The Better Bones Blog
by Dr. Susan Brown, PhD.
Can swimming and water exercise really build bone?
People frequently ask me if swimming or other water exercise can help build or maintain bone density. I’ve always thought (and so have other researchers) that water exercise wouldn’t be the best possible exercise for bone — after all, swimming is low-impact, and the water supports your body weight. I could see how the full-body […]
You’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis — congratulations!
I’ve seen a lot of anxious, worried people who’ve just been diagnosed with osteoporosis and are struggling to cope with what it means. One thing I tell them is that getting a diagnosis of osteoporosis is a good thing. Really! Here’s why. Osteoporosis can be completely silent — until it isn’t When you have undiagnosed […]
Gut health and osteoporosis — what’s the connection?
May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month and a great time to renew our intentions of self-empowerment. The care we take of ourselves daily determines our long-term health and wellbeing. The strength of our skeleton and that of our entire body is derived from the food we eat, digest and absorb. Enhancing digestion is a central component […]
Reducing stress can alter your genes — and protect your bones
Is Osteoporosis Genetic? “Osteoporosis runs in my family,” is an explanation I often hear when people come to me with concerns about weak bones and fracture risk. But though it’s true that there is often a genetic component to osteoporosis, there’s a widespread misunderstanding when it comes to genes. I can’t say it strongly enough: […]
Osteoporosis and Exercise: The Better Bones, Better Body® Exercise Principles
It’s no secret that exercise helps strengthen thin, weak bones, even in people with osteoporosis. Explaining why it works can be a bit of a challenge — unless you understand the five principles that we at Better Bones use as the basis for our program. #1 Bones and muscles form interconnected muscle–bone units The very […]
There is Life After Bone Fracture!
Over the years, thousands of women have come to me fearing they might break a bone. Often, this fear of fracture has been instilled in them by their doctor looking at their bone density tests and saying things like, “You have the bones of an 80-year-old. You’re going to fall, break a hip and end […]