Fall (Prevention) Festival

Evansville West Side Nut Club Fall Festival 2002
Photo by alandberning

For several reasons, I strengthen my core muscles by doing exercises. Every week, I attend three strength training classes, two dance classes, and one yoga class.

Core strength is vital to posture, balance, rising from a seated position, and preventing lower back injury.

After going to the gym in Evansville:
Strong is the new pretty.

A few years ago while living in Wichita, I had a history of poor alignment in my lower back.

I have had my spine adjusted several times.

I finally went to a physical therapist who helped me identify various muscles in my torso (core) and taught me how to strengthen them through several sets of exercises.

I received this guidance from a physical therapist in 2015. My back has not gone out of alignment since then.

Because of my poor bone health, I am very focused on fall prevention.

It's important for people of all ages and levels of health. However, it's especially important to me because I have very frail bones.

Rate of Total Knee Replacements

Edward Ferguson. 

I have a little arthritis in my knees.  At this point, they aren't bothering me enough to seek medical care.

However, many people my age or just older than I are seeking a TKR or total knee replacement.

For these reasons, I decided to look at the rate of total knee replacement for persons in the US.

For an overview of key statistics about knee surgery, see this excellent infographic by Healthline:

Calcium Carbonate

Photo by HBarrison.

I have not had the opportunity to visit the White Cliffs of Dover, part of England's coastline. However, I have been taking 1 antacid pill daily, so I feel some affinity to this natural beauty. Why?  The chalky whiteness of the soil is due to calcium carbonate, the same ingredient in my antacid.

I have recently learned that I have osteopenia, a weakening of the bones.  I am trying to improve my bone health through diet and exercise.   Women ages 51 to 70 years old need 1,200 mg of calcium per day.  But too much calcium can cause problems, so don't exceed daily recommendations--or your doctor's prescription, which may differ.

Sunshine and Vitamin D

Photo by tarotastic. 

Having osteopenia encourages me to read regularly about factors that contribute to bone health.

I have written before about the role of calcium and exercise in building and  maintaining bone mass.

The body also needs adequate levels of Vitamin D in order to process calcium for proper bone health.

[Note: This post does not offer medical advice; it is only intended to raise awareness. See a licensed professional such as a nutritionist or a general practitioner if you have concerns about your health.] 

But it also essential for many other bodily functions, such as the following:

immune system, muscle function, cardiovascular function, respiratory system, brain development, and anti-cancer effects.

Unfortunately, many people are deficient in Vitamin D, which is most readily available from ultraviolet B rays from sunlight.

How does deficiency happen? For example, people may spend too much time indoors, they may live far from the equator, they may wear sunscreen and layers of clothing, they may have dark skin, or they might be overweight.

Health Benefits of Sardines

Photo by kelpenhagen.

Because I am concerned about my bone health, I've recently added sardines to my diet.

Calcium. Canned sardines contain a lot of calcium and phosphates, which help strengthen bones.  But since I started eating sardines, I learned that they have other health benefits as well.

Omega 3. They contain significant amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, which can protect against heart disease and stroke. Omega 3 fatty acids also might help with arthritis.

While there is no strong evidence that high levels of omega 3 can prevent dementia, those with low levels of omega 3 do demonstrate memory problems.

Protein.  They are a good source of protein as well.  One serving contains 21.5 grams of protein.  A person weighing 150 pounds should eat about 68 grams of protein per day.

Many older adults fail to get enough protein in their daily diet. Sardines are reasonably priced and can be purchased in cans, which can be stored for several weeks if not months (check the expiration dates carefully).

Bone-Thickening Videos

Photo by TobyOtter.

Because I have less-than-ideal bone density (a state recently identified by WHO as osteopenia), I am writing one post a month on bone health.

This month, I was interested in seeing if I could find videos that demonstrate exercises for improving bone density.

Many sites dedicated to bone health such as the National Osteoporosis Foundation suggest a variety of exercises people can engage in for greater bone health.

Exercise to Increase Bone Density

Photo by smcgee.

In September of this year, I found out that my bones are below the ideal limits for density.  I don't have osteoporosis--yet.  The range I'm in is a newly defined zone called osteopenia.  All is not lost. I still have a lot of control over my bone density. I can improve my diet with calcium-rich foods, and I can do bone-strengthening exercises.

Calcium and Bone Health

Photo detail by faria!.

I recently received a DXA scan and  found out that I have osteopenia, a level of bone density that is lower than "good" but higher than osteoporosis. For this reason, I've been reading more about bone health and talking to experts and lay people alike about the issue.

Very casually, many health care professionals and individuals state, "take a daily calcium supplement." However, I wanted to look into the issue of supplements before taking a daily pill.

If you want to read a very good source on the topic, see this page on Calcium Supplements as prepared by the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes for Health. It's detailed and comprehensive. After reading this page, I understand the value of learning more about supplements before taking them.

What Is Osteopenia?

Karen's Whole Body DXA Bone Scan 9/28/13

I recently participated in a research study where I received 5 different images of my fat, muscles and/or bones via a DXA scan.

As a participant, I signed forms that emphasized that this scan was for research purposes and not for diagnostic purposes. The print out of my scans also notes: "Image not for diagnostic use."

Nevertheless, I decided to take my DXA results as an opportunity to learn more about bone health.

If you are concerned about bone health, please consult with a board-certified medical expert.

The DXA operator was a Ph.D. in exercise physiology who has done research on bone and muscle loss. Dr. Young also reviewed my results. I had lower-than-average results for percent of body fat. That's good news.  However, I also had lower-than-average results for muscle mass and bone mass. That's not good news.