Move it or Lose it – Why Regular Exercise is Crucial

Updated: August 15, 2018

Spinal Osteoporosis

The benefits of regular exercise far outweigh the excuses for not adding it to your life. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to overcome your excuses for not exercising. But when it comes to your health, excuses do more harm than good!

And when it comes to your bones, a lack of exercise and specifically weight-bearing exercise, plays a vital role in deteriorating bone health.

Weight-bearing exercises literally means to, ‘bear your own weight.’ Sounds too easy right? Well life doesn’t always have to be so hard! And in this case, it’s not.

Weight-bearing exercise is one of the best things you can do to increase your bone strength because of the concentrated pressure it puts on your bones. When you don’t regularly stress your muscles, joints and bones, they begin to weaken over time.

Here are three weight-bearing exercises that you can try:

Gardening: The benefits of gardening go past producing beautiful flowers or fruits and vegetables. Not only is it a fantastic workout that requires your muscles and joints to work, but you are able to soak up some vitamin D, which is a key component in bone health.

Pilates: is great for people of all ages. Pilates focuses on strengthening trunk and core and also makes you focus on your breathing. Pilates also allows your to modify certain poses depending on your mobility.

Hiking: is a great weight-bearing exercise and puts more stress on your bones than walking because it tends to be a bit more demanding. With that in mind, there are many different trails and paths you can find that suit all fitness levels. Hiking with slight ups and downs improves your balance, gives you great cardio and allows you to enjoy some of nature!

Remember to always review an exercise program with your doctor and make sure you’re getting advice from a qualified instructor.

When it comes to your health, exercise is one of the key components, but so is nutrition. That’s why it’s important to eat a proper diet and supplement with AlgaeCal to make up for the shortfall.


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This article features advice based on cutting-edge research from our industry experts to give you the best possible information to support your bone-building journey.

Lara Pizzorno
MDiv, MA, LMT - Best-selling author of Healthy Bones Healthy You! and Your Bones; Editor of Longevity Medicine Review, and Senior Medical Editor for Integrative Medicine Advisors.,
Dr. Liz Lipski
PhD, CNS, FACN, IFMP, BCHN, LDN - Professor and Director of Academic Development, Nutrition programs in Clinical Nutrition at Maryland University of Integrative Health.,
Dr. Emma Gasinski
PT, DPT, RYT - Physical therapist and certified yoga teacher with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professionals,
Dr. Lawrence (Larry) A. May
MD, FACP, Harvard Medical School Graduate, Physician, Author, Public Speaker - Doctor of Internal Medicine at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center and author of several articles and books, including the widely utilized and best selling medical textbook Primary Care Medicine,