VA Maryland Health Care System Asks Do You Know If Your Bones Are Healthy?
Baltimore, Md. (PRWEB) October 14, 2011
Because women are four times more likely than men to get osteoporosis, it’s often considered “a woman’s disease,” but men can get osteoporosis. Two million American men have osteoporosis with another 12 million at risk. Despite the large numbers of affected men, osteoporosis remains under-diagnosed and under-reported. Known as “the silent disease,” osteoporosis is generally painless, but it causes bones to become fragile and more likely to break. “Crush fractures of the vertebrae in the back can lead to chronic pain. If not prevented or treated, osteoporosis generally progresses,” says Elizabeth Streeten, MD, director of the Metabolic Bone Clinic at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Maryland Health Care System and associate professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
When bone density is lower than normal it’s considered “low bone mass (osteopenia),” diagnosed by DXA (dual xray absorptiometry), a painless 15-minute test to assess bone strength. Not every person diagnosed with low bone mass (osteopenia) will progress to osteoporosis, but risk factors may increase the development of osteoporosis. “Fractures are a major concern for older adults with low bone mass,” said Streeten. “For older adults who test with low bone mass (osteopenia), who have not had a fracture, providers use an online resource called Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (or FRAX) to help decide who needs a prescription medication to help prevent fractures.”
What can you do on your own to prevent osteoporosis and fracture?
Keep body weight in the normal range (low body weight and obesity both increase the risk of fracture).
Avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol (more than two drinks per day).
Do regular weight bearing exercises.
Add calcium (by taking in dairy products or taking a supplement) and take a vitamin D supplement (1,000 units daily is enough for most adults).
Avoid falls by removing loose carpets in your home and practicing good safety protocols.
Speak with a health care provider about osteoporosis. This is important, particularly if taking medicines or managing a chronic disease such as celiac disease, which increases the risk for developing osteoporosis.
Ask your provider if you need a Bone Mineral Density Test (DXA), the most effective way to diagnose osteoporosis in people who have not had a fracture. This is a simple 15-minute painless test that calculates the strength of the spine and hip (or forearm if the spine or hip cannot be imaged).
Risk Factors
Research indicates that genes (family history) are an important risk factor for osteoporosis.
Other risk factors for osteoporosis and fracture include advanced age, low body weight, low testosterone in men and menopause in women, vitamin D deficiency, smoking, three or more servings of alcohol per day, some medications such as Prednisone and some medical problems.
Aging is the most important risk factor for osteoporosis because we all lose bone strength with age.
How is DXA interpreted?
Bone Mineral Density Test results are reported as a “T score” (in men over 50 and postmenopausal women), which compares bone density to that of healthy young adults. The World Health Organization has defined T-scores as this:
Normal bone density: -1.0 to zero and any positive number
Low bone density or osteopenia: between -1.0 and -2.5
Osteoporosis: -2.5 or higher negative number
When DXA is repeated, it is best to use the same testing machine at the same facility. This increases the accuracy of the comparison between the two tests.
What is the FRAX tool?
Developed by the World Health Organization, the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (or FRAX) calculates the risk of fracture in the next 10 years by including most known risk factors for fracture, in addition to the bone density of the hip (femoral neck) from DXA. Using the FRAX tool helps providers to identify those who have a T-score in the low bone mass range but are at high risk for fracture and need treatment, and to avoid treating those who are at low risk of fracture.
Who should have a DXA?
All women over 65 and men over 70. Also, any adult with:
A fracture resulting from a mild fall (eg. from standing height)
Chronic treatment with prednisone
Men with low testosterone
Women being treated for breast cancer with medication to lower estrogen level
Men with prostate cancer being treated with medication to lower testosterone levels
Spine fracture or thin bones noticed on X-ray
How is osteoporosis treated? In addition to calcium, vitamin D and exercise, many medications available now are effective in treating osteoporosis, which reduce the risk of fracture by 50 percent. Your health care provider will determine whether you need medication and if so, which medication is best for you.
Importance of Vitamin D:
Vitamin D decreases bone loss and lowers the risk of fracture, especially in older men and women. It may also decrease the risk of other chronic illnesses such as diabetes.
Vitamin D is made in the skin after exposure to sunlight, but most people do not make enough vitamin D to meet their needs and should take a supplement.
Although there is some controversy about how much vitamin D is ideal, most adults need 1,000 units of vitamin D daily to maintain a normal vitamin D blood level.
How long is osteoporosis treated with medication?
Treatment duration needs to be individualized. For some patients who are at moderate risk for fracture and have responded well to treatment, treatment can be stopped after 5 years. For patients who remain at high risk for fracture after 5 years of treatment, treatment should be continued.
If you are a Veteran enrolled in the VA Maryland Health Care System and want to speak to your VA provider about bone health, call the Appointment Call Line at 1-800-463-6295, ext 7333.
The VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) provides a broad spectrum of medical, surgical, rehabilitative, mental health and outpatient care to veterans at two medical centers, one community living & rehabilitation center and five outpatient clinics located throughout the state. More than 52,000 veterans from various generations receive care from the VAHMCS annually. Nationally recognized for its state-of-the-art technology and quality patient care, the VAMHCS is proud of its reputation as a leader in veterans’ health care, research and education. It costs nothing for Veterans to enroll for health care with the VA Maryland Health Care System and it could be one of the more important things a Veteran can do. For information about VA health care eligibility and enrollment or how to apply for a VA medical care hardship to avoid future copayments for VA health care, interested Veterans are urged to call the Enrollment Center for the VA Maryland Health Care System, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 1-800-463-6295, ext. 7324 or visit http://www.maryland.va.gov.
Software Engineer Karen Liew’s mother suffered from osteoporosis three years ago and she is worried that, with her current sedentary lifestyle, she might be at risk of contracting the disease as well.
Karen’s mother, Mdm Yam was diagnosed with osteoporosis and scoliosis in 2006 and is currently taking medication and regular private Tai Chi lessons on a weekly basis. Prior to taking up Tai Chi lessons, Mdm Yam had been taking calcium tablets for 2 years as prescribed by the doctor. Instead of showing signs of improvements, her bone mass density has shown to decline over the years. Her doctor feedback that the body does not absorb the calcium as intended and thus recommended that she should engage with regular exercise in conjunction with the medication.
Yip See Kit, senior coach from NewAgeTaichi which is also the personal trainer for Mdm Yam comments “Tai Chi exercise is considered as a safe and alternate complementary therapy for prevention of osteoporosis because of its weight bearing nature. Together with the focus on balance and fall prevention in the Tai Chi training program, it has greatly improved her condition.”
Coach Yip also conducted regular record of Mdm Yam’s body composition measurement using Tanita InnerScan Body Composition Monitor before and after each Tai Chi lessons to monitor her bone mass and muscle mass. It was observed that she has been able to maintain her bone mass and that her BMR – basal metabolic rate also shows an increase after each Tai Chi lesson, which is one of the psychological benefits of exercise.
Jane Tan, senior coach of NewAgeTaichi with a Dip in sports & exercise science, stressed that the body need both exercise and vitamin D (readily obtained from sunlight) to effectively absorb the calcium into the body, otherwise the excess calcium will just pass out from the body as waste.
Since osteoporosis usually strikes women after menopause, a common belief is that it’s an older women’s disease. However, a recent study conducted in Britain by the University of Surrey and the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro in 2008 showed that 20 per cent of women aged 20 to 29 had low bone mass, which could lead to early onset of osteoporosis.
It would be a good idea for women to start engaging in weight bearing exercises (rebounding, running, jumping, jogging, Tai Chi, resistance training) as bone mass loss begins at around age 30, which will potentially lead to the disease and causing painful fragility fractures. Dr Lau Tang Ching, president of the Osteoporosis Society (Singapore), said that a person’s bone mass usually starts declining by about 1 per cent a year after that age, and that a sedentary lifestyle together with poor dietary habits, which is often the result of living in a busy, modern world like Singapore, can multiple the risk of osteoporosis. In such cases, bone mass deterioration can occur at a rate of 2 or 3 per cent a year, he added. That, combined with unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking means young people are at higher risk of developing this disease in the near future.
Dr Bernard Thong, head and senior consultant of the Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology Department at Tan Tock Seng Hospital stressed that prevention is easier than cure when it comes to osteoporosis. And that specifically means reducing alcohol intake and smoking, increasing aerobic exercise and improving dietary calcium and vitamin D intake, said Dr Thong.
According to Ministry of Health clinical-practice guidelines released in January 2009, the incidence of hip fracture in Singapore has increased 1.5times in men and five times in women since 1960s. One in five dies within a year after sustaining a hip fracture. About 800 to 900 hip fractures occur every year in Singapore because of osteoporosis.
“Fragility fractures of the hip and spine can lead to significant pain and immobility, and affect daily activities, especially among able-bodied working adults,” said Dr Thong.
“We are currently conducting Tai Chi for Osteoporosis classes, which is a special program catered for osteoporosis patients to educate and guide how to exercise safely and effectively. We have been getting very well responses from the participants and the class does not only restrict to people with osteoporosis and is also suitable to people with all ages,” added Coach Jane.
References
Cambell, A. et al. (1997) Randomised controlled trial of general practice programme of home based exercise to prevent falls in elderly women. British Medical Journal 315 1065-1069
Dianne Daniels, M.A., (2008) Exercise for Osteoporosis (3rd Edition Ed) Hatherleigh Press New York, London
Kerri Winters-Stone, P., (2005) Action Plan For Osteoporosis – Your guide to stronger, healthier bones Human Kinetics USA
Kontulainen, S. et al. (2001) Good maintenance of exercise-induced bone gain with decreased training of female tennis and squash players: a prospective 5-year follow-up study of young and old starters and controls. J Bone Miner Res 16:202
Loomer, P. (2001) The impact of microgravity on bone metabolism in vitro and in vivo. Crit Rev Oral Bio Med 12:252
Mau-Roung, L. et al. (2006) Community-Based Tai Chi and Its Effect on Injurious Falls, Balance, Gait, and Fear of Falling in Older People. PHYS THER 86 (9): 1181-1201
Mosekilde, L. (2000) Age-related changes in bone mass, and strength – effects of loading, Z Rheumatol 59 Suppl 1:1
Risser, W. (1990) Bone density in eumenorrheic female college athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22:570
Snow-Harter, C. and Marcus (1991) Exercise, bone mineral density, and osteoporosis. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 19:351
Tanno, M. et al. (2001) Age-related changes in cortical and trabecular bone mineral status. A quantitative CT study in lumbar vetebrae Acta Radiol 42:15
Voukelatos Alexander, M.P. et al. (2007) A Randomized, Controlled Trial of tai chi for the Prevention of Falls: The Central Sydney tai chi Trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 55 (8): 1185-1191
Wolf, S. et al. (1993) The Atlanta FICSIT study: two exercise interventions to reduce frailty in elders. Journal of the American Geriatrics 41 329-332
Coach Yip is currently NROC registered with the Singapore Sports Council under Wushu/Tai Chi with a National Coaching Accreditation Programme (NCAP) Level 3, a Tai Chi master with almost 20 years of experience is a well known Tai Chi coach in Singapore. Coach Yip approaches Tai Chi in a very scientific research based and systematically training system. He is also an experienced Sports Massage Therapist certified by the Singapore Sports Council.
Besides giving personal and small group coaching, he also specializes in Wushu/Tai Chi coaching for Kids in schools and has previously conducted Mass Wushu Workout for Kids, ranging from primary to junior college level. To date, more than 8,000 students had benefited from his Sports Scientific Wushu & Tai Chi coaching. For more information, visit www.NewAgeTaichi.com
phoenixnutritionals.com (CLICK HERE) Those of us in the natural medicine and nutrition fields have been touting the use of natural calcium compounds to not only aid in the prevention of osteoporosis but also as a safe alternative to osteoporosis drugs. We have been warning women of the potential dangers of osteoporosis drugs for several decades. The FDA has recently issued a warning for a specific class of bone drugs called bisphosphonates. You may not recognize the name bisphosphonates but you will certainly be familiar with their drug names, which include Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, and Atelvia. Bisphosphonates have now been shown to greatly increase the risk of hip and femoral fractures, the very problem they were designed to prevent! While it is not yet known how drugs like Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, and Atelvia increase the risk and danges, the FDA has issued an official warning for these bone drugs. Hip and femoral fractures are common in those with osteoporosis and bone loss but no one suspected that Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva and Atelvia would actually contribute to this problem. There have been seven clinical studies showing that calcium, in the right form, can not only halt the progression of bone loss, but can actually increase bone density over time. Calcium and bone loss has always been at the heart of osteoporosis. Bone is made up of calcium and when calcium is leached from the bone to meet the needs of the body chemistry, it must be replaced. As we age, our … Video Rating: 4 / 5
Menopause is a profound life change that invites us into a healthier lifestyle. With the end of our periods we are reminded that we are aging. Hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and other aggravating symptoms force us to look for medical and natural remedies. At the same time, our children may be leaving home, one of our parents may be ill, or there may be challenges in our marriage. We may be at the peak of our career, thinking about retiring, or increasingly stressed by the pressures of balancing home and work responsibilities.
Menopause Inspires a Healthier Lifestyle
All of these challenges can come together at menopause inspiring us to find ways to relieve stress. A healthy lifestyle helps us to weather the storm and is crucial for preserving strength and well-being. Women who maintain a healthy lifestyle during menopause and post-menopause often feel healthier, stronger, and happier than they ever did before. Some specific benefits are:
Relieving hot flashes, sleeplessness, and other menopausal symptoms Relieving medication side effects Preventing osteoporosis by slowing down the increasing process of bone loss Preventing bone fractures by maintaining strength, balance, and coordination Increasing strength to enjoy independence and fun activities such as dancing, sports, and playing with grandchildren Increasing mental sharpness Increasing sense of well-being Maintaining a healthy weight Increasing energy. Ingredients Of A Post-Menopause Lifestyle
Many of the ingredients of a post-menopause lifestyle are not new to us. The gift of menopause is the incentive to maintain this healthy lifestyle. Following are the essential ingredients for well-being during menopause and beyond:
A healthy balanced diet including vegetables, fruits, grains, and adequate protein. Aim for high fiber, low fat, low cholesterol and low sodium. Include high sources of calcium such as dairy products and find out about calcium and vitamin D supplements. Enjoy daily physical activity aiming for 30 to 60 minutes daily. Explore a variety of activities including those that are weight-bearing. Quit smoking. Reduce caffeine intake to no more than 3 cups per day. Reduce alcohol intake to no more than 2 drinks per day, up to a maximum of 9 drinks per week. See your doctor annually and have pap tests, mammograms, bone-density tests, and a colonoscopy at recommended intervals. Practice safe sex to protect yourself from sexually transmitted disease. Find many opportunities to relax and have fun. Getting Started and Keeping It Up
Once you are living a healthy lifestyle, the rewards you experience will motivate you to keep it up in post-menopause. Discover and remind yourself of your personal incentives and rewards. Whether you are looking to ward off symptoms and diseases or wanting to feel young and energetic, the healthy post-menopause lifestyle is your solution.
NASA Connect Segment explaining the importance of good nutrition and specifically nutrients such as calcium. The video explores bones and effects on astronaut’s bones.
The menstrual cycle is basically very sensitive and can become something irregular for several reasons. For tips on regulating your cycle go only to irregular cycle remedies Note that the following information here applies to natural cycles – that is, if you are not taking the pill or other hormonal contraceptives such.
The stress cycle is the irregularity experienced by some youths at the beginning of the periods. The cycle may only be irregular for months or years, while established.
The problems of diet, for example, anorexia, bulimia or poor diet, simply Too much exercise Drugs – prescription and recreational Break in routine Thoughts and emotions The sexual activity – especially when it is a new occurrence Anxiety about pregnancy
Disease or physiological imbalance e.g. thyroid disorders, Irregularity are also divided into two categories: Long term irregularity in the long term here can be anything from a cycle that varies in length from one month to another in the experience of various abnormal symptoms, just for example, excessive bleeding, not in the cycle months, while very painful periods or ovulation.
To be fair on the safe side if you really are experiencing prolonged bleeding or very painful symptoms, then it is advisable to consult a doctor to find out what is happening and also visit www.ayurvedicherbalcure.com/menosan-tablet.html for useful remedies for irregular periods
Sudden or short-term irregular irregularity could be attributed to any of the reasons below, above, and usually at a discount or a sporadic occurrence. These cases are the most likely cause of great concern, at least to feel some pain or feel as if something goes wrong.
Of course, a prolonged pregnancy can indicate that you may have to disable this option, a pregnancy test. Natural alternative for menopause pre Vitamins The elimination of caffeine in your diet really helps protect their bones from osteoporosis, as well as taking calcium pills. It is important for any woman to take vitamins natural alternatives before menopause.
Take natural vitamins: One can always go to natural vitamins for menopause pre alternatives and take vitamins in pills, and can absorb the vitamin through the skin when the cream and lotion applications. In some cases the injections are administered to complement its fast and safe. Nevertheless, the best way of achieving this is of course only through a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamin for menopause is actually a very good and viable for the treatment of most symptoms. Get useful remedies at www.herbalcureindia.com/himalaya-menosan.htm
There are many other foods can provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals to deliver the battle against the symptoms of menopause with much success. The question is whether you are able to make the decision and follow the dietary recommendations that you eat healthy, live a healthy and stay healthy.
The wonder vitamin for menopause This is one of the important vitamins natural alternatives for menopause earlier. Some recent studies have shown that the vitamin can do much more to prevent blood clotting. The vitamin is not found to be not very beneficial for menopause, but also in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, liver and heart disease. In menopause Vitamin K has been seen as an active ingredient in combating a number of symptoms, known for years. The active research is going on here, since it was found that vitamin K is the best vitamins for menopause have been found so far.
rebounding.TV Sylvia Dreiser Farnsworth body coach and Rebounding expert provides Rebounding exercises and training in her weekly Web TV show. Today: Strengthen the joints of your legs with rebounding exercises on your mini trampoline. Questions or comments? Please write them in the comment section under this video or send them to subscribe@Rebounding.TV. In this video you learn a series of exercises which lubricate and strengthen the joints of your LEGS . We show you exercises in which you lay on the Rebounder and those in which you stand on your Rebounder. You will learn also how to twist on your mini trampoline. Disclaimer: Always consult your physician before Rebounding exercise to determine whether it is appropriate for you to do this. This video is meant to give Rebounding instructions and inspiration to people who are beginners and those who are advanced in Rebounding. It is up to you (and your doctor) to determine which of those exercises you can do and which are not good for your health or too difficult to perform. Keep in mind that you are doing all exercises on your own risk. If you feel uncomfortable, do not continue the exercise. Only work in your own comfort zone and don’t get carried away with your enthusiasm. Do only those exercises that are easily in your reach and build up from there. If you experience pain during or after the exercises or if you recognize any physical problem, do not rebound and see your doctor before continuing to rebound. We are no …
Women going through menopause are at an increased risk of bone thinning, osteoporosis, heart and circulatory disease. Some women experience no symptoms at all when passing through menopause, while others experience a wide range of symptoms of varying degrees. Diet can play an important role in managing menopausal symptoms and decreasing the risk of developing certain diseases. Symptoms of Menopause
When estrogen levels decrease leading up to and during menopause, a variety of symptoms can occur, including:
* Hot flashes * Fatigue * Low sex drive * Night sweats * Weight gain or difficulty maintaining weight * Stress leading to increased anxiety and/or depression * Vaginal dryness * Mood swings * Sleep disturbances * Poor memory and concentration
Including certain nutrients in the diet may help manage the symptoms of menopause and reduce the risk of developing certain diseases:
Calcium: Due to the loss of bone density that can occur with aging, calcium intake is extremely important, especially during menopause when there is an increased risk of osteoporosis. Women who are 51 years or older should aim for at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily. Good sources of calcium include dairy products such as low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, leafy green vegetables, beans, and orange juice.
Magnesium: Magnesium also plays a role in maintaining bone mass and may help to reduce feelings of anxiety or depression, increase energy, improve memory and concentration, and also may help alleviate insomnia. Excellent sources of magnesium include Swiss chard and spinach. Very good sources include summer squash, greens, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, and halibut.
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued its first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Think of these as the “Food Pyramid” for healthy exercise and activity level. Experts now recommend two and a half hours of exercise (aerobic and strength training) for adults per week, and an hour a day for children. The plan seeks to offer science-based guidance to help us all improve our health by getting more active.
With a reported 59% of adults (aged 18 to 64) not getting enough physical activity, you can see why the government would be urging us to exercise a bit more.
Regular, moderate exercise has shown many health benefits in study after study. Lowering the risk of heart disease, different cancers, osteoporosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and more are just a few of the benefits. Exercise also…
- improves your mood
- helps you sleep better
- boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good,” cholesterol while bringing down low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad,” cholesterol
- helps manage your weight
- puts the spark back in your sex life
For children and adolescents, their bodies growing rapidly, the benefit of regular exercise to cardiovascular and respiratory fitness is well known. Active kids:
- have stronger muscles and bones
- have a leaner body and less likely to become overweight
- have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- have a better outlook
The good news is that young people can have these benefits without doing formal, regimented workouts.
In fact, the remarkable health benefits come from all those trusted staples of childhood… the jungle gym, tag, tug-o-war, kickball for at least 60 minutes each day.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16% of children aged 6-19 years old are overweight or obese – triple the number in 1980.
Now more than ever, we need to get kids up and moving… to help them now and in the future.
Of course, getting yourself up and moving isn’t any easier… there are lots of challenges to overcome. The first, and hardest, is getting started. The government provides a guide you can use to help you get more activity into your routine… help you choose the activities to try and ways to schedule workouts into your day.
If you’ve been inactive for a long time, talk to your doctor first before you make any changed. But once you get the okay, there are lots of ways, simple everyday things; you can do to be more active. Try to…
1. Walk as much, and as often, as you can.
2. Trade your sit-down mower for a push one.
3. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
4. Park at the far end of the parking lot.
5. Take a brisk walk during your lunch hour or break at work.
6. Walk the length of your favorite shopping mall.
7. Get off the bus a few stops before your usual one and walk.
8. Lift weights or use a treadmill while you watch your favorite TV shows.
None of these activities cost any more than your time and if you incorporate healthy exercise as part of your daily like it will increase your life span and the quality of your life.
Sometimes we get locked into the bad habit of measuring our health and wellness by looking at the number on the bathroom scale. But this method of evaluating ourselves is not very accurate as even if the scale shows a low number it does not show the ratio of lean muscle mass to the percentage of body fat.
A person may not weigh very much but still be over fat. There is a new name for this and it is ?skinny fat?. This is defined as having low lean body mass and high body fat percentage. A thin person can have high body fat, higher in some cases than people who are visually overweight and this can be a deceptive and dangerous condition.
The truth is this: Your body weight does not equal health or fitness and just because you are thin does not mean that you are healthy. Any method that has you losing weight without obtaining health and fitness is not doing it right. A skinny fat body is usually obtained by restrictive dieting and lack of muscle toning and building exercise. Instead of a ?skin and bones? diet, it called be called the ?bones and fat? diet.
Unsafe dieting that involves excessive caloric restriction (below 1,200 calories per day) can cause loss of muscle as well as body fat. Compounding insufficient calories and a reliance on cardio type exercise (walking, jogging, cycling etc) promotes muscle loss and that leads to a drop in metabolic rate (the rate the body burns fuel). Why would anyone want to diet or exercise off all the muscle, when MUSCLE is the engine that drives your metabolism?
Knowing these facts it is crucial to avoid harmful diet programs that result in loss of muscle. Muscle tissue is more dense than fat, an important fact to consider when stepping on the scale. If your weight loss plan includes strength training (as it should), your best incentive is to judge your progress by the fit and feel of your clothes rather than your weight. Realize it is not body weight but your body composition that is important in assessing health.
The world is full of men and women who are “skinny fat”. What really matters when it comes to getting healthy and losing weight is being fit and strong and taking good care of your body in the process. Simply losing weight does not mean you have a healthy heart but getting fit and eating healthfully on the other hand can guarantee an improvement in heart health and a reduced risk of heart disease. Simply losing weight is not going to lower your risk of contracting certain types of cancers, but regularly exercising and eating healthfully certainly can.
Losing weight cannot prevent osteoporosis, boost your immune system, help you keep excess weight off for life, increase your energy levels or improve your physical performance but by exercising regularly and eating healthfully, you absolutely can.
So what does this really mean? Losing weight is not the important part of getting healthy – the important things to consider are a proper exercise program that includes strength training exercise and eating small meals throughout the day made up of whole natural foods with minimum processing to support the exercise program.
There is simply no substitute for strength training in keeping your muscle tissue, stoking your metabolism, getting you lean, making you biologically young and keeping you healthy. A body with a lower percentage of fat and a higher percentage of muscle tissue means your body is structurally more healthy and looks great too ? toned and sleek and more athletic like.
To make the changes necessary to reverse the skinny fat body syndrome seek help from a fitness professional to set up your exercise program and teach you how to perform the exercises properly. It is important to exercise at the right level of intensity (degree of difficulty) along with the right duration and frequency.
Even if you are thin and think you are exempt from having to exercise think again as you may actually have high body fat and the foundation for chronic disease. No good looking great in a tight pair of jeans but would never in a million years by willing to expose an upper arm or leg. Remember it is not about being ?skinny? but rather about being ?lean? and being ?healthy.?
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