As a woman of a certain age, I have had to come face-to-face with the unwelcome prospect that if I don’t get my act together now, I could be suffering from osteoporosis in the not-too-distant future. We’ve all heard what to eat and what to avoid for bone health, but exercises are an effective, though often overlooked, tool in the box. So, over the last few weeks I have been adding these exercises into a brand new routine, and it includes various exercises that I am promised will help prevent this bleak future from becoming a reality.
Time will tell as far as preventing osteoporosis is concerned, but I have noticed a marked improvement in my general fitness levels and muscle tone. I’ll share below some of the exercises that I’ve been doing that have been shown to improve bone health as well as decreasing the risk of having falls.
Lunges
Lunges take a bit of getting used to, but are an absolute godsend if smooth, toned legs is what you’re after. They’re also a nice, low-risk option of body weight exercises. I’ve also found they’re pretty easy to fit around a busy lifestyle (I usually squeeze them in just before I go to bed). But instead of boring you with the details, a quick video is worth a thousand words:Jogging
I started by jogging just a few minutes a day, and now I can go for a "proper" run without feeling like I want to die. It can actually be quite relaxing to go at the weekend, and I’ve found it’s a great stress reliever too!
Spinal Extension Exercises
Whenever I have a few spare minutes, I sit on the floor with my back straight, look up at the ceiling, and arch my back. This I do a few times in front of the TV and then feel justified in being a couch potato.
Follow the next link if you’re really excited about the osteoporosis-fighting idea, then you can hunt for extra tips here. That website goes into a little more detail about the whys and hows, and gives some great tips.
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