megram - Index

megram - 55JulGTA - Index

July/August 2008 • 18 • Fifty-Five Plus Magazine
ed drinks — all these habits affect our bone density.
We can’t change our genes; a sex change wouldn’t
work, so we are left with improving some of our food
and exercise habits to keep strong bones well into our
old age.
In order to strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis,three
aspects must be combined to provide the
body with basic bone-building elements. Studies of the
past 10 years have shown that people who exercise
regularly, who include strength-focus exercise in their
routine, and who have good eating habits can maintain
or improve bone density into old age.
Exercise for bone health
Well-known studies have proven beyond doubt
that exercise is the key factor to trigger bone renewal.
However, life is really in a recycling mode. If you don’t
use your bones and your muscles regularly, they will
shrink from disuse, as metabolism slows down to prepare
for old age. Strong muscles are important to trigger
new bone formation and to maintain bone strength
through life.
What exercises build bone density?
High impact exercises such as jumping, running and
high impact aerobics build bone density but can be risky if
you already have low bone density. Replace such activities
with resistance exercises focusing on muscle strength for
a safer and efficient option. If you are older, or if your
bones and muscles have led a sedentary lifestyle up until
now, you are safer using resistance training than jumping
around your living room!
Studies show that exercises that strengthen muscles
can significantly improve bone density.In order to improve
strength,the exercises should be challenging.For example:
you exercise at a gym using 3-pound weights, which you
lift 20 times. The intensity of this exercise is fairly low,
because you can lift it 20 times. Now, switch to 8-pound
weights, and lift as many times as you can, without a break
or cheating.You could,let’s say,lift them eight times before
your arm felt so tired you couldn’t continue. Because of its
challenging demand on muscles, the 8-pound weight exercise
is a strong bone exercise but the 3-pound weight exercise
is not.
Tips for muscle strength exercises
(resistance exercise)
Choose 8 to 10 exercises covering all major muscle
groups. Pay specific attention to back, core (torso) and
neck strength and postural stability and balance.
The workout should include exercises for the
whole body. Doing bicep curls will strengthen the upper
arm muscles but not the leg muscles;and exercise for bone
density will help you get stronger bones in the area of your
body where muscles are working. In other words, back