Weight Bearing Exercises

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is suing the producers of the advertisements asking Got Milk? because they believe the campaign is exaggerating the importance of calcium in the health of bones. Well, we’ve always known that milk is an important source of calcium and that drinking milk provides the body with a source for their daily calcium. Building Healthy Bones Now, don’t shoot the messenger but there is a great deal more to building healthy bones than drinking your daily glass of milk! If you were thinking that she’s going to ramble at us about more exercise and healthy … Continue reading

Osteoporosis & Weight Loss

Osteoporosis is a common disease that affects people as they age, particularly women. Osteoporosis causes bones to become porous and brittle – this can lead to difficulty healing from broken bones and other health conditions. More than 10 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis and most of these are women. As women, we have a more than 25% chance of developing osteoporosis as we age. We reach our peak bone mass when we are about 30 years old. That can be pretty intimidating when you consider that at 30, we have only lived about 1/3 of our expected lifespan. So … Continue reading

Fitness and Your Bones

Men and women looking to avoid suffering the painful and often debilitating disease osteoporosis should be exercising more, according to leading scientists. Researchers at top medical universities around the nation are urging people to look after their bones by living well and getting fit. They say by doing so you can reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis, a disease where the inner honeycomb structure inside each bone becomes thinner and more fragile. Osteoporosis can affect any part of a person’s body but the wrist, hip and spine are the most common areas. Experts say the best way to strengthen your … Continue reading

Gyms Catering to Members with Health Issues

Are you getting the most out of your gym? When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago her doctor recommended she follow a regimented fitness program. She started going to a run-of-the-mill gym in her very small hometown and worked out with a trainer. However, she never quite felt comfortable with the exercise routine and she ended up canceling her gym membership less than a year later. I always thought that had she found a better gym (unfortunately there are only two gyms in the city she lives in) she would have stuck with the program. … Continue reading

Can Calcium Prevent Disease?

Calcium is essential for the body’s bones. But this mineral has a big role in preventing other health problems, too! Calcium has been associated with lowering blood pressure (and the risk of high blood pressure). Researchers have noted that a vegetarian diet that is high in minerals (including calcium, magnesium, and potassium), high in fiber, and low in fat tends to lead to lower blood pressure levels. Clinical studies have also looked at the effect of an increased calcium intake on blood pressure. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health tested different types of … Continue reading

Why Does My Body Need Calcium?

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body — more than 99 percent of all calcium in your body is stored in the bones and teeth. Where is the rest of the calcium? It can be found throughout the body in your blood, muscles, and more. What does calcium do? The number one thing calcium does is support bone and tooth structure. Your bones are constantly breaking down and being rebuilt — the pace at which this happens changes throughout life. During childhood, your body does much more building and much less breaking down. In early and middle adulthood, … Continue reading

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Hormone replacement therapy is helpful for easing symptoms of menopause and preventing osteoporosis in some women. You may also hear hormone replacement therapy called “opposed estrogen therapy”. The name basically describes how it works. Hormone replacement therapy increases estrogen and/or progestin levels in a woman’s body. There are several different forms of hormone replacement therapy, including: Estrogen and progestin combination pills (brand name Premphase, Prempro, Activella) Estrogen and progestin patches that continuously release hormones over time (brand name CombiPatch) Oral progestin used with an estrogen-only pill or patch (brand name Provera, Prometrium, Micronor, Norlutin, Aygestin) Progestin intra-uterine device (IUD) used … Continue reading

Could You Be Suffering From Celiac Disease And Not Know It?

Did you know that October is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month? Studies show that an estimated 1 out of 100 Americans suffers from the disease and many don’t even know it. I first learned about the disease from Aimee’s blog earlier this year and just a couple of weeks ago I met a woman who shared a startling celiac disease-related story with me. She said her doctor believes her recent miscarriage may have been caused by undiagnosed celiac disease. Isn’t that frightening? For those of you who are unfamiliar with the disease, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that damages … Continue reading

The Dairy Debate

You know those milk ads with all the famous people drinking milk to lose weight? I just don’t trust them. It’s the mustaches really. It has nothing to do with the actual claim. I can’t get past the ridiculous looking milk ‘staches to make an intelligent decision about their claim. I mean really, what kind of milk leaves that kind of mark? If they’re going to tell me that’s what youre supposed to look like (the face, not the body) when you drink milk, I just can’t take them seriously. It turns out a lot of other people can’t take … Continue reading