Most clinicians say to screen for bone density at menopause. Some sources say age 65 as did Dr. Google. lol Mainline medicine recommends 1200 mg of elemental calcium and 800 IU of Vit D daily. My provider uses this guidance in addition to daily calium intake in foods - for me yogurt and occasional milk in protein shakes but cheese also counts.
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I agree with this as well. My first 2 were part of the research study so my next two were at my now osteoporosis provider so she has an accurate comparison. Where I am going now the the trabecular bone score as part of the scan. I doubt that was available when I initially had dexa and was not part of the research study. But a good thing to have. Insurance plans vary whether they would pay for scan prior to menopause but they might if a family history.
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Unless you tend to form calcium oxalate kidney stones, like I do 
I am told not supplement with calcium
@Covi if your insurance doesn’t cover it, you could get one on your own. All the 3 I got I paid out of pocket and it’s typically a few hundred $. I paid $200 for my last one.
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Ugh… yeah… forgot to mention that little caveat! 
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finally getting a chance to answer about the osteoporosis.
I asked for the scan. I lost an inch of height since last year and with the OAB I waa wondering if the spine was pinching a nerve and wanted that ruled out. I asked her about a scan, I’m 58, and she said insurance usually doesn’t cover it until you are 65. I asked for a referral anyway and clled my insurance.
The rep on the recorded call kept on saying “if it’s medically necessary”…So I scheduled it and had no payment requirements. @Coach_Theia and @Covi it was billed to the insurance company at $1,110.
The report has not been commented on by my PCP, but I read the report and it says “ostoporosis”. My mom says she has osteopenia. But I can’t always trust she knows the difference.
@Stefanie thank you for that chart. I eat alot of that but have been trying to incorportate more of the calcium rich veggies in my diet and doing cooked ones as you wind up eating more when cooked.
I am looking into joining a gym around here which is close to my home. I will start with 1 x week lifting and than increase. I know I cannot devote 90 minutes to a session! I really like the free weight workouts I do so maybe I’ll leave those for the weekends as a “treat”.
Been trying to read more on it, thank you @Coach_Theia for the article. I have been reading different views on supplements and dairy and their impact on calcium levels and bone health. Also bioavailability.
Yikes. I feel like I’ve been thrown a health curveball this year with the OAB, osteo and pre diabetes is back. It’s overwhelming and not sure which to tackle and how.
I think a weight vest can be good. I don’t think my bones are that fragile but would not attempt without clearance. ??? What kind of doctor should I be referred to to track my osteoporosis?
I am also going to try and increase my walking with my dog to 30 minutes daily. I’m sure he’ll love that. Is YOGA weight bearing??
@bkolden jumping is hard as an adult as we lose that motor planning and muscle memory for that movement. Have you tried skipping? We lose that too. I actually skip with some of my students and teach them how. We even have kids wwho we have to teach how to jump. Not just up, but over.
@Coach_Theia This is my first scan so I wasn’t diagnoses with osteopenia.
I did HRT years ago for my menopause symptoms but sytopped as I became allergic to the adhesive and it wasn’t really making a difference. What did was going vegan oddly enough. Maybe I was having meat sweats??? lol
@Kriddley thanks for that info. I think I’ll order the book. So much to look at!
I hope I hit everything that was mentioned.
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I see a Nurse Practitioner colleague who specializes in osteoporosis. Often osteoporosis is managed by folks in a rheumatology office so maybe look there. My provider works in a large rheumatology clinic. They do Dexa in their office as well as infusions.
@Covi I am watching Olympic ladies mountain bike race!! Oh my!! I am imagining you doing that and am totally in awe!!
@Gossimrr i don’t skip but might try. I actually had a good time doing the box jump once I tried it.
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@bkolden thanks for the info. I will ask my PCP for recommendations and other tests if indicated.
Let me know how the skipping goes!
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This is soooo true!! I have the hardest time with single leg pogo hops onto a plate… it looks so easy but I’m still working to make these look decent… funny enough I can do these way better with my non dominant leg
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In the literal sense, yoga is weight bearing because you are standing on your feet and sometimes hands, but it has no impact, and as such, probably does not make a difference in terms of bones.
The fact that a DEXA costs $1,100 when it goes through insurance is absurd! @Covi you can definitely get it for $150-$200.
Thanks @Coach_Theia and @Gossimrr for the info. Looks like I can get dexa scans starting at $75 here in SLC. It’s probably not the scan that @Kriddley was suggesting though but might be good to do it just to know where I am at.
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@Covi yes, the Dexa will give you scores for hips and spine.
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I was very surprised when I realized years ago that cycling didn’t help bones. I figured all that hard work and such surely helped. But no.
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@Covi I think hving a baseline is a great idea. Wish I would have thought to do this sooner but I thought I was ok and it wasn’t recommended for my age. (eyeroll).
@Coach_Theia while yoga isn’t spine loading, I do think it’s good to include as it works on balance and concontraction of muscles. And balance helps to prevent falls. I plan to continue doing it once a week.
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@Gossimrr if you enjoy yoga, by all means continue to do it! I did some 12 years of yoga 5-6 days a week. I was obsessed for a while until I started getting injury after injury - some of which was my fault, some of which was from poor instructions. So nowadays I work on my balance at the gym during my strength sessions- when I do single-legged work, etc. It provides the same benefits, only it is “under load” and it’s never a static hold.
@nina I am so impressed! I had no idea you were a writer 
you could absolutely break up strength into 20 min sessions for example, and do more of them/spread them out. Something is always better than nothing.
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This is an interesting topic to explore. I agree that balance helps prevent falls. Nevertheless, being fast on your feet/fast to react is as much- if not even more- important. For example, being able to quickly place your feet in a position to avoid falling when you trip on something. I can’t tell you how many times I caught myself… from missing a step on the stairs going down (or slipping when wearing socks) to not seeing something behind me and tripping on that (that one happened yesterday at the bike shop).
Having fast and responsive feet allows you to quickly adjust your position to regain stability - and we lose that as we age.
You can build agility and coordination… you guessed it - at the gym. Plyos, jump rope, ladder drills, shuttle runs (these are short front to back and side to side), with the added bonus of providing impact for the bones.
I am not trying to ADD to the list of things “to do”, but rather, to provide insights on how certain exercises can target multiple areas and, in turn, save time.
Of course, yoga has other benefits too- relaxation, etc. so I am by no means discounting yoga.
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@Coach_Theia i’m not sure if we are disargreeing or not. I see yoga as a benefit in conjunction with other modalities such as weight training. Yes we need agility and reaction time and get that in the gym. I think yoga’s benefit is mobility and the static poses help to solidify the foundation for those dynamic movements. Static balance needs to be in place before you can do those dynamic movements which require reaction time and weight transfer from one foot to another plus working in different plnes. Oddly enough I went to a thrift store and there was a book on yoga for osteoporosis. lol Yea, for $4 I bought it. It’s basically brand new. I thought it would be a good accompanyment to the rest of the exercises I should do.
I do like yoga and I agree, any sport or exercise could cause injury if you have poor instruction. I don’t think I could do it daily like you did. Yoga also forces me to slow down which I am not good at doing.
Ultimately, I think we are on the same page. I just wish I had done more weight bearing exercises in my 30’s. sigh
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Don’t beat yourself up…….I was a runner from age 19 to 45. Even ran (survived) 3 marathons and here I am with an osteoporosis diagnosis anyway.
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yes 
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I wonder what the research says about bone and collagen- apparently Fortibone targets bone density. I started taking a triple collagen about 2 months ago and noticed a significant difference in the joints- I don’t have problems moving, but sometimes I have some cranky joints- well not anymore. Also, the discs we have in the spine are made of collagen so… Another change was that my hair got thicker (not that I need that 
) and there are lots of new hair growing everywhere in my scalp according to my colorist!
Here are the 3 collagen types- they target different areas
Fortibone- bones
Fortigel - joints + cartilage
Verisol- skin
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Here is the bone coach I was talking about. https://food4healthybones.com/
Also Irma is hosting a webinar with Dr. Belinda Beck (I have not personally followed her plans and they may be too basic for us athletes) – not sure if folks who are not on her mailing list can register for the webinar, but here is the email I got.
|Hello friends of bones!
Irma Jennings here…osteoporosis patient navigator and lover of
Food for Healthy Bones.
Exercise is a key pillar in managing osteoporosis and bone strength.
I’m thrilled to have Dr. Belinda Beck present her impactful research on the Onero Program, a structured exercise regimen designed to improve bone health and strength in individuals with osteoporosis. The program focuses on high-intensity resistance and impact training to effectively increase bone density and reduce fracture risk.
Dr. Beck will also share her opinion on Osteoboost, a vibration belt designed to help reduce bone loss in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.
If you’re interested in learning more about exercising to strengthen your bones, improve muscle strength / balance, and enhance your life, join us for a live session with Dr. Beck.
She will discuss her research and answer your questions.
When: Tuesday, August 6th 2024
Time: 7pm ET (check your time zone HERE)
Once registered you will receive the recording within two weeks.
PLEASE DON’T ASK IF THERE WILL BE A RECORDING.
Dr. Belinda Beck:
Belinda Beck is a Professor in the School of Health Sciences & Social Work and member of the Menzies Health Institute Queensland at Griffith University, Gold Coast campus where she has taught musculoskeletal anatomy and conducted bone research for over 20 years. She is the director of the Bone Clinic, Brisbane, Australia.
REGISTER HERE|
|Irma Jennings, INHC
Osteoporosis Patient Navigator
Website: Food4HealthyBones.com
Email: irma@food4healthybones.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoodforHealthyBones
|
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