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There Is Life After Bone Fracture!
/in Fractures & Healing /by Dr. Susan E. BrownOver 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 up in a wheelchair unless you take this bone drug.”
Sometimes the fear comes from watching an elderly relative suffer multiple, painful spinal fractures, or seeing a senior friend experience a hip fracture —in other cases there is really no good cause for the fear beyond a doctor’s threatening comment.
The truth is that in most cases, the body heals from fracture spontaneously and there is life after fracture. Even better, we know there are many ways to help fractures heal faster and make weak bones stronger. And it’s part of my mission with Better Bones, Better Body to make sure fewer women spend their time being afraid, and more of them learn how to take action to prevent bone fractures.
At one of our annual Love Your Bones, Love Your Life retreats, my staff and I had the opportunity to become friends with a woman who exemplifies that there is life after fracture—and an exuberant life at that. Lassie is a bright, vivacious, 70-year-young woman who casually revealed to us that she had experienced 30 fractures in her lifetime—yet she’s still joyful and going strong. Why not take a few minutes and be inspired and uplifted by her story?
Purrrrfect way to heal bones
/0 Comments/in Fractures & Healing /by Dr. Susan E. BrownAs any cat would tell you, our feline friends have much to teach us.
While this includes the importance of keeping a steady supply of catnip and feather toys handy, we can also gain insight into our own health.
A self-described “cat-lady” colleague recently sent me an article detailing how a cat’s purr can be connected to improved bone density. Curiosity got to me and I decided to take a closer look.
Why do cats purr and how is it connected to bone health?
Most of us believe a purring cat is a happy cat. But it seems that purring can also be a sign of stress or injury, leading researchers to suspect that cats purr for self-healing. Examining further, researchers discovered cats may even be increasing their bone health through the constant low pressure vibrations that come with purring.
It seems that purring frequencies are often right on target to improve bone density and possibly even fracture healing. During a “purr analysis” of frequency ranges done at the Cincinnati Zoo, the dominant frequency for three species of domestic and wild cats’ purrs was 25 Hz or 50 hertz. In studies using vibration platforms to build bone, researchers suggest 30-50 hertz seems to resonate with bone to stimulate bone growth.
Of course, we humans are already looking at how this knowledge can benefit us! I find it fascinating that we may be able to develop better support for astronauts in zero gravity based on the bone building effect for an animal which might get very little physical activity.
More healing power from pets
Pippa and Sarah bring me to a final thought about cats and bone health. One of my intentions for 2014 was to exploring the healing powers of happiness and love. I do know that the love and companionship of any kind of pet is one way to help many of us cultivate the kindness and caring that can enhance every aspect of our health. Take good care of them and they will take good care of you. To you and your furry (or not-so-furry) friends, I wish you good health!
References:
Lyons, L. (2006, April 3) Why do cats purr? Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-cats-purr/
Von Muggenthaler, E. (2006, September 18-20) The Felid Purr: A bio-mechanical healing mechanism. Presented at the 12th International Conference on Low Frequency Noise and Voice and its Control. http://www.animalvoice.com (accessed 03.17.2014)
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How Can I Heal Fractures Quickly? (+Video)
/in Ask Dr. Brown /by Dr. Susan E. BrownQ. How can I heal fractures more quickly?
We at the Center for Better Bones like to focus on protein, calories, and antioxidants. They all play a vital role individually and each target specific needs. For more information on their unique roles read our article How to Speed Fracture Healing. Immediate steps that will help when you fracture include a nice massage to the injured area, along with exercising other parts of your body to maintain strength throughout other muscle groups while immobilized. If you’re being serious about healing, Dr. Brown has created a kit to help you speed up your healing time. The Better Bones Fracture Healing Kit includes 4 supplements specifically chosen by Dr. Brown to speed fracture healing. It also comes with a 12-page article on bone healing that includes the nutrition, lifestyle, and complementary medicine approaches that promote rapid bone regeneration.
Listen to Dr. Brown below talk about this specific question and answer plenty more like it!
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MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Susan Brown PhD nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.