6th March, 2013
I find that when I ask a lot of good questions about someone’s lifestyle, their goals, dreams and desires, I come away with a lot of who they are and what makes them tick. I then start to think how can I best serve them in their life’s journey.
It could be giving them some good information about health, stress, nutrition or whatever it may be. I’ve heard this statement many times before, “people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care”.
When you genuinely care about people, they can feel it and they are more willing to receive information that can help them live a life of optimal health. In the interim your advice or idea may not really make sense but if it is genuine and sincere, on the long run you will be appreciated for it.
At several occasion I have had the privilege of speaking in conferences on this burning issue of exercise and strength. It’s so sad to discover that certain types of diseases which used to be associated with old age is now common with the younger generation.
Let me ask you some questions, How strong are your bones? How far can they take you in your life’ journey? These are questions we must answer now or later.
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that affects men and women, especially women beyond menopause because estrogen helps to protect bone. In osteoporosis, the bones become brittle and weak and have a greater risk of fracture. The word osteoporosis means “porous bones,” where porous essentially means “full of holes” — and that accurately describes the condition of osteoporotic bones.
Dr William Shiel Jr. viewed osteoporosis as when there is an imbalance between new bone formation and old bone re-absorbtion. The body may fail to form enough new bone, or too much old bone may be reabsorbed, or both. Two essential minerals for normal bone formation are calcium and phosphate.
Throughout youth, the body uses these minerals to produce bones. Calcium is essential for proper functioning of the heart, brain, and other organs. To keep those critical organs functioning, the body reabsorbs calcium that is stored in the bones to maintain blood calcium levels. If calcium intake is not sufficient or if the body does not absorb enough calcium from the diet, bone production and bone tissue may suffer. Thus, the bones may become weaker, resulting in brittle and fragile bones that can break easily.
This brings us to the need for proper exercise and nutrition.
There are two types of exercises that are important for building and maintaining bone density: WEIGHT-BEARING and MUSCLE-STRENGTHNING exercises.
Weight-bearing Exercises
These exercises include activities that make you move against gravity while staying upright. Weight-bearing exercises can be high-impact or low-impact.
High-impact weight-bearing exercises help build bones and keep them strong. If you have broken a bone due to osteoporosis or are at risk of breaking a bone, you may need to avoid high-impact exercises. If you’re not sure, confirm from your doctor.
Examples of high-impact weight-bearing exercises are dancing,doing high-impact aerobics, jogging/running, jumping rope, stair climbing and tennis
Low-impact weight-bearing exercises can also help keep bones strong and are a safe alternative if you cannot do high-impact exercises. Examples of low-impact weight-bearing exercises are using elliptical training machines, doing low-impact aerobics, using stair-step machines and fast walking on a treadmill or outside
Muscle-Strengthening Exercises
These exercises include activities where you move your body, a weight or some other resistance against gravity. They are also known as resistance exercises and include:
Functional movements, such as standing and rising up on your toes. This can also improve strength, balance and flexibility. However, certain positions may not be safe for people with osteoporosis or those at increased risk of broken bones. For example, exercises that have you bend forward may increase the chance of breaking a bone in the spine. A physical therapist should be able to help you learn which exercises are safe and appropriate for you.
Non-Impact Exercises
Non-impact exercises can help you to improve balance, posture and how well you move in everyday activities. These exercises can also help to increase muscle strength and decrease the risk of falls and broken bones. Some of these exercises include:
Balance exercises that strengthen your legs and test your balance, such as walking can decrease your risk of falls.
Posture exercises that improve your posture and reduce rounded or “sloping” shoulders can help you decrease the chance of breaking a bone, especially in the spine.
Functional exercises that improve how well you move can help you with everyday activities and decrease your chance of falling and breaking a bone. For example, if you have trouble getting up from a chair or climbing stairs, you should do these activities as exercises.
A physical therapist can teach you balance, posture and functional exercises.
Starting a New Exercise Programme
Need some exercise ideas? Check out these sample exercises that promote good posture, strength, movement, flexibility and balance. Be sure to do them along with your weight-bearing exercises.
If you haven’t exercised regularly for a while, check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise programme—particularly if you have health problems such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. If you’re at high risk of breaking a bone, you should work with a physical therapist to develop a safe exercise program.
Once you have your doctor’s approval, start slowly. If you’ve already broken bones in the spine because of osteoporosis, be very careful to avoid activities that require reaching down, bending forward, rapid twisting motions, heavy lifting and those that increase your chance of a fall.
As you get started, your muscles may feel sore for a day or two after you exercise. If soreness lasts longer, you may be working too hard and need to ease up. Exercises should be done in a pain-free range of motion.
How Much Exercise Do You Need?
Weight-bearing exercises
30 minutes on most days of the week. Do a 30-minutesession or multiple sessions spread out throughout the day. The benefits to your bones are the same.
Muscle-strengthening exercises
Two to three days per week. If you don’t have much time for strengthening/resistance training, do small amounts at a time. You can do just one body part each day. For example do arms one day, legs the next and trunk the next. You can also spread these exercises out during your normal day. Continued Next Week
For questions and answers connect with me @ www.facebook.com/BodyConfidenceFitnessClub.