It’s November – Let’s Be Thankful!

As Thanksgiving approaches, we’re reminded of all that we are thankful for… family, friends, football and our all of our favorite foods on one single plate! Dr. Alejandro Badia, Chief Medical Officer of OrthoNOW, the nation’s only orthopedic care franchise, would like you to add something to your list of gratitude: healthy bones!

Bones are the pillars of our bodies – not only do they support and facilitate movement but also impart vital injury protection of our most vulnerable organs including our brain, heart and lungs. Keeping them strong and healthy is essential to our overall health and well-being. Not only can poor bone health lead to fractures and breaks but it can also lead to debilitating diseases such as osteoporosis. “Bone health is something we give little attention to – until there’s a problem. I treat an array of bone related conditions and yes, accidents will happen! But very often patients come to me with problems that may have been prevented if good bone health been an active consideration”, stated Dr. Badia.

We all know how to keep our teeth healthy (brush and floss 2x day!), how to keep our skin healthy (water, sunscreen, no smoking!) and of course, our hearts (portion control and exercise!) but how many of us know how to keep our bones healthy?  Dr. Badia says, “To have strong bones when you are young, and to help prevent bone loss/weakness when you are older, you need to get enough calcium, vitamin D, and exercise.” Below are some recommendations from Dr. Badia to keep your bones out of OrthoNOW.

What’s on Your Plate?

Strive for a well-balanced diet, rich in calcium and vitamin D. Remember that BOTH are essential as the body requires vitamin D for calcium absorption.  This Thanksgiving, consider adding some of the following bone-healthy foods to your family’s menu:

1. Dark Leafy Greens: Make sure this year salad includes kale, collard greens, swiss chard, broccoli, and/or spinach! 
2. Baked Sweet Potatoes: The best part of Thanksgiving dinner are the side dishes! This year add some baked sweet potatoes to that delish list of foods. 
3. Citrus: Time to get creative! Add some zest to this year’s dinner by incorporating grapefruit and navel oranges into your menu. Consider making a dessert with these fruits or a citrusy salsa! 
4. Figs: There is no such thing as one dessert for Thanksgiving dinner. Embrace your inner pastry chef and make a fig tart or add figs to your muffins, scones, cookies and other baked goods! 
5. Salmon: Sure, turkey is the main source of protein on Thanksgiving Day, but think about having some salmon on the side too. There’s no reason why you can’t have both! 
6. “Milk” from fortified plant based sources: When looking at your recipes, if a meal or dessert requires milk, consider using soy, almond or coconut milk! 
7. Eggs: Another great thing you should add to your salad this year is eggs! Boil them, take off the shell and cut them into pieces. This is a perfect add on to your greens. 
8. Tofu: Okay, this might sound boring, but there are so many ways to spice up your tofu for this year’s dinner. Crisp up the tofu and make it another side dish! Remember, there’s no such thing as too many sides. 
9. Nuts: First of all, make sure none of your loved ones are allergic to nuts. If you have that cleared out, nuts are a great addition to your desserts and salad as well! 
10. Fortified cereal: Cereal might not be the ideal plate for dinner, but hey, you have to eat breakfast on Thanksgiving too! Eat some fortified cereal, hot or cold, this on Thanksgiving Day. 

Then, after feasting this November 23^rd, go out for a walk! Exercise and healthy weight maintenance will round out your bone-healthy lifestyle— and the best part, your bones will thank YOU.  For more information on OrthoNOW’s locations and services visit www.OrthoNOWcare.com or download our award-winning mobile app, available on Google Play and the App Store.

Happy Turkey Day to all!

 

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About OrthoNOW

OrthoNOW®, the nation’s only orthopedic care franchise, is focused on assessment and treatment of a range of orthopedic and sports injuries, chronic conditions, and preventative protocols – all on a walk-in basis.  Specialties include anything related to the foot, ankle, knee, hip, wrist, hand, elbow, shoulder and spine.

Every OrthoNOW® is equipped with digital imaging equipment and offers the latest techniques and treatments by a team of orthopedic clinicians and orthopedic specialized ancillary providers including Neuro Muscular Therapy which dramatically alleviates acute and chronic pain and expedites recovery time from surgery.

OrthoNOW® recently launched the mobile app v2.0 for iPhone users which features a revolutionary feature called On My Way NOW® which allows patients to notify an OrthoNOW® Center that they are in route, the reason they’re coming and what time they expect to arrive. The recently released upgraded app now includes integration with Uber. OrthoNOW’s flagship center is in Doral, Florida, with franchised Centers in Florida, Georgia and other locations coming soon.

Sources:

http://thescienceofeating.com/vegetables/best-leafy-green-vegetables/

http://www.thekitchn.com/care-for-a-fig-10-delicious-things-to-do-with-fresh-figs-ingredient-spotlight-180478