The concerns of bone health for women
The most common thing I hear come from a woman’s mouth before they start strength training is, “But I don’t want to look like a man.” That statement is anything but true. Lifting weights and doing cardio can help a woman feel strong, confident, and beautiful in her own skin. The mind-muscle connection that is formed when you learn how to take care of your body is so inspiring and raises your self confidence levels greatly.
What if I told you that not only does it do wonders to your outward appearance and mental health but, it helps your entire body to function smoothly as we grow older by supporting your skeletal system. The idea of bone mass is one that people don’t fully understand. It is said that by the time we reach the age of 30, we have achieved our peak bone mass. From this point on our body still is forming new bone growth but, not enough to keep up with the amount we are losing. So how do we combat this?
In general women have less bone mass as a whole compared to men so we must keep careful watch of our diet and physical activity. As promoted throughout growing up, Calcium has a huge impact on not only bone health, it also includes skeletal muscle functioning. Without it, there is an increased risk of fractures from having lower bone mass and density. The recommendation for a middle aged woman is to consume 1,000 mg a day. For women over 50, that amount is increased to 1,200 mg according to Harvard Medical School. As a surprise to most, Calcium is found in much more than just dairy. It can be found in a variety of produce, seafood and fortified foods. Although diet is important, that is not even half of what goes into keeping strong bones. We must also look at, drug use, alcohol consumption, Medications, hormones, race, age, and lastly physical activity.
To elaborate on physical activity, this simple act reduces your chances of osteoporosis by increasing bone density, thus slowing bone loss. In some studies it was shown to even enhance/keep a steady rate of bone production in those of older age. Osteoporosis affects nearly 8 million women, and 2 million men in the United States. Most predominantly leading to hip fractures in the older population. Many of which people never fully recover from. Leading to simple daily tasks becoming almost impossible.
So my question for you is, “Have you thought about your bones today?” Let us help you create a routine that is specific to your needs at Ladies Super Fitness.
– Brittany Sheets, LSF Intern
Citations
Harvard Health Publishing. “How Much Calcium Do You Really Need?” Harvard Health , 2015,
www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-calcium-do-you-really-need .
Harvard Health Publishing. “Strength Training Builds More than Muscles.” Harvard Health ,
www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/strength-training-builds-more-than-muscles .
“How to Keep Your Bones Healthy.” Mayo Clinic , Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and
Research, 9 Mar. 2019,
www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/bone-health/art-20045060 .