Strategies for Stronger Bones and a Healthier Body
May is National Osteoporosis Prevention month. Over the next two issues,
we're going to get a little head start and review the most successful
strategies you need to know for maintaining healthy bones. The current
approach to preventing and treating osteoporosis is "wait and see."
The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) along with other prominent
medical groups recommends getting your first Osteoporosis screening
(Bone Density Test) at age 65. If you wait until age 65 to do something about
Osteoporosis; you're not going to like the result. It is much easier to keep
your bones stronger now then trying to rebuild them at a later date.
Prevention really is the easier course of action when it comes to Osteoporosis.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) confuses the issue a bit and I quote,
"During childhood and adolescence, much more bone is deposited than
withdrawn, so the skeleton grows in both size and density. Up to 90
percent of peak bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20
in boys, which makes youth the best time to 'invest' in your bone
health."
The NIH says maximum bone density is achieved at age 18 to 20 and NOF
says test to see how you are doing at age 65. There are a few questions you
might want to answer. What is the best course of action if you are 25 to 64
years old? What is the most efficient way to keep your bones healthy and
strong? Have you missed the boat when it comes to having healthy bones
because you're starting at age 45? What about your children, especially your
daughters? How can you help your whole family maintain healthy bones?
Here is an informative and easy to read article on Osteoporosis from the NIH
website. It does leave out some important information about Vitamin D,
magnesium and the Osteoporosis/stress connection but we'll get to that a
little further down the page.
Click here to read the entire article.
Preventing Osteopenia/Osteoporosis is easy if you adopt healthy lifestyle
behaviors as soon as possible in three areas: physical activity that is
weight bearing, healthy eating habits and lower stress levels. Not just
one but all three play a very important role in the prevention of Osteopenia/
Osteoporosis. Here's how they work together: your physical activity
stimulates calcium storage in the bones; healthy eating provides adequate calcium,
Vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus to rebuild or maintain
healthy bone structure; and low stress living keeps cortisol (stress hormone)
levels normal preventing calcium from leaving your bones. Just like
maintaining a healthy weight, a balanced lifestyle is the only way to
maintain healthy bones while preventing disease and improving
general health.
Determine if your lifestyle is in balance; take a moment and fill out our
Health Investment Questionnaire (HIQ). The HIQ gives you a LifeScore
made-up of five different categories: physical activity; healthy eating; stress
release; personal growth and selfcare. If you are like most people I have
worked with, you'll benefit from personalizing and balancing your current
health and fitness program while integrating it into a healthy lifestyle.
Once you complete your HIQ; we'll calculate your LifeScore and arrange for a
FREE telephone or in-person consultation to discuss your results. Take a
moment and see how well you score.
Do you want to derive more benefits from your current health and fitness
program? Check out and adopt Fresh Start. Fresh Start teaches
you how to incorporate healthier foods into every meal; integrate FUN
physical activity into your daily lifestyle; and eliminate the negative health
effects of high stress living. Beginning and sticking to the process of feeling
and looking your best is much easier than you might think... when you give
yourself a Fresh Start.
Sign-up for Strong Bones Healthy Body Workshop
March 18th 2006
Because the current research is changing so fast; you may not be aware of
the best ways to maximizing bone health. It's no longer enough just to take
calcium and expect healthy bones. Here are a few of the things you need
to know:
· The type of calcium you take is crucial to absorption
· Vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium play an essential role
in calcium absorption
· Without your bones receiving the proper physical stimulation, all
the supplements in the world won't help rebuild them
Fosomax or HRT work in rebuilding bone but because so many women experience
significant negative side effects, it's better not to depend on these drugs.
Prevention and natural rebuilding is your better choice.
On March 18th, 2006 we are offering Strong Bones Healthy Body
Workshop, a cutting edge approach to preventing and eliminating
Osteopenia/ Osteoporosis. Given the ineffectiveness of the current wait and see"
approach; our prevention and rebuilding program is good for all ages. Instead of
waiting until your 65 to do something about bone health;
we'll show you how to strengthen your bones and your body right NOW.
If you have sons and daughters; they can join you and get a head start on
learning good bone health. Yes, men get Osteoporosis
too!
Click here to sign-up and learn more today!
At our Strong Bones Healthy Body Workshop learn to make healthy food
choices; adopt a weight bearing physical activity plan; take the necessary
combination of supplements that ensures bone health; and learn to eliminate
the stress triggers that leach calcium from your bones. The workshop also
introduces Strong Bones Healthy Body Program; a personalized, all in
one, easy to follow program that helps you implement your physical activity,
healthy eating and stress reduction strategies. You'll create healthier bones
and a stronger, healthier looking body. You'll learn to adopt a stress free
attitude all the time working towards feeling and looking your best. Challenge
yourself to feel and look your best today!
Click here to learn more about Strong Bones Healthy Body Program.
Preventing Osteoporosis and Other Health Problems
with Vitamin D - Part 2
Behind the scenes many health experts have been questioning the current
approach to Vitamin D's role in good health. Following our last discussion of
Vitamin D and cancer, I have found a must read article challenging the
current view on Vitamin D's toxicity.
The article, entitled Vitamin D Toxicity by John Cannell, MD, a physician
who heads up the Vitamin D Council, is a great overview of the some of the
current research being done on the health effects of Vitamin D. The article
talks about why Vitamin D is so important to health and why the issues of
toxicity are so over exaggerated.
Here is an excerpt from that article, "The single most important fact anyone
needs to know about vitamin D is how much nature supplies if we behave
naturally, e.g., go into the sun. Humans make at least 10,000 units of
vitamin D within 30 minutes of full body exposure to the sun... Vitamin D
production in the skin occurs within minutes and is already maximized before
your skin turns pink."
Back in the 1930's many foods were fortified with Vitamin D because it is
so scarce in our food supply. Vitamin D is found only in eggs, organ meats,
animal fat, cod liver oil and fish. For most people, food alone will not provide
the 2000 IU of Vitamin D most research scientists are recommending for
optimum health. Sun exposure is supposed to be your greatest source
of Vitamin D but the current use of sun-blocking agents prevents
Vitamin D production from occurring in the skin.
Vitamin D Testing is the only accurate way to determine if you are
receiving optimum levels of Vitamin D. Called a vitamin but acting more like
a hormone in your body, Vitamin D plays a critical role in every major bodily function.
Before you start optimal level Vitamin D supplementation,
most experts agree that testing is essential.
We are negotiating with a lab to offer a discounted Vitamin D testing
program especially for Sequoia clients both at the Strong Bones Healthy
Body Workshop as well as at their local blood drawing facility in Herndon.
Watch for more information on Vitamin D testing in the next few weeks.
Training Tips Update and Sign-up for MS Walk April 2nd
with Phyliss Hurt - Part 3
We are 4 weeks away from the MS Walk and have about 20 people signed-up
to walk. Hopefully you have signed-up, have your walking shoes on and are
getting ready for the big day. Click here if you haven't signed-up; and
please do it right away.
This week Phyliss has increased her mileage to about 1.5 miles. Her weekly
training program consists of two 1-hour walking sessions; two 1-hour
functional strength training sessions at Sequoia and lots of full body
stretching. Phyliss says her body is holding up well. She had a little knee pain
the other day. Fortunately she remembered what I told her about stretching
her hamstrings when her knee hurts. Within a few minutes the knee pain was
gone.
As for the rest of you; the last Advisor talked about the basics of how to
ramp-up your training program. Given Phyliss' experience, I want to
talk about why your muscles need regular stretching especially when
you are physically active.
- Passive stretching is the only way your muscles can return to a normal
length after physical activity. Passive means holding the muscle at a
strong, non-painful tension without bouncing or moving.
- When stretching, hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. If the
muscle is very tight or is affecting a joint like your knee, hip or
shoulder, hold the stretch longer for up to 60 seconds for maximum
benefit.
- Only stretch when you are warm. Never stretch when you are cold.
Stretching when you are warm provides maximum benefits and
actually lengthens your muscles improving flexibility over time.
Stay tuned to upcoming issues of The Advisor for more training tips.
You may also email me at Woody@SequoiaHealth.com if you have a specific
training question.
Come join us for the April 2nd MS Breakfast and Walk with Phyliss Hurt
as you do something good for MS and yourself. With approximately 4 weeks
to get ready Phyliss, Team Sequoia and I have started the walk preparation
training process- so please join us. The 3.5 mile or 6 mile walks are great
first time fitness challenges for 2006. I CHALLENGE everyone to sign-up
for either the 3.5 or 6 mile walk.
If you can't attend please donate to the cause. But try to come; bring your
whole family. Besides, no walker is too young to get involved and it will be a
lot of fun. Team Sequoia will have prizes for the person that raises the most
pledge money; wears the goofiest outfit; finishes without blister on their feet.
Linda Wilson, one of my clients and part owner of ATR
(The American Tap Room) at Reston Town Center has generously
offered to sponsor our pre-walk breakfast with Sequoia.
Thanks Linda!
So come on...you need the exercise, Phyliss needs your support. Please be
there to help her, MS and yourself. There is no cost to sign-up.
Team Sequoia's fundraising goal is $10,000 in pledges and 50 walkers.
WE NEED YOUR HELP...
Click here to sign-up and join Team Sequoia on Sunday April 2, 2006.
