In today’s world, we’re all multitasking. It seems like the only way to get anything done, and it’s become an integral part of society. Nonetheless, it can get aggravating and leave you feeling frazzled. Besides, multitasking is not always the most productive approach.
Foods, however, are natural multitaskers that get things done without any stress or aggravation on your part.
In fact, it’s just the opposite: multitasking foods build your bones, cleanse your body, and give you tons of energy. That’s a lot on your “plate,” so to speak!
The Best Multitasking Foods
All vegetables have something healthy to offer, and you’ll find a complete discussion of bone-healthy veggies in Chapter 11 of the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. But there’s one group of vegetables that deserves special recognition for their multitasking abilities. They are…
Cruciferous Vegetables: Foundation Foods That Provide Multiple Benefits
Cruciferous vegetables include foods you’re probably quite familiar with. They are readily available and many are coming into season this fall and winter. Here are the most common cruciferous vegetables:
- Arugula
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Chinese cabbage
- Collard greens
- Daikon radish
- Horseradish
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Land cress
- Mustard greens
- Radish
- Rutabaga
- Shepherd's purse
- Turnip
- Watercress
These are just some of the bone-healthy, delicious vegetables in this group, and they are all Foundation Foods in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. You’ll find a complete Foundation Foods chart in Chapter 9 of the Program, including many more cruciferous veggies.
What Makes Cruciferous Vegetables So Good at Multitasking?
There are 3 major tasks that these vegetables perform, and they do so via special plant chemicals and bone-healthy nutrients. I’ll explain.
Task #1: They Build Your Bones
There’s no doubt that cruciferous vegetables are good for your bones. They are chock-full of Foundation Supplements, which are bone-healthy nutrients found in whole foods. For example:
- Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C, calcium, silicon, and polyphenols.
- Broccoli offers calcium, boron, Vitamins K and C, and flavonoids.
- Brussels Sprouts provide Vitamins K and C.
- Cauliflower boasts Vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, and magnesium.
- Kale gives you Vitamin K and calcium.
All of these nutrients are Foundation Supplements because of their exceptional role in building and maintaining healthy bone. So when you eat these cruciferous vegetables, you can check task #1 off your list!
Task #2: They Cleanse Your System
One of the most important first steps you can take on your bone health journey is to cleanse your system. Why is this so important?
If you’ve taken osteoporosis drugs for any amount of time, it makes sense to get those toxic substances out of your system as soon as possible. The Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse(formerly known as RapidCleanse™), the 7-Day Bone Health Cleanse, is designed to help you do just that.
And even if you’ve never taken osteoporosis drugs, you’ll greatly jump- start your bone-building success with a cleanse.
One of the steps included in the Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse is cleansing with foods. And cruciferous vegetables are key players in this process. That’s because they contain…
D-Glucarate, a Crucial Phytochemical
D-glucarate works by suppressing an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. This enzyme inhibits the detoxification process on a cellular level, but when it’s suppressed by d-glucarate, toxins are free to be flushed from the body and cells are protected from damage.
Amazingly, all cruciferous vegetables naturally contain this phytochemical. That takes care of task #2.
Task #3: They Give You More Energy
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables of any variety can boost energy and help you feel good. But cruciferous vegetables really shine in this area. Their energy boost comes from special plant compounds called isothiocyanates.
Isothiocyanates contain sulphur, and are responsible for that distinctive cruciferous flavor. They boost energy by activating a protein called Nrf2. This protein generates the cell’s powerhouse called mitochondria, which actually produce an energy transporter called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Having lots of mitochondria is a good thing, because they convert glucose into a form of energy that your muscle cells can readily use. And if your muscles are performing well, it means less fatigue.
This is great news, but there’s more to muscles. You see, muscles need to be used for optimal performance – and so do your bones.
Muscles and Bones Work Together
Strong muscles put healthy pressure on bones. As I explain in the Densercise™ eBook System, bones increase in density when they are exposed to weight-bearing exercise. The more force you put on a bone, the more it responds with increased density. This concept is explained in Wolff’s Law, which states that bone is generated and changed in response to the forces of muscle and gravity.
Densercise™ will help you build and tone your muscles so that they are more effective at building your bones. It’s not a tough, exhausting workout; rather, the Densercise™ moves are easy to do yet extremely effective, because they are designed specifically to increase bone density. And it only takes 15 minutes, three days a week!
You can get all the details here.
Till next time,
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Dangers Of Plastic Food Packaging Uncovered In Recent StudyComments on this article are closed.
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Thank you for clarifying the cruciferous benefits.
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vivian i would like to know why you are not sending me any more e-mails i have not heard from you since oct.3 is there some reason for this i enjoy your mail so much and i know it really helps me bea
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I have hypothyroidism. I’ve read where some of the vegetables you mention as bone healthy are not healthy for your thyroid: broccoli, cabbage, kale…to name a few. Do need to avoid them altogether?
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Hi, Vivian. I just bought your book so haven’t read it yet. However, can y ou tell me, does one ice coffee per day (from McDonald’s) throw off my body chemistry? Does it affect the Alkaline/acidity balance. In sum, is coffee consumption bad for my bones? -Jean
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I am 80 & have overcome many illness’es with food/supplements, still have a Thyroid problem & all the info I’ve read – NOT TO EAT ANY OF THE CABBAGE FAMILY RAW – COOKED IS OKAY, but I try to limit the amount I eat. The person who mentioned being tired may need to have her Thyroid checked.
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Dear Vivian,
Unfortunately, for those of us with hypothyroidism are told to avoid cruciferous vegetables because they block thyroid function and hormones. We have to find alternatives. I don’t know it you if you realize this.
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It is okay to eat those foods cooked, just not raw.
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I also love your info and have been a nutritionist since 1980 but still learn from you. You are doing a wonderful work and I am glad you are appreciated by many including me. In my classes I taught the problems with the medical field and have been in alternative doctors and educators since the 80’s when it was not acceptable. I send my best to you and all you do.
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LaRue, you’ve been doing a great educational service for many years! Thank you for your kind words and for your work.
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Vivian,
Thank you for the information on pre-biotics. Looking at the list of foods I applied my favorite past time and created a mnemonic to help remember them: BOBCAT (Banana-Onions-Barley-Chicory-Artichokes-Tomatoes).
Perhaps it will help someone else. -
Hi Vivian, can you comment on this problem. I’ve been a follower of yours for many years since my mom had osteoporosis and I bought your book to help her before she passed away aged 91. Last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer, had lumpectomy, 4 cycles of chemo, 16 rad treatments and 6 months of Herceptin. I followed your healthy food guide for bones throughout treatment but these drugs aggravated my then mild osteoarthritis which has plagued me ever since. The damage to my bones from these drugs scares me as I get arthritic flare ups which cause the joints to snap, crack and stiffen. I can hardly move some days I’m so stiff and sore yet never felt like this prior to these drug treatments. I am 66 and determined to keep active. Any advice you could give me would be appreciated.
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Gloria, first let me express my condolences regarding your mother. I am sorry for your loss.
I also wish you a full recovery from your cancer, and want to commend you for keeping your body as strong and healthy as possible through treatment.
In most cases arthritis is either caused by too much accumulation of acid residue in the joints, which can happen with acidifying drugs, or it could be caused by something else. But it’s aggravated by too much acid accumulation. We have found that many in the Save Our Bones community experience relief from arthritis when on the Program. Even though it’s specifically for bone health, reducing acid residue and bringing the proper acid/alkaline balance to the body is precisely what the Osteoporosis Reversal Program is designed to do!
Here is a link to a recent post that touches on the subject of arthritis that you might like:
Best wishes for a full recovery!
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Thank you again Vivian, for putting me on the right track and keeping me there with your useful advice and sensible regime. I feel healthier now than I have felt for years and feel I have still not reached a plateau. Thanks again.
Heather-
Wonderful, Heather!
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Vivian, I follow your book faithfully (you should see the underlines) and it has been a great help. My one problem is this: I love all the vegetables you suggest but am on Coumadin! I’ve cut out broccoli – don’t like it anyway – but love the others mentioned. How can I eat and get the benefits without throwing my bleeding and clotting numbers off?? Please tell me I can eat brussel sprouts!
Thanks. I’ve told all my friends about you and your message. I’ve refused the osteo drugs and feel wonderful.-
Marie, I am so glad you’re enjoying the Program! And don’t worry about not eating broccoli – there are lots of other options for bone-healthy vegetables, and if there is one particular food you can’t eat, you can still be successful on the Program. 🙂
You could just consider Coumadin to be one more acidifying drug, so following the 80/20 balance is a perfect solution. Even people taking bone-depleting drugs like corticosteroids have been successful while on the Osteoporosis Reversal Program!
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Thank you for the ongoing information and tips. Very much appreciated. Unfortunately I have fibrosis of the lungs too now. It has gradually been getting worse. Medication, antibiotics and inhalers do not help. Have gone onto herbs myself, and feel it helps. I need to get back to proper exercise for my bones, just been so lethargic…but eating for my bones certainly. And, I will get there with the exercise….optimistic and determined!
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I admire your spirit, Barbara! Remember, the body is designed for health, not sickness. 🙂
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Looking forward to summer here in Oz and eating raw salads.
Luckily I love all vegetables. Thank you for your article and keeping us keen!-
You might like reading about some bone-healthy foods for spring and summer in your part of the world, Annabelle! That’s wonderful that you like all vegetables. Your bones will thank you. 🙂
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Hello Save Our Bones Community, I love to eat a vegetable that looks like a bone and is also good for your bones, it’s called ‘Bok Choy’. I cook it in stir fries.
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Thank you for all your important information over the years
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You are very welcome, Linda!
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If the foods mentioned above are lightly
cooked, does this prevent the vegetables
from helping build our bones?
Thank you for all your help. Norma