Exersise for our bones

First off, I want to apologize for not writing in so long, I've been a bad blogger!  Life has just been beyond busy for me.  For those who may not know, I've been trying to start my own photography business.  It's been a slow start, but is finally looking up.  I participated in my first Art Show last week, and I am almost fully booked for appointments in September and October, so busy, busy!!  Thankfully, I've been feeling pretty good for the most part.  I've been having some bad fatigue and lots of bruising lately, I see my rheumatologist next week.  I actually have 2 doctor's appointments Wednesday, one the following Tuesday and one the following Friday.  I will definitely write an update blog after the appointments are done. 

Now, onto the blog! Today's blog will be about exercise for our bones! I was diagnosed with Osteopenia back in June.  Osteopenia is a type of bone loss, less severe than Osteoporosis, but if not taken care of early will eventually lead to Osteoporosis.  For those diagnosed with one or the other, or those who are at risk of bone loss, need to take care of their bones, starting young is the best for the long run. Food is important to our bones, a diet rich in vitamin D and calcium is vital.  Foods with calcium and/or vitamin D include: Milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, etc.  Or there are calcium with vitamin D supplements, but always speak with a doctor before starting any new supplement. 

My bone doctor said that besides a healthy diet with lots of calcium and vitamin D, weight-bearing exercise is also very important for bone health.  Weight bearing exercise does not mean lifting weights, it's any activity done on your feet and legs that work the muscles and bones against gravity, such as walking, jogging, hiking, dancing, step aerobics, soccer, basketball, stair climbing, etc.  Exercises that are NOT weight bearing are cycling and swimming.  For those who have RA like me, you probably just cringed reading that list!  However, I have found a fun workout that doctor approved!

Any gaming system now a days have motion control games, including the Wii!  The Wii has a bunch of different games that gets you up and moving.  Last Christmas I received the Michael Jackson Dance game, and started using it as an almost workout routine.  Days I felt good, I got up and danced for as long as my body could take it.  I was sweating up a storm, getting my heart-rate up, and felt like I wasn't moving much at all! I mentioned this to my doctor and she said "I've never use the Wii, but have heard so much wonderful things about it.  If you're on your feet moving around, then that's a great weight-bearing workout!"  The Wii also features sports like bowling, baseball, Frisbee and more!  If you do these on your feet and move around, when you feel well, you'll be working your muscles and bones to help not only your bones but your joints to keep moving as well!  I know that sometimes it's difficult for us to even get out of bed most days, so you probably think I'm crazy for suggesting this, but after playing the dance game, it gives me energy and I feel a lot better.  Days I really can't stand on my feet, I use my stationary bike.  While it's not weight bearing, it's helping to keep my joints moving, and help build up the muscles in my thighs so maybe I will be able to stand up and dance a little longer. 

Keeping our bones healthy and happy is important for our lives, especially long-term.  As I said before, diet alone isn't enough, some type of exercise is also important.  Everyone is different, so finding the right exercise for you is also important.  If you're unsure what to do, speak with your doctor and I'm sure there's a way to come up with something that will be beneficial for you. 

Good luck!