During my university years, I used to frustrate my parents by throwing away egg yolks and eating only the whites. No worries, I thought, as my parents just didn’t know enough to realize that I was reducing my risk of heart disease by avoiding cholesterol. Looking back, I’m sure that my parents were wondering how I could so easily toss away precious egg yolks that they were able afford only a few times a year when they lived in Korea.

Today, I am grateful to have a better understanding of the relationship between cholesterol and health. How about you? Are you afraid of having high cholesterol? Are you throwing away egg yolks because you think they’re bad for your health? Are you taking cholesterol-lowering medication or considering starting on one?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, I encourage you to consider the work of Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD, author of The Cholesterol Myths : Exposing the Fallacy that Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease. I consider Dr. Ravnskov to be the world’s leading expert on the relationship between cholesterol and human health.

Here are some facts from his book:
Cholesterol is not a deadly poison, but a substance that you need to be healthy. High cholesterol itself does not cause heart disease.

People who have low blood cholesterol have the same rates of heart disease as people who have high blood cholesterol.

The cholesterol found in your blood comes from two sources: cholesterol in food that you eat and cholesterol that your liver makes from other nutrients.

The amount of cholesterol that your liver produces, varies according to how much cholesterol you eat. If you eat a lot of cholesterol, your liver produces less. If you don’t eat much cholesterol, your liver produces more. This is why a low cholesterol diet does not typically decrease a person’s blood cholesterol by more than a few percent.

Drugs that solely lower your cholesterol do not decrease your risk of dying from heart disease, nor do they increase your lifespan. These drugs pose dangers to your health and may decrease your lifespan.

The newer cholesterol-lowering drugs – called statins – do reduce your risk of heart disease, but through mechanisms that are not related to lower blood cholesterol. And alarmingly, statins like lipitor mevacor, zocor, pravachol, and lescol are known to stimulate cancer in rodents.

What about HDL and LDL?
Well, here are some facts about LDL and HDL that the vast majority of my patients are surprised to learn:

LDL and HDL are not types of cholesterol.
LDL and HDL are lipoproteins that transport cholesterol through your blood circulatory system.
LDL stands for Low Density Lipoprotein, and HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein.
LDL is often mistakenly thought of as being bad cholesterol because it carries cholesterol to your arteries.
HDL is often mistakenly referred to as good cholesterol because it carries cholesterol away from your arteries (to your liver).
LDL and HDL carry the same cholesterol.

Here are the main points to take away from the facts presented above:
Cholesterol that naturally occurs in animal foods is not harmful to your health. But it can become harmful to your health if it is damaged by exposure to high levels of heat and/or harsh processing techniques.

If you regularly consume damaged cholesterol and foods that are rich in free radicals, you likely have significant quantities of damaged cholesterol floating through your circulatory system.

And if you regularly have damaged cholesterol floating around in your blood, then a high LDL level correlates with a higher-than-average risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and a high HDL level correlates with a lower-than-average risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

In other words, if you have significant amounts of damaged cholesterol in your blood circulation, you don’t want a lot of LDL to be available to carry this cholesterol to your arteries, where the damaged cholesterol can contribute to atherosclerosis, and you want a lot of HDL available to shuttle damaged cholesterol away from your arteries.

So while it’s true that a high HDL/total cholesterol ratio can reflect a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, what’s most important when it comes to cholesterol and your health is to avoid eating animal foods that have been cooked at high temperatures, since these foods are typically rich in damaged cholesterol.

Where Conventional Guidelines Come From:
Sadly, conventional guidelines that promote lower cholesterol levels for a healthy heart are influenced in large part by pharmaceutical companies earning billions of dollars with their cholesterol-lowering drugs.
For example, in the summer of 2004, a panel of physicians lowered the “safe” level of LDL cholesterol from 130 to 100, and further recommended that people at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease aim to lower their LDL levels to 70.

This modification in medical standard of practice caused an estimated eight million Americans to become instant candidates for cholesterol-related drug therapy.

While this “news” was covered by major media outlets and news wires, only one newspaper, Newsday, reported that most of the physicians responsible for establishing the new recommendations had a conflict of interest. Almost all had received money – usually in the form of grants or honoraria – from at least ten drug companies. The National Cholesterol Educational Program, the source of the new medical treatment guidelines for cholesterol, failed to report these financial disclosures.

Guidelines for Healthy HDL, LDL, Total Cholesterol, and Triglyceride Levels:
What follows are my personal guidelines on monitoring cholesterol, based on the research that I’ve done on this issue, and evaluating the blood test results and health of hundreds of people I have worked with over the past several years.

Ideally, it’s best to have a blood cholesterol level of over 150 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). But if your blood cholesterol level is lower than this, so long as you are eating a nutrient-dense, plant-centered diet and not suffering from any health challenges, there is likely no cause for concern.

Low cholesterol over the long term may lead to depression, increased risk of stroke, and numerous problems related to hormonal imbalances. If you are not getting enough vitamin D from your diet, having low cholesterol may lead to vitamin D deficiency, as sunlight creates vitamin D in your body by acting on cholesterol found in your skin.

Ideally, your HDL/total cholesterol ratio should be above 25%. Generally, the higher this ratio, the better. If this ratio is 10-15 percent or lower, there increased risk of eventually experiencing a heart attack.  Ideally, it’s best to have a triglyceride/HDL ratio of 2.0 or lower.

If your HDL/total cholesterol and triglyceride/HDL ratios are in the ranges listed above, and you are eating mainly undamaged cholesterol, having a total cholesterol of more than 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) most probably isn’t a cause for worry. In fact, even people whose genetics cause them to have total cholesterol above 350 mg/dL (9.0 mmol/L) have been shown to have no elevated risk of heart disease as long as their ratios are fine and they stay away from eating damaged cholesterol.

Here’s my take-home perspective on cholesterol and your health:
Rather than focus just on the numbers from your latest blood test, your health is best served by:

  Ensuring regular intake of a wide variety of nutrient-dense plant foods (vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, and small amounts of nuts and seeds).

Ensuring regular intake of healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, olives, coconuts, organic eggs, and perhaps some cold water fish on occasion.

Minimizing intake of animal foods that have been highly processed and/or exposed to high cooking temperatures.

Striving to live a balanced life that includes adequate rest, physical activity, exposure to fresh air and sunlight (without getting burned), meaningful relationships, and a sense of purpose.

Please note:  Some organizations cite various studies that indicate that low-fat and low-cholesterol diets are healthier than diets that include generous amounts of healthy fats and undamaged cholesterol. The problem with these studies, as I see it, is that they don’t make a distinction between damaged vs. undamaged fat and cholesterol. And this is an extremely important distinction; there’s a huge difference between eating lightly cooked organic eggs vs. a well done steak several times a week for many years.

Dr. Ben Kim

To most people, clogged arteries mean increased risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. Often, getting diagnosed with partially occluded arteries leads to a prescription for cholesterol-lowering medication or invasive procedures like an angioplasty or bypass surgery.

 Before you find yourself being asked to choose one of these conventional medical approaches to addressing clogged arteries, I encourage you to be fully aware of the actual make-up of plaque that can occlude your arteries, the way in which such plaque develops, the different levels of risk that accompany varying degrees of blockage, and most importantly, what you can do to reduce your risk of experiencing health challenges that can be caused by occluded arteries.

 Pathology 101 teaches us that accumulation of plaque, commonly called an atheroma, is a buildup in artery walls that is composed of the following:

 Specialized white blood cells (macrophages)

Cellular debris

Calcium

Fibrous connective tissue

Damaged lipids (cholesterol and fatty acids)

 Atheromatous plaques aren’t a welcome addition to your body, but they’re extremely common and just one of many natural degenerative developments that occur as you age. To completely avoid atherosclerosis as you get older is virtually impossible; development typically begins in childhood, and the presence of atheromata isn’t uncommon even at the toddler stage.

 Buildup of atheromatous plaques occurs between the innermost lining of your artery walls and the layer of smooth muscle that gives your arteries the ability to pulsate and propel blood through your circulatory system.

 Atheromatous plaques begin with an accumulation of specialized white blood cells that have engulfed damaged low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Your body works to remove such accumulations, but if you’re exposed to a continuous stream of them via unhealthy dietary choices, these early accumulations can begin to attract even more white blood cells. Over time, these plaques tend to accumulate calcium deposits on their outer layers; these calcium deposits serve to stiffen the accumulations of white blood cells and damaged lipids within.

 Conventional medical thought is that arteries that are clogged by atheromatous plaques decrease blood flow to your tissues, and in the case of occluded arteries that are supplying your heart or brain, if blood circulation is compromised enough, you may experience a heart attack or a stroke.

 We now know arteries that are 30 to 40 percent occluded may actually be more likely to contribute to a heart attack than arteries that are 90 to 95 percent clogged. As Dr. Dean Ornish explains, when there is a significant amount of plaque buildup in your arteries, these plaques are more likely to be stabilized by calcium deposits.

 Another reason why more occlusion does not always increase your risk of experiencing a heart attack is that your body can develop alternate pathways for blood flow – called collateral vessels – when arteries become fully or almost fully clogged; this is a great example of the never-ending pursuit of your self-healing mechanisms to keep you alive.

 An artery that is only 30 percent clogged won’t typically have collateral vessels around it (it usually takes more occlusion and time for your body to create collateral vessels).

 Also, arteries that are only about 30 percent clogged aren’t likely to be stabilized by calcium deposits, which means that whenever you experience significant emotional stress, such arteries can easily constrict due to your body’s natural flight/fight response, and constriction of atheromatous plaques can cause them to rupture – this is how plaque ruptures tend to occur.

 When a plaque ruptures, it’s possible for an artery that was only 30 to 40 percent clogged to become fully occluded within several seconds to a few minutes. This process is termed catastrophic progresion, and is the mechanism by which many heart attacks and strokes occur.

The good news is that studies by Dr. Dean Ornish and his colleagues indicate that making healthy dietary and lifestyle choices can dramatically decrease your risk of experiencing plaque ruptures, and often, even people who have frequent episodes of angina (chest pain) caused by clogged arteries can experience significant improvement within a few weeks.

 To reduce risk of heart attack and stroke, one of the most important lifestyle choices to make is to learn how to effectively manage emotional stress because it’s emotional stress that’s most likely to cause rupture of vulnerable plaques in your arteries via sudden constriction that’s regulated by your autonomic nervous system.

 Numerous studies clearly indicate that mental and emotional stress – including chronic depression and anger – significantly increase your risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. This is why being in an unhappy long-term relationship is arguably just as dangerous to your health as smoking, eating poorly, and not being physically active.

 On the dietary front, the most important action steps are:

Decrease intake of unhealthy fats, sugar-rich foods, and other foods that are rich in refined carbohydrates.  Ensure regular intake of nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits, and legumes.

Part of ensuring optimal nourishment includes making sure that you’re getting enough vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folate, which are micronutrients that are vital to keeping your blood homocysteine level within a healthy range. Allowing your blood homocysteine level to get and stay elevated virtually guarantees that you will develop cardiovascular disease.

 I hope that this post encourages you to continuously work at being emotionally balanced, optimally nourished, and committed to making healthy lifestyle choices every day. These ways of being make up the best approach to treating and preventing clogged arteries, and as soon as you get started, you’ll begin to reduce your risk of experiencing cardiovascular disease and a number of other health challenges.

 Dr. Ben Kim

Always exhausted? Lack of sleep might not be the only thing leaving you in a slump. Things like the size of your morning coffee or even how you decorate your office can have a surprising effect on how awake you feel. Make some of these tweaks to recharge your batteries.

Why you’re always exhausted
Having a low-energy day? Sometimes the problem is lack of sleep …
But even if you’re well rested, certain diet or exercise habits or other lifestyle choices can bring on a slump. And surprisingly little things—like the size of your Starbucks order or how you decorate your office—can hurt or help your energy levels. Make some of these tweaks to recharge your batteries and power through your day.
1. Have bran for breakfast
Eating a morning meal rich in fiber may make you more alert during the day. A Cardiff University study found that subjects who ate a high-fiber cereal in the morning showed a 10% reduction in fatigue, lower incidence of depression, and better cognitive skills. One theory: Fiber helps slow down the absorption of food in the stomach, which keeps your blood sugar levels steady to sustain energy levels for a longer period of time.
2. Order a small latte—and sip it slowly
Experts say it’s best not to rely too heavily on caffeine, but if you’re an unapologetic java junkie, try spreading your intake out more evenly over the day. Mini servings of caffeine (8 ounces of coffee or less) every few hours keep you awake, alert, and focused for longer than a single jumbo one would, according to sleep experts. “When you quickly drink a large coffee, the caffeine peaks in your bloodstream much sooner than if you spread it out over time,” says Harris R. Lieberman, PhD, a research psychologist with the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine.
3. Eat more often
Following a strict three-square-meals-a-day plan may be sapping your vigor. “Eating small meals frequently throughout the day—every 3 to 4 hours—helps keep your blood sugar up, so you don’t experience energy crashes or get so ravenous that you overeat,” explains Kathy McManus, RD, director of the Department of Nutrition at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Each meal should have some carbohydrates, protein, and healthy monounsaturated fat, like a salad topped with 4 ounces of chicken and drizzled with olive oil.
4. Plop a plant in your office
Flexing your green thumb may help fend off an afternoon slump. Texas A&M researchers found that volunteers who kept a vase of vibrant flowers on their desks, along with green plants elsewhere in the office, generated more creative ideas than those in a vegetation-free setting.

In a separate study, Kansas State University researchers used brain scans to analyze 90 male and female typists; some tapped keys next to plants, while others worked at bare desks. The result: Women exposed to flowers were less stressed. (Oddly, men didn’t experience the same benefits.) Look for hybrid varieties of azaleas, cyclamen, and kalanchoe, which flourish in small pots. While you’re at it, add a few dracaenas, an easy-to-care-for floor plant, to accent empty corners.
5. Gulp some water
“Half of the people who come to me complaining of fatigue are actually dehydrated,” says Woodson Merrell, MD, executive director of the Continuum Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Staying hydrated is one of the simplest ways to keep energized and focused. A recent study of athletes found that 92% felt fatigued after limiting fluids and water-rich foods for 15 hours; they also had lapses in memory and reported difficulty concentrating. Aim to drink every hour or two so you don’t feel thirsty.
6. Or steep a cup of tea
A recent report found that pairing caffeine and the amino acid L-theanine, both present in tea, decreased mental fatigue and improved alertness, reaction time, and memory. What’s more, black varieties can help you recover from stress, according to researchers at University College London. In their study, adults who drank tea four times a day for 6 weeks had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after a tense moment, compared with those who drank a tealike placebo.
7. Take a 10-minute walk
A short stroll can invigorate the rest of your day, suggests research presented to the American Heart Association. Women who walked briskly for 70 minutes a week (or 10 a day) reported 18% more energy than their sedentary peers after 6 months. They also felt more clearheaded and confident, had fewer aches, and hoisted groceries and climbed stairs more easily.
8. Copy your kid’s lunch
… If it’s a banana and peanut butter sandwich. Bananas pack potassium, a mineral your body needs to convert sugar in your blood into energy, says energy expert Susan Lark, MD, author of The Chemistry of Success: Six Secrets of Peak Performance. The peanut butter is high in magnesium, which gives your cells much-needed energy. Aim for 320 mg of magnesium and 4,700 mg of potassium daily. Other good sources of potassium and magnesium: fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts
9. Cue up your iPod
Feeling dazed at your desk? Consider listening to music while you work. One study found that employees who donned headphones while they worked were 10% more productive than without them.
10. Try a natural cure
The herb rhodiola, available in health food stores, may increase brain chemicals that stimulate your central nervous system and increase alertness. One Russian study found that people who took rhodiola reported higher levels of physical fitness, better coordination, and less mental fatigue. Try 100 mg twice a day.
11. Order the seaweed salad
If your go-to Japanese appetizer is miso soup or edamame, consider rotating seaweed salad into the mix. It’s packed with iodine, a chemical that helps maintain sufficient levels of the thyroid hormones that regulate your weight, energy level, and mood—and a new study finds you may not be getting enough of it. We tend to get our biggest dose of iodine from table salt, but among 88 randomized samples of common iodized salt brands, 47 didn’t contain the FDA’s recommended iodine concentration, say scientists from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Adults should get 150 mcg of iodine daily (220 mcg if you’re pregnant, 290 mcg if breastfeeding). Iffy on the seaweed? Other food sources include fish and yogurt.

Win the War on Germs
You may scrub your toilet and countertops until they shine, but these scary new bacteria breeding grounds require just as much attention.
Germs (the catchall name for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms) are everywhere–at home, in the office, even in your car. Luckily, about 99% of them can’t harm us. But the other 1% can be annoying, uncomfortable, or downright scary: Most of these pathogens are either viral or bacterial and can cause everything from a runny nose to a potentially life-threatening infection.

You may think you know the obvious places that germs propagate–the doctor’s office, the soles of your shoes–but many more germ-friendly locales are completely unexpected yet no less dangerous. We uncovered a host of surprising new spots where germs like to lurk, and offer easy solutions to keep you and your family safe and healthy.
1. Kitchen Faucet
That metal aeration screen at the end of the faucet is a total germ magnet.
Running water keeps the screen moist, an ideal condition for bacteria growth. Because tap water is far from sterile, if you accidentally touch the screen with dirty fingers or food, bacteria can grow on the faucet, explains microbiologist Kelly Reynolds, PhD, an associate professor of community environment and policy at the University of Arizona College of Public Health. Over time, bacteria build up and form a wall of pathogens called biofilm that sticks to the screen. “Eventually, that biofilm may even be big enough to break off and get onto your food or dishes,” she notes.

Keep It Clean: Once a week, remove the screen and soak it in a diluted bleach solution–follow the directions on the label. Replace the screen, and let the water run a few minutes before using.
2. Garbage Disposal
Bacteria from last night’s dinner could end up on today’s food and utensils if you’re not careful.
That raw chicken or spinach you’re rinsing for dinner is often loaded with harmful bacteria, which can make the young, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system seriously ill. In fact, there are often more than 500,000 bacteria in the kitchen sink–about 1,000 times more than the average toilet has. Although the metal part of the disposal produces ions that can help kill germs, they still love to grow on the crevices in and around the slimy rubber stopper. That means your disposal can become party central for bacteria, contaminating whatever touches it–dishes, utensils, even your hands.

Keep It Clean: At least once a week, clean the disposal’s rubber stopper with a diluted bleach solution–soap and water aren’t enough.
3. Welcome Mat
It serves to greet not only your guests but also all the bugs on the bottoms of their shoes.
In fact, one study found that nearly 96% of shoe soles had traces of coliform, which includes fecal bacteria. “The area near your front door is one of the dirtiest in the house,” says Reynolds. Once bacteria plant their stakes in your mat, anytime you walk on it, you give them a free ride into your home.

Keep It Clean: Spray the doormat once a week with a fabric-safe disinfectant (such as Lysol Disinfectant Spray). Leave shoes at the door, and avoid resting bags and groceries on the mat, too.
4. Vacuum Cleaner
It’s all in the bag—including spreadable germs.
“Vacuums–including the brushes and bags–are like meals-on-wheels for bacteria,” says Charles Gerba, PhD, professor of environmental biology at the University of Arizona “You suck in all this bacteria and food, creating an atmosphere for growth.” A recent study by Gerba and his team found that 13% of all vacuum cleaner brushes tested positive for E. coli, which means you could spread it around the house each time you use the appliance.

Keep It Clean: Change your vacuum bag frequently, and do so outdoors to avoid the cloud of bacteria that filters into the air. (Vacuum bags that feature antibacterial linings are best, and are available for many major brands.) Clean the cavity of a bagless vacuum with diluted bleach and let it air-dry.
5. Dish Towel
You know a sponge can harbor nasty germs, but dish towels are just as dangerous.
A recent study of hundreds of homes across the United States found that about 7% of kitchen towels were contaminated with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), the difficult-to-treat staph bacteria that can cause life-threatening skin infections. Dish towels also rated tops for dangerous strains of E. coli and other bacteria. We often use towels to wipe up spills, says Reynolds, then reuse before washing them, which spreads germs.

Keep It Clean: Stick to paper towels to clean countertops, and save the dishrag to dry just-washed pots and plates. Change towels or launder at least twice a week in hot water and bleach.
6. Car Dashboard
This is your vehicle’s second-most-common spot for bacteria and mold.
Here’s why: When air—which carries mold spores and bacteria—gets sucked in through the vents, it’s often drawn to the dashboard, where it can deposit the spores and germs. Because the dashboard receives the most sun and tends to stay warm, it’s prime for growth. (The number one germ zone? Food spills.)

Keep It Clean: Regularly swipe the inside of your car with disinfecting wipes. Be more vigilant during allergy season—about 20 million Americans are affected by asthma, which is caused in part by an allergic reaction to mold.
7. Soap Dispensers
About 25% of public restroom dispensers are contaminated by fecal bacteria.
Soap that harbors bacteria may sound ironic, but that’s exactly what a recent study found. “Most of these containers are never cleaned, so bacteria grows as the soap scum builds up,” says Gerba. “And the bottoms are touched by dirty hands, so there’s a continuous culture going on feeding millions of bacteria.”

Keep It Clean: Be sure to scrub hands thoroughly for 15 to 20 seconds with plenty of hot water–and if you have an alcohol gel disinfectant, use that, too.
8. Restaurant Ketchup Bottle
Those condiments on the tabletop are grimier than you think.
It’s the rare eatery that regularly bleaches down condiment containers. And the reality is that many people don’t wash their hands before eating, says Reynolds. So while you may be diligent, the guy who poured the ketchup before you may not have been, which means his germs are now on your fries.

Keep It Clean: Squirt hand sanitizer on the outside of the bottle or use a disinfectant wipe before you grab it. Holding the bottle with a napkin won’t help–they’re porous, so microorganisms can walk right through, says Reynolds.
9. Refrigerator Seal
Do you scrub the inside of your fridge? It’s not enough.
A University of Arizona survey of 160 homes in three US cities found that the seal around the fridge tested positive 83% of the time for common molds. The mold can spread every time the refrigerator door opens–exposing anyone who’s susceptible to allergies and potentially contaminating the food.

Keep It Clean: Wipe fridge seals at least once a week with a diluted bleach solution or disinfectant.
10. Cell Phone
Drop your cell any place that’s convenient? Read this first.
Several studies on cell phones and PDAs found that they carry tons of bacteria, including staph (which can cause skin infections), pseudomonas (eye infections), and salmonella (stomach ailments). Many electronic devices are sheathed in leather or vinyl cases, which provide plenty of creases and crevices for germs to hide.

Keep It Clean: Use a disinfecting wipe a few times a week, and be conscious of where you rest personal items.

After writing more than 30 books on childcare—and eight children—the husband-and-wife team of Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears are making a temporary radical departure…with a book on healthy aging. Here, they investigate why getting older often means sleeping less—and offer 10 ways to relax and get a good night’s rest.

The older we get, the more quality sleep we need. Sleep is a holiday for the body, a time when every system has a chance to relax and repair itself. What you do with your body and brain throughout the day influences how well your body and brain sleep at night. If you put a lot of junk food and junk thoughts into your body during the day, don’t expect the resulting neurochemicals to become nicer at night.

The vicious cycle begins: Suboptimal sleep throws the sleep-inducing neurochemicals out of whack, and this in turn leads to more suboptimal sleep. Inadequate sleep amps up the inflammatory system and causes you to store excess body fat, both of which increase your chances of getting sick and sleeping less.

Night Quirks You May Experience as You Age

• · Our hormonal symphony orchestra is designed to play perk-up music (more cortisol, less melatonin) during the day and to switch to softer wind-down music at night (more melatonin, less cortisol). As we age, this hormonal harmony becomes less sleep-inducing: Cortisol stays higher at night, and melatonin stays lower.
• · We enjoy less slow-wave—or deep—sleep. This is the state of sleep in which our immune and repair systems are most active.
• · The amount of melatonin that the brain makes during sleep declines with age. Since melatonin is primarily secreted during the stage of deep sleep, the aging brain does not enjoy as much of this sleep aid.
• · We tend to put on more belly fat, which itself contributes to hormonal imbalances that disturb sleep.
• · Hormone fluctuations during menopause can keep women awake. An enlarged prostate, and the consequent full-bladder sensation, makes men get up to go.
• · Quirks in the gut, such as heartburn and indigestion, are also more common as we age and can disrupt sleep patterns.

10 Sleep-Tight Tips That Work

1.      Get enough daytime exercise.
Daytime exercise sets up the brain for a more restful sleep at night. Exercise increases the percentage of time you spend in the deep stages of sleep. Morning exercise seems to be best for restful sleep. If you exercise in the evening, try to do so at least three hours before bedtime.

2.      Eat for sleep.
The brain is highly affected—for better or for worse—by nutrition. So it stands to reason that sleep can also be highly affected—for better or for worse—by what you eat. Some foods help you sleep restfully; others have the opposite effect.

3.      Forget the nightcap.
For most people, alcohol disrupts sleep rather than induces it. It may cause you to fall asleep faster, but during the night it interferes with sleep cycles, resulting in lower-quality sleep and earlier awakening.

4.      Scale back on caffeine.
Some people are more caffeine sensitive than others. Since caffeine may take as long as 12 hours to clear your system (the half-life of caffeine is about six hours), get your java jolt in the morning, if you must.

5.      Have an earlier bedtime.
As we age, our bodies tend to be reset to go to bed earlier and to wake up earlier.

6.      Don’t worry, be sleepy.
Strive for a stress-less evening and relax your brain with meditation or prayer before sleep.

7.      Go to bed at the same time each night.
People who go to bed at about the same time each night tend to enjoy more restful sleep.

8.      Have a restful bedtime routine.
Get your brain into the habit of expecting, after following a set routine—brush teeth, bath or shower, turn on music, turn down lights, get into bed, pick up a book—that sleep will naturally happen.

9.      Set up your bedroom for sleep.
Ideally, the bedroom should be reserved for sleep and sex and nothing else. Keep the bedroom dark, cool, dry and allergen-free.

10. Get warm, then cool down.
A warm bath or shower right before bed raises the body temperature. The natural cooling-down process that follows relaxes the body and induces sleep.

Dr. William Sears is the father of eight children and has practiced pediatrics for more than three decades. Martha Sears is a registered nurse, childbirth educator and parenting and health consultant. They are the authors of more than 30 books on childcare and live in Southern California.

1. Severe head pain

This mother of all headaches makes your bachelorette party hangover seem laughable. If you could laugh.
The culprit: Odds are, any jackhammering in your brain is just a migraine. But if it’s not accompanied by other migraine symptoms (such as a visual aura), sudden and severe pain–we’re talking the absolute worst headache of your life–can signal a brain aneurysm. These arterial bulges occur in up to 5 percent of people, but most of the time they don’t cause any trouble–you won’t even know you have one unless the weak spot leaks or tears. If that happens, escaping blood can flood the surrounding tissue (causing a violent headache) and cut off the oxygen supply there. Smoking and having a family history of aneurysms increase your odds.
The fix: “A burst aneurysm can cause brain damage within minutes, so you need to call 911 immediately,” says cardiologist Elsa-Grace Giardina, M.D., director of the Center for Women’s Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. Your doctor will take a CT scan to look for bleeding in the space around the brain. If he finds hemorrhaging, you’ll head into the OR pronto for surgery to repair the blood

2. Throbbing tooth

Spooning your way through a pint of Chubby Hubby has become an exercise in torture. When your teeth touch anything frosty, you feel a dull throb or sharp twinge.
The culprit: It’s likely that the tooth’s nerve has become damaged, usually because the surrounding pearly white is cracked or rotting away. Unless you get it patched up quickly, bacteria in your mouth can infect the nerve. And you definitely don’t want that breeding colony to spread throughout your body, says Kimberly Harms, D.D.S., a dentist outside St. Paul, Minnesota.
The fix: Time for a cavity check! You may just need a filling to cover the exposed nerve. But if it’s infected, you’re in for a root canal, in which vessel.

3. Sharp pain in your side

A typical runner’s side stitch pales in comparison to this piercing stab, which intensifies over a few hours or days.
The culprits: You may just need some Beano. But if you feel as if you’re being skewered in your right side and you’re also nauseated and running a fever, you could have appendicitis. It occurs when something (like a stray piece of feces) migrates into the space where the appendix empties into the colon, blocking it. Soon the organ becomes dangerously inflamed. Another possibility is an ovarian cyst. Typically these fluid-filled sacs are harmless and disappear on their own. But if one twists or ruptures, it can cause terrible pain.
The fix: In both cases, you’re looking at emergency surgery. “If you don’t remove an inflamed appendix, it can burst,” says Lin Chang, M.D., a gastroenterologist and codirector of UCLA’s Center for Neurovisceral Sciences and Women’s Health. This can cause dangerous swelling of the tissue surrounding your organs. A twisted cyst also needs to be removed right away, as it can block bloodflow to your ovary within hours. If that happens, the doctor will need to cut out the entire ovary (and the eggs inside) along with the cyst.

4. Passing chest pain

Periodically, you get what feels like a bad case of heartburn, or a tight squeezing sensation, as if you’re being laced into a corset.
The culprit: You probably just peppered your pizza with too many chilis. But if you know you’re at risk for heart problems, don’t blow it off–it could be a heart attack. Every year, about 10,000 women under 45 have one. Symptoms tend to be less severe in women than in men, so “you may just feel pressure, along with fatigue, throat pain, or shortness of breath,” Giardina says.
The fix: Feel the burn after feasting on chalupas? Normal. Feel as if you’re being squeezed to death by a boa constrictor after a hard workout? Not normal. In younger women, a heart attack usually happens when you’re working up a sweat. If that’s the case, dial 911. Your doc will do an EKG to determine whether your heart has been damaged, then decide on the best treatment, whether it’s clot-attacking drugs or surgery to clear your arteries.

5. Abdominal discomfort with gas or bloating

For the past month, you’ve felt gassy and bloated more days than not, and it takes fewer slices of pizza to fill you up than it used to.
The culprit: Who hasn’t sometimes felt like an overinflated balloon–especially right before your period? But if it happens often and the problem is new, the worst-case scenario is ovarian cancer. In 2007 the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation released the first national consensus on early symptoms: They include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, and difficulty eating. If you start experiencing them almost daily for more than two or three weeks, raise a red flag.
Ovarian cancer isn’t as common as breast or lung cancer (about 1 in 70 women will get it during their lives), but your risk is higher if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer or if you’ve never been pregnant.
The fix: Book an appointment with your ob-gyn to talk about your symptoms. If she suspects cancer, she’ll send you to a gynecologic oncologist for an ultrasound or a CT scan to check for a tumor. The good news: Five-year survival rates for ovarian cancer are 90 percent in women who are diagnosed early.

6. Back pain with tingling toes

No amount of Advil or heating pads can ease this backache. Your feet may also feel numb.
The culprit: If you’ve just helped your cousin move into her new fourth-floor apartment, anti-inflammatories should banish the pain. But if they don’t work, hobble to an orthopedist. “You could have a disc (one of the spongy rings that cushions the bones in your spine) pressing on the spinal nerve,” says Letha Griffin, M.D., an orthopedist and sports-medicine specialist in Atlanta. Without proper attention, you risk permanent nerve damage. And it’s hard to do the mambo if you can’t feel your feet.
The fix: An X-ray or MRI can show whether a disc in your back has slipped or ruptured. As long as the numbness isn’t getting worse, your doctor will probably prescribe physical therapy along with oral steroids or NSAIDs to reduce nerve inflammation. But if you’re still laid up after a few months, you may need surgery to remove the disc.

7. Leg pain with swelling

Your calf is extremely tender in one location, noticeably swollen, and red or warm to the touch.
The culprit: If one of your calves is on fire, you might have deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT, also known as a blood clot. Here’s how it usually happens: A flight to Tokyo or a deadline at work keeps you glued to your chair for hours. Blood starts to pool in your lower body and forms a clot. When it gets big enough to act as a stopper in the vein or artery, the area around it will start to hurt and swell. Smokers and women who take the Pill have a higher risk of developing clots.
The fix: Resist the urge to massage the area or to walk it off. If the clot breaks free, it can travel through your veins up to your lungs and cut off your oxygen supply. Instead, see your doctor, who will do a CT scan or ultrasound to look for DVT. If you have a clot, you’ll need to take blood thinners–sometimes for up to a year–to dissolve it, says Suzanne Steinbaum, M.D., director of women and heart disease at the Heart and Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

If the winter blues are dragging down your spirit and making hibernation an easy option, get your energy back with Andrea Metcalf’s five tips to lift your mood and vitality.

 
Eat a Snack in the Afternoon
Between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m., your energy levels naturally drop due to the rise and fall of the sun and your hormonal response. These circadian rhythms can make you feel tired and hungry. To keep your diet on track and boost your energy, try a snack with protein and carbohydrates, such as an apple with peanut butter or a small yogurt. You’ll find a light snack with less than 200 calories will make a big difference in how you perform and feel throughout the rest of the day.

Take 10 Deep Breaths
By focusing on your breath and visualizing yourself on a beach with a light breeze off the ocean, you will notice a visible increase in energy as you help your body’s cortisol levels drop. In as little as two minutes, you will feel refreshed and relaxed. Other positive health benefits: a decrease in heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Take a Brisk Walk
Walking is a great form of exercise and produces endorphins, which will give you a natural boost. It doesn’t have to be a long walk—just 10 minutes can change your day and attitude!

Tuck and Roll
You probably will want to save this one for your living room floor, as office co-workers may stop and stare. Lie down on the floor, bringing your knees to your chest. Now, gently roll back to shoulder blades and tuck chin to your chest as you roll upward. By gently rolling on your back, you will help increase blood flow to the muscles around your spine and to your internal organs. It’s like a somersault when you were a child, so you might even have some fun.

Take a Nap
A 10- to 20-minute catnap, according to experts, can boost your energy. If you are not sleeping at least six hours per night, you may be sleep deprived, which means hormonal havoc for leptin, gherlin and your cortisol levels. These hormonal imbalances result in sluggish behavior, craving sweets and low energy. Just make sure you set the alarm so you don’t sleep more than 10 to 20 minutes. Experts agree that longer doses of napping can have the opposite effect.

GET AT LEAST SEVEN HOURS OF SLEEP
That’s per night, not week. And men—the needier breed—require eight. Getting by on less can cause metabolic changes that increase your risk for obesity and diabetes. And one recent study from the University of Chicago found that the fewer hours of sleep adults get each night, the more likely they are to have calcium deposits in their arteries.
KNOW YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
What’s the fastest way to age an artery? Subject it to high blood pressure, which will harden it like a garden hose that’s been left out in the sun. A range of 120/80 to 130/85 mmHg is considered below the hypertension point, but it’s not ideal. In fact, reducing your blood pressure from 130/85 to 115/76 can make your body up to ten years younger. There’s no data to show that using drugs to lower blood pressure offers the full youth effect. So for now, you guessed it: Exercise, lose weight, reduce stress. The good news is, the benefits from physical activity are just about instantaneous.
AVOID SECOND HAND SMOKE
Don’t let people puff away in your space. An hour of passive smoke can cause the same amount of aging as having two to four cigarettes.
WALK 30 MINUTES EVERY DAY
A Harvard study suggests that for every hour you exercise during your life, your longevity increases by two hours. It’s important to get your heart pumping every day—moving regularly is the key to exercise’s anti-aging effect.
EAT FISH THREE TIMES A WEEK
It may not be just the omega-3s in the oil that keep the heart and arteries humming along; a number of animal studies have also indicated that a protein in fish provides a separate boost to cardiovascular health. Eat a variety of low-mercury fish (such as wild salmon, catfish, or tilapia). And if you’re not nuts about seafood, an ounce of walnuts a day will give you a good dose of omega-3s.
TAKE HALF AN ASPIRIN DAILY
Yes, those big studies came out a few years ago saying low-dose aspirin does pretty much zilch to prevent heart attacks and cancer in women, but the evidence is strong for aspirin’s reducing the risk of stroke. If you’re over 40, I recommend half a 325 milligram tablet (or two baby aspirin), with half a glass of warm water both before and after you swallow so that you’re less likely to irritate your stomach.
LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS
Feeling out of control financially can affect not only your sleep (see number one) but also your arterial health due to chronic stress. And a bankruptcy can put miles on your body’s odometer.
FLOSS AND BRUSH
Any chronic infection (including gingivitis) stimulates your body to protect against bleeding with an increase in clotting—a recipe for heart attack.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, shares his most effective tips for keeping your heart healthy.

WHEN RADICALS ATTACK
Before we can get to the “anti,” let’s explain the “oxidant” part. Unless you’re a monk living in the Himalayas, eating pure food, breathing pristine air, and thinking Zen thoughts 24/7, you’re constantly being bombarded by negative elements — from pollution to chemicals to UV rays — that damage your cells. Even your own body produces stress hormones and toxic chemical reactions. These toxins weaken the molecules in your cells, causing them to lose an electron — a unit in the cell that carries electrical charges and allows your cells to work together. These electron-deprived molecules, called free radicals, or oxidants, try to make up for their inadequacy by stealing electrons from other molecules; this damages, or oxidizes, those cells and turns them into electron-swiping free radicals too. Call it the invasion of the electron snatchers.

Once a free radical is created, the damage spreads fast. Free radicals in your blood vessels — usually caused by things like deep-fried foods, cigarette smoke, or air pollution — change the structure of the (bad) LDL cholesterol so it becomes more liable to gum up your arteries and cause heart problems. Sunlight and air pollution can create free radicals in your eyes, where they damage retinal or corneal cells, leading to cataracts and blindness, and in skin cells, where they damage cell DNA, raising the risk of skin cancer and accelerating wrinkle formation. And that’s just for starters: “Free radicals can damage any cells that get in their way,” says Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and director of the antioxidant lab at Tufts University in Boston.

STOP THEM IN THEIR TRACKS
Thankfully, there’s a nutrient police force that can deal with these delinquents. As their name implies, antioxidants stop the oxidative damage by replacing a molecule’s kidnapped electron without damaging other molecules; this disarms free radicals and turns them back into law-abiding members of cellular society.
Antioxidants do more than rescue cells in distress. Like special ops agents, they’re designed to take on specific enemies: Isothiocyanates, found in broccoli, home in on pollutants like nicotine and smog and help prevent them from causing cancer. Vitamin C blocks the uncontrolled cell division that leads to tumors. Selenium fires up the genes needed to break down carcinogens. Antioxidants are like a million microscopic Jack Bauers on a mission to save your bod from the inside out.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
The same evolutionary process that transformed us from hairy hunchbacks with underbites to smooth-skinned consumers of whitening toothpaste also gave us the ability to fight free radicals on our own. Our bodies make a variety of antioxidants but no matter how much overtime they put in, internally produced antioxidants can’t battle all the free radicals flying around — especially in today’s world of mercury-filled fish and Hummer fumes. So we turn to our food supply. “Our bodies evolved to take advantage of protective substances found in the foods available to us,” Blumberg says.

Selenium: This overachiever isn’t annoying like the teacher’s pet back in high school. The trace mineral does double duty — it acts as an antioxidant itself and speeds up your body’s natural antioxidant-making process. In a study at Cornell University and the University of Arizona of 1,312 patients with skin cancer, those who got 200 micrograms of selenium daily for 10 years reduced their risk of dying from any cancer — not just skin cancer — by 18 percent, compared with those who took a placebo. Shoot for: the DV of 55 micrograms
Best food sources: Brazil nuts (95.8 mcg per nut), snapper (41.6 mcg per 3 ounces), and shrimp (33.7 mcg per 3 ounces)

Vitamin E: The health-conscious side of us appreciates that this antioxidant fights heart disease, boosts immunity, and helps stop cell damage that leads to skin cancer. But let’s face it: We love that this vitamin also keeps the ravages of time from showing up on our face. In a Korean study, mice exposed to ultraviolet sunlight were less likely to wrinkle when they consumed vitamin E (along with a host of other antioxidants). Shoot for: the DV of 15 milligrams
Best food sources: Sunflower seeds (10.3 mg per ounce), hazelnuts (4.3 mg per ounce), and peanut butter (2.9 mg per 2 tablespoons)

Vitamin C: It’s not just for colds anymore. Now it protects your DNA and helps your body use vitamin E more efficiently. Research has shown that C has a talent for protecting blood vessels and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. In a six-year study of 5,197 people at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, those who consumed the highest amounts of vitamin C had the lowest risk of stroke.
Shoot for: at least the DV of 75 milligrams
Best food sources: Papaya (187.9 mg per fruit), bell peppers (119 mg per cup), and broccoli (81.2 mg per cup)

Carotenoids: This pigment helps protect your eyes and skin from sun damage. In a study of 5,836 people in the Netherlands, consumption of beta-carotene — one of many carotenoids — was found to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness.
Shoot for: Scientists have no standard goal for carotenoids other than the DV of 2,310 international units (IU) for vitamin A (a form of beta-carotene).
Best food sources: Carrots, butternut squash, and spinach

Isothiocyanates: These antioxidants put cancer-causing enzymes in a headlock. In a study of more than 1,400 people at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, researchers found that people who ate more isothiocyanate-rich foods reduced their risk of bladder cancer by 29 percent.
Shoot for: Scientists have no standard goal for isothiocyanates.
Best food sources: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower

Polyphenols: Raise a glass of pinot noir to polyphenols — they’ve turned our favorite vice into a virtue. Researchers at Columbia University studied 980 people and found that those who drank up to three glasses per day of wine — rich in flavonoids, a polyphenol — were less likely to develop memory-loss problems such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. In a test-tube study at the Leeds Dental Institute in the UK, the polyphenols in cocoa reduced the growth of two types of bacteria that can trigger gum disease. Shoot for: Scientists have no standard goal for polyphenols.
Best food sources: Dark chocolate (the higher the cocoa content, the better), red wine, tea, and coffee

Coenzyme Q10: Its nickname sounds like R2D2’s cousin — and CoQ10 is a cell-protecting machine. It’s also been linked with the prevention of migraines, which it may accomplish by guarding brain cells. In a study of 42 migraine patients in Zurich, those who took CoQ10 had half as many headaches over three months as those who took a dummy pill. The enzyme may also help lower blood pressure.
Shoot for: Scientists have no standard for CoQ10.
Best food sources: Lean beef, chicken breast, and fish (all types).

Woman’s Health

This year, let’s make a pact. No more false promises, no more extreme measures, and no more white flags raised. Here are nine key numbers you can easily tweak to make a huge difference in your overall health.

Blood Pressure: 115/75
Hypertension is a cunning thief; left unchallenged, it can steal a decade of quality life. The average American’s blood pressure in middle age is about 130/80, but since the average American dies of heart disease, that number isn’t good enough. Instead, aim for 115/75. Measure your blood pressure monthly at the same time of day with a home monitor or one at a local drugstore.
To lower blood pressure: Exercise hard enough to sweat for at least an hour each week. If you’re used to 30-minute workouts, this means you’ll need to do three, since it takes at least 10 minutes to start sweating.

Resting Heart Rate: 83
Before you get out of bed to commune with the coffeemaker, take your pulse: Put two fingertips on your wrist or carotid artery (in your neck under your jaw) and count the beats per minute. This is your resting heart rate. Anything higher than 83 means you’re at increased risk for a heart attack.
To slow your resting heart rate: The key, ironically, is to make your heart beat faster for an hour per week (to calculate your ideal number of beats per minute while exercising, subtract your age from 220, then multiply the result by 0.8). So, just as you’ll be doing for healthy blood pressure, simply work up a good sweat.

Cholesterol: 2 to 1
When it comes to cholesterol, the total level isn’t as predictive of heart disease as what’s known as the ratio. To explain, cholesterol is carried in the blood by two different lipoproteins: The bad one, LDL (think L for lousy), spews the waxy, fat-like substance in your arteries, gunking them up; the good one, HDL (H for healthy), gathers up cholesterol so it can’t clog. If you have some risk for heart disease (family history, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking), keep your LDL under 100. Otherwise you’re okay aiming for under 160; better yet, below 130. Ideally, your HDL should be more than 50. Doctors love it when the ratio of LDL to HDL is less than 2 to 1; they’re tolerant if it’s 3 to 1.
To improve your ratio: Include soluble fiber in your diet from sources such as oatmeal, kidney beans, and apples, aiming for 25 grams a day. To spice things up, try a whole grain called quinoa. It contains a nearly perfect balance of proteins, as well as the mineral manganese—low levels of which are associated with hypertension.

Omega-6s to Omega-3s: 4 to 1
Omega-6s and omega-3s are called essential fatty acids for a reason: Their work includes building cell membranes and nerve insulation. But since the body doesn’t produce these fats, you must get them from your diet—and the balance makes all the difference. American drive-through cuisine includes huge amounts of omega-6s (irritating in high levels), yet hardly any omega-3s (particularly beneficial for the heart). Although the optimum ratio is 4 to 1, ours is often 20 to 1, which puts us at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, arthritis, asthma, and some cancers.
To right the omega balance: Eat more fish, seafood, whole grains, beans, nuts, and ground flaxseeds to increase omega-3s. And cut back on processed foods—along with oils made from corn, safflower, cottonseed, and peanuts—to ease off the omega-6s.

Inflammation: 1
If you’ve ever seen an apple slice turn brown 20 minutes after being cut, you can picture what inflammation does to your body: It causes the rusting of tissue. You can gauge your level of inflammation with a blood test that measures C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced by the liver and is part of the body’s battle response. A healthy level is under 1—meaning you’ve got less than half the chance of heart disease than if your level is greater than 3. A number above 10 suggests you may have another ailment (such as an autoimmune disease) that should be diagnosed.
To reduce CRP: Try to eliminate low-grade irritants like gingivitis (floss daily) and vaginitis (see a doctor, especially if it recurs). Also move toward a Mediterranean-style diet (lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; fat from olive oil; moderate amounts of wine).

Vitamin D: 30
When you’re deficient in vitamin D, you may be at increased risk for heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and immune disorders, not to mention osteoporosis. To make sure you’re getting enough, take a blood test for vitamin D: Your level should be greater than 30.
To boost vitamin D: If you can’t get 15 minutes of sun exposure daily, take a supplement containing at least 1,000 IU of D3, the most potent form of the vitamin, or chug a tablespoon of cod liver oil every morning.

Waist Size: 32.5
Ideally, your waist should measure less than half your height (do it at the belly button—go ahead and suck in). That means if you’re 5′5″, yours would be less than 32.5 inches. The reason: The omental fat beneath your stomach muscles causes inflammation, which drives many of your body’s other critical numbers in the wrong direction.
To lose inches at your waist: Focus on slicing off 100 calories a day. Since salad dressings sabotage many a good intention, one idea is to make this nutty recipe part of your routine:

1. Mix 1 tablespoon each of walnut (or hazelnut) oil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar; add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Chop 1 small tomato, 1/4 cup diced onions, and 6 sliced mushrooms.
3. Pour the combo over 1 head of Boston lettuce.
Makes 2 servings, about 150 calories each.

Blood Sugar: 125
The other danger of omental fat is that it can block insulin’s ability to work, which increases blood sugar and puts you at risk for diabetes. Your blood sugar should be less than 100 after an overnight or eight-hour fast and less than 125 if you aren’t fasting.
To lower blood sugar: Try chia seeds, which contain omega-3s and fiber (sprinkle them on yogurt or salads). It’s believed that they form a gelatinous substance in the stomach that helps slow the speed at which sugar is absorbed.

Bone Density: -1
It’s a good idea for all postmenopausal women to get a bone density scan, especially those who are not on hormone replacement therapy, stand taller than 5′7″, or weigh less than 125 pounds. You should also be tested at around age 50 if your mother has had osteoporosis or either of you has had a hip fracture, if you take steroids, or if you drink excessively or smoke. The standard DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan provides a T score—your bone density compared with that of a healthy young woman: Above -1 is normal; between -1 and -2.5 indicates osteopenia, which may lead to osteoporosis; below -2.5 means you have osteoporosis.
To strengthen your bones: Along with 1,000 IU of vitamin D, take 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 milligrams of magnesium (to prevent the constipation that calcium can cause)—half in the morning, half in the evening. Also, start a program of resistance training (using gym equipment, dumbbells, or exercises like pushups and squats) for at least 30 minutes a week.

Dr. Oz