Strong Bones Awareness Month!

Really it’s Osteoporosis Awareness month…but I thought Strong Bones Awareness Month sounded more fun…what do you think?  

Do you or someone you know have an osteoporosis or osteopenia diagnosis?  I often get asked about recommendations for those who have been diagnosed and I like to keep it simple and recommend these 3 things when it comes to your movement and training time:

1. Walk as much as you can. Walking is something that helps you build bone strength and muscle and is an easy thing you can add into your life just about anywhere!  Challenge yourself to increase your daily steps!

2. Add some sort of strength training into your life. There are lots of ways to add strength training into your life…lifting weights, body weight exercises, Pilates, and Yoga can all be great!    Find something you enjoy and add it in consistently.

3. Add some focused balance training into your life. Besides strengthening your muscles and improving your mobility, balance training specifically trains your body to improve your balance.  When your bones are not as strong as they could be, a fall can result in an injury like a broken bone that greatly diminishes your ability to navigate life. (i.e., It will sideline you for awhile,) By being proactive about your balance skills you can prevent falls and keep active, strong, independent and feeling great in your body!

Even if you don’t have an Osteoporosis or Osteopenia diagnosis….these 3 things are what I would recommend to EVERYONE as you age to keep your bones healthy and strong and to keep you active and moving well!