As we get older, a lot of people, especially women, get worried about the problem of osteoporosis. Can you stop this from happening? …
Yes and no. It depends on the form of osteoporosis you have and whether it’s genetic or environmentally caused. If you have a family history of this condition, you can take a bone density test to evaluate your potential risk. You can also slow down the process and reduce its symptoms through a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Resistance training, especially as we get older is crucial. Even more so at 60 than at 20.
We can’t stress the importance of this enough, because weight-bearing exercises place your body under strain and force you to resist gravity. This in turn stimulates the cells in your body that make new bone.
What that means is that:
With every round of resistance training and lifting things under strain, you get progressively stronger, increase your muscular density and strengthen your bones.
This is a major factor to take into account when looking at prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
So if you’ve been recommended a gentle exercise like swimming or yoga, we’re not going to tell you not to do it. But if you want a really effective way of battling the symptoms of osteoporosis head on, then start resistance training today.
Not only will you feel the benefits immediately after working out, but you’ll find daily tasks so much easier, like carrying your shopping, picking up your grandchildren, or just going up and down stairs.
You’ve probably already realised that eating healthily goes a long way towards helping avoid all kinds of undesirable conditions as you age. Heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes can all be controlled or avoided by eating the right kind of foods.
But when it comes to the issue of osteoporosis, you need to look at consuming foods that are not only high in calcium, like dairy, leafy vegetables and broccoli, but that also contain Vitamin D3.
Vitamin D3 can be hard to get through food sources though, as it mainly comes from the sun. We recommend all our clients to supplement with Vitamin D3 in the winter months. And if you’re especially worried about osteoporosis, then Vitamin D3 capsules will really help because your body needs Vitamin D3 to absorb the extra calcium.
Without it, you could end up eating excessive amounts of yogurt or cheese and end up having the calcium drain right out of your body anyway. Supplementing with 5000 IU Vitamin D3 is a great way to retain the calcium your body needs.
It’s also worth getting tested by your doctor if it’s a particular concern for you. Some people are more prone to osteoporosis than others and it will help to know early on how to adapt your lifestyle to tackle the condition.