Osteoporosis? Fight back!

Your doctor has confirmed it with a bone density test—it’s osteoporosis. You aren’t sure what to do next. While specific medications are often prescribed, exercise, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are essential to reducing and slowing osteoporosis.

Follow this knockout combination to fight your osteoporosis

Exercise

Exercise is the greatest way to increase bone density and defeat osteoporosis. Walking, weight training, and Pilates are some of the best exercises to also increase muscle and improve balance.

A Pilates training program will engage your core like never before. With greater strength, balance, and core confidence you will decrease the chances of falling thereby avoiding the biggest concern when dealing with osteoporosis—broken bones. With osteoporosis there are certain exercises that you should not do so make sure your teacher is informed of your condition. Our classical Pilates professionals will tailor a a program specifically to you.

Nutrition

What you eat also plays a role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Make sure to eat a healthy diet rich in Calcium and Vitamin D and high in fruit and vegetables ( See a list of foods high in calcium and d). Maintaining a healthy weight is very important. Being underweightis associated with poor bone health and a higher risk of fracture and osteoporosis. Conversely, if you need to lose a few pounds your Pilates training will be a perfectly healthy and safe way to do that, too.

Lifestyle

Change your mind. Change your body. You must make exercise a part of your life, an everyday habit like brushing your teeth. If you smoke cigarettes do try to stop. Cigarettes increase bone loss and smokers are at higher risk of repeat fractures. Fractures don’t heal well in part because of diminished blood supply from damaged blood vessels. Read more about smoking and bone health.  Drink less alcohol for stronger bones too. Excess alcohol kills osteoblasts, the bone-making cells and interferes with the absorption of Calcium and Vitamin D. Learn more about the effects of alcohol on your bones.

If you haven’t suffered the effects of porous bones yet, get ahead of this disease now with classical Pilates. The more active and fit you are as you age, the less likely you are to fall. Other benefits will become obvious as well from Pilates like improved posture, memory, and endurance.

Just a few changes can over time minimize further bone loss. One way is by meeting with a certified instructor so get started at Turning Point Pilates today with a private session. The studio is open seven days for Pilates in Venice or Pilates in Marina del Rey. We are located at 910 Garfield Avenue Venice, CA 90291. Call us at (310) 217-7630 or sign up online to get started.