Healthy BonesHealthy BonesWhat’s new?What’s new?Petra Riedel-Willems

January 22, 2009

Understanding Bone HealthUnderstanding Bone Health

Bone is living tissue

Functions of bone are:• Storing minerals

• Making red blood cells

• Providing skeletal foundation for movement & posture

• Anti-gravity device

Bone is stronger than steelBone is stronger than steel

Bone - tensile strength around 20,000 psi

"Mild" steel - tensile strength of 70,000 psi

BUT: Steel is about 4.5 times heavier than bone.

Bone is actually stronger than mild steel

on a per-weight basis.

What can Deplete Bones?What can Deplete Bones?

Disease

Medication

Lifestyle

Medications Depleting BonesMedications Depleting Bones

• Corticosteroids

• Glucocorticoids

• Thyroid replacement hormones

• Antacids

• Proton pump inhibitors

• Chemotherapy

Diseases That Deplete BoneDiseases That Deplete Bone

• Digestive Disorders - Celiac Disease

- Crohns, Colitis

- Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Endocrine Disorders

- Pituitary gland

- Thyroid gland

- Parathyroid gland

Life Style Choices That Life Style Choices That Deplete BonesDeplete Bones

•Smoking•Alcohol

•Caffeine•Lack of calcium and vitamin D•Lack of sleep - Stress•Highly Acidic Diet – sugar, animal protein, refined carbohydrates

New recommendations: 1,000-1,200 mg/day for women 50 + 500 mg/day for men

Calcium Supplement - Carbonate - Citrate - Lactate and Gluconate

Good Sources of Calcium - Dark green vegetables - Almonds – soaked

How much Calcium?How much Calcium?

20 sec Movie20 sec Movie

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 • Carry up to 80 pounds on their heads

• Walk for miles

BUT

• Bone density lower than in the West

YET

• Very low fracture rate (1%)

Women in Rural AfricaWomen in Rural Africa

• Impact - experience of bearing weight - vibration

• Posture - stability - flexibility

• well-coordinated movement

• Balance - resourcefulness of coping with equilibrium

What affects resilience in bone?What affects resilience in bone?

The Good News The Good News

All these factors can be learned 

Weight-Bearing ExerciseWeight-Bearing Exercise

• Exercise that forces your body to support your full weight

• 20-30 minutes at least three times a week

• Examples – Walking – Dancing

– Jogging – Tennis

– Climbing stairs

Other ExercisesOther Exercises

Strength & Balance

- Swimming

- Bike-riding

- Weight-lifting

- Tai Chi

Posture & Flexibility

- Yoga

- stimulating bone strength

- through natural movement & weight-bearing posture

- develops an organization of posture that is well-aligned

Bones for LifeBones for Life®®

Developed by Ruthy Alon

Trains optimal human biomechanics

The Bones for LifeThe Bones for Life®® Program Program

- Strengthens bodies- Reverses bone loss - Coordinates movement as nature intended - Promotes a spontaneous, springy walking style - While restoring health and - Boosting our “biological optimism”

- Uprightness

- Flexibility

- Stability

- Reversibility

- No compression

- No pain

Elements of Good Posture Elements of Good Posture

- Domino Effect : Coordination of all body parts into a consistent alignment

- Ready to Fall: Ready to respond to environment directly

Dynamic Alignment Dynamic Alignment

Changing Posture is DifficultChanging Posture is Difficult

- Emotional state is expressed in bodily organization

- Attachment to body patterns & emotions

Safety - Safe transmission of force without shearing stress

in joints

Comfort - Nervous System learns better

BFL’s Main ConcernsBFL’s Main Concerns

- Walking - Pushing

- Running - Pulling

- Jumping - Carrying weights

- Moving to and from the floor

Essential Functions

- Incremental

- Sequential

- Learning in approximations

- Easy to learn & do at home

How is it done?How is it done?

ToolsTools

- The Floor

- The Wall

- Chairs

- 7 yd. cloth

- Weights

Getting up Getting up

The Wave Through the SkeletonThe Wave Through the Skeleton

Sensing AlignmentSensing Alignment

Sensing Alignment: WaveSensing Alignment: Wave

Sensing Alignment: AxisSensing Alignment: Axis

Foot Pushes KneeFoot Pushes Knee

The WrapThe Wrap

Safe JumpingSafe Jumping

Horizontal Climbing

The Crown: Aligning the Neck

The Crown: Walking

ResearchResearch

Does BFL help with Osteoporosis ? 

Bone Mineral Density (BMD) improved

in a statistically significant way

in 31 female participants, aged 28 - 69 years old,

who worked with Ruthy Alon for four months,

meeting three hours per week.

SummarySummary

In BFL, you will learn gradually and safely how to:

- Stimulate your bone strength - Experience Biological Optimism of a reliable skeleton

- Coordinate a springy and dynamic walk - Align posture into safe weight-bearing uprightness

- Develop your skill of restoring equilibrium - Enhance the pleasure of moving