Have Healthy Bones with Broccoli

Menopause is a trying time for everyone. Between all the unpleasant symptoms, it can drive any woman mad! One of the scarier sides of menopause includes the increased risk of many serious diseases like osteoporosis, depression, or even the scary heart disease. Osteoporosis is a pretty complicated one for us ladies, since estrogen imbalance makes your bones prone to losing calcium (and once it goes, it never returns!) so it’s important to eat properly to shield us from the horror of broken hips 10 years from now.

Lately, I have been experimenting with broccoli to make it a more interesting dish. Broccoli is one of the best plant sources of calcium, and it’s easy to absorb as well. It is packed with vitamins and nutrients, but can be a bit bland. I found this great roasted garlicky broccoli recipe that livens up these little green powerhouses.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 broccoli heads
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Meanwhile, chop broccoli into florets and toss them in a mix of olive oil, sea salt, pepper and garlic. Spread the broccoli out all over a baking sheet.
2. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until florets are tender enough to pierce the stems with a fork – try not to overcook them. Squeeze lemon juice over them liberally right before serving.

This tangy, fresh take on broccoli re-vamps these nutrient-rich veggies. This dish packs a bonus health kick, as garlic is also heart-friendly, since it’s meant to lower cholesterol. I hope you enjoy them!

For extra protection against osteoporosis, it’s important to fix your estrogen levels as soon as possible. For that, there’s plenty of herbal supplements that can help. I’ve been trying Macafem, which works to restore hormone balance and can prevent your bones from getting thin and weak in the first place. Either way you go, make sure to eat healthy and get lots of calcium. Good luck!