Females reach Peak Bone Mass, which is the greatest amount of bone mass a person will ever have, between the ages of 18 and 25. Studies have shown that having high levels of Peak Bone Mass (which indicates high bone density) during this time becomes important because it decreases the chances of developing osteopenia and osteoporosis later in life. These conditions, which cause brittle bones and increase risk for fractures, tend to occur more frequently after menopause. In fact, during the first few years after menopause, most women experience rapid bone density loss (a loss which continues at a slower pace throughout the postmenopausal years). How do we combat this ‘natural’ loss of bone density over time? Studies have indicated that weight-bearing exercises play a huge role in maintaining and even increasing bone density mass!

Similarly to muscle, bones are a living tissue that adapt to the stress that we put on them, which means the more we use them or exercise, the stronger they become. Ideally, women should perform consistent weight-bearing exercise (strength training in particular) long before menopause begins to benefit our bones the most; however women can experience these benefits to some degree at any age. For instance, one study showed that intensive strength training allowed women in their early post-menopause years to regain bone as they built muscle. They actually gained an average of 1.5% in bone mineral density in as little as nine months with rigorous strength-training regimes — a huge difference from the 2% of lost bone that might have otherwise occurred. Another study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Associations showed that even women who were in their 70’s “avoided the expected loss of bone and even increased their bone density slightly” after lifting weights twice a week for one year!

So, if weight-bearing exercise is the key, what types of activities does this include and how often should you perform them? Weight-bearing exercise is defined as anything you do on your feet which forces you to work against gravity. Strength training, as mentioned in the above studies, has been found to be the most effective for increasing bone density. However, other activities, such as walking, climbing stairs, hiking, and dancing are all forms of weight-bearing exercises and can benefit bone density as well. While swimming and biking provide health benefits, they are not considered true weight-bearing exercises. Weight-bearing activities should be performed at least 3 times per week for 30-60 minutes at a time.

While the biological propensity of females to lose bone density mass over time, which often leads to the development of conditions like osteopenia or osteoporosis (especially after the onset of menopause), may seem daunting, know that you have the power to prevent this process and/or fight the effects of it! Strengthening your bones by loading your muscles and joints, whether through strength training, walking, dancing, etc. can maintain and even significantly increase bone density. No matter what age in life, it is never too late to start battling this natural process – let us know if we can help you get started at the Rittenhouse Women’s Wellness Center!

If you had to guess, how many hours per day would you estimate you spend working at a desk, listening to teachers, using a computer, eating at a table, riding in a car, flying on an airplane, watching television, attending sporting events, etc.? Some medical research reports that the average person spends 9 hours of their waking hours (roughly 60%) performing these types of “activities” – and the one common denominator among all of them is SITTING! According to several researchers, the very “act” of sitting for prolonged periods (even among those who may exercise routinely) decreases metabolism, impedes circulation, and increases your chances of developing certain diseases.

The human body was not designed to hold one posture for 8-9 hours per day (such as sitting at a desk at work). Studies have shown that holding this inactive posture for long periods of time disrupts metabolic functions and circulation. Because your legs, which include the largest muscle groups in your body, do not contract while sitting, metabolism decreases. In fact, you burn more calories chewing gum than you do while sitting! Poor circulation can also occur, which can lead to issues like blood clots.

Furthermore, recent studies have linked prolonged sitting to higher levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, blood sugar, and waist size – all of which increase the risk of developing obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. One study conducted by Epidemiologist Steven Blair, a public health professor at the University of South Carolina, found men who reported more than 23 hours a week of sedentary activity had a 64 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease than those who reported less than 11 hours a week of sedentary activity.

While federal health guidelines suggest a minimum of exercising 30 minutes per day 5 days per week, achieving this minimum amount of activity may not be enough to combat the effects of the amount of sitting we engage in every day. In fact, the scariest findings of Steven Blair’s study were that most of the subjects routinely exercised!  So what does this mean for our everyday lives and how can we possibly overcome the inevitability of sitting, which affects our work, transportation, and social lives? Get up and MOVE!! In 2012, a Duke University study demonstrated that people who got up for 2 minutes out of every 20 minutes improved their glucose levels and circulation within weeks! Here are ways you can easily move every hour of your “seated” day:

• Get up and talk to a co-worker instead of emailing
• Pump your feet/circle your ankles at your desk, on an airplane, etc.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Sit on an exercise ball at your desk
• Schedule “walking” meetings with your co-workers
• Do 5 squats every half hour at your desk or while you watch television
• Park further away in the parking lot
• Stop every couple of hours in your car and take a walk around a rest stop
• Do stretches on the floor or couch while watching a movie

The key to combating the effects of sitting, which is what the average person spends most of their waking time doing, is to get up and MOVE!! Even if you can only fit in a few minutes per hour, these small steps pay off in big ways when it comes to your health – let us know how we can help you get moving at the Rittenhouse Women’s Wellness Center!

We all know exercise provides many external physical benefits, such as slimming waistlines, toning muscle, and improving mobility and strength, but does it provide internal benefits as well? The answer is YES – to our brains!! The simple act of contracting a muscle requires brainpower, and beyond that, the positive effects of the communication between mind and body are numerous. In fact, many studies have shown that exercise can elevate cognitive functioning, prolong the onset of some degenerative diseases, and alleviate conditions like depression and anxiety!

When we exercise, communication between neurons from our brain and our muscles occurs at what is called the neuromuscular junction. Here, acetylcholine (which affects memory and attention) and dopamine (which helps control fine motor movement) are transmitted from the nerve to the muscle fiber’s surface. This process “initiates a chain of events that lead to muscle contraction” (www.fi.edu). The process of contracting muscles, which is essential to exercise, demonstrates the synergistic relationship between the mind and the body in its most basic form.

Because exercise stimulates the nervous system, it enables our minds to perform at a higher level. Studies have shown that movement can stimulate the Hippocampus in the brain, which primarily controls memory and learning. For instance, Charles Hillman, a professor at the University of Illinois, conducted a study called “Cognition Following Acute Aerobic Exercise” and discovered that only 30 minutes of moderate exercise “resulted in a 5-10% improvement in cognition” (www.abcnews.go.com). Evidence also suggests that the cerebrum, responsible for “memory, intelligence, and language” increases in size after physical activity (www.livestrong.com).

Not only does movement improve cognitive functioning, it can also delay the onset of degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. In one study published in the “Annals of Internal Medicine,” adults who exercised at least three times per week were 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Medical professionals theorize that these results are directly related to the fact that exercise can positively impact the Hippocampus (where Alzheimer’s typically begins).

Lastly, physical activity can mitigate the effects of depression and anxiety. One study suggesting this was published in “The American Journal of Preventative Medicine” and demonstrated that adults who exercised for 30 minutes 3-5 times per week reduced their symptoms of depression by 50%. While all the reasons for these results may be unclear, one theory is that exercise increases two chemicals in the brain, Nerve-Growth Factor and Brain-Derived Nerve Factor, which contain anti-depressant properties.

Exercising stimulates more than just positive physical responses from your body; it also stimulates very real responses from your brain! Even 30 minutes of moderate exercise 3-5 days per week can have both short-term and long-term impacts on cognitive functioning. Make physical activity a part of your life today and let us know if we can help you reach your goals at the Rittenhouse Women’s Wellness Center!