It is a known fact that walking and moderate exercise strengthens your muscles and supports bone health. Heavier (not necessarily obese) women are at less risk of osteoporosis because the extra strain on the bones to carry the extra weight actually strengthens the bones. Very slim women who do not exercise are more likely to have osteoporosis. It is a fact.

Recently I bought a book from Amazon by Dr. Al Sears called P.A.C.E: The 12-Minute Fitness Revolution (Exercise Workout Books). Dr. Sears is an MD from Miami whose practice specializes in weight loss, lowering blood pressure, relieving symptoms of diabetes and other ailments through a modification of eating habits and incorporating his P.A.C.E. (Progressively Accelerating Cardiopulmonary Exertion) program of exercise. His program is based around the substantial evidence that humans were not designed for lengthy cardio sessions. He supports this theory with massive amounts of evidence including the success of many Olympic athletes. He also cites what he calls the “Jim Fixx Syndrome”. You may recall Jim Fixx the running guru of the 80’s who actually dropped dead from a heart attack while running!

The book and his program are centered on the notion that we should exercise strenuously in short bursts followed by rest periods. The title of the book says “In 12 minutes per day” but it is actually about 20 minutes including the rest times in between. There are many different sequences you can follow but there is something for everyone even people who have never exercised. I am following the 4,3,2,1 sequence which is 4 minutes of strenuous exercise followed by rest, then 3, then 2, etc. It takes about 20 minutes and I feel as though I have just done an hour on the elliptical at the gym or an hour strenuous walk! My butt and thighs are tighter after two weeks and I can actually feel the benefit to my lungs and breathing when I run up stairs.

I will be chronicling my journey with this program on this blog Menopause Weight Loss

For the first month I am using the exercise plan 3 to 4 times per week while slowly incorporating the shift to a more protein based diet. In the second month I hope to fully move into the eating plan and see my results. You can also see testimonials from others who have had tremendous success with this P.A.C.E. Program here; www.alsearsmd.com

Technorati Tags: Bone-loss, osteopenia, osteoporosis, osteoporosis and exercise, Osteoporosis in women

I have just been reading about Prolia on their website and find the side effects more than troubling. The fact that all the side effects are listed on nearly every page of the website makes it even more worrying. This is direct from their website:

Low calcium levels in your blood (hypocalcemia).

Serious infections.

Serious infections in your skin, lower stomach area (abdomen), bladder, or ear may happen if you take Prolia™. Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart (endocarditis) due to an infection also may happen more often in people who take Prolia™. You may need to go to the hospital for treatment if you develop an infection.

Prolia™ is a medicine that may affect your immune system. People who have weakened immune systems or take medicines that affect the immune system may have an increased risk for developing serious infections.

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms of infection:

• Fever or chills
• Skin that looks red or swollen and is hot or tender to touch
• Severe abdominal pain
• Frequent or urgent need to urinate or burning feeling when you urinate

Severe jaw bone problems (osteonecrosis).

Severe jaw bone problems may happen when you take Prolia™. Your doctor should examine your mouth before you start Prolia™. Your doctor may tell you to see your dentist before you start Prolia™. It is important for you to practice good mouth care during treatment with Prolia™.

And so here it goes with more “breakthrough” drugs whose side effects are potentially worse than the disease. When will we stand up and demand Strontium Renelate and the accompanying protocal here in the U.S.?

I was a bit surprised to get my Vitamin D level result from the doctor’s office today. Only 32 which is “low normal”. The surprising thing is that since being diagnosed with osteoporosis after 5 years on Arimidex, for the past 6 months I have been taking 1500 mg of Calcium and 1000 of Vitamin D per day and still have a low normal score! The doctor said I should add an additional 2000 mg of D daily for several months and then we will test it again. I also walk nearly every day in the sun and have been conscious of getting out in the sun more often, unprotected. This is going to take some work but the results are worth it in health benefits.

Interestingly, during a routine physical my husband has just been told that his D   level is 36 and he needs more sun. His doc did not say he needed supplements but I am insisting. It seems pretty apparent that Vitamin D will be the vitamin of this decade (Vitamin E the 70′s, Vitamin C the 80′s, Omega 3′s and Fish Oils the naughts).

More will follow on the importance of Vitamin and rich sources.

Elizabeth

Technorati Tags: Importance of Vitamin D, Vitamin D