Ah the joys of being a woman, an increased incidence of brittle bones!
Ladies you may or may not be aware but according to the Australian gov stats, the prevalence of osteoporosis in those aged 50+ is estimated to be 23% of women and only 6% of men.
Not over 50? Why should you be concerned?
Well it doesn’t develop overnight, it takes years. Your bones provide your body it’s basic foundations, if they’re not strong, neither are you.
How do you know if your bones are thinning short of a scan?
Look for telltale signs:
* Height Loss
* Brittle Fingernails
* Receding Gum Line
* Decreased Grip Strength
So what to do if you want to live a long, healthy, independant life? Eat nutrient dense food and get strong.
* Make sure your diet is high in protein Calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, C and K2, along with trace minerals can be helpful in preventing (further) bone loss. Eating disorders, eating restrictive or heavily processed diets can also have implications for bone density due to poor nutrient intake and effects on the bodies ability to produce estrogen.
* Quit smoking &/or drinking to excess
* Regularly perform resistance/weight bearing exercise.Frustratingly, this last point is greatly overlooked when strength training is marketed toward women! In my own experience strength training is one of the greatest things you can do FOR yourself AND your longevity. Not only does it improve your overall health and appearance, it helps slow down degeneration.
I was regularly getting dexascans a couple of years back whilst my training frequency and load increased. During this time there was a marked difference in my bone density; between June and December 2016 my bone density T-score increased from 1.211 to 1.252.
While the DEXA T-score is not a perfect predictor for bone health, it does gives a rough idea of changes in bone density. While the change was only .04, if you had a low density (anything below -1.0), a tiny change or slowing could have huge ramifications for your future health.
Want to learn more, get in touch.
