Newsletter

Quote: “In order to be wealthy, you must be healthy”

This month's topic: Osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer are the 3 most dangerous diseases affecting women.

Women are affected by osteoporosis more than any other illness including heart attacks. "The disease affects over 25 million in the USA 80% of whom are women. It is a serious bone disorder causing premature disability to millions of Americans". (Pg 405) One in 6 women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture by the time they reach 90 years of age. 20% of these women will die within 1 year of the fracture. Half of the survivors never walk independently again. These deaths from hip fractures primarily occur from pulmonary disease and pneumonia, also from atherosclerosis and strokes. 

What puts the majority of people into immobility is their inability to use their hip flexor muscles. Nothing can completely stop age related losses of muscle but weight training comes the closest to slowing it down a lot. (J. Kraemer PhD) "You can have a 60 or 70 year old as muscularly fit as a 30 year old". (A. Gaesser, PhD)   

Resistance training/weight training plays the largest component to increasing bone mineral density in men and women. The majority of preparation can come at an early age. The human body has a greater ability in the earlier years (ages 16-25) to build up the highest bone mineral density content. Therefore, young women who perform resistance training earlier in their lives will be cushioning themselves for the later years giving themselves a higher starting point.  However, significant progress of bone mineral density content can be reached even in the later years of life through resistance training!  Avoid being bed ridden through weight training exercises!

By: J. D. Reber M.S. & B.S. Exercise Science, CSCS & NASM- CFT

References: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2004, 18(3), 405-409

Consumer Reports January 2005 pg 1

Remember, eat healthy and live wealthy!

Personal training in Lenox, MA