Building Bones to Last a Lifetime

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Some people may know about osteoporosis and calcium supplementation's effects on bones. However, calcium is just one component of proper bone health, so here I will discuss with you the importance of various weight-bearing exercises and the tremendous impact it can have on your long-term bone health.

A Bit of Background on Your Backbone

Because bones are some of the most rigid and sturdy parts of the human body, many people tend to forget that bones are living tissue and, much like muscle, they are continually broken down through exercise and movement and replaced with new, stronger tissue in a two-step process (resorption and formation) that occurs throughout life. In resorption, old bone is broken down and removed by cells called osteoclasts. In formation, cells called osteoblasts build new bone to replace the old bone.

During childhood and early adulthood, more bone is produced than removed, and bones reach their maximum mass and strength by about age 35. After that, bone is lost faster than it is formed, so the amount of bone in the skeleton begins to decrease. Imagine your bone density measured on a bell curve: bone mass develops in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, reaching “peak bone mass” between ages 30 and 35, then gradually decreasing from that point.

When young women and men exercise, they are able to reach a greater peak bone mass than those who do not. But what if you are older than 35 and looking to improve bone health? The good news is that weight-bearing exercise helps strengthen your bones no matter how old you are. Exercise not only slows the rate of bone loss in most people, but increased balance and coordination also help prevent fracture-causing falls and accidents. Below are some of the easiest, most enjoyable, and most effective activities for fending off osteoporosis.

Let Your Legs Lead the Way

If you're not looking for anything too adventurous or complicated, brisk walking is terrific for bone health, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. A recent study found that you can lower your risk of hip fractures by 41% simply by walking four hours a week (compared to those who walk an hour a week or less). Any walking is helpful, even if you must walk slowly. However, if you can walk at a brisk pace, your bone health and cardiovascular health will improve even more.

Hiking is even better for bone health than walking. The increased difficulty—moving more quickly and traversing steeper inclines and declines—forces your bones to work harder to support your frame, causing them to grow stronger. Plus, hiking offers the added benefit of being outdoors, breathing fresh air, and exploring new landscapes.

Relax the Mind; Strengthen the Bone

Yoga and tai chi are often underestimated when it comes to bone health. A study in Physician and Sportsmedicine found that tai chi may significantly slow bone loss in postmenopausal women. Participants practiced tai chi for 45 minutes a day, five days a week, for a year. Bone mineral density tests showed that bone loss in the tai chi group was three-and-a-half times slower than in the control group.

Yoga is similarly beneficial. A study in Yoga Journal found that women who practiced yoga regularly had increased spinal mineral density compared to those who did not. Yoga’s poses build strength in the wrists, hips, and spine—areas particularly vulnerable to fracture. Yoga also supports back strength, posture, and overall wellness, while offering mental and emotional benefits through its meditative aspects.

Cause a Racquet

If walking and yoga sound too tame, racquet sports such as tennis, squash, racquetball, and badminton are also fantastic for building bone strength. The British Journal of Sports Medicine found that tennis players have significantly improved bone health. Each time you hit the ball, you place bone-strengthening stress on your racquet arm, shoulder, and wrist. Your hips and spine also get a workout as you move quickly across the court.

SuperSlow Strength Training

No matter your favorite physical activities, strength training is essential for excelling in them and keeping your skeletal system strong. For those who feel they “have no time” to exercise, are tired of recurring pain, or are concerned about future health issues, SuperSlow strength training may be ideal.

SuperSlow training involves lifting a weight slowly over 10 seconds and lowering it over 10 seconds. Workouts typically consist of one set of each exercise performed to complete muscle fatigue. This technique makes workouts more efficient and safer for those with aches, pains, or fragile bones, because you—not gravity—control the movement.

Make No Bones About It; You’ve Got to Be Strong!

According to the book Healing Moves by Drs. Mitchell and Carol Krucoff, age-related declines in bone and muscle mass can lead to fractures and frailty, which are primary reasons older adults enter nursing homes. If you want to remain independent, strong, and happy later in life, weight-bearing exercise is essential to keep osteoporosis at bay.

These exercises strengthen bones by increasing bone mass and slowing bone loss through the resorption and formation process. They also improve balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and fractures.

Supplementation can also support bone health. Consider using a quality protein powder such as Pure Encapsulations’ WheyBasics, as well as a comprehensive bone health formula containing calcium, magnesium, zinc, and boron, such as Douglas Laboratories’ Bone CoFactors.

It's never too late to take control of your life and ensure that your body remains dependable and strong for as long as you need it!

If you have any questions regarding the concepts discussed here or anything else, you can reach our customer service team at customerservice@oakwaynaturals.com.

Yours in health,
Dr. Gregg Gittins

Oakway Naturals

Health Library

Popular Condition

Because bones are some of the most rigid and sturdy parts of the human body, many people tend to forget that bones are living tissue, and much like muscle, they are being continually broken down through exercise and movement and replaced with new, stronger tissue in a two-step process, resorption and formation, which occurs throughout life.  In resorption, old bone is broken down and removed by cells called osteoclasts. In formation, cells called osteoblasts build new bone to replace the old bone.

During childhood and early adulthood, more bone is produced then removed and bones reach their maximum mass  and strength by about the age of 35.  After that, bone is lost faster than it is formed, so the amount of bone in the skeleton begins to get smaller.

Imagine your bone density measured on a bell curve, bone mass develops in childhood, adolescence and even early adulthood reaching “peak bone mass” between 30 to 35 then beginning to gradually decrease from that point.

According to the book Healing Moves by Dr.’s Mitchell and Carol Krucoff, age-related declines in bone and muscle mass can lead to fracture and frailty that are the primary reason older adults wind up in nursing homes. If you want to remain independent, strong and happy late in life, it is so important to engage in weight-bearing exercise to keep osteoporosis at bay.  The good news is that these types of exercise will help strengthen your bones, i.e. increase bone mass, no matter how old you are.

Let your legs lead the way

If you’re the type not looking for anything too adventurous or complicated, the good news is that brisk walking is actually terrific for your bone health, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. In fact, a recent study found that you can lower your risk of hip fractures by 41% by simply walking four hours a week (compared to those who walk an hour a week or less).  Any walking is helpful, even if your fitness level dictates that you have to walk slowly, however, if you are physically able to walk at a brisk pace, not only will your bone health improve more greatly but your cardiovascular health will also show improvements as well.

Relax the mind; strengthen the bone

When many people think of yoga and tai chi, they underestimate the benefits that these kinds of activities have on bone health. A study in the medical journal Physician and Sportsmedicine, found that tai chi, a “soft” martial art that involves a series of slow, graceful moves, may slow bone loss in postmenopausal women significantly compared to those who do not practice it.

Yoga is similarly beneficial in that it is a relaxing, yet physically-demanding, activity that does wonders for bone strength and general wellness. Yoga’s various poses especially tend to build strength in the wrists, hips and spine, which are particularly vulnerable to fracture. Whether you are looking to build strength in the large bones of the hips and legs, or the back muscles that are so crucial for maintaining spinal health, yoga has poses to target every set of bones and muscles in your body.

Cause a racquet

If walking and yoga sound too tame for your liking, it turns out that racquet sports (such as tennis, squash, racquetball or badminton) are also fantastic for building bone strength. The British Journal of Sports Medicine extensively examined case studies regarding tennis, specifically, and found that individuals who play tennis have significantly improved bone health. This is primarily because every time you hit the ball, you put bone-strengthening stress on your racquet arm, shoulder and wrist. The bones in your hips and spine also get a great workout every time you have to chase after the ball.

Strength training

No matter what your favorite physical activities are, strength training is an important part of both excelling in those activities and keeping your bones strong.  Superslow strength training is a form of physical exercise involving slowly lifting a weight over a 10-second period and then lowering the weight slowly for the same amount of time.  SuperSlow workouts typically consist of one set of each exercise carried out to complete muscle fatigue, this technique not only makes your workout more efficient, due to the fact that it is you controlling the movement of the weight rather than gravity and momentum during your workout, but it can also be a safer exercise technique for older people or those worried about their already-fragile bones.

WheyBasics

WheyBasics provides 21 grams of highly purified, undenatured whey protein per serving in a great-tasting, naturally flavored formula. Whey protein naturally contains high levels of l-glutamine and branched chain amino acids, as well as immunogloblins and lactoferrin to support nutritional health and immune system function.

Have a great day!

We hope this slide show was helpful and informative. Should you have questions, or suggestions, please feel free to fill out our Ask the Doctor form found at the Doctors Corner.

Yours in health,

Dr. Gregg Gittins

www.oakwaynaturals.com