I knew I was a poster child for
low bone density as a small framed, petite woman, but as a movement and Pilates
teacher, I was shocked and embarrassed to discover I had osteoporosis in my
femoral neck.

Luckily, I was already certified
in Buff Bones exercise for osteoporosis, which made me familiar with
studies on exercise and nutrition for bone health. Diving into osteoporosis
research was natural for me. 

Taking into account what I
learned, I began walking with a weighted vest, and I created a research-based weightlifting
program for bone health that I will follow for the rest of my life.

Additionally, my research led me
to take action in the ways I outline below. I reversed my osteoporosis in two
years. I cannot tell you that any one thing was the magic bullet, but I can
tell you that I feel much stronger and more confident today.

Review Your Intake of the Necessary Nutrients for Bone Formation

Contrary to popular belief, it
takes more than calcium and vitamin D for the body to form bone. There are 20 nutrients that are necessary for new bone formation! I suggest focusing on
the following seven to start.

If you’re not getting enough
nutrients with your food, use complementary supplements of high quality to help you in your battle with Osteoporosis.

Calcium

Take calcium for bone
formation and strength. Get it from greens, nuts, bone marrow, seaweed, and
figs. Milk is a much debated source so I don’t make it a primary focus but that
is a personal choice.

Magnesium

Magnesium boosts calcium
absorption and helps in the production of the bone preserving hormone. It
regulates bone breakdown and is involved in the conversion of vitamin D to
active form. Best sources are spinach, wild rice, flax, beans, almonds,
cashews, avocado, squash, and tofu.

Vitamin D3

D3 is vital for calcium
absorption. You can get it from sunshine, fatty fish, beef liver, eggs, and
butter.

Vitamin K2

Another vitamin that helps
with bone structure and binding of calcium to bone is K2. It’s found in natto, hard
cheese, and fermented food.

Zinc 

As a micromineral, zinc is
involved in bone protein recycling, bone healing, and bone building with
collagen protein threads. Get it from wheat germ, oysters, liver, and crab
meat.

Manganese

Manganese is involved in bone
cartilage and bone collagen formation. You can take it with whole grains, leafy
vegetables, greens, and blackstrap molasses.

Boron

Boron helps with the proper
metabolism of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. Best sources are chickpeas,
almonds, beans, prunes, and raisins.

Add Weight Bearing Exercise into Your Activities – A Must for Bone
Formation

Muscles and bones are a connected
system. Strengthening your muscles with external load (weights) creates forces that
send signals to the bones to build more bone as an adaptation to the force.

In addition, the load is site
specific. Thus, one must load at the hip, the spine, the wrist, and so on to protect all these
areas. 

There is a direct
dose relationship with using load. This means that even a little weight has some benefits. Heavy
weight and lifting more than once a week creates even more benefits! 

Lifting weights does not have to
be intimidating. You can start out at home, learning the proper form, then
progressing to increasing loads. My Bone Bootcamp program begins with the basics of
breathing and alignment and takes you slowly through a home-based program that
targets bone building sites.

Once comfortable, many of you will
want to lift heavier weights at a gym. It is always best to seek out a
qualified professional at the gym of your choice to make sure you know how to
use all their equipment safely.

A weighted vest is another way to
incorporate weight bearing exercise into your life. Wear it when you take your
regular walks. Ask your doctor or physical therapist to determine if you are a
good candidate for a vest.

Should you purchase a vest, invest
in one that has pockets that allow for adding weight in ½-pound increments.
Ideally, the goal is to wear 10% of your body weight in your vest. 

My favorite vest is the Ironwear
Fitness Vest. 

Make sure you’re getting enough
protein while you weight train as this will assist in building bone as well. Use
this calculator to see how much protein you need.

Prioritize Sleep

An often overlooked component is
rest. We know that 7 to 9 hours of sleep are absolutely crucial for top
performance of our mind and body. Not only does the brain restore and repair
during sleep, but so does the body (which includes your bones). 

Matthew Walker, a renowned expert
on sleep and its impact on your mind and body, explains in his book “Why
We Sleep” that sleep reboots the body systems and not just the brain.

Although the direct causal link
from sleep quality and quantity to osteoporosis has not been definitively shown
in research, the association is clear and evidences itself in many,
many studies. 

Since we know that sleep is
important for brain health, is there a downside to prioritizing sleep? Absolutely
not!

Incorporate Balance Work into Your Daily Routine

We know that falls can be
particularly damaging for individuals with osteoporosis. We also know that the
fear of falling can be a huge barrier to bone building activities like moving
and exercising.

The best preventative for falling
is exercise and balance training combined.

What
you can do:

Train Your Brain/Body Connection with Your Vestibular System

One of my favorite little “training”
tools can be done seated, standing or lying down. Try lying on the ground or
couch with your knees bent and your feet on the floor or couch.

• Begin by fixing your eyes on a spot or object on the ceiling. While you keep your gaze on this point, move your head to make a yes nod. Up and down. 
• Then change and move your head to signal “no” while keeping your gaze on the object.
• Next, keep your head still in the straightforward position and play with looking left and right with only your eyes. Then try up and down.
• Try this back and forth for two or three rounds. You will be surprised at the greater ease you’ll feel with your balance.

Train
Your Balance in Novel and Unpredictable Ways

Falls often happen at
night or on uneven surfaces, so training on uneven surfaces is important:

• Walk on a row of pillows.
• Walk over stones barefoot.
• Perform a hip hinge with your feet close together (chair or counter near by).
• Practice your hip hinge with one foot in a kickstand position (less weight on that foot).
• Try standing still with your eyes closed (hold onto a counter at first).

To combat your osteoporosis or
osteopenia diagnosis, there are quite a few actions you can take. It’s my goal
to help you feel more empowered as you deal with the idea of low bone density
instead of overwhelmed or stuck.

I hope that you leave this article
with a few next steps that you can begin to implement in your life today. Small
efforts do add up!

What do you do to protect and
build your bones and muscles after menopause? What supplements do you take in
addition to a nutritious diet? How much sleep do you usually get at night?
Please share with our community!