Natural Osteopenia and Osteoporosis treatments that work!

It is Novemeber and while our readers from the Southern Hemisphere are coming into greater warmth and sunlight, those living in Canada and Northern Europe have winter darkness bearing down.

But this month I have good news. I offer:

1. Research: inexpensive, natural treatment to reverse bone loss.

2. Tips for your hips.

1. MORE RESEARCH ABOUT DRIED PLUMS (prunes). If you have been reading this newsletter for several years, you know that I have mentioned research about dried plums in earlier issues. But now the journal BONE has published a new article that shows bone loss can be reversed by dried plums (prunes).

Again, you really need to eat a lot BUT if eating so many acts as a laxative, you can still eat prunes...just eat fewer of them.

I usually only write 'what the research says' and am careful not to make recommendations since I am not a medical provider. But I will tell you that after reading this newest research, I am buying prunes on my weekly shopping trips.

You can read the whole article by going to the SEARCH page at osteopenia3.com and typing in dried plums - the article is a bit long but I think it is worth your time. AND you might try convincing family members to eat dried plums (prunes) as their 'snack of choice' - no matter what their age.

2. TIPS FOR YOUR HIPS. Every so often I get emails from people who say: My spine is doing fine but my dexa scan shows that for some reason I just do not seem to be adding bone to my hips....or ...My hips are worse than my spine - suggestions?

Today I am posting 10 HIP TIPS. As always try to 'increase intensity or duration' by a bit each week because our osteoblasts [bone building cells] respond to INCREASED stress on our bones.

1. Stamp or stomp as you walk. I know your parents said 'Do not stamp your feet around here' but you are an adult now. You can do it. And as you stamp be sure to let your heels be part of it. You will feel it in your hips. Start easy...increase strength and duration.

2. Raise up on your toes. Then let your heels drop to the floor so you feel the vibration. Start by going up only a half inch and increase over time. Can be done any time you have to wait for someone or something.

3. March - raise your knees up so you feel it in your heels and hips as you let your feet down. March with vigor...sing if you like as you march along. Patriotic songs work well.

4.Take up Tap dancing or Irish step dancing - practice EVERY day in the kitchen, cellar or other place where there is no rug.

5. Do the polka, square dancing or other energetic dances. Make it a weekly or monthly outing. I note that contra dancing is all the rage - at least on East Coast of USA - so let's get going.

Great aerobic activity as well as good for your bones. If you have no partner, get a CD and dance by yourself.

6.. If you go to the gym, be sure to spend extra time on the hip adduction and hip abduction machine.

7. If you do not go out much in the cold and ice, think about buying ankle weights. NEVER use ankle weights while you walk (known to do damage) and DO BUY THE FULL WRAP kind used in physical therapy.

There are specific exercises for your hips with ankle weights on the web site. Begin with the lightest weight and SLOWLY [every 7-10 days] add another weight so you prolong the 'increasing of load' so as to stimulate your osteoblasts. If you are on medicare or your health insurance covers physical therapy, ask your health care provider about prescribing 1- 3 sessions of PT (physcial therapy) so you have some one to teach your the movements.

8. Do jumping jacks (PLEASE be sure to clear this with your health care provider beforehand. You do not want to crack your hip!). Study showed that women persevered with these because they enjoyed doing them. (Yes, it is on the web site.)

9. Jump rope or hop from one foot to another quickly (football players do this last as part of Spring training)

10 And finally, walk downstairs as often as you can. Get off the elevator a floor before you need to....after a week or two, get off two floors before. If you work, see if you can get a group of friends to walk with you. Walking upstairs is good for the heart..but walking down is good for your bones and both reduce the burning of fuels used for electricity. (CO2)

Next month, I promise some tips for those who find their spine is worse than their hips.

LAST THOUGHT: Please if you are buying holiday gifts for your children, mother, grandmother or friends try to buy things that will encourage them to MOVE...to use their own muscles and not machines.

Ball room dancing lessons - not only good for muscles and bones...it has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia by 86%!!! Better than walking and far more fun. Imagine: Arthur Murray, Dancing with the Stars can make for better bones and brains all at the same time.

Be well. I an heading to a philosophy conference (giving a paper) so if you email me and I do not reply right away, please understand that I may not be reading my e-mail for awhile.

Kate