Today, I’m happy to introduce for the first time, the Save Our Bones Daily Double Challenge. I'm super excited about this as it'll allow me to be more personally involved with the little details that can make a big difference in your bone-building success.
My goal is to keep you motivated and to help you stay on track, to insure that you’ll apply bone-healthy actions now, not later.
What’s more, it'll also tap into the power of our community and by leaving your comments and ideas below, it'll greatly help everyone to stay motivated and actively involved.
Here's How It Works
On Daily Double Challenge days, I'll send you two challenges that are easy to apply. You'll do them, then come back here and leave a comment on your challenge completion. This will greatly motivate the rest of the Save Our Bones community. Simple!
My hope is that as you practice the bone-healthy habits for one day, chances are they’ll become second-nature to you.
So let’s get started now with…
Challenge # 1
What: Chew your food really well
Why: It may sound silly or perhaps way too easy, but trust me, it’s not. We have a tendency to chew food in a rush, sometimes gulping it down – without even realizing. However, it is very important to chew food really well. Because the more you chew, the more alkalizing your food will become.
Digestion actually begins in the mouth, where saliva does a lot more than just moisten food so we can easily swallow it. Saliva contains amylase, also known as ptyalin, which helps digest carbohydrates, and in particular, starches.
And there’s more; bicarbonate ions are also present in saliva, helping you with your alkalizing goals. Plus bicarbonate seems to activate another enzyme: cellulase, which is involved in breaking down cellulose, commonly known as fiber, found in many veggies, fruits, grains, legumes and seeds. So chewing your food well also helps digest it better.
How: For this challenge, be more aware of the length of time you chew your food for, and when you would normally swallow the food, chew a few times more.
Challenge # 2
What: Take deep breaths throughout the day
Why: As I write in a blog post titled ‘Breathe This Way and Help Your Bones', deep breathing has many benefits that relate to your bone health and to your general health.
In essence, and as it relates to your bones, deep breathing is a great way to lower stress, which as I explain in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, can harm your bones. It can also help your body get rid of acidifying toxins.
If you happen to be a shallow breather, you’re not taking in as much oxygen as you might need.You are also not exhaling sufficient carbon dioxide out of your body.
How: The challenge is to pay special attention to the way you breathe. Every hour or so take some deep breaths, and concentrate on feeling each one reach your abdominal area. Then take your time to fully exhale.
So here’s your Daily Double Challenge for today, and I’m looking forward to getting your feedback, motivational ideas, and more below. And look out for more Double Daily Challenges to come.
Till next time,
would you tell me where i can write and get some answers to some questions i need answered thank you please let me know right away
Great tips. Have been going to exercise classes 3 times a wk., and we end our session with deep breathing to bring heart rate down – however, I am guilty of eating faster than I should and have been trying to slow down. Keep up your helpful tips. Thanx so much
Thanks for your two great tips. Another excellent way i have found to improve my bone density is to apply a cream called ‘Pro-Juven’, which has a high percentage of the hormone progesterone, available on prescription.
Hi Vivian,
Great tips. I do take deep breath some times. Now I will try to practice and do it more often. Is any started this? Is any change you seen?.
Dipti
There are great breathing exercises on Dr wells breathng exercies…The proper way to do it ..
Just getting to my email and this a wake up call as to how lazy I have been Thank you
I just learned about the value of plums in preventing and restoring bone loss. The NATURAL HEALTH DOSSIER printed an article on this. The British Journal of Nutrition published a study of eating plums daily. Dr. Bahram Arjmandi and Dr. Bernard Halloran reviewed and approved of the report… This is exciting. Carole
Carole, please see my reply to Bev on this.
Hi Vivian and Carole:
Can you repost your “reply to Bev,” Vivian?
I looked at all the comments but could not find it. I too would like to know what you think of these reports.
thank you
Ramona
Hello Vivian, Thanks for these two great tips and the reasons for them. I am a slow eater (mostly) – but am very guilty of shallow breathing – and have just started taking some deep breaths. Many Blessings, Kelsey.
Great Ideas! Will do!
Thank you Vivian for all the wonderful infos you are giving all of us interested in rebuilding our bones & health in general….Chewing well our food & deep breathing are such important factors yet I keep forgetting about doing it !…Thank you for reminding me…Sabine ( Charleston,SC )
Your suggestions are welcomed. Now, to have the discipline to follow them, is very much necessary. I truly hope that the information I have derived from you, will show improvement for me. Thank you.
Just back from holidays and found your reminders very welcome. Thank you for encouraging us to stay on track.
I started chewing my food more thoroughly many
years ago when I read an article by Nancy Reagan who claimed that was how she lost weight
and kept it off. You may be the last one to finish at the dinner table, but you may well be the healthiest.
Thank you for the info. As of yet i don’t do either, but i will try both challenges. Anything that will help the bones. Thank you again.
Hi Vivian,
You’re an angel:-)!
Thanks for all the helpful advice
and tips.
With regard to the deep breathing,
I try to do 2 ten minute sessions
every day . I think this might be easier to remember than once every hour.
All the best
Phil
EXCELLANT WEBSITE & INFORMATION, THANKYOU.
I find the challenges helpful. I already chew well, thereby eating slowly. The breathing exercises are great and helps with getting to sleep. Thank you for the articles. Dolly
Chewing my food well is no problem for me. The breathing is difficult to remember because I am so used to shallow breathing. I need some kind of reminder to do this, and then perhaps it will come automatically.
Chewing really well is also a great way to allow our body to register when we are full. It takes about 20 minutes of eating to allow this. If we gulp our food, we tend to eat more than our body really needs.
I often get distracted when eating as it is an opportunity for multitasking. Concentrating on chewing centers me on the sensual pleasure of eating.
Before my workout, I balance on one leg for 7-8 minutes per leg. Deep breathing helps me to relax into position. By focusing on the breathing, I don’t think about keeping my balance…it just happens.
Thanks for the tips and the challenges. They keep us on track.
I always chew my food well because I am the last one done. I will have to practice on the deep breathing. Thank for the challenge.
I commented earlier on the chewing and breathing as being so important and necessaray to remember. Thanks very much for bringing them to our attention.
I also want to say that your website itself, the way everything is designed and laid out is so attractive. It’s such a pleasure to log on every day. And the little leaf logo in the yellow square is a beauty! Thank you for your attention to these details…I’m sure they brighten many days!
What an inspired idea—2 simple challenges which have both immediate and long term health benefits. The only problem for me is to REMEMBER to do them…so I’m going to have to do something which reminds me about it. May move my watch to the other wrist, so each time I notice it it will remind me that I’m doing something new and different!
Thank you for all that you do for us out here. Finding your website was a life-changer for me!
Dear Vivian:
You are a gem to give us so many good tips to constantly improve our bones. Your suggestions to chew our food well and also to breath deeply are very appreciated. This is advice I needed very badly. Thank you very much.