According to a recently released report, regular exercise is
just as important as a calcium-rich diet for avoiding the
crippling bone disease osteoporosis.
Move It or Lose It
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), in its new
report, "Move it or Lose it," notes that bone is a living
tissuethat renews itself continuously, and requires regular
stimulation from physical activity to prevent deterioration.
Peak Bone Mass
People develop a peak bone mass when they hit adulthood, but it
eventually begins to decline. It was at one time thought that
maintaining the peak for as long as possible depended mostly on
diet, but recent studies show that exercise is just as important.
Exercise Reduces Risk
Women who sit for more than nine hours a day, for example, are
50 percent more likely to suffer a hip fracture as those who sit
less than six hours a day.
In addition, young girls who are the most physically active can
gain some 40 percent more bone mass than their more sedentary
counterparts. And, a 2001 report found the bone mass girls
accumulate from ages 11-13 equals the same amount they lose
during the three decades that pass after they reach menopause.
Weight-bearing and high-impact exercises are ideal for
stimulating bone formation. Osteoporosis strikes one in three
women over 50 worldwide, and one in five men.
International Osteoporosis Foundation October 20, 2005Yahoo
News October 20, 2005
Dr. Mercola's Comment:This is a serious topic folks, as
osteoporosis affects one in three women and one in five men over
the age of 50 largely because many are clueless about what they
can do to prevent this problem.
Interestingly, less than 2 percentof the readers of this site
are under 20, so it is likely that the majority of your
boneaccumulation is finished and your primary goal is to
maintain your bone density. Most people have little appreciation
how powerful exercise can be in preserving bone density.
Just as exercise and diet work in tandem to beat obesity, the
same can be said for osteoporosis. Strengthening bone mass,
especially during puberty, can build a good foundation that can
last a lifetime. In fact, there is a stronger connection between
exercise and improved bone density among teens than taking
calcium.
Jump-starting an exercise program can be frustrating, however,
if you don't know where to begin. Thankfully, I have plenty of
free tools on my Web site to help you get started. My beginners'
exercise page includes links to other pages and a free table you
can download to keep track of your progress.
Diet is, of course, also tremendously important for strong
bones. One thing you can do if you have low bone density, or are
worried about it in the future, is to increase your consumption
of vegetables based on your body's unique metabolic type.
Remember, what may be healthy for others is not necessarily
healthy for you and vice-versa, so eating according to your
metabolic type is really an incredible way to determine what you
are naturally designed to eat.
It is also important to remember another basic tool of sun
exposure to maintain your bone health. I am not talking about
casual few-minute exposure on your face and hands, butthe
healthy dose you receive while wearing shorts and either no
shirt or a sport bra for women.
This is the type of exposure most of us require to generate
significant levels ofvitamin D from the sun. Obviously, with
winter fastly approaching for most of us, this is not very
practical, which is why using a healthy cod liver oilwill supply
you with a healthy dose of vitamin D, and also omega-3 fats,
which are the stealth dietary weapon in preserving your bone
density.
About the author:
This article is reprinted from Mercola.com, the world's #1 most
visited and trusted natural/alternative health website. For a
limited time only, you can take the FREE "Metabolic Type Test"
to help you learn the right foods for your particular body type
so you can achieve optimal fitness & health. Just go to
http://www.mercola.com/forms/mt_test.htm right now to take this
quick test!
