‘Vivian Answers Day’ #8: Coffee, Yogurt, Stevia, Vegetable Intolerance, Men And Osteoporosis, Osteoporosis Drugs, And More!

Question & Answer #1

Does coffee really cause trouble with your bones? How much can cause trouble?

-Ladonna

Dear Ladonna,

Great question, because most of us love coffee. In fact, I have devoted an entire blog post to discuss coffee and bone health. If you haven't yet read it, I urge you to do so. It's titled “Drink this, Not That For Better Bone Health”, and to not leave your question unanswered today, I've copied a couple of my recommendations from it:

“Add a dose of alkalinity

Just as I suggest balancing a pasta meal with alkalizing vegetables, balance your tea or coffee with the addition of alkalizing foods. A simple way to do this is by adding almond or soy milk to your coffee, or lemon to your tea. And have your favorite alkalizing snack with either beverage. I know some of you may wonder why you can’t just take a calcium supplement with your coffee or tea to offset the acidifying effects. That won’t work because the beverage gets to your blood stream before the calcium. But you can definitely increase your alkalizing reserves by adding alkalizing snacks, if not with your beverage of choice, then shortly before or after.

Mix it with chicory

If you brew your own coffee, try cutting the amount of coffee grounds in half and replacing them with ground chicory root. If you’re hesitant to try this, you could start by adding a much smaller amount of chicory and building from there.”

These are just a small portion of my advice on drinking coffee without compromising your bone health. To read all my recommendations about coffee, simply go to the article in this blog.

Stay alert!

-Vivian

Question & Answer #2

Could I substitute honey for stevia?

Stevia doesn’t agree with me.

-Connie

Dear Connie,

Stevia is an excellent plant-derived natural sweetener of ancient origins. The natives in Paraguay have used it for hundreds of years. If you already have the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, you surely know that unlike sugar and artificial sweeteners, stevia is alkalizing, making it a bone-smart sweetener.

Honey is also alkalizing, so to answer your question, you can most certainly replace stevia for honey. Try to purchase only 100% pure honey, and you might also want to look into getting it organic. The best way to store honey is in an airtight container so that it is not exposed to moisture from the air, and if you make sure to keep it in a cool place, even if not refrigerated, you won't have to worry about changes in texture and flavor.

Wishing you a “sweet” New Year,

-Vivian

Question & Answer #3

Is there any information on EVISTA as a supplement to help bones?

-Alice

Dear Alice,

It is very kind of you to call Evista (raloxifene hydrochloride) a bone “supplement”. Plain and simple, Evista is far from being a supplement; it is a synthetic chemical known as a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). It is supposed to have the ability to act like estrogen in some tissues but not in others.

I write a lot more details about this drug in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, including a list of quite nefarious side effects, such as dangerous blood clots and stroke, to name a few. In view of this serious risk, it clearly makes more sense to improve your bone health with natural solutions as presented in the program.

To your health!

-Vivian

Question & Answer #4

Is there anything I can do to counteract the effects of the two doses of Boniva that I took a year ago?

-Gloria

Dear Gloria,

Even though Boniva (ibandronate) and all bisphosphonate drugs attach themselves to bone, the two doses you took are quite negligible. You can read exactly what happens in the body with these drugs in a blog post I wrote titled “Stop Taking Osteoporosis Drugs? It's Never Too Late…” and how they get released and finally removed from the body.

And to make sure you get rid of all the drug residue you might have, you can follow my easy detox plan called the Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse: The Seven Day Osteoporosis Drug Cleanse. In it I give you clear and simple steps to flush the drugs and toxins out, to alkalize your pH, and supercharge your bone health in only seven days. And as a huge bonus, you'll feel better than ever. I do it twice a year, even though I never took osteoporosis drugs.

To our “cleaner” future!

-Vivian

Question & Answer #5

After diagnosis of osteoporosis, my doc gave me Actonel, which I took ONE TIME then stopped. Also taking big doses of Vit. D. I am a runner, healthy eater….live in sunshine 365. I cannot think of anything that would take away additional bone, but I want to know anything I can do to ADD. Please advise!!

-Ricci

Dear Ricci,

You are on the right track, but let us analyze the term “healthy eater”. To some, it means consuming just the right amount of calories while disregarding the quality of foods. To others, it means eating enough protein and little carbohydrates, no matter the chemicals or processing in their foods. Bone-smart nutrition, on the other hand, is best described as a balancing act between acidifying and alkalizing foods while also placing special emphasis on nutrient-rich foods that nourish your bones.

It's really easy, and in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program I remove all the guesswork. Plus no foods are off limits, so you can enjoy your favorite dishes while helping your bones.

Keep up your good habits and enjoy the sunshine,

-Vivian

Question & Answer #6

I am 80yrs old, gave up bone meds taken for 10 yrs but cannot eat fruits & veggies for more than a few days without diarrhea. Can you help me?

-Jerry

Dear Jerry,

Besides their delicious flavor and alkalizing bone-healthy qualities, fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients, including valuable antioxidants. There are several steps you can take to slowly introduce these foods without causing digestive disruptions. The goal is to make it as easy as possible to digest them, so as to cause the least amount of inflammatory reactions. Experimenting is the key, until you find what works for you.

For example, you should chew very well to aid in the digestion and breakdown of these fiber-rich foods. You can also try to take digestive enzymes before a meal, plus consider eating plain unsweetened yogurt to increase your “friendly flora” intestinal population. At first you can make purees of peeled fruits and veggies, and even lightly cook them or steam them.

Enjoy your meals and have a healthy year,

-Vivian

Question & Answer #7

Vivian can you give more advice to the many men who are afflicted with Osteopenia and Osteoporosis, for vastly different reasons than Women?

For example some men have back or other injuries and have limited options when it comes to exercise. Also some men have low Testosterone levels.

Can you provide more specific advice for men where it will differ to the advice you provide women?

-Maurice

Dear Maurice,

I'm glad you are bringing up this very important yet neglected topic. In fact, in 2008 the American College of Physicians has issued new guidelines to bring awareness about osteoporosis in men. And of course, there is a section in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program exclusively dedicated to osteoporosis in men.

Both Primary and Secondary osteoporosis often overlap each other, but the latter is typically caused by low testosterone levels, long-term corticosteroids, and alcoholism. However, the metabolic requirements of bone are equal for men and women, which makes the Osteoporosis Reversal Program – and all the recommendations in it – equally applicable regardless of gender.

I wish you great success with your bone density improvement, Maurice, and the same applies to all the natural “bone health warriors” in our community!

All the best,

-Vivian

Question & Answer #8

I am 54 and have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. My T-Scores have not changed a lot since 2004, when I went through menopause – here are the current ones: L1-L4 -2.6, Neck Left -2.3, Neck Right -2.1, Total Left -2.4, Total Right -2.5. I took Fosamax for 4 years and it didn’t help so I stopped taking it over a year ago. I eat well, exercise and take supplements but I did drink a lot of coffee for years and both of my parents had osteoporosis. My doctor is recommending Forteo injections now. She said that I am very young to have scores this low. Another doctor told me that since my scores have been stable since 2004, I should do nothing. I would really appreciate your advice. Thanks.

-Kathy

Dear Kathy,

Your T-scores are barely at the osteopenia/osteoporosis boundary, so my first recommendation is to change your doctors. Forteo injections carry many negative potential health consequences – even bone cancer found in laboratory rats – besides the huge financial burden depending on your insurance. And doing nothing is not good either…

Here's my advice to you: if you haven't yet, go through the Natural Bone Building Handbook. You can get it here. Then try the Osteoporosis Reversal Program to accelerate your bone growth and know exactly what to do step-by-step. With the program, you have no risk of dangerous side effects and what could be better than to start the new year with a natural bone health plan that is scientifically designed to increase your bone density?

To your bone health success!

-Vivian

Question & Answer #9

If yogurt is ok, how’s frozen yogurt if it is natural and contains the yogurt properties such as Edy’s or Publix brand?

-Evelyn

Dear Evelyn,

Frozen yogurt is a better choice than ice cream if it contains live and active cultures, so you have to check out the label to make sure. Believe it or not, most”friendly” probiotic bacteria survive the freezing temperatures by going into a dormant state. Once they are warmed back to body temperature, the cultures become active again.

Another important factor is to remember that frozen yogurt is sweet, which means there is either sugar or other sweeteners added to it, thus making it an acidifying food. And assuming the brand you buy doesn't have other additives or colorants, I would consider frozen yogurt as a treat to enjoy sporadically, while you can have plenty of plain unsweetened yogurt anytime.

One of my favorite alkalizing snacks is plain yogurt with sliced strawberries, bananas, sprinkled with sliced almonds and a little honey.

Enjoy!

-Vivian

Question & Answer #10

After taking Actonel for 1 yr, I began having a problem swallowing. My Dr. said it had nothing to do with Actonel and to continue taking it, putting me on the one a month pill. I made the decision to stop taking and will never take it again. My fracture risk is 10-20 %. Will walking and eating properly help reduce this risk, or at least maintain the risk at this level?

-Rita

Dear Rita,

You made the right decision about stopping Actonel. Not so long ago researchers have found that bisphosphonate drugs double the risk of esophageal cancer. You can read my blog post on this (not so surprising) discovery by searching the title “Alert: Bisphosphonates Double the Risk of Esophageal Cancer”.

Walking and “eating properly” is a great idea to help your bones, but there are many other easy things you could do, as I clearly explain in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. For example, in addition to walking you can also do bone-healthy exercises for just a few minutes a day that will greatly help reduce fracture risk. Also, “eating properly” is a very broad statement because what you need is the right nutrition to help your bones and increase your bone density. The program has everything you need to help your bones and to help you live your life to the fullest without worrying about your bones.

To a healthy and happy New Year!