Q: I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis of spinal column. What are your recommendations?
A: Some of us like to call osteoporosis the "rottweiler disease"—because it can chew up bones fast. So your job is to do what you can to build your bones and make sure they stay as dense as the third-grade class clown. For starters, do resistance exercises like lunges, bent over back rows, and squats with a weight in each hand. Do these every other day (if you're not sure how to do them, check YOU The Owner's Manual for descriptions, p. 127–8). Strength training has been shown to not only build muscle, but bone as well—and that can help slow the progression of osteoporosis. Also, take 600 mg of calcium twice a day with 200 IU of vitamin D twice a day, 200 mg of magnesium twice a day, and 300 mg of vitamin C twice a day. Then take another DEXA scan in six months to gauge your levels.
|
