Strong Bones, Strong Body: maintain your bone health with SUPERFOODS

By Bonnie Pockley
Did you know that healthy bone is half as strong as steel in resisting compression and fully as strong as steel in resisting tension?1 Did you also know that the body leeches (resorbs) calcium from bones to control blood calcium levels as calcium is used in an extensive number of the body’s regulatory systems?

Bone ‘resorption’ in offset by bone ‘repair’ to the extent that our thigh bone, for example, is fully replaced every 6 months. The human body does not actually act to preserve the skeleton’s strength and wellbeing but to maintain blood-calcium homeostasis and without adequate nutritional intake our blood calcium levels drop dangerously. Extended periods of low blood calcium levels demineralise our bones so much that they develop large, punched-out-looking holes. Taking a calcium supplements is, however, problematic and will not improve the health of your bones. As calcium supplements are generally made of ground down shell and other hardened or ‘calcified’ forms of the mineral, the calcium content of most supplements isn’t readily available to your body for use. Further more, these forms of calcium actually cause calcification throughout the body, decrease flexibility and exacerbate inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.


Want to maintain functional strength as well as prevent osteoporosis, arthritis and other conditions relating to the deterioration of bone mass?


Did you know that magnesium and silicon play as big a role as calcium in the intracellular balance that is conducive to bone health?


Silicon, in fact, not only reduces the number of bone destroying cells but also partially prevents bone resorption and bone damage. 2 Studies have also shown that with every 100mg supplementation of magnesium (consider here that 50% of the body’s total magnesium is found in bone), bone density increase by 2%! 3






Complete bone health is dependant on a variety of bioavailable vitamins, proteins and minerals: vitamin C, vitamin D, Vitamin A, several minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese) and silicon.


Where do you find the richest source of most of these? Superfoods!


Raw Cacao contains more magnesium, and Camu Camu contains more vitamin C, than any other food substance. Bee Pollen contains high levels of all essential amino acids and bone repairing minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese. MSM synthesises and increases the level of silicon that is available to the body. Supplementing your diet with these good quality, organic tonic foods will not only improve your physical well being but improve your performance, strength and endurance during training.






1) Marieb & Hoehn, ‘Human Anatomy and Physiology, Bones and Skeletal tissue, Pearson International Edition, 2010.


2) Silicon: An Overlooked Trace Mineral; www.arthritissupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/739 v8/18/2003


3) Stengler, M. Magnesium Is the Key to Strong Bones, http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/hot_topics.html?aid=38200&sid=hottopo2, 25/9/10

Slow down & Stop the stress!

It’s often hard to find the time to get everything done!  We all have such fast paced lifestyles, with work, home life, social lives, exercise & general day to day occurrences. It can be stressful, but with fear of missing out on the excitement we push ourselves to keep going. We want to be part of it all, but sometimes it’s too much – we get tired and we can’t keep up. Why? It is said that at one time or another, adrenal fatigue effects an estimated 80% of people living in industrialized countries – so what is it, & how do we treat it?

The Adrenals

Your adrenal glands are two tiny pyramid-shaped pieces of tissue situated right above each kidney. Their job is to produce and release, when appropriate, certain regulatory hormones and chemical messengers.

Adrenaline is manufactured in the interior of the adrenal gland, called the adrenal medulla. Cortisol, the other chemical from the adrenal gland, is made in the exterior portion of the gland, called the adrenal cortex. The cortex also secretes androgens, estrogens, and progestins. Cortisol, commonly called hydrocortisone, is the most abundant - and one of the most important - of many adrenal cortex hormones. Cortisol helps you handle longer-term stress situations. These two primary adrenal hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, help control body fluid balance, blood pressure, blood sugar, and other central metabolic functions.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

The adrenal glands produce adrenaline and cortisol in response to stress, temporarily increasing the body's ability to deal with whatever is causing it stress. Modern life can be so full of stress that the body overproduces adrenaline, cortisol and other stress hormones. 

Adrenal fatigue often develops after periods of intense or lengthy physical or emotional stress, when overstimulation if the glands leave them unable to meet your body's needs. Constant stress and poor nutrition can weaken the adrenal glands.

Adrenal fatigue is your body's attempt to shut itself down long enough to recover from all those stress hormones. The overproduction of adrenal hormones caused by prolonged stress can weaken the immune system and inhibit the production of white blood cells.

Signs of Adrenal Fatigue

·      excessive tiredness

·      overwhelmed by or unable to cope with stress

·      feeling rundown

·      craving salty and sweet foods

·      energetic in the evening

·      not feeling rested after a full night's sleep

·      interrupted sleep

·      low stamina

·      difficulty concentrating

·      poor digestion

·      low immune function

How to treat Adrenal Fatigue

Listen to your body. Not every case of adrenal fatigue presents the same symptoms, and as such it will need to be treated differently.  It is important though to reduce stressors & to take some time out to relax.  Equally important is SLEEP! Most adults need eight hours of daily sleep, and trying to make up for all your lost sleep once the weekend rolls around is counterproductive, get yourself into a good sleep schedule to help the body restore its equilibrium.

Exercise resets the biological systems, increasing pleasure hormone levels in the body and increasing its ability to metabolize the waste products of adrenal hormone production, you don’t want to over do it though – try walking or yoga.

Nutrition & Adrenal Fatigue

The cortisol produced by the adrenal glands has a significant effect on blood sugar levels, and so eating habits play a major role in moderating the condition. Balance Your Blood Sugar With Your Diet. To minimize stress on the adrenal system, and ensure maximum energy, you should consider a low-glycemic (low-sugar) diet, consisting of sufficient protein and fat, low-glycemic carbohydrates, eaten in smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Sugar and simple carbohydrates put stress on the adrenal glands due by rapidly shifting blood sugar levels. By switching to vegetables, fruits and proteins, and high fiber carbohydrates, blood sugar remains more stable, providing less strain on the adrenal glands.

Coffee can stimulate the adrenal glands, only worsening your adrenal overload & should be avoided at all costs!  Instead try Yerba Mate, a herbal tea native to South America.  Yerba Mate is considered far more nutritious than black tea or coffee, and though it also has some caffeine, it's effects are energizing & nourishing.

A Vitamin B complex is also extremely important with stress management. When we ‘stress’ our body leeches high levels of mineral and uses up vitamin stores to manage excess hormone levels.  Bee Pollen is a rich source of B vitamins & is a rich source of enzymes & other vitamins & minerals.  The reason why bee pollen is a better choice over other B Vitamin supplements is that it is a food substance that is easily absorbed, it is also high in protein & essential amino acids.

Adequately feeding your immune system boosts its fighting power, Vitamin C is a great way to do this. Vitamin C increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies and increases levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses. A great source of Vitamin C is Camu Camu. Camu Camu contains more vitamin C than any other known plant, with Camu Camu powder containing up to 60 times more vitamin C than an orange, it also contains phytochemicals including serine, amino acids, valine.

The benefits of Maca can definitely not be overlooked when trying to treat adrenal fatigue.  Being an adaptogen, Maca redresses balance where imbalance exists within the body.  Its going to balance out excessive hormonal levels, combating the high levels of Cortisol & Oestrogen & assist with regulating insulin release.

Do you have your own website or blog? Check out the Tonic Superfoods Affiliate Program. By spreading the word about Tonic Superfoods on your site, you are not only helping people in their health journey, but you can make money!

Camu Camu - The ultimate immune health booster!

Camu Camu (Myrciaria Dubia) is a miracle fruit born from a low growing South American riverside shrub. Emerging from the Amazonian rainforest, the Camu Camu fruit is a purply/red colour and can be harvested once a year during the wet season.

Although Amazonian cultures do not perceive Camu Camu to be nutritionally relevant, what makes Camu Camu such a miracle fruit is its extraordinary high vitamin C content. This making the Camu Camu fruit extremely sought after on the international market - due to its immune system enhancing properties!

As well as its high vitamin C content, the Camu Camu fruit is rich in flavonoids (bioflavonoids) with the antioxidant activity of such flavonoids assisting with cancer prevention. Furthermore, incorporating flavonoids into ones diet can assist with anti-depressant treatment, by providing nutritional support to the bodies own mood balancing chemistry.

Camu Camu is also a significant source of potassium, providing 711 mg per kg of fruit. It also has a full complement of minerals and amino acids that can aid in the absorption of vitamin C such as anthocyanins (a powerful antioxidant), bioflavonoids, and other essential co-factors. In addition to the chemicals mentioned above, camu-camu contains beta-carotene, calcium, leucine, protein, serine, thiamine, and valine, making it particularly invaluble for the formation of white blood cells, maintaining a healthy immune system, and support for the brain, lymph glands, heart and lungs.

Benefits of Vitamin C
As mentioned earlier, Camu Camu, posesses an exceptionally high vitamin C content. In comparison to oranges, Camu Camu, provides 30 times more vitamin C per serving. As a high dose vitamin C botanical Camu Camu works as an absorbic acid, which is required to assist with metabilic reactions in the body including the synthesis of collagen.

Vitamin C deficiency means that the body's collagen is to unstable to perform regular functions and can lead to decreased immune function and scurvy. By increasing the levels of vitamin C in your body, you are ensuring strong immune health, the abiltiy to fight of winter colds more effectively, as well as a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin C consumption has shown to support
the immune system maintain excellent eyesight create beautiful skin ward off viral infections support strong collagen, tendons and ligaments decrease inflammation improve respiratory (lung) health help maintain optimal clarity of mind in times of
stress and anxiety.

How to take Camu Camu
As the fruit is extremely acidic, it posesses a unique flavour and is best utalised in a powder form, where it can be combined with other ingredients. A great way to enjoy the benefits of Camu Camu is to add between 1 and 3 teaspoons (or more) to
juices, smoothies, or simply to your drinking water. It can also be used in conjunction with MSM powder helps rejuvenate collagen and improve the health of the skin. If you would like to incorporate the flavour of Camu Camu into a meal, the below recipe is a favourite of ours!

To a serving of cooked quinoa add:

1 tablespoons of coconut butter
1 tablespoon of raw honey
1/4 teaspoon of Tonic Superfoods Maca Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Tonic Superfoods Camu Camu Powder
A small pinch of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of soaked Tonic Superfoods Goji Berries

To the quinoa add the coconut butter and honey then mix well. Then stir thru the maca, camu-camu and cinnamon. Finally, on top place the goji berries.

Amazing Aloe Smoothie

As promised, todays post is a yummy smoothie recipe containing aloe vera.
This recipe comes from Health Motivator & Longevity Strategist Daniel Vitalis


Amazing Aloe Smoothie

The inner gel of one whole aloe leaf

1 tsp Tonic Superfoods MSM

1-3 oranges

2 lemons - try to leave as much of the white pith as these contain important co factors

1-2 Tbs raw organic honey - This hydrogen rich sugar helps both hydrate and reduce the bitterness of the MSM and aloe.

1/4 tsp of Tonic Superfoods Camu Camu


Enjoy!

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