Leslie and her students in action! Filming our dance and fitness TV show “For the Young at Heart” at Aegis Living of Ventura.
by Leslie Sokol
Maintaining strong bones and joints are essential components to a healthy life as you age. Ideally, you would start building up bone strength during your 30’s and 40’s to prevent issues later in life. However, it is never too late to get started – you can still strengthen your bones regardless of your age. Weight bearing exercises are ideal for activating your bone building cells. Bones need pressure on them to build the right way.
As we age, our bone density decreases for reasons such as hormonal changes, lack of exercise, genetics, or deficiencies in calcium and other nutrients. We tend to think of our bones as solid bricks that stop growing after childhood, but they actually are more like living sponges with a hard lattice structure and a hollow section inside. They are also constantly turning over new cells and changing. It’s helpful to think of building bone density as similar to building up your retirement savings account. Strengthening your bones so they are healthy and durable will make a significant difference in the sorts of physical activities you are able to do as you get older.
There are many things you can do now to reduce bone loss in the future. Focus on your nutrition and adding additional weight bearing activities into your workouts – start with something easy such as taking a long walk or lifting light weights to get started. These actions will increase your bone density and help keep you strong and healthy. Other activities that can help build bone health include:
- Low impact workouts
- Aerobic dancing
- Running
- Walking
- Tennis
- Pickleball
- Treadmill
- Elliptical
- Strength training
- Gardening and yard work
- Hiking
Activities that alternate high, moderate and slow speeds can provide additional improvements to bone density and strength.
The health and strength of our bones relies on a balanced diet and a steady stream of nutrients. Most important are calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Calcium is a mineral that people need to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. A whopping 99% of our calcium resides in our bones and teeth and is essential for cell, muscle, heart and nerve function. Make sure you’re getting plenty in your diet or talk to your doctor about taking a daily supplement.
Remember, your bones are your foundation, so be sure to take care of them! Keep your bones strong, one step at a time. Keep moving, eat healthy and be happy! You can easily strengthen your bones with consistency, awareness, and a positive attitude. Better Bones = Better Life!
If you are interested in building stronger bones, please contact Leslie for setting up a program or routine to build your strength and get you fit for a more active life.
Leslie Sokol is the creator and founder of the adult dance and fitness program For the Young at Heart. She has been teaching adults and children for forty-five years. You can watch For the Young at Heart by visiting her YouTube Channel or on TVSB. She also teaches in retirement communities throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.
For more information contact Leslie at [email protected] 805-312-8089
or visit the website: www.LeslieSokolDance.com
