I am so glad to have found this forum. I found an article in a magazine stating that tomatoes could keep my bones strong. Something about the intake of lycopene reduced declines in N-telopeptide> The recommended dose was roughly 1/2 to 3/4 cup of tomatoes, cooked being higher in lycopene than raw. Has anyone else heard this study out of the University of Toronto?
2 years ago I received notification by mail of my DEXA results, indicating T Scores of: Lumbar Spine = -0.9; Femoral neck = -1.3 ; Total hip = -0.5. I am 53 and have not had another scan done. My doctor suggested 1500mg calcium and 800mg Vitamin D3. The pills made me sick enough to make many trips to the ER and Walk In Clinics with chest pains back pains, indigestion and stomach discomfort. It took almost 2 years of mis-diagnosis of GERD, Gasteoparesis, EKG and Stress Tests, etc, to discover I had a non-functioning gallbladder, removed 2 months ago. I am working with my doctors and still have not yet resolved my remaining digestive problems and believe this is affecting my calcium absorption. I currently take a Woman's One Just Once Multi-vitamin and drink 2 cups of soy and accidoliphus milk(lactose intolerant) and 1 cup of Activia Yogurt. This is all I can manage at the moment, many foods and meds upset my stomach terribly. I currently have to take a drug called Welchol to help bind the bile acid in my stomach, will be checking with my doctor in 2 weeks.
I have walked every day - 30 minutes to an hour, depending on weather. I work out with light weights 2 days a week and do Yoga everyday for my bad back and to help with my bad balance. I am careful not to do anything crazy, twisting or lifting. Is this enough? Is there any other suggestions?
I am scared to have another scan done, I am sure my doctor will recommend another one as it has been 2 years. I have ordered the book The Myth of Osteoporosis, and I wish i knew about this forum 2 years ago. Sorry for the long post... Thanks for any suggestions. Ruth
Your bone density numbers are pretty good! You can find a whole list of foods on-line that are high in calcium and other nutrients that are good for your bones.
Ingesting soy can be harmful to you, soy can cause estrogen-receptor breast cancer in post menopausal women, thyroid problems, etc. The soy milks are particularly bad, you should be only eating a small amount of fermented soy, like organic tofu, if you must have it. The soy in the U.S. is genetically modified, and even if it wasn't, soybeans have more aluminum than any other bean and that's bad for your bones. Some soy milks are using imported soy from China where environmental standards are lax. Have you tried So Delicious Coconut Milk in the half gallon? It's organic, calcium fortified, tastes good, and is low in sugar and sodium, I love it. Another thing is that Activa yogurt is make from cows that have added hormones and antibiotics, you shouldn't be eating that stuff, you might be risking breast cancer from both the soy and your yogurt. I wonder if the soy is causing your digestive problems?? You should keep in mind that you may be allergic to food additives, have you been tested for allergies?
You should be staying away from everything on the supermarket shelf containing genetically modified (GMO) soy, or soy oil, or soy lecithin, etc. If a food is not organic, than the soy will be GMO.
Additionally, you should do research on anti-breast cancer diets/foods and you will see what else you are eating that might be harmful to you.
Hi a relative of mine has osteoporosis but she improved with vegetable juice between meals for 2 years from celery, and carrot juice, she also uses greens from the garden and a balance of fruits, grains, nuts, dried cooked beans and vegetables. She used calcium tablets, magnesium, vitamins and vitamin D and gets outside in sunshine fresh air and walks. Her bone x-rays actually showed improved bone density.
A positive attitude is said to be important instead of negative. Some women suffer more with osteoporosis after a hysterectomy.
Everyone I know who had their gall bladders removed are on cholesterol lowering medication, so I was wondering if you are on statin drugs, like Lipitor.
Statin drugs move the cholesterol out of your bloodstream and into the gall bladder, thus the need for gall bladder removal in some people. Statins can also cause digestive problems. Many people are on statin drugs unnecessarily because doctors are not giving them the proper cholesterol tests.
The cholesterol numbers are not the entire story, particle size of the good (should be small) and bad cholesterol (should be large) is the key to whether you need the statins or not, but doctors who practice internal medicine don't offer the particle testing (VAP test). They either don't know about it, or are unwilling to test you because then they can't push the statin drugs on you. I wonder how many gall bladders have been removed unnecessarily because doctors gave patients statins they didn't need???
The VAP test also shows a separate risk factor for heart disease called Lpa protein, which the regular cholesterol testing doesn't give you. I think there are a few other more sophisticated cholesterol tests out there now in addition to the VAP.
Since the calcium you took bothered you, maybe when you are feeling better you could try E-Zorb, you have to order it on-line. E-Zorb is organic calcium in capsule or power form that disburses in the small intestine, so there is no need for participation of Vitamin D for absorption, and E-Zorb calcium doesn't migrate to other areas of the body, like calcium carbonate, according to the manufacturer. I take four capsules daily, and it's never caused stomach upset or bothered me in any way. I found out about E-zorb on this board.
Anyway, you are on the right track now in protecting your bones, there are many knowledgeable posters here on this subject, much more than I am, you will never find a better resource about bone health than this board, not even from a doctor.
Your bone density numbers are pretty good! You can find a whole list of foods on-line that are high in calcium and other nutrients that are good for your bones.
Ingesting soy can be harmful to you, soy can cause estrogen-receptor breast cancer in post menopausal women, thyroid problems, etc. The soy milks are particularly bad, you should be only eating a small amount of fermented soy, like organic tofu, if you must have it. The soy in the U.S. is genetically modified, and even if it wasn't, soybeans have more aluminum than any other bean and that's bad for your bones. Some soy milks are using imported soy from China where environmental standards are lax. Have you tried So Delicious Coconut Milk in the half gallon? It's organic, calcium fortified, tastes good, and is low in sugar and sodium, I love it. Another thing is that Activa yogurt is make from cows that have added hormones and antibiotics, you shouldn't be eating that stuff, you might be risking breast cancer from both the soy and your yogurt. I wonder if the soy is causing your digestive problems?? You should keep in mind that you may be allergic to food additives, have you been tested for allergies?
You should be staying away from everything on the supermarket shelf containing genetically modified (GMO) soy, or soy oil, or soy lecithin, etc. If a food is not organic, than the soy will be GMO.
Additionally, you should do research on anti-breast cancer diets/foods and you will see what else you are eating that might be harmful to you.
Thank you so much for your response. I was drinking an organic soy milk but I fear you are right about the soy milk, I have only been drinking it for a year and a half. It is frustrating because there are only about 7 foods that I can comfortably eat right now, acidipholophus milk doesn't agree with my stomach. I will definitely look for the So Delicious Coconut Milk, and darn it about the Activia, I also buy an organic brand called Stonyfield, but the Activia tastes better and I guess I was influenced by Jamie Lee Curtis commercials on tv. LOL.
I was tested for allergies some years ago, I don't recall soy being one of my problem foods, I am lactose intolerant however. Thanks so much for your suggestions.
Hi a relative of mine has osteoporosis but she improved with vegetable juice between meals for 2 years from celery, and carrot juice, she also uses greens from the garden and a balance of fruits, grains, nuts, dried cooked beans and vegetables. She used calcium tablets, magnesium, vitamins and vitamin D and gets outside in sunshine fresh air and walks. Her bone x-rays actually showed improved bone density.
A positive attitude is said to be important instead of negative. Some women suffer more with osteoporosis after a hysterectomy.
Thanks for your suggestions. At this point, a few cooked veggies are okay for me, raw salads upset my stomach something fierce. I had read that kale and swiss chard are rich in calcium. My oldest sister us into juicing, she has osteopenia in her hip and back. Hopefully this will help her condition. It is very difficult to get enough sunshine here in the Pacific Northwest but I can handle the walking and working out with weights. No hysterectomy here, just 2 years post-menopausal...
Everyone I know who had their gall bladders removed are on cholesterol lowering medication, so I was wondering if you are on statin drugs, like Lipitor.
Statin drugs move the cholesterol out of your bloodstream and into the gall bladder, thus the need for gall bladder removal in some people. Statins can also cause digestive problems. Many people are on statin drugs unnecessarily because doctors are not giving them the proper cholesterol tests.
The cholesterol numbers are not the entire story, particle size of the good (should be small) and bad cholesterol (should be large) is the key to whether you need the statins or not, but doctors who practice internal medicine don't offer the particle testing (VAP test). They either don't know about it, or are unwilling to test you because then they can't push the statin drugs on you. I wonder how many gall bladders have been removed unnecessarily because doctors gave patients statins they didn't need???
The VAP test also shows a separate risk factor for heart disease called Lpa protein, which the regular cholesterol testing doesn't give you. I think there are a few other more sophisticated cholesterol tests out there now in addition to the VAP.
Since the calcium you took bothered you, maybe when you are feeling better you could try E-Zorb, you have to order it on-line. E-Zorb is organic calcium in capsule or power form that disburses in the small intestine, so there is no need for participation of Vitamin D for absorption, and E-Zorb calcium doesn't migrate to other areas of the body, like calcium carbonate, according to the manufacturer. I take four capsules daily, and it's never caused stomach upset or bothered me in any way. I found out about E-zorb on this board.
Anyway, you are on the right track now in protecting your bones, there are many knowledgeable posters here on this subject, much more than I am, you will never find a better resource about bone health than this board, not even from a doctor.
Thanks again for your response! I am so thankful for this forum! I will look into E-Zorb.
I do not have high cholesterol, at my check up last year my total cholesterol was 217; Trigyceridess: 51; HDL: 81; LDL: 126. My doctor has never suggested statin drugs, and if she did, I would refuse to take them. My DH has taken Zocor and suffered tremendous muscle pains. He no longer takes statin drugs.
I had my gallbladder removed February 1, 2011; I suffer from Post Gallbladder Surgery Syndrome, too much bile acids causing severe diarrhea. Funny, my 84 year old mother and Aunt both had their's out and they bounced back to life the next day, but not me... I have to be very careful of what I eat, it has to be low fat and not many foods appeal to me yet. The drug I am currently trying out, Welchol(Colesevelam) belongs to a class of drugs called bile acid-binding resins. Bile acid is a natural substance the liver makes by using cholesterol. This medication works by removing bile acid from the body. For people like me, the medication hopefully will bind with the bile acid in my stomach and keep it from irritating my intestines! Yes, I have wondered how many gallbladders have been removed unnecessarily, but in my case, I was so sick off and on, then this winter I lost 13 pounds in a month; that's when my doctor finally figured out what was the matter with me. I am far better off without it, I have no regrets. Just want to get better.
Once again, I am so glad I found this forum, I feel a lot more optimistic about the whole thing. I just received my book The Myth Of Osteoporosis, so excited to finish the book tonight. Thanks again! Ruth
Hi some people seem to get heart valve prolapse with lifting weights in the gymn but in my opinion walking for exercise is good. If weights are done it would need careful graduation and probably no more weight than a baby or the groceries would be in my opinion. Those with osteoporosis would need special instructions from the health professional probably on how much weight it is ok to handle for any type of lifting.
You are welcome! Wow, your cholesterol numbers are great! My HDL is 80 like yours, but my LDL is 168, all large particle (Type A) that doesn't stick, so my total is around 280, adding in the triglycerides. Conversely, someone could get a low total cholesterol score and think they are fine, but if their HDL is under 35 bringing their total count down, they could be at risk for heart attack and not realize it. Most of the public doesn't understand the numbers or know their particle size, so they just listen to their doctors and go on the statins, whether they need them or not.
My Mom had her gall bladder removed a few years ago (she's on Lipitor, she has low HDL and small particle LDL, the sticky kind). All her symptoms (pain, vomiting after eating, etc) went away after the surgery, but she also has haital hernia, so she feels full all the time, even after eating only small portions, so she needs to take her time eating. Mom just turned 82 and she has better bone density that I do (lol), but she was on her feet all the time doing housework and shopping over the years, I had a desk job, so I probably got osteopenia in my hips from inactivity (my spine is normal).
Now I walk, lift weights, swim, bike, etc, as much as I can, but I have back and knee injuries so I have to stay within my pain threshold. Tomorrow I go to water aerobics, even though swimming isn't great for bone density, there is evidence that swimming does have a positive affect on bone. I consume calcium containing veggies, beans, and nuts, low-fat dairy/coconut milk, make organic bone soup with vinegar to draw out the calcium from the chicken bones, and I use calcium fortified orange juice in my homemade salad dressing. I am thinking about juicing now, one of the posts here mentioned it, so I did research, and juicing delivers nutrients faster than eating does, so I have to figure out the foods with the most calcium so I can juice them.
Anyway, I hope you feel better, and can start eating more things very soon..
I am surprised that they already have you on bile binding drugs after less than 2 months out from surgery. I would think a no fat diet should have been tried for a little longer. I always recommend at least 4 weeks after surgery and then slowly introduce fat back into the diet. It's hard to do but I think it just allows the bile duct to come "online" slowly making recovery easier.
Also, I'm not so sure that the statins are the cause of gallstones. Most people think a high fat diet is the cause. And while it can cause them, they tend to be hereditary and a low fat diet can cause them as well. Too much fat causes the gb to overproduce bile. Too little causes it to store too much bile. So, you are sort in a Catch 22 on the fat issue. My sister was stunned when I had stones as I eat very healthly. She's been on statins for decades and hasn't had them. Just saying...
As for the original question, your scores are very good. I would just keep on doing what you're doing. My concern with DEXA scores in this range is that they don't do a baseline when you are 20. So how do they know this isn't where you've always been? I'm 65, 5 ft 2, generally weigh around 110 and female. HUGE risk factor is simply my size. I'm just .1 over the line for osteopenia dx. Im fine with that and don't plan to change anything I do - jog, lift weights, eat right, etc. And I don't plan to have another DEXA scan. Why bother?
"Also, I'm not so sure that the statins are the cause of gallstones. Most people think a high fat diet is the cause."
If you do research, taking statin drugs is on the list of risk factors for gall stones. Your statement is not wrong, because the gall stone sufferer who did eat a high fat diet to cause the gallstones was put on a statin. People who had just started taking statins had a higher risk of developing gallstones, which form when bile stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material, but when people have been on statins for a year or two the risk decreases according to a study, but there is a question about the accuracy of this study.
Conversely, if the person with the high fat diet used oat bran, Metamusil, or Fibercon to deal with his cholesterol, the cholesterol would be eliminated from his system and not be stored in the gall bladder.
Just to correct a statement I made in my prior post; some exercises in my water aerobics class are beneficial for improving bone density, I meant that regular swimming isn't beneficial for bone density because it's not weight bearing, but studies suggest that swimming may improve bones in other ways.
Hi some people seem to get heart valve prolapse with lifting weights in the gymn but in my opinion walking for exercise is good. If weights are done it would need careful graduation and probably no more weight than a baby or the groceries would be in my opinion. Those with osteoporosis would need special instructions from the health professional probably on how much weight it is ok to handle for any type of lifting.
Thanks, I am very careful not to do anything crazy, especialy after my surgery - for me, it's light weights only, 3-5 lbs and only 2-occasionally 3 times a week. My doctor was the one who suggested this routine, but you are right, one should check with the doctor before starting any exercize routine.
You are welcome! Wow, your cholesterol numbers are great! My HDL is 80 like yours, but my LDL is 168, all large particle (Type A) that doesn't stick, so my total is around 280, adding in the triglycerides. Conversely, someone could get a low total cholesterol score and think they are fine, but if their HDL is under 35 bringing their total count down, they could be at risk for heart attack and not realize it. Most of the public doesn't understand the numbers or know their particle size, so they just listen to their doctors and go on the statins, whether they need them or not.
My Mom had her gall bladder removed a few years ago (she's on Lipitor, she has low HDL and small particle LDL, the sticky kind). All her symptoms (pain, vomiting after eating, etc) went away after the surgery, but she also has haital hernia, so she feels full all the time, even after eating only small portions, so she needs to take her time eating. Mom just turned 82 and she has better bone density that I do (lol), but she was on her feet all the time doing housework and shopping over the years, I had a desk job, so I probably got osteopenia in my hips from inactivity (my spine is normal).
Now I walk, lift weights, swim, bike, etc, as much as I can, but I have back and knee injuries so I have to stay within my pain threshold. Tomorrow I go to water aerobics, even though swimming isn't great for bone density, there is evidence that swimming does have a positive affect on bone. I consume calcium containing veggies, beans, and nuts, low-fat dairy/coconut milk, make organic bone soup with vinegar to draw out the calcium from the chicken bones, and I use calcium fortified orange juice in my homemade salad dressing. I am thinking about juicing now, one of the posts here mentioned it, so I did research, and juicing delivers nutrients faster than eating does, so I have to figure out the foods with the most calcium so I can juice them.
Anyway, I hope you feel better, and can start eating more things very soon..
Thanks so much for your reply, and I agree with you, we need to be our own advocates when it comes to prescriptions and doctor's orders... I may be a little jaded, but sometimes feel that the pharmaceutical companies are the ones responsible for the push to get people on statin drugs, and as in the case of DH, the drug had adverse effects.
I had to laugh, my mom has apparently better bone density than I do as well! My mom worked on the farm and did a lot of walking and gardening. Alas, me, I sat at a desk job looking at a computer for all the years I worked. I believe that's why I have a bad back and weak neck, but through the years I am making changes to try to correct this.
I am with you on the pain threshold! I used to like to play tennis, but my back can't take it anymore, now I stick to walking, hiking, gardening but no heavy lifting. Water aerobics sounds really good, I noticed in the book the Myth of Osteoporisis, Tai Chi was mentioned. I am interested in giving that a try as I have bad balance.
I am very interested in learning about this bone soup? I currently live on my own homemade chicken soup(I can only eat organic chicken and salmom for right now) I take the breast meat and use the bones for stock. Do I need to add vinegar? Also, I am of Japanese ancestry, one of our favorite family soups is made from pork or beef bones and Udon noodles. Do you think this soup might be of any use for calcium? Also, I know you said soy is bad, but how about organic tofu? I wish I could eat oranges again, they make me so sick now. My sister is really into juicing, as soon as I can, I want to try that, it appears that food is the best source of calcium and I am waiting to see how she fares at her check up this year. Thanks again!
I am surprised that they already have you on bile binding drugs after less than 2 months out from surgery. I would think a no fat diet should have been tried for a little longer. I always recommend at least 4 weeks after surgery and then slowly introduce fat back into the diet. It's hard to do but I think it just allows the bile duct to come "online" slowly making recovery easier.
Also, I'm not so sure that the statins are the cause of gallstones. Most people think a high fat diet is the cause. And while it can cause them, they tend to be hereditary and a low fat diet can cause them as well. Too much fat causes the gb to overproduce bile. Too little causes it to store too much bile. So, you are sort in a Catch 22 on the fat issue. My sister was stunned when I had stones as I eat very healthly. She's been on statins for decades and hasn't had them. Just saying...
As for the original question, your scores are very good. I would just keep on doing what you're doing. My concern with DEXA scores in this range is that they don't do a baseline when you are 20. So how do they know this isn't where you've always been? I'm 65, 5 ft 2, generally weigh around 110 and female. HUGE risk factor is simply my size. I'm just .1 over the line for osteopenia dx. Im fine with that and don't plan to change anything I do - jog, lift weights, eat right, etc. And I don't plan to have another DEXA scan. Why bother?
Thank you for your reply. Funny, I got more responses here than when I asked a question on the Gallbladder Forum LOL! I am still on a very low fat diet, no red meat, my surgeon had already warned me, plus I had spoken to a few other people about diet. At this rate, I may be on a low fat diet forever! This bile salt diarrhea thing came on about 2 weeks ago. My doctor wrote the script for Welchol, but I have to see my GI in 2 weeks for more testing and probably another stool culture. sorry TMI...
It sounds like you had your gallbladder removed successfully? I had a theory that people who have gallstones tend to not have the post-gallbladder surgery problems that those of us who had non-functioning gallbladders, but who knows?
The thing about the DEXA scan is that now that I know my score, I had a lot of anxiety about my next scan, which comes up this year at my annual check up. But I can see your reasoning not to be re-tested. I am only 5'0 and weigh 103 myself. I need to go and finish reading my book...Thanks again for your reply.
Thanks so much for your reply, and I agree with you, we need to be our own advocates when it comes to prescriptions and doctor's orders... I may be a little jaded, but sometimes feel that the pharmaceutical companies are the ones responsible for the push to get people on statin drugs, and as in the case of DH, the drug had adverse effects.
I had to laugh, my mom has apparently better bone density than I do as well! My mom worked on the farm and did a lot of walking and gardening. Alas, me, I sat at a desk job looking at a computer for all the years I worked. I believe that's why I have a bad back and weak neck, but through the years I am making changes to try to correct this.
I am with you on the pain threshold! I used to like to play tennis, but my back can't take it anymore, now I stick to walking, hiking, gardening but no heavy lifting. Water aerobics sounds really good, I noticed in the book the Myth of Osteoporisis, Tai Chi was mentioned. I am interested in giving that a try as I have bad balance.
I am very interested in learning about this bone soup? I currently live on my own homemade chicken soup(I can only eat organic chicken and salmom for right now) I take the breast meat and use the bones for stock. Do I need to add vinegar? Also, I am of Japanese ancestry, one of our favorite family soups is made from pork or beef bones and Udon noodles. Do you think this soup might be of any use for calcium? Also, I know you said soy is bad, but how about organic tofu? I wish I could eat oranges again, they make me so sick now. My sister is really into juicing, as soon as I can, I want to try that, it appears that food is the best source of calcium and I am waiting to see how she fares at her check up this year. Thanks again!
You are welcome!
Yes, the bone soup is good for your bones because the calcium will be drawn out of them by the vinegar. I read that the meat on the bones can be left on or off, so I buy the chicken legs in Trader Joe's to make the soup (I don't eat beef with all it's problems, I stick to poultry, pork, fish), and throw everything in it that is good for bone density, like onions, bok choy, celery, carrots, kale, etc. I read about Japanese people making bone soup, and I learned from this board that the soup is good for bones.
I read that organic tofu is good but only in small quantities, many web-sites list soy has as a cause for osteoporosis because of the high aluminum content. So many foods have soy in them it's hard to stay away from it, even foods you wouldn't suspect like peanut butter and Italian bread. Sometimes soy is hidden by other names on the label like vegetable protein, lecithin, etc. In New York, the restaurants were ordered to remove trans fats from the foods, so they cook with soy oil, but I avoid eating out for that reason. I was talking to a woman who owns a Chinese restaurant and she told me that some of her customers bring in their own oil for them to cook with, I don't blame them. Remember, soy is bad for bones AND breast health (in post-menopausal women).
I think it's a disgrace that our food is laced with soy because of the known health risks, and to make things worse, it's GMO besides! There is more bad news about the safety of our food supply, the Obama administration will now allow Monsanto (food company) to turn 23 million acres of alfalfa (hay) to GMO seed! The GMO seed will allow alfalfa to be sprayed with more Round Up (pesticide) so the plant won't die from it, but we will when we ingest dairy products or beef! This alfalfa will be called Round Up Ready Alfalfa, if you would like to Google it and read about it and maybe sign a petition against this action since you eat organics, like I do.
It seems that Whole Foods, Stonyfield Farms (you said you used to buy their yogurt), and Organic Valley are caving into Monsanto and are agreeing that GMO foods should work in tangent with the organic label, so this means that the consumer will never know if the food contains a GMO because it won't be on the label! This decision by the Obama administration is a disgrace, especially since 90% of Americans don't want GMO food, and just the fact that Michelle Obama has an organic garden at the White House goes to show you that what's good enough for them, should stay available for the American food consumer. This decision may mean the end of organic dairy and beef in the U.S.
The new way of thinking is that lifting light weights is better, and you can do more repetitions with light weights. I used to play tennis also, but I can't now, my physical activity is limited due to neck, back, and knee injuries/pain, but I do the best i can and try not to take prescription pain killers.
I assume DH didn't have the VAP test and doesn't know the HDL/LDL particle size, because Zocor or any statin may not be needed anyway. Another note about Zocor, it shouldn't be taken with blood thinners like Coumadin, Mom's GP doc tried to give her Zocor twice even though she is on Coumadin, even though her cardiologist said no Zocor for her, and I read about the dangerous interaction between the two drugs myself, these docs are dangerous to our health....
Thanks again for your responses! Soup is one of the things I can eat, if I make it myself and strain the fat. I don't eat a great deal of red meat either, in fact, I made the mistake of trying to eat beef stew last week, and I will not make that mistake again, no red meat for the time being. Thank you for those tips.
Like you, I have always tried to buy only organic produce and meats. It is very upsetting to learn about the soy and corn products, it's like they're trying to poison us! I very seldom eat in restaurants, I prefer to prepare my own food even before I got sick. I was aware of and have so far tried to avoid GMO products, but this news of Whole Foods, Stonyfield and Organic Valley is depressing...I guess the days of the the family owned farms producing healthy food is long gone. Sad!
I will have to look up DH's cholesterol numbers. And your mother is very lucky to have you watching over her health, wow!
The organic farmers are suing Monsanto, I can't remember all the details of the lawsuit to go into it here, but it's an interesting read if you want to Google It.
You might want to consider giving up beef all together, I read that it stays in the colon for weeks and even months causing disease, while pork (red meat) and chicken clear out fast. Eating red meat is a risk factor for breast cancer and too much animal protein leaches calcium out of the bones.
Mom doesn't think she's lucky to have me, she thinks I'm controlling and a pain in the neck (lol), we've had many "heated discussions" about her health care, but thanks for the compliment! Many elderly people feel threatened/scared when they are told their doctors are being either dishonest or ignorant, because many elderly don't know how to go on-line and research information to be their own health advocate.
Hi I would not use pork it is well know to contain the trichina worm and a pig will eat anything and is not that clean of an animal wallowing around in mud filth and those farms smell to the high heavens when merely driving by. Chickens are sometimes fed cardboard and may not contain all the nutrition that people are led to think. Besides after the animal has eaten whatever it has eaten then the nutrient has been used and comes to a person like second hand clothes.
Thanks for your comments, I eat very little pork, just a little Italian sausage and no nitrate ham occasionally. Isn't it terrible, it seems everything we ingest is bad for us! We are even getting GMO soy from the animal feed when we ingest animals, so I cut back on all animal protein. I read about one farmer who thought he was purchasing organic feed, but then he found out it was been sprayed with Round-Up pesticide, so he paid more money for the feed for nothing, and he said it's getting harder and harder to stay organic.
I just read another bad thing about soy, a study was done on Asian men who consumed a small amount of tofu every week, and there was more senility and brain shrinkage among these men than the non-tofu eaters.
I'm trying to figure out a diet that is good for both breast health AND bone health, but it's hard, the breast health diet is loaded with estrogen inhibiting foods which I assume aren't good for bone health, but I haven't found much info on the internet to help me plan such a diet. I don't know if the weak estrogen foods (like broccoli, kale, etc.) which protect against the stronger estrogen causing breast cancer, has a negative affect on bone health when it blocks the stronger estrogen. Does anyone know, or know a web-site which addresses this issue? I can't find any info on this subject.
I borrowed my friend's Ninja food blender, and I juiced spinach, celery, carrots, orange, apple (I used an apple to sweeten it but it's an estrogen booster), and it came out pretty tasty. I added fruit vinegar to neutralize the oxalates in the spinach. I have a lot left over to drink for the next few days, what I really liked about the juicing is I can just enjoy the drink and get my veggies without cooking them all the time, juicing is a big time saver and nutrient saver.
I noticed a new coconut milk in the store yesterday by SILK, but it contains carrageenan, a food additive that I reacted to with a burning stomach a few weeks ago, so I put it back on the shelf and purchased my regular organic So Delicious brand of coconut milk.
I finally came across a good article about nutrition for healthy bones on a natural foods web-site, and for juicing it lists: oranges, lemons, pineapple, papayas, green leafy veggies, red beets and and carrots.
Other foods listed for bone health are; whole grains, seeds, nuts, veggies, fruit, lactic acid containing foods, cabbage, and all the berries.
I assume there is no negative effect on bones from all the cruciferous veggies (estrogen inhibitors) like broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, etc. since cabbage is on this bone health list, but I'm not sure, I often find contradictory info regarding foods and health on-line.
If cruciferous veggies are really good for bone health, it would great because they can be protective against breast cancer also.
I will definitely look for the So Delicious Coconut Milk, and darn it about the Activia, I also buy an organic brand called Stonyfield, but the Activia tastes better and I guess I was influenced by Jamie Lee Curtis commercials on tv. LOL. 
I have to be very careful of what I eat, it has to be low fat and not many foods appeal to me yet. The drug I am currently trying out, Welchol(Colesevelam) belongs to a class of drugs called bile acid-binding resins. Bile acid is a natural substance the liver makes by using cholesterol. This medication works by removing bile acid from the body. For people like me, the medication hopefully will bind with the bile acid in my stomach and keep it from irritating my intestines! 
I am still on a very low fat diet, no red meat, my surgeon had already warned me, plus I had spoken to a few other people about diet. At this rate, I may be on a low fat diet forever! This bile salt diarrhea thing came on about 2 weeks ago. My doctor wrote the script for Welchol, but I have to see my GI in 2 weeks for more testing and probably another stool culture. sorry TMI...
