3 Top Tips for Healthy Bones

Kat H Author

How to Reduce the Risk of Osteoporosis with Exercise, Diet and Relaxation

Many of us don’t think of our bones until we have a problem, say we break a wrist or an ankle, or when an unrelated medical problem puts our bones at risk. 

I am in that latter category. As a cancer survivor affected by treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and aromatase inhibitors to reduce oestrogen levels, I was diagnosed with osteopaenia, a pre-state of osteoporosis. This led me to develop an exercise and lifestyle programme to support healthy bones. 

Now, osteoporosis was not new to me. I had written my dissertation on bone density as a student because my grandmother and my father had both suffered from osteoporosis. This potentially increased my risk of developing osteoporosis as certain genetic factors can play a role. I was also aware that as a woman I was also more likely to be affected by osteoporosis as hormonal changes during menopause and pregnancy can affect our bone health. Despite my research, however, I had not taken an active interest in my own bones until my diagnosis. 

In my dissertation I had hoped to find a "magic pill approach" of supplements and herbs. However, I realised that these could only ever be a useful adjunct in the prevention and management of osteoporosis. Instead, I concluded that bones – like so many other parts of our body – require the three pillars of health: a healthy diet, moderate levels of exercise and a number of lifestyle interventions, such as smoking cessation, reducing alcohol consumption, getting a good night's sleep and, very important, reducing the effects of psychological stress. The latter will be discussed below as the effects of stress can severely affect our bones.

So when I got diagnosed with osteopaenia I knew I had to take a holistic approach to bone health. My work as a Pilates, Feldenkrais and Yoga teacher and as a relaxation and sleep coach had helped me to cope with the psychological stress of the cancer diagnosis. But I knew that my bones needed a more tailored approach to exercise. 

You see, anyone with osteoporosis has to be more mindful about certain movements, someone with severe osteoporosis may even need to avoid them completely, such as twisting or "loaded flexion". On the other hand, our bones benefit from weight and resistance training and, as we need to avoid falls, we need exercises to improve our balance. 

As I am also a qualified gym instructor, I knew how to design a class that included these aspects to support bone health. However, as I knew about the connection between stress and reduced bone density, I was also interested in the emotional benefits of Pilates, Feldenkrais and Yoga. I therefore trained as a Pilates teacher for bone health (Buff Bones ®) and as a Bones for Life ® teacher, a programme that is based on Feldenkrais. I also looked into Yoga trainings for Bones but found that there was little evidence that Yoga increased bone density. Yoga does, however, offer some important other benefits for bone health, such as good posture and balance, breathing and relaxation and emotional wellbeing. These are important and will be discussed below.

Top Tip Number 1 for Healthy Bones: Exercise

As a movement teacher as well as medical herbalist, my first go-to for any health issue is always exercise and mindful movement. And for bone health, this is definitely the number 1 tip!

Whilst all movement is beneficial, bone tissue is mainly stimulated by resistance and weight training and by the vibration caused by movement such as walking or dancing. However, one of the first issues to consider is balance.

Exercise improves Balance

Falls prevention is vital for anyone affected by bone density issues. Unless bone is severely affected by osteoporosis when it can actually break on its own accord, most of us don’t have any noticeable problems until we fall. As a matter of fact, many of my clients report that they only get diagnosed with problems in their bones after a broken wrist, foot or ankle. So good balance is important.

Now good balance is not just muscle strength – although that is obviously part of it. Good balance involves mobility and agility in many parts of the body so the body can react to uneven or slippery surfaces.

Exercise for Bones should include some Weights and Resistance training

Weights and resistance training are traditionally recommended for building muscles and bones. Now, you don’t have to lift huge amounts: a small 0.5 or 1 kg of weight might be perfect for you. You can use traditional hand weights or strap-on weights which are ideal for walking and doing chores around the house. You can also use resistance bands or special weights for bone density, such as a rucksack-like weight to stap on your back, for example.

I tend to suggest small, light weights to most of my clients. Small weights allow you to still focus on good posture and avoid straining or jerky movements. This is not just important for your bones but also for your pelvic floor. In my practice I see a lot of people who are looking for help with both bone density as well as pelvic floor issues. This is so common that I have developed workouts that target both.

Walking and Dancing and Vibration

Whenever you take a step, there is a little bit of gentle vibration that travels up from the foot to the crown of the head. It’s very gentle – you don’t need to run or thump your feet. Quite the opposite! 

This gentle vibration of the whole body when you walk or dance only happens if your skeleton is organised well, if your posture is good. If your feet are not aligned well, your ankles are stiff, your pelvis is twisted or your spine is overly curved in one direction or the other or your chest is collapsed this gentle vibration can get stuck, just like water in a blocked pipe. This doesn’t just impact your bone health but can also cause muscle tightness, pain and other issues. So a well-organised posture is important when you walk. And it’s not just a matter of standing up straight!

Good posture, incidentally, also helps your pelvic floor! Bones and pelvic floor benefit from the very gentle vibration that comes from good posture and active feet.

Top Tip Number 2 for Healthy Bones: Relaxation

Stress has a huge effect on our body. There are many ways to support the body in times of psychological stress. Finding a way to relax is important. Now that can include taking a walk, painting, cooking, journaling or having a chat with a friend. You could also try meditation, breathing exercises or mindfulness. As a relaxation, mindfulness and sleep coach, I use all of these - but I also love walking, journaling and having a cup of tea with a friend. 

If you are not sure why relaxation might be just what your bones need, read on:

Stress affects many hormones that affect bone density. It increases prolactin, leptin and parathyroid hormone levels and decreases gonadal hormones, that is, oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. All of these have an important role in bone health, either by increasing resorption, that is, breaking down of bone tissue or by reducing bone remodelling, that is, building new bone tissue.

Stress also affects our calcium levels. The "stress hormone" cortisol blocks the absorption of calcium in our bones as calcium is diverted to our muscles. If we don't get enough dietary calcium at this time, the body will even take calcium from our bones as they are our main storage area for calcium.

Stress increases low-grade inflammation which again can affect our bone health. Low-grade inflammation has not just been linked to bone health but to numerous other health conditions. Relaxation, meditation, mindfulness and breathing exercises can all reduce low-grade inflammation, as can some herbal treatments.

Finally, stress affects our lifestyle choices, such as our diet, intake of alcohol, sleep patterns and smoking – all of these are detrimental to our bones. So find a way to relax. Relaxation is individual to all of us and you might have a try a few different techniques to find the one that works for you.

Top Tip Number 3 for Healthy Bones: Diet

Our bones are living tissue and like any other tissue in our body need to be fed well to stay healthy. 

Now before you think of what vitamins and minerals your bones need, consider the health of your digestive system. If your gut, kidney or liver aren’t working well, then all those macro- or micronutrients might not actually end up in your bones. They might not actually be assimilated.

So what do our bones need?

Like our muscles, our bones need sufficient protein. So make sure that you take in enough. Don’t overdo it. Just a healthy amount!

Collagen has become my latest obsession. I initially became aware of the importance of collagen for pelvic floor health but found that marine collagen has also been found to increase bone density in a clinical trial. 

In addition, there is a range of vitamins and minerals that our bones require.

Calcium is usually the first thing that springs to mind when people think about healthy bones. It is often offered as a supplement to anyone affected by bone density issues. Calcium has been shown to improve bone density, however, you need to get the dose right. Ideally we should aim to get a large amount of calcium from food sources but your medical doctor may prescribe calcium supplements if you do not take in enough calcium via your diet. Now supplements, like any medication, can cause side effects. Calcium inhibits the absorption of some other vital minerals, such as magnesium, iron, zinc or selenium. Some of us also find that calcium supplements cause health issues, such as constipation or even kidney stones.

Other minerals needed for bone health include magnesium, potassium and zinc.

Bones also need vitamins. 

Vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium. Vitamin D has become a popular all-rounder as it has been shown to help with a multitude of other health issues, including bladder and pelvic floor health, another area I work with.

Vitamin K is another important vitamin that helps calcium deposit in the bones. Other important vitamins include some B vitamins and antioxidant vitamins C and E. 

About Kat 

Movement therapist (Yoga, Pilates, Feldenkrais, Somatics), Relaxation and Sleep Coach and Medical Herbalist specialising in Women's Intimate Health, Digestive Health and Healthy Aging. To specialise in bone health I took additional trainings in Pilates for bones (Buff Bones ®), in Bones for Life ®, a Feldenkrais-based programme, and also a government-approved training in Falls Prevention. If you are interested in working with me to improve your health and wellbeing click here to to contact me

Categories: : bones