Healthsifter by mary desmond pinkowish, since 2003

These Exercises Don't Eliminate the Need for Spanx, But They May Save Your Butt, Spine or Hip

Tired of exercises that are designed to get you into a bikini, when you know those days are long past? Yes? How about exercises that could really help save your skeleton once your estrogen starts to leave you? So have a look at this comprehensive set of exercises from the Bone Exercise Strength Training (BEST)study, which was completed nearly 9 years ago but is worth revisiting. The BEST study showed that women in their 50s who took adequate calcium and got the right kind of exercise were able to prevent bone loss. The study was sponsored by Bayer, which makes a calcium supplement, but this isn't the first time researchers have studies this phenomenon. Most agree that weight-bearing exercise--along with adequate calcium intake--has an important role to play in preventing, slowing, or minimizing bone loss. Laura Landro had a good column in today's Wall Street Journal about the role of weight-bearing exercise in bone loss prevention, and she's the one who pointed the way to the BEST exercises. Here's an excerpt from her article:

Studies indicate that the pull of muscle on bone stimulates the bone to grow, incorporate mineral and become stronger. In weight-bearing exercises with high impact—such as walking, jogging, racket sports and volleyball—bones and muscles work against gravity to build strength. And a combination of resistance and strength-training exercises not only helps build bone but also builds up the muscles that support the skeleton, improving balance and posture to help avoid the falls that lead to fractures.

Back to BEST. Give it a try. We're way beyond old folks in nursing homes doing chair exercises. These are demanding exercises that are meant to done for 45 minutes, 3 times a week. The site has comprehensive directions and instructional videos. Good luck! 

Prevent Osteoporosis: Have A Beer

This is so news we can use: Beer is a rich dietary source of the mineral silicon, and silicon saves bones. Here's an excerpt from ScienceDaily: 

Researchers from the Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of California, Davis studied commercial beer production to determine the relationship between beer production methods and the resulting silicon content, concluding that beer is a rich source of dietary silicon.

One of the investigators provides guidance on the best beers for increasing your silicon intake:

"Beers containing high levels of malted barley and hops are richest in silicon," concludes Dr. Bamforth. "Wheat contains less silicon than barley because it is the husk of the barley that is rich in this element. While most of the silicon remains in the husk during brewing, significant quantities of silicon nonetheless are extracted into wort and much of this survives into beer."

The original study was published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. This study just examined the silicon content of beer. They didn't look to see if people who drink beer have stronger bones that those who don't. That would be a good study to do, though. And of course you'll be expecting all the usual caveats: Prevent osteoporosis responsibly, don't get behind the wheel of a car if you've been preventing osteoporosis in a reckless or too-enthusiastic fashion, remember that using beer to prevent osteoporosis could make you fat, etc.  

The Consequences of Osteoporosis

Read this description from the New England Journal of Medicine and have a careful look at the X-ray of this 89-year-old woman with severe osteoporosis.Her spinal deformities eventually killed her. If you're a woman in your 50s, get screened and do what your doctor recommends with regard to calcium, vitamin D, or prescription meds. Men: You can develop osteoporosis, too. You're more susceptible that you think. Ask your doctor about screening.