| Many of our diseases are the result of a | | | | of osteoporosis. |
| sedentary lifestyle as well as an unhealthy | | | | |
| diet. Your body is meant to be used and will | | | | Keeping your bones and muscles strong means |
| quickly deteriorate if it is not. | | | | you maintain functional strength for everyday |
| | | | activities. Loss of muscle and strength is a |
| Physical activity should be a high priority | | | | natural part of aging, but this will speed up |
| in your daily program. Try to engage in some | | | | with inadequate diet and lack of exercise. |
| form of aerobic exercise at least five days a | | | | |
| week and some form of resistance exercise at | | | | To be fully effective your exercise should be |
| least two or three times a week. Here's why. | | | | combined with a bone building diet. |
| | | | |
| Aerobic exercise is essential for building | | | | Your diet should include plenty of calcium |
| stamina and cardio-respiratory fitness but | | | | rich foods. Good sources of calcium include |
| you also need strength training. | | | | tinned fish, green vegetables, sesame seeds |
| | | | and paste, oysters, almonds and baked beans. |
| The Australian Council on the Aging has | | | | |
| listed the following benefits, based on | | | | If you take calcium supplements, it is |
| medical research, of strength or resistance | | | | important that you combine with magnesium and |
| training: | | | | vitamin D. Magnesium helps keep calcium in |
| | | | the bones and vitamin D helps keep your bones |
| 1 Regain and retain muscle strength, no | | | | strong. A major source is sunlight which |
| matter what your age. | | | | enables your body to make vitamin D in your |
| | | | skin cells. This is crucial for calcium |
| 2 Improve strength, balance, gait, | | | | absorption. |
| flexibility and coordination, which in turn | | | | |
| improves your ability to lift, walk, bend, | | | | FAT LOSS AND DIABETES MANAGEMENT. |
| climb stairs and enjoy life. | | | | |
| | | | Weight training has much to offer those who |
| 3 Is an effective method of preserving bone | | | | are overweight, due to the role of muscle in |
| density and combating osteoporosis. | | | | increasing metabolism. Muscle tissue is a |
| | | | huge user of your available energy supplies |
| 4 Is an effective strategy for fat loss and | | | | and will burn calories even when you are at |
| management of type 2 diabetes. | | | | rest. So the more lean muscle you are able to |
| | | | develop, the more fat you will burn even when |
| For the purpose of this article, I will focus | | | | you are not exercising. |
| on items three and four. | | | | |
| | | | Those with type 2 diabetes will benefit from |
| PRESERVING BONE DENSITY. | | | | resistance training. There is a strong |
| | | | correlation between obesity and insulin |
| Osteoporosis is caused by the gradual loss of | | | | resistance, where the body develops an |
| calcium from bones after the age of 35, when | | | | inability to metabolise sugar. Insulin |
| the bone building cycle changes and bones | | | | resistance hinders the absorption of glucose |
| start to break down faster than they rebuild. | | | | from the bloodstream into human cells. |
| | | | |
| Osteoporosis is preventable and its progress | | | | Never start a new treatment before consulting |
| can be halted even after calcium loss has | | | | your doctor, especially if you are currently |
| started. | | | | taking medication. The information published |
| | | | in this article is not intended as a |
| Dozens of studies show that weight bearing | | | | substitute for personal medical advice from |
| exercise, even something as simple as | | | | your physician or other qualified health-care |
| walking, actually strengthens your bones. | | | | practitioner. It is for information purposes |
| Resistance training slows down the loss of | | | | only. |
| bone mineral content thus reducing the risk | | | | |