Got milk?

Courtesy of http://decideforyourself.com

For years many people have suffered from lactose intolerance and the numbers are on the rise. According to Andrew Ritter, owner of Lactagen (a product which in most people can increase the amount of bacteria needed to breakdown lactose when taken daily for more than a month), 50 million people suffer from symptoms of lactose intolerance and 25% of the population, some 70 million people,  has some type of lactase deficiency.   In my own fitness studio, I have seen many people, including my own daughter, have side effects from consuming dairy products including bloating and skin rashes.  And then, they eliminate milk from their diets to have their symptoms relieved.   But with the need for 2400 mg of calcium daily, eliminating milk from your diet may have a “Catch 22”.  Osteoporosis is on the rise with women and teen age girls too.  So what’s a person to do?

First and foremost, one should understand there are many sources for calcium including green leafy vegetables like spinach, and fortified products can help to keep bones healthy and strong. Fortified juices, cereals and even tortillas, are entering the market with calcium rich benefits. Remember that yogurt high in acidophilus may not deem the same side effects of most dairy products due to its good bacteria.  My favorite is  Greek Style Yogurt, which not only is high in active live cultures but boasts 21 grams of protein per serving.  Based on this premise, there are products like Lactagen that enable people to digest or break down the sugars in milk, sometimes eliminating the side effects completely.  Strength training and  weight bearing exercise are other great ways to help increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis.

Here are 3 simple weight bearing exercises to include in your next workout

Step up and Curl

Start with a 8-12” bench with medium weights in hand.  Start with arms at your side and tall posture.  Step up and lift the knee to hip height and curl the hands toward the shoulders.  Lower the body weight to the floor, keeping your foot on the bench, and lower your arms to your sides.  Repeat 15 repetitions on each side.

Side Squat Back Scratcher

Start with feet together standing tall with weight (5-10#) in both hands over your head with arms extended.  Step to the side into a squat position and lower the weight behind your head keeping elbows pointing up toward the ceiling.  Stand back to middle and extend the arms back to starting position.  Alternate sides and repeat for 20 repetitions.

Curtsy and Press

Start with feet together and light weights in each hand (3-8#’s).  Step with your right foot to the left side and reach down toward the floor.  As you stand back into starting position, reach the left arm up to overhead press.  Repeat on the other side and perform 20 repetitions on each side.

More exercises can be downloaded at www.podcastgo.com