One of the things I have learned in these last years is that we sometimes are not aware of the good [or ill] we may be doing to our bones. This was brought to my attention again by some recent research about OLIVE LEAF.

Olive leaf has been known as an anti-viral for years. In the 19th century is was one thing known to be effective against malaria. In recent years there have been scientific studies showing its effectiveness in reducing viral counts for those with HIV. But it is useful in many other viral conditions.

Some years ago I started taking rather large quantities (6 or 7 grams a day) of Olive leaf. I take it in summer because I live where West Nile virus is found and I take it in winter since I do not take the flu shot. (Opps, do not tell anyone since Medicare urges flu shots for ALL seniors. )

Well, it now appears that the Olive leaf may have been rebuilding my bones! (And here I thought that Advacal and Natural strontium were the main supplements that helped.)

Recent scientific studies show that olive leaf both interferes with osteoclasts (bone removers) AND olive leaf stimulates osteoblasts (bone builders).

Now, I shall add a page to the web site summarizing the studies about olive leaf (It will be under Natural Treatments) but I want to give you, my loyal readers, a 'heads up'. I takes time to write, review and put a new page online but I wanted you to know about Olive leaf's benefits asap.

Item 2. Slowly I am getting back to work (YES!!!) I have updated some pages and added a few new ones. If you subscribe to the RSS feed (form is on the osteopenia3.com web site) you get notice of new pages when I make them and you will get notice of pages revised (IF I remember to click the right button when I am finished revising a page.)

Also,I have started to list the month and year I make revisions to a page that has been online for awhile. The date will be at the end of an article.

Item 3 Did you know that your children and grandchildren may be at greater risk for Osteoporosis than you were? "From Video Games to Bisphosphonates?" Pediatric bone health specialists expressed concern for the current and future skeletal health of children during a recent IBMS BoneKEy webinar

Children "who choose sedentary indoor activities like playing video games and surfing the internet with junk food at-the-ready, at the expense of more active, outdoor pursuits like bike riding, do so at just the time when sufficient physical activity, proper nutrition, and adequate sunlight exposure are most important for proper skeletal growth and development, since the ultimate health of the adult skeleton depends so strongly on what occurs skeletally during a youngster's formative years."

"Adolescence is a crucial period for bone health. What happens during this time will determine one's peak bone mass as well as one's skeletal strength," stressed Dr. Catherine Gordon, Director of the Bone Health Program at Children's Hospital Boston, during the introduction to her presentation for The Management of Bone Fragility/Low Bone Mass in Children and Adolescents during the eighth IBMS BoneKEy webinar, this summer.

Item 4 For USA readers who take vitamins or supplements. The FDA is trying to limit your access to supplements again. Back in 1994 the FDA wanted to regulate all supplements (with an eye to removing them from the marketplace). So many people wrote to their Representatives and Senators that Congress passed a bill saying that the FDA could not do this. Now the FDA is at it again.

Just before July 4 (while news agencies were focused on holiday issues) the FDA put forth notice saying that everything, supplements and drugs alike, should go through the vastly expensive new drug approval process.

These proposed rules could be used to forbid the development or sale of any new supplements—where “new” means anything after 1994, when the original DSHEA was passed. (That would include a number of products that readers of this newsletter say they use.) So if you live in the USA and take vitamins or supplements Do contact your Senator AND Representative. Ask THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS BE HELD on this new FDA requirement - that it is contrary to the spirit of the 1994 DSHEA that Congress issued.

If you want to be able to continue to get vitamins and supplements, you NEED TO CONTACT Congress this month.

In 1994 it was ordinary consumers that convinced Congress to rein in the FDA. It is only if consumers act again that this new attempt to prevent you access to supplement can be headed off. The FDA already can regulate and remove any supplement that is dangerous. This new proposal goes far beyond those powers.

Here is a web site giving more information but there are many other sites available about this topic. http://www.anh-usa.org/fda-new-sneak-attack-on-supplements/

Do not put it off. An individual contact is more powerful than signing a petition. Consumers got Congress to rein in the FDA before. Now we need to do it again.

Thanks for reading this month's newsletter. Enjoy October!

Kate