Is mineral water good or bad?

[Bubba3xt]

Unlike a lot of you who are petite, I'm medium frame and slightly overweight. When I was diagnosed with op, I started going overboard on things like almonds and cheese. I now realize I've gained 10 pounds that might cause other health issues if I don't stop it

I take a few supplements, (D3 and K2 MK7) but everything I've read suggests the best absorbability for calcium and magnesium, besides the sides effects of too much. is through diet. Some mineral waters. like San Pellegrino have have both.

Has anyone done more research on this than me? It just seems like a great way to maybe cut down on all the cheese I've been eating. ha ha

[yogalibrarian]

Some mineral waters can be a good source of calcium. Both Ferrarelle and Gerolsteiner are good sources of calcium. Check the labels for details. (And also check the sodium levels.) And it's good to stay hydrated, so mineral water can help with that too. And water has 0 calories.

Almonds can also be a good source of calcium...but here are some drawbacks. "One serving of almonds equals one ounce, about 23 almonds or ¼ cup. It is a calorie-dense food but also nutrient-dense with the majority of its fat being monounsaturated. One ounce provides about 165 calories, ..." (hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...

Almonds are calorie-dense. Can you limit yourself to just 23 almonds? (I have a hard time with that limit.)

Are you choosing unsalted almonds? Salted nuts can add a lot of sodium to your diet.

Too much of a good thing (almonds or mineral water) is too much. So I suggest reading labels and adjusting portions.

[Bubba3xt in reply to yogalibrarian]

Thanks for your response. I found Gerolsteiner at a mega store I shop sometimes and twice the calcium and magnesium of S Pellegrino. It's great to find these minerals in water.I'm pretty aware of sodium and did wonder if that had anything to do with the rapid weight gain, but when, after a month I stopped a drug I was taking for an unrelated issue and started peeing like a racehorse the mystery was solved (5lbs lighter now), I'm done with drugs that are supposed to ward off a problem especially with these doctors that rarely talk about lifestyle.

Anyhoo, thanks again. Thrilled to add another piece to the puzzle of what my new diet looks like

[yogalibrarian in reply to yogalibrarian]

I find that my answers to bone health and other medical questions usually start off with "it's complicated...." The human body is complex.

Lifestyle can be a big part of the solution. But sometimes lifestyle modifications are not enough. Or there is a big hurdle to overcome and you need something (a medication) for a kickstart that will get you to a point where you can manage going forward with lifestyle modifications.

And lifestyle modifications/behavior changes are hard. You have to overcome years of conditioning. (A manager friend once said that it takes as long to fix a management problem as it took to create it.) A more positive teacher said that it takes 40 repetitions of a new behavior (a changed behavior) to overcome the old behavior.

Doctors may be pragmatists. They may talk about lifestyle modifications, but few will write prescriptions for them. They write prescriptions for medications in the hope that patients will fill the prescriptions and take them as directed. Not all patients are medication compliant. Fewer are compliant about non-prescription instructions.

I also think it's really important to do a complete medication review with your primary care provider at least once a year. That should include all the prescription meds, over-the-counter meds, supplements, and self-medication with home remedies -- from all providers (including your aunt's secret recipe). Together you need to figure out what you are taking, why you are taking it or still taking it. how it interacts with everything else you do or take, whether the dosage or timing can be adjusted, or if a med can be eliminated, whether different med is a better alternative.

But also remember that everything has side effects. If there didn't they would probably have no effects. But many side effects lessen as the body becomes adjusted to the med.

And about diet... I just read a really interesting article about the difference between evidence-based diet advice and Internet-based advice. You may find the well-researched information online from really reputable sources (Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, National Institutes of Health, etc.), but you have to sort it out from fads, personal opinions, sales pitches, and crazies.

Good luck with the pieces of your puzzle.

[noRx4me]

Bubba3xt

Go for a 20-30 minute walk every day! It’s good for your bones and helps burn calories. I do it like clockwork after dinner with my dog. Sometimes I don’t want to go but I push myself because once I’m done I feel better.

I spread out my calcium throughout the day and eat different sources like almond milk, kefir and some cheese. There is also a lot of calcium in greens like broccoli.

I’ve been taking calcium in the form of microcrystalline hydroxyapatite, an algae based calcium (not AlgaeCal but similar) and a chewable calcium malate citrate. I add liquid minerals and magnesium to my water and drink throughout the day. I take lots of other supplements like boron, zinc, lactoferrin, K2, D3, silicon, and other supportive herbs as well as a whey protein shake daily. I research and read about health and osteoporosis everyday! I’m determined not to let osteoporosis get the best of me.

IMO you (we all) need to be our own advocate. If we are armed with information we are able to understand exactly what the doctor is saying and can ask the right questions.

[Bubba3xt in reply to noRx4me]

I too have been trying to spread out calcium during the day, which is why finding something as simple as water is great. Very, very small piece of a very big puzzle. Living in the frozen tundra (wisconsin) going for walks is limited to about half the year. I was walking last fall, but when the weather turned, I thought maybe just go up and down the stairs in our two story house. I don't know if it's helping my bones, but I do know it's helping the arthritis in my hip and definitely lung issues. (actually much better than walking on flat ground) I go up and down fairly fast for 6 reps, take a minute break and do 6 more. I started out with 3 and thought my legs were gonna collapse. I read going down stairs is good for stimulating bone in hip so I pound down. I hope it's helping It's a really simple thing to do if it is.

[Lynnel17]

Be careful about trying to lose the weight you have gained. My impression is that weight lose, even when taking a person to a "better" weight, is bad for OP. Sorry I can't direct you to a specific article at the moment. You could try to search the medical literature. I believe also that Dr. Susan Otts mentions weight lose as a risk for OP. Take care.