Stimulate Those Bones!

Linda Buch, a reporter for the Oakland Tribune, wrote an interesting article today in the Oakland Tribune called "Nutrition, activity are vital for bone health."

Her article was written in response to a woman who reported that, at age 58, she just discovered she has osteoporosis in her hip, and wanted to know "how to keep strong bones." (The photo on the left shows the normal density of a bone next to one with osteoporosis.)

Linda told us something that I didn't know in answer to this question, that "bone stimulating activities" can help maintain density in the bone. These activities include walking, jogging, dancing, hiking, snowshoeing, racquet sports (like tennis, racquetball), and especially weightlifting. She tells us that swimming and bicycling are not considered good weight-bearing activities even though they're good cardiovascular activities.

I knew that my walking was a good hobby. It warms up the muscles in my legs and my back, is good cardiovascular exercise, and just makes me feel vital. When my back was particularly troublesome, sometimes the only relief would be to take a brisk walk -- after awhile, the back muscles warmed up and the pain would lessen considerably. But I didn't know walking helps keeps bones strong. What a great additional benefit!

Ms. Buch also suggests calcium along with Vitamin D, which allows the body to absorb calcium, are good additions to our diet. Calcium sources are dairy foods such as yogurt, skim milk, cheese and cottage cheese, as well as spinach, collards, oranges, canned salmon, nuts, beans and peas. Primary food sources for Vitamin D are fish liver oils, fatty fish (such as salmon, mackerel, catfish, sardines, tuna), mushrooms and whole egg. She adds that "as we age past 50, our bodies become less adept at absorbing vitamin D".

And potassium, magnesium, and vitamins C and K -- found in fruits and vegetables -- are also great for bone health. Buch suggests ingesting at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day plus a small serving of nuts and seeds would be a good regimen for preserving gone density.

It's a good argument for continued exercise and eating right, and I'm hoping this is additional motivation to get me back out walking again on a regular basis.