Attention
Women-over-40:
"Prevent
Or Reverse Osteoporosis By Building Your Bone Mass"
Bones help us to stand up
straight, to run, to jump and to play. That's why it's important for bones to stay strong
and healthy our whole lives.
Many older people (but
young people can get it too) have bones that have become weak and can break easily.
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes thinning and weakening of normal bone (severe
decrease of the density of bone mass). When this occurs, a patient with osteoporosis will
have weaker bones and have a higher risk of bone fracture
This disease affects both
men and women, but women usually suffer more severely because bone mass decreases rapidly
after menopause. By the time a woman reaches the age of 70, she may have lost as much as
30% of her bone density.
Osteoporosis can lead to
pain, fractures, disability and sometimes death. Many cases of osteoporosis are
preventable, and there are important steps you can take to lower your risk.
Causes of
Osteoporosis
The following factors may lead to the
development of osteoporosis:
Factors you cannot
change:
Gender –
Your chances of developing osteoporosis are greater if you are a woman. Women have less
bone tissue and lose bone faster than men because of the changes that happen with
menopause.
Age – The
older you are, the greater your risk of osteoporosis. Your bones become thinner and weaker
as you age.
Body size –
Small, thin-boned women are at greater risk.
Race –
Caucasian and Asian women are at highest risk. African American and Hispanic women have a
lower but significant risk.
Factors you can
change:
Sex hormones –
Abnormal absence of menstrual periods (amenorrhea), low estrogen level (menopause), and
low testosterone level in men can bring on osteoporosis.
Anorexia nervosa –
Characterized by an irrational fear of weight gain, this eating disorder increases your
risk for osteoporosis.
Calcium and vitamin D
intake – A lifetime diet low in calcium and vitamin D makes you more prone to
bone loss.
Medication use –
Long-term use of glucocorticoids and some anticonvulsants can lead to loss of bone density
and fractures.
Lifestyle –
A sedentary lifestyle or extended bed rest tends to weaken bones.
Smoking –
Cigarettes are bad for bones as well as the heart and lungs.
Alcohol –
Excessive consumption increases the risk of bone loss and fractures.
Caffeine –
Excessive consumption increases the risk of bone loss and fractures.
Soft drinks –
Excessive consumption may lead to calcium deficiency
Signs that suggest you
have osteoporosis:
Thinning of bones shown
on X-ray
Previous fracture
resulting from a minor injury
Loss of height
Curving of the upper
back
Bone density tests to
determine your bone health
X-ray
Dual Energy X-ray
Absorptiometry Densitometers (DEXA)
Quantitative
Computerised Tomography (CT)
Radiographic
Absorptiometry (RA)
Ultrasound Densitometry
I already have Osteoporosis,
which are the bones most likely to break?
The bones which breaks easily when
they are affected by osteoporosis are:
- lower part of the forearm
- spine and thigh bone near the hip
How can I recover
from or prevent Osteoporosis?
There is not a complete cure to this
condition, so it is best to prevent osteoporosis before it starts but there are good
treatments measures.
The steps for prevention and
treatments of osteoporosis are quite similar. There are steps you can take to reduce your
risk of or treat osteoporosis:
- Stop smoking.
- Take adequate nutrients :
Make sure you get enough calcium (bones are made up of mostly calcium) and vitamin D (to
help metabolize calcium). Note: there is seldom a need to take Vitamin D
supplement as it is formed when the skin is exposed to sunlight.
Good sources of calcium:
- nuts, seeds, beans and peas
- fish with bones (e.g. sardines)
- green vegetables
The best source of vitamin D is the
sun, but fortified milk products offer the same benefit without the risk of skin damage.
You may consider supplementing with
Calcium and Vitamin D supplements if you are not getting enough of these nutrients from
normal food.
- Eat green leafy vegetables
that contain vitamin K, e.g. kale, spinach, broccoli and cabbage
- Medication: Talk to your
doctor to see if postmenopausal hormones are right for you
- Get regular exercise.
Exercise is an important component of an osteoporosis prevention and treatment program.
Exercise not only improves your bone health, but it increases muscle strength,
coordination, and balance, and leads to better overall health.
Muscle weakness, poor
balance, and difficulty walking increase the risk of falls. So an exercise program must
address these issues.
Warning:
While some exercise is good, over exercising or engaging in very vigorous exercise can
actually be harmful to bones. One can become amenorrhoeic as result of excessive exercise,
poor diet and consequently, suffer bone loss and fractures.
Weight
Training and Weight Bearing Exercises - the BEST weapons to fight Osteoporosis.
Weight-bearing exercises that work
against gravity (like walking, stair climbing, jogging etc.) help maintain strong bones.
For people who have osteoporosis, brisk walking is ideal. It can be done anywhere,
requires no special equipment, and carries minimal risk of injury.
The other effective
form of exercise for Osteoporosis is weight training. However, weight training for a
normal person and weight training for someone at risk for osteoporosis / already having
osteoporosis is different.
It should not put any
sudden or excessive strain on your bones. Certain movements like twisting of the spine,
high impact movements or bending from the waist can also be harmful. In addition, to
protect against fractures, specific exercises should be performed to strengthen and
support your back.
Our Health-Transformation-Program
for Osteoporosis (HTPosteoporosis) is a special program that focuses on the
problems of the said disease by preventing bone loss and reduce the likelihood of falls
with the right combination of nutrition and exercise.
The program is based on
the most recent research and is conducted only by our Exercise Specialist who is trained
to deal with special conditions like Osteoporosis. The primary objectives of this program
are:
In this program, you will
be introduced to some very safe and highly effective exercises to achieve the objectives
above. You will be introduced to weight training, weight bearing exercises, as well as
mobility and balance training.
| "I did a bone test at a hospital a
few months ago and the doctor told me that I was at risk for osteoporosis and suggested
that I do something aggressively to prevent the condition from getting worst or to even
reverse it. He prescribed some medications and introduced Fitness Tutor to help me out. I
then called and spoke to Paul, the founder of Fitness Tutor, and I signed up with him. A
few months after I followed his routines, I did another test, and this time the
result showed that my bone mass is within the healthy range. Apparently, my bone mass had
increased as a result of the supplement and of course, with Paul's training. Not only
that, I feel I am much stronger in all my bodyparts and fitter as a whole. I feel like a
new person!"
- Madam Toh |
How is HTPosteoporosis conducted?
As
with all our programs, we will first assess to see if you have any medical conditions that
requires clearance from doctor to exercise.
If you
are diagnosed with Osteoporosis, or you are is seeking to prevent this disease, specific
exercises and routine will be planned, with considerations to other secondary medical
concerns like hypertension or pain. We will also consider her use of medication which may
affect the exercise.
Then
the training begins with Exercise Specialist who will take you through some simple
osteoporosis specific exercises on the first few workouts. We will avoid movements that
are unsafe for people with Osteoporosis, such as twisting or jarring the spine or bending
forward from the waist.
Program
Overview: HTPosteoporosis is inclusive of
Detailed fitness, health & lifestyle
assessments
10 or 30 personal training sessions with an
exercise specialist
Special exercises to strengthen the neck, hips,
back, arms, and legs and exercises to increase balance to help prevent falls and
fractures.
'Eat-On-Demand' and specific nutritional
advises for enhancing bone mass
Goals setting, progress tracking &
reassessments
- Unlimited
consultations during the training period
I am not diagnosed with Osteoporosis, but I am
keen in the program, will it benefit me?
Definitely.
HTPosteoporosis is not meant for osteoporosis patients only. It is excellent and highly
recommended for people who would want to minimise themselves the risks of getting the bone
disease and improve their general health and fitness.
Do
you guarantee I will get better?
Like
all our other programs, you must see the some or all benefits mentioned. If not, both you
and us are wasting time, effort and your hard-earned money, and we would like to refund
you the training fee if that is the case.
What is the cost involved?
Please go to the full services
page
Yes! I am keen in HTPosteoporosis, how do I
enroll?
Send us an email at: training@fitness-tutor.com, or submit the
completed form or call us
at: 6343 9881. (Please allow up to 4 weeks to start your training as the schedules of the
specialists get filled up rather quickly).
