Fifty & Fab
  • Blog
    • Beauty
    • Travel
    • Style
    • Menopause
  • Search
  • subscribe
  • About
  • Resources
    • Shop my Look
    • Discount Codes
    • Menopause
    • Downloads
  • Contact Me
  • IN THE PRESS
  • Work with Me
  • The Legal Stuff
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Guest Blogs

Osteoporosis, Osteopenia and Brittle Bone Disease explained and how to prevent and manage pain

17/9/2020

5 Comments

 
This blog post is as much about me researching osteoporosis as it is about giving my readers some information of what it is all about.  My knowledge up until now has been that women are more at risk of osteoporosis than men (but men can get it too) and that our declining hormones in midlife are a risk factor, I also know that taking HRT and doing regular exercise, especially strength training can really help reduce your risk.  But when I was approached to write a blog post about it, I obviously wanted to find out more and check my facts ... and there is much more to it, for starters I learnt that as well as osteoporosis there is osteopenia and brittle bone disease as well - read on!

Now as you know I am a huge supporter of women taking HRT if they possibly can and that doing regular exercise and especially incorporating strength training into your routine can have a massive positive impact on our health overall in midlife.  And maintaining a healthy weight is important, we all know the risks associated with obesity but losing a lot of weight can also reduce our bone density.
Weight bearing exercise | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV
I've just started a beginners Yoga class on a Wednesday morning. My top is from Asquith.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.  It develops over several years and is often only diagnosed when a fall or sudden impact causes a bone to break (source NHS website).

Osteopenia is the stage before osteoporosis develops, it is when a bone density scan shows you have lower bone density than average for your age (source NHS website).

Brittle Bone Disease or Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a genetic disease that results in abnormal bone formation, it is not the same as osteoporosis.  
Weight bearing exercise | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV
I am using Yoga for relaxation and stretching alongside regular walking and strength training.

How can we reduce our risk of developing osteoporosis?

HRT - although not used to treat osteoporosis it can really help with prevention as replacing our lost hormones naturally (using body-identical oestrogen for example) can keep our bones stronger.

Weight bearing exercise - and resistance training are really important in midlife, so try to incorporate regular exercise where your feet and legs bear your full weight i.e. lifting weights, walking, hiking, climbing stairs, tennis and dancing.

Vitamin D and sun - this is so important and has been mentioned a lot during the current Covid-19 pandemic as higher levels of Vitamin D seem to reduce the severity of symptoms.  Get outside more and when you can't during the winter months then consider adding a Vitamin D supplement to your diet.  It is quite difficult to get enough Vitamin D through food alone.  I wrote about supplements and midlife here.

Healthy eating - this is important for everyone!  A healthy diet can prevent and protect us from so many diseases and ailments.  If you are unsure what to eat or need a bit of support I cannot stress enough the importance of educating yourself.  I am loving being a member of Menu & Mind for that reason and the accountability, but do look out for a nutritionist that offers workshops specifically for midlife women - I wrote about one here.

Stop smoking and drink less alcohol - well yes, I don't need to explain that one!  I am back to my goal to 'only drink wine when I go out' and 'not drink at home' as this seems to create a natural balance for me.
​
Marodyne LiV - the reason why I wrote this blog post and found out more about osteoporosis was that I was contacted by a company that offers a device that can prevent osteoporosis and help strengthen bones.  Marodyne LiV is the first advanced medical device certified to prevent osteoporosis and improve blood flow.  Marodyne LiV therapy uses low-intensity vibrations (LiV) to gently stimulate the body and encourage the bone building cells to work.  The sensation is a really faint buzz through your body and even very unwell or elderly people can use it because it is so gentle.  The feeling has been compared to stroking a large purring cat!  ​There are clinical studies that have found that standing for just ten minutes a day on the Marodyne LiV can prevent osteoporosis, grow bone and lower the risk of fractures.  The device is recognised by the charity the Royal Osteoporosis Society as a safe and effective tool for preventing osteoporosis.  It was originally developed by NASA to help astronauts restore their bone density after being weightless (non weight-bearing!) in space so I suppose you could say rocket science has come to your front room!
Weight bearing exercise | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV
The Marodyne LiV is designed to be used for ten minutes a day to help prevent osteoporosis.

Who is at risk from osteoporosis?

For a detailed explanation of the risk factors, please go to the NHS website but for the purposes of my blog post I am talking about the risks for midlife women who are peri-menopause or post-menopause.  Losing bone density is a normal part of ageing but some people lose it faster than others.  And this is especially so in the first few years after menopause (menopause is officially one year after the date of your last menstrual period).  Women are also at higher risk if their menopause starts early (pre-45) or if they have had a hysterectomy with their ovaries removed.

Which is why it is so important to look after our health and understand peri-menopause rather than waiting.  So many women do not realise they are peri-menopausal and do not seek help early enough, many suffering for years or being told they are depressed and given anti-depressants by poorly trained GPs.  Please if you are around the age of '45 plus' do not just accept what the GP tells you. Do your research and find out more.  I talk about this a lot on my blog - this is the best post to start on if you want to understand a bit more about menopause.
Weight bearing exercise | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV
I'm loving the late summer in my garden, my top is from Asquith and my workout leggings from Mama Life London
flowers in sun | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV
flowers in sun | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV
flowers in sun | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV

I am a big advocate of HRT and regular exercise but that isn't always possible so it is good to know that Marodyne LiV offers an accessible alternative to help boost your bone health. Ideally, you would use Marodyne LiV alongside healthy diet choices and regular physical activity to boost your effort to prevent or combat osteoporosis.  I hope this information is useful, I'd love to hear from you as always, do leave a comment or send me an email.

Love from
Michelle xx
​

​I link up with:

Is This Mutton
#WowOnWednesday
 

​Mummabstylish
#Chic&Stylish


​Nancy's Fashion Style
Fancy Friday

​
What is a link-up?
It is a way to connect with other bloggers and share content and hopefully for me to be found by others and for my followers to discover new blogs!

Disclaimer: I was approached by Marodyne LiV to write a sponsored blog post about osteoporosis and osteoporosis prevention.  I have tried to write an informative and honest blog post but I am not medically qualified and I have not tried the Marodyne LiV device myself.  It is important that you do your own research on your risk factors and preventative treatments before making any decisions.  
Weight bearing exercise | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV
Weight bearing exercise | osteoporosis | marodyne LiV
Pin it for later!
5 Comments
mireille link
17/9/2020 04:07:45 pm

What an interesting device! My mom has had issues with osteoporosis. I probably should work with my weights at home! I do run and walk so at least I am in the right direction!
www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

Reply
Michelle Green
19/9/2020 02:19:51 pm

Hi Mirielle, definitely need to get those weights out more but walking and running is a good start! Michelle x

Reply
Nancy link
18/9/2020 07:33:06 am

Thank you for sharing this information!

Reply
Michelle Green
19/9/2020 02:20:15 pm

:) xx

Reply
Jacqui Berry link
23/9/2020 04:50:40 pm

Well done on this post, very good information. Thanks for posting Michelle. Jacqui x

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Michelle ...

    ​Welcome to Fifty & Fab, a lifestyle blog to inspire you. I am a blogger with a passion for writing about health, menopause, fitness, beauty and style with a focus on the over 50's. 

    Lifestyle blog, blogger Marlow, Buckinghamshire

    Categories

    All
    Beauty
    Being Fifty And Fab
    Days Out
    Embracing Life (in Midlife)
    Health And Fitness
    Lifestyle
    Menopause
    Style
    Travel
    Travel - Sri Lanka

    Subscribe below to receive regular updates by email:
    Subscribe
    Picture
    Hi, I’m Michelle and my blog Fifty & Fab is all about my journey into and through my 50s.  I started this blog in 2016 with the purpose of helping other women at this stage of life.  I’m delighted that my blog has grown to over 13k visitors per month.  Visit my Work with Me page and request my Media Kit for details of product reviews, blogging services and social media content creation.

    Join my mailing list (above) for regular updates and don’t forget to look at my social media pages too..


    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016


Email

michelle@fiftyandfab.co.uk
  • Blog
    • Beauty
    • Travel
    • Style
    • Menopause
  • Search
  • subscribe
  • About
  • Resources
    • Shop my Look
    • Discount Codes
    • Menopause
    • Downloads
  • Contact Me
  • IN THE PRESS
  • Work with Me
  • The Legal Stuff
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Guest Blogs