Menopause metamorphosis: Bone Health
“ If our purpose is to reduce frailty in the bones and build strength overall in the body we need to choose challenge to make that connection between the mind and body. The mind will tell you to quit long before the body needs to. If we’re going to build strength and bone mass and change the way we age we need to ask the body for more than what we already know we can do. That’s our Work IN.”
- Ericka Thomas
Transcript
Have you heard? 50 is the new 30. It’s true you’re as old as you believe you are. But the body ages from the inside out. Our bones are the architecture of our body and we take it for granted for the first half of our lives. Then we start to feel random things from mystery weight gain to general pain and inflammation as we start to lose the protection of estrogen and that’s when things start to get real. It can be scary and we can feel like we have no control over our health and wellness no matter what we do. One of the scariest parts of getting older is the fear of falling. That fear is based on the frailty associated with muscle and bone loss as we age. Estrogen is protective and it helps us build and keep our bone mass. Without that we have to do things through nutrition and exercise to pick up the slack.
The mortality risk within a year after a hip break in women over 65 is over 20% according to the NIH. That begs the question, if women live longer than our beautiful men, how can we create that life to be vibrant and thriving as opposed to fragile and limited?
So our Work IN today is about strengthening the architecture of our body so that it can support us for a long and healthy life.
Bone Health
2 pieces of the bone puzzle - 2 things that go into strong bones.
Stress the bones.
Bone is built, modeled and remodeled constantly. Bones need pressure/impact to stay strong. This is why we hear about weight bearing exercise so often. So what is weight bearing exercise? Standing, walking, running, being on your feet, resisting gravity in some way anything that requires holding your own body weight.
Feed the bones
We need the right bioavailable essential nutrients to make this process effective. In order for the bones to remodel they need building blocks and we get those from our diet. So what we hear often about this is just taking calcium supplements. But nothing works alone and that includes micro and macronutrients. Calcium requires vitamin D to be properly absorbed. Bones need essential amino acids and fats. And many supplements simply are not bioavailable enough to the body or they simply cannot survive digestion.
High protein and healthy fats. Supplements Omega 3, minerals and protein and collagen
We need a variety of high quality whole foods along with the exercise to get the full benefits.
No system exists alone. Bone needs muscle and muscle needs bone. Build muscle and feed that muscle and that muscle, the way it contracts and pulls against the bones can build those bones. There is a direct correlation between muscle mass and bone mass even without impact. Plus more muscle means more strength and stability. More strength and stability means more mobility, balance and flexibility. All of these things prevent frailty as we age.
Let’s talk osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that develops when bone mineral density and bone mass decreases, or when the structure and strength of bone changes. This can lead to a decrease in bone strength that can increase the risk of fractures (broken bones). NIH
Osteoporosis occurs when too much bone mass is lost and changes occur in the structure of bone tissue. Certain risk factors may lead to the development of osteoporosis or can increase the likelihood that you will develop the disease.
Risk Factors that may increase your risk for osteoporosis include:
Sex. Your chances of developing osteoporosis are greater if you are a woman. Women have lower peak bone mass and smaller bones than men. However, men are still at risk, especially after the age of 70.
Age. As you age, bone loss happens more quickly, and new bone growth is slower. Over time, your bones can weaken and your risk for osteoporosis increases.
Body size. Slender, thin-boned women and men are at greater risk to develop osteoporosis because they have less bone to lose compared to larger boned women and men.
Race. White and Asian women are at highest risk. African American and Mexican American women have a lower risk. White men are at higher risk than African American and Mexican American men.
Family history. Researchers are finding that your risk for osteoporosis and fractures may increase if one of your parents has a history of osteoporosis or hip fracture.
Changes to hormones. Low levels of certain hormones can increase your chances of developing osteoporosis. For example:
Low estrogen levels in women after menopause.
Low levels of estrogen from the abnormal absence of menstrual periods in premenopausal women due to hormone disorders or extreme levels of physical activity.
Low levels of testosterone in men. Men with conditions that cause low testosterone are at risk for osteoporosis. However, the gradual decrease of testosterone with aging is probably not a major reason for loss of bone.
Other medical conditions. Some medical conditions that you may be able to treat or manage can increase the risk of osteoporosis, such as other endocrine and hormonal diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, certain types of cancer, HIV/AIDS, and anorexia nervosa.
Medications. Long-term use of certain medications may make you more likely to develop bone loss and osteoporosis, such as:
Glucocorticoids and adrenocorticotropic hormone, which treat various conditions, such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Antiepileptic medicines, which treat seizures and other neurological disorders.
Cancer medications, which use hormones to treat breast and prostate cancer.
Proton pump inhibitors, which lower stomach acid.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which treat depression and anxiety.
Thiazolidinediones, which treat type II diabetes.
In spite of what it seems like with that list it is not a forgone conclusion because of the power in these last 2 factors…
Diet. Beginning in childhood and into old age, a diet low in calcium and vitamin D can increase your risk for osteoporosis and fractures. Excessive dieting or poor protein intake may increase your risk for bone loss and osteoporosis.
Lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle can be important for keeping bones strong. Factors that contribute to bone loss include:
Low levels of physical activity and prolonged periods of inactivity can contribute to an increased rate of bone loss. They also leave you in poor physical condition, which can increase your risk of falling and breaking a bone.
Chronic heavy drinking of alcohol is a significant risk factor for osteoporosis.
Studies indicate that smoking is a risk factor for osteoporosis and fracture. Researchers are still studying if the impact of smoking on bone health is from tobacco use
How to use yoga to help
Yoga asanas can be strength building. With effort, intention and attention.
Intention always matters and where you put your attention that is where your energy goes. Yoga Asana are weight bearing with the bonus of no impact. And they can be a really efficient way to build and sustain bone mass if done with purpose.
Do it and cue it.
Use dynamic tension, something as simple as making a fist in a pose actively contracting muscle pulsing movement in new ranges of motion
Moving towards the edge of discomfort in postures, learning to be comfortable with discomfort. This is tough because it’s a mindset issue and many people believe yoga should feel easy in the body and the mind and that is simply not true. If our purpose is to reduce frailty in the bones and build strength overall in the body we need to choose challenge to make that connection between the mind and body. The mind will tell you to quit long before the body needs to. If we’re going to build strength and bone mass and change the way we age we need to ask the body for more than what we already know we can do. That’s our Work IN.
Thanks for listening! If you like what you heard and are curious about how you can start your own work in through trauma informed yoga and trauma release exercise go to savagegracecoaching.com/theworkin for all today's show notes and links to book a discovery call. I work privately online and in person with people just like you who want to build strength and resilience from the inside out and get results beyond what the eyes can see.
Hey there!
I’m your host Ericka Thomas. I'm a resilience coach and fit-preneur offering an authentic, actionable realistic approach to personal and professional balance for coaches in any format.
Savage Grace Coaching is all about bringing resilience and burnout recovery. Especially for overwhelmed entrepreneurs, creators and coaches in the fitness industry.
Schedule a free consultation call to see if my brand of actionable accountability is right for you and your business.