Fibromyalgia is a condition affecting approximately 2-4% of the population, most of them women, and is characterized by widespread chronic pain often accompanied by sleep disturbances, depression, moderate to extreme fatigue, sensitivity to light, sound and touch, and cognitive difficulties
Often called the “silent disease,” osteoporosis is approaching epidemic proportions. Twelve million Americans have osteoporosis, and an estimated 37 million (80% of women) have low bone density, a strong risk factor for the disease. Men and women from all races and backgrounds can develop osteoporosis. Osteoporosis drains bones of mineral content, and although the disease often has no symptoms, it causes more than 1.5 million fractures each year.
So, what causes osteoporosis? The cause can be linked to several things such as age, gender, heredity, nutrition, lack of exercise and menopause. The primary cause of osteoporosis is related to the dramatic decrease of estrogen in post-menopausal women. Estrogen is responsible for inhibiting excessive bone breakdown and balancing the levels of calcium available to the bones. Your bones are living tissue which absorb calcium through the blood and store it in the bones which causes an increase in bone density. When the blood level calcium decreases or is disturbed through lack of estrogen, the result is the loss of bone tissue.
What happens when your bone density decreases? Because the bones are unable to absorb calcium, your bones may become weak and brittle to the point when your bones fracture or crack. Unfortunately, many times osteoporosis is not detected until a fracture has occurred. Fractures usually occur in the wrists, spine or hips. This is because these areas are made up of the most porous and metabolically active bone tissue in the body known as trabecular bone. A fracture means loss of independence and functional capacity, severe pain and even death. Hip fracture complications can be fatal.
To increase bone density, you must exercise your bones which means you must impart mechanical forces to the bones. This is done in one of two ways: gravitational support of the body weight by the skeleton is the natural way and its effectiveness is based on your body weight. People who are overweight actually have denser bones because of the increased amount of body weight their skeleton has to support. This is probably the only advantage to being overweight, however, eventually the decrease in estrogen will cause the bones to break down faster than it can rebuild itself and osteoporosis will occur!
The only other way to impart mechanical forces on the bones and exercise the bones would be through muscular force resulting from the contraction of muscles attached to the skeleton. This type of stress can only occur through resistance training which primarily consists of exercising with resistance machines or doing weight training exercises with free weights. Like muscles, bones respond to this type of stress and become bigger and stronger. In addition, resistance training will increase the blood flow to the bones and results in hormonal changes which enhance bone nutrition and growth.
If you show signs such as stooped posture, fractures, or stress fractures, you should contact your physician for a bone mineral density test. Risk factors that may increase your risk for developing osteoporosis are:
There is no cure for osteoporosis, but exercise and diet are keys to prevention and may even reverse some bone mass loss. Calcium supplements are a good idea, however, osteoporosis may begin as early as your mid-thirties and, therefore, early intervention is a must. Besides sufficient calcium intake, vitamin D plays a major role in calcium absorption. The recommended daily intake for vitamin D is 400 international units (iu). Additionally, supplements have been proven mostly ineffective if not taken in conjunction with an exercise routine. Exercise enhances the bones’ ability to utilize dietary and supplemental calcium, thus the best way to reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis is to start at an early age making sure you take in 800-1,500 milligrams of calcium per day, 400 iu’s of Vitamin D per day and exercise regularly. Additionally, refraining from smoking and excessive alcohol use is vital.
Here are some tips:
For more information on Osteoporosis, check out these organizations’ websites:
Francesca Fisher is a Certified Senior Strength Training Specialist and the creator of the Geri-Fit® evidence-based strength training workout for older adults. The exercise program is offered nationwide at senior centers, non-profits, churches, and YMCAs. For more information, visit gerifit.com
In our youth we all have power – power of thought, anticipation, joy, action, mystery, imagination and so much more. As we get older, we lose our wonder of the power of our own life. This term also refers to our physical power. I know that when I am doing my weight training I am addressing my power and physically: it is made very clear to me while I am bench pressing 250 pounds 20 times.
Body Image can be thought of as the picture we have of ourselves. For some of us, this is a very clear picture and it is a positive one. For others, it is distorted and the image we see is often times not what others see. A healthy body image is appreciating your own unique shape and size.
Do you struggle getting activity in your life? As high-level women, meaning those of us who are breathing, we resist exercise more and more as our schedules fill up. I surveyed over 1500 women, ages twenty to sixty-five, and posed these questions: “What has or could bring exercise into your life? Why are you resistant to exercise?”
Many individuals with autism have heightened sensory systems. If you try to teach exercise while their body is in this state, you may experience resistance from the child or student, you could become frustrated, and even worse, exercise may be seen as negative experience for your child or student.
In the world of exercise and fitness, we constantly talk about nutrition. We are in the stages of making resolutions for 2017. Here is one I implore every person to mindfully add to their 2017 commitments – getting restorative sleep. We are going to talk about quality sleep, because the truth is quantity can vary greatly.
Osteoporosis is a disease that is categorized by the decrease in bone mineral density (BMD)1. It also compromises the architectural strength of bone tissue and will increase the likelihood of fracture. The World Health Organization defines osteoporosis as bone density that is 2.5 standard deviations or more below the normal and healthy bone level of an adult.
Excerpt from the book “Get the Skinny on Your Success” by Amy Cady
My mom is a great example of committing to a healthy lifestyle. She turned seventy four this year. She lives on the East Coast and I live on the West Coast, so it’s a challenge to get together, but we do talk on the phone at least once a week: I take her with me on my walks! We catch up on our lives and on the family drama. (This, by the way, is a great way for some people to fit exercise into their schedule. When you walk, you can talk!)
It’s shocking to me that my mom is in her seventies, because she’s so young and vibrant. I am really blessed that she was such a positive role model for me in life, especially when it came to exercise. As far back as I can remember, she was in theater, typically in musicals, so she was always dancing and moving throughout the day. It made sense then that she enrolled me in dance class in children’s theater when I was young and where I continued to dance throughout high school. I loved and adored every minute of it, and it made me feel so good about myself.
My mom and I continue to share that special bond. She is retired now, but that has not stopped her from moving. She has a part-time job at Curves, so she is still working out and moving. She told me that she had a physical recently and the doctor praised her for her excellent blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and the fact that she is just as healthy as can be. It’s no coincidence that she has put exercise as a priority, along with other healthy habits, like eating well and getting rest.
This doesn’t mean that she’s superhuman. She has had a knee replacement and shoulder surgery for a rotator cuff tear, but her recovery time was quick, and within a matter of weeks she was back to her routine. Because she made exercise a lifestyle, she was strong, supple and bounced back quickly after her surgeries.
My point in sharing this personal story about my mom is that exercise has benefits no matter what stage of life you’re in. And it’s never too late to start to exercise and continue with it for a lifetime. Our bodies tend to stiffen as we get older, and if we don’t move we get tight and achy joints. One of my clients reported as to why she exercises: she wants to be healthy and stay mobile as she ages. She has elderly people in her life who did not exercise or stopped exercising, and because of that they are no longer very mobile. It really scares her.
I am forty nine now, and I definitely can relate to the tightness and stiffness in my body as I age. I am definitely not bouncing back after a workout like I did after dancing eight hours a day in my twenties. But I continue to take care of myself and have chosen to exercise as a way of life. It has served me well, and I still feel virile, agile, vibrant, flexible, and strong. I was told recently that I looked and presented myself as much younger than forty nine. I was flattered by that compliment, but more importantly, because I have adapted exercise as a way of life, I truly believe that I carry myself differently from those who don’t. Exercising helps me feel good about myself, and from that I exude confidence and security in daily activities. My demeanor is most definitely projected in a positive way — and you can feel this way too if you work out, feel worthy of feeling good and confident about yourself.
Here is how you can adapt exercising as a lifestyle today:
It is never too late to start to make exercise a permanent part of your lifestyle. Keep moving for a stronger body, for a longer, healthier life, for more productivity in your daily activities, and to fuel your confidence. You will love the positive results…
Amy Cady, MFA, PMA-CPT, is a best selling author, International speaker, Pilates master trainer, and owner of AC Training and Seminars. She works with people all over the world to implement exercise into their busy schedules as a means to empower them to be more productive in every aspect of their lives, thereby creating healthy, successful and vibrant people. Amy’s achievements include being named an Ambassador for Lululemon Athletica for her community involvement and commitment to health and fitness through Pilates, as well as developing the Pilates programs at various colleges and community centers locally.