice can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for one day.
I like this one for breakfast:

1 head of Romaine Lettuce, 1 green apple, 1/2 red apple is the green
alone is not sweet enough, 1 lemon (if it’s organic put it in peel and all).

Cardamom Smoothie
This drink is made in Blender and makes about 16 ounces, a serving is half this amount. It can be shared or drink the second half at another time. Tell you what I’ll give you numbers for both a double and a single. I like this one for dinner.

For 2 servings: 1/2 package frozen sliced peaches (10 ounce bag),
1 1/2 cups coconut water, 4 ice cubes, 1/4 cup almond butter,
1/2 teaspoon cardamom

For 1 serving: 1/4 package frozen sliced peaches (10 ounce bag),
3/4 cups coconut water, 2 ices cubes, 2 Tablespoons almond butter,
1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Watermelon Soda
This drink is made in a Blender or Juicer and can be made in any amount. I made it yesterday afternoon using 1/4 of a small watermelon and it served two. I like this one any time of day or night. Watermelon is a terrific remedy for heartburn or gas, not that you have those problems!

1/4 watermelon juiced or blended, pour into a glass. It will be about 1/2 a
large glass. Then fill the rest of the glass with unflavored mineral
water. Italian style has smaller bubbles and is rather elegant. If the
watermelon isn’t quite as sweet as you like, add some coconut water.

Have you ever had a Green Tea Latte at Starbucks or Peet’s Coffee? Since we stopped drinking coffee these are our favorite substitutes. But, at the shop they are made with cow’s milk and sugar syrup. I love them, so came up with a recipe with almond milk and agave. Let me know if you are interested.

Some of the dietary and nutritional properties found in dandelions are:
fiber – fights diabetes, lowers cholesterol, reduces cancer and heart disease
potassium – in balance with magnesium, reduces blood pressure and stroke risk
iron
calcium – strengthens bones and lowers blood pressure
magnesium
phosphorus
B vitamins – thiamine and riboflavin, reduce stress
protein
sodium in dandelions reduces inflammation of the liver
pectin and Vitamin C – help remove heavy metals and radioactive elements from body tissues
aides weight loss
choline, improves memory
anti-dental plaque
esquiterpene compounds, which make dandelions bitter, aids digestion improves liver, spleen and gall bladder function and are highly anti-fungal
Micronutrient content:
copper
cobalt
zinc
boron
molybdenum
Vitamin D
This information on the benefits of consuming dandelion is culled from an article by Peter Gail found at: http://www.leaflady.org/health_benefits_of_dandelions.htm Please visit this website for more detailed information and research sources.

I have been busy building bones; studying Hashimoto Thyroiditis, various nutritional cleanses and energy medicine; walking bicycling swimming and rebounding; juicing and cooking gluten-free; and searching for Community Supported Agriculture programs in my neighborhood.

I had three goals to dive into when I left Fountain House: restore my health, make art, and reconnect with family and friends. Next month we will have been on the west coast for a year and though the transition from the people and work I loved at Fountain House has been long and arduous, life here has been fantastic. My goals are coming along very nicely!

I speak with Fountain House friends who worked with me in Wellness and they are keeping me up-to-date on the goings on there. I’m loving that they went forward with growing hydroponically at the Clubhouse and that the Salad Bar is alive, well, and folks are still loving the salads. I understand the exercise equipment moved to the 441 Residence and that leaving the FH building and walking down the street has not been an obstacle to getting a workout in, way to go! I also heard that the the new and improved Wellness Unit is not complete (last due date is September this year) but Culinary has moved upstairs to the Wellness area during their own renovation so will be operating from the fifth floor for a while. I know people will be enjoying the light and view immensely. My only regret is that I haven’t seen any photos yet!

Well, this is just a quick note today. I’ve got juice and lunch to make. Then some gardening (mostly vegetables as I am absolutely smitten with them) and on to an afternoon of painting.

I hope that your life is as sweet today too. x r

You are welcome to say hello, make a comment, ask a question, tell us about your Wellness work, join the blog. Let me know what you need to know and I will try to find out who knows and of course let you know.

r

Joel reminded us of the folks who go for years unnoticed and their needs unaddressed, those who spend their lives hidden in family homes, isolated and bereft of hope. The new work this story suggested was how do we reach out to those we are unlikely to meet. Clubhouse communication – we need to take on the task of letting our communities know we are here. We need to think big and take action.

Mark told his story as beautifully as ever, this time with even more depth and brilliantly focusing attention of the ramifications of our intertwined physical and mental health. Mark stood at the podium, looking more fragile than I remember, telling stories of the physical challenges he has faced over the last several years, reminding us of the toll medical crisis takes on our sense of self and safety in the world. Mark underlined the imperative of wellness work in our Clubhouses.

And then, we held the Wellness Workshop on Tuesday afternoon. Though we struggled with equipment and the fatigue that sets in after a rich lunch and sitting to listen for so many hours, the room was full of colleagues ready to know more. I have been part of workshops and plenaries on Wellness for about five years and was so gratified to see that Clubhouses are embracing this work. When asked if their Clubhouse was doing some form of Wellness, every one in the room raised their hand. Stunning! We are no longer beginners but colleagues who want to know about the best practices around our Clubhouse world. Clubhouses are growing food, networking with their communities, taking part in research projects, exercising, learning and inventing, all of them making inroads in the understanding and practice of improved physical and mental health. It makes the heart beat proud and hopeful.

I do not have all the words written for this Wellness Workshop available to post here but I can tell you who you can talk with and how to reach them. Our workshop participants included:

Ana Gundlach from The Meeting Place Clubhouse in San Diego, CA started the workshop with a few Chair Yoga poses demonstrating how simple, quick, and effective even an easy form of exercise can be.

Colleen McKay, director of the Program for Clubhouse Research in Massachusetts, talked with us about the Smoking Cessation research project she is doing in partnership with Genesis Club in Worcester, MA. She offered a terrific model for conducting and gathering information for a Smoking Cessation Program. colleen.mckay@umassmed.edu

Rachael Lamphere and Vincent Brown from Evergreen Club in Spokane, WA gave us an overview of the many simple steps they are taking toward Wellness through healthy choices in their Cafe, working with student interns for a better understanding of health issues, a twice-daily walking program, and Smoking Cessation. The project their Clubhouse takes the most pride in is their Green House project. We saw for ourselves the great job they are doing growing their own organic produce. evergreenclubhouse@gmail.com

Ulf Munzing from Wasatch House in Provo Utah has been working on Wellness for a number of years and shared a detailed overview of the work they have been doing. They take a holistic approach and are doing a great job devising their own Wellness programs and reaching into their community for support. Ulf has a very thorough and easily understandable Wellness Packet. mtalbert@wasatch.org

Amrit O’Connor joined us from Fountain House in New York City to talk about his work developing and being a part of the Wellness Unit over the last several years. Amrit was essential to the Wellness program as a leader in personal training in the gym, development of the Berry X’cellent Cafe’s Juice and Salad Bars, and Biking Group. His presentation included a video, made by colleagues from Wellness and AV, to help introduce our gym and promote our wellness projects within  our large Clubhouse community. wellness@fountainhouse.org

Wellness: Innovations and Implications for the Work-Ordered Day

11th Western Regional Clubhouse Conference
10/13/2010

The following is an outline for my section of the Wellness Workshop at next week’s regional conference.

Integrating Wellness into the Work-Ordered Day

• Base the work on the needs of your Clubhouse colleagues
• Promote Wellness in your Clubhouse – Wellness is challenging, let your Clubhouse know that work and opportunities are available
• Network with all your communities
• Wellness Triad:          Education     Food      Movement

Wellness covers a lot of territory and is a large and time-consuming endeavor. Do the work that is most important to you and do some of it every day. Our lives are worth the effort and you will see the fruits
of your labor every single day.

Education

• Determine the concerns of the Individuals in your Clubhouse and you will find your first step
• Research Solutions Provide information on the solutions you have found
• Develop a Wellness Resource Area in your Clubhouse
• Collaborate with in-house and local experts

Research solutions using the knowledge base in your own Clubhouse, Libraries, the Internet, local Businesses, Colleges and Universities, Hospitals and Medical Centers, Traditional and Integrative

Food

• If you are growing plants in your Clubhouse you could be growing food
• Look toward your local Farmers Markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Programs, and your local Health Food Stores
• Learn to make your own food and give up processed
• Inform yourselves; learn which foods support or deplete your health
• Create beautiful healthy food

Taking the time and knowing the ingredients that go into what you eat is worthwhile

Movement

• Starting to move is the most important part!
• Exercise can happen on a small or large scale
• Student Interns are a rich community resource
• Ask your community for donations
• Sometimes, breathing well is what you need

www.clubhousewellness.org

This blog site was initiated with the beginning of our Wellness unit in July 2007. We wanted to document our development, and in the midst of the ton of work we were achieving, we actually managed to sit down in front of a computer now and again to reflect.

Our hope was that this blog site (clubhousewellness.com) would be not only a reflection on our work but a venue for all Clubhouse’s to share their work, concerns, ideas, and support. Three years later and a lot of change has not changed this hope. We have another opportunity to invite Clubhouses to meet here to continue the important work of bringing Wellness to our community.

With great hope, Ruth