Yoga builds bones!

[Atheria]

I'm so excited! I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in my low back a year ago and osteopenia in my hips last year. I've been doing 50-55 minutes of strength building yoga almost every day and my new DEXA 51 weeks later shows improvement in bone density! Whoop! I took no horrible drugs and just did yoga! I'm inspired now to do more to make sure I focus on alkaline foods and may add daily jumping to my routine. You CAN help yourself! I still have a ways to go, but I'm moving in the right direction with drugs or gym memberships! I should mention that I've also switched my calcium supplement to an algae based one and take a bit of K2.

https://instagram.com/p/1bBKewOmOr/

Atheria

[Jeannie1960]

Congratulations!!! That's great


Jeannie

[Vegankit]

I read your earlier post too - loved the link to the NPR story and I"m thrilled to see your exercise and healthy diet has made a huge improvement.

[Atheria]

Thank you! This just goes to show through diet and exercise we CAN help ourselves! I am going to do an even better job of paying attention to the alkalinity of my diet (I've slacked on that). I still wonder if I would have been even worse had I not been vegan for so many years. I'm SO glad I didn't agree to evil Fosamax last year. It does irk me that my doctor didn't congratulate me at all. She only said "You're still at high risk for fracture." :-/ Yeah, but I'm moving in the right direction! I've improved 1.3% in my hips and 2.2% in my lower back.

Yogini-ly,
Atheria

[Vanilla Orchid]

I'm sooo excited for you! I, too was diagnosed with osteoporosis in November 2014, refused drugs and began doing yoga quite seriously. Loren Fishman, MD, who is also a yoga teacher is conducting a clinical study on yoga and osteoporosis, and has a book called Yoga for Osteoporosis. Check out his website at http://www.sciatica.org.

I bought his book called Yoga for Osteoporosis, and have been handing it out to yoga teachers, and trying to get a class or workshop going on the topic in Pacifica. Also doing yoga most days myself, and low acid eating. The last item is a bit difficult because there is a lot of conflicting information on that topic. Another very good book is The Myth of Osteoporosis by Gillian Sanson. I don't know yet whether all this has made a difference in my bones, but I've lost 12 pounds and feel great.

[Atheria]

I have the book Yoga for Osteoporosis! That is what convinced me. I actually emailed Loren and Ellen my good results tonight and Ellen responded within minutes! I've heard of the other book and will read it.

Yeah, the acid/alkaline charts sometimes contradict each other. But, in general, fruits and veggies are good....and I'm better off with potatoes and yams as opposed to lots of rice and most other grains (I have to avoid gluten grains for other reasons). I've actually been on a potato and sweet potato kick lately anyway. My Irish ancestry is coming to the forefront! Ha!

Is Pacifica in California? I want to move back to California and am being considered for a job in Modesto. I should move to where you are and we can start a yoga studio geared toward bone density issues and promoting low fat vegan diets.

I'm also pleasantly surprised I've gained 1.6 lbs. of muscle in just over a year when most women my age lose 1/2 lbs. of muscle a year.

Yoga has also helped my anxiety issue/panic disorder (as has low fat veganism) and my hypoglycemia is much better. I even tested things this weekend with sugary pancakes and my body behaved!

Empowered!
Atheria

[Vanilla Orchid]

I have the book Yoga for Osteoporosis! That is what convinced me. I actually emailed Loren and Ellen my good results tonight and Ellen responded within minutes! I've heard of the other book and will read it.

Yeah, the acid/alkaline charts sometimes contradict each other. But, in general, fruits and veggies are good....and I'm better off with potatoes and yams as opposed to lots of rice and most other grains (I have to avoid gluten grains for other reasons). I've actually been on a potato and sweet potato kick lately anyway. My Irish ancestry is coming to the forefront! Ha!

Is Pacifica in California? I want to move back to California and am being considered for a job in Modesto. I should move to where you are and we can start a yoga studio geared toward bone density issues and promoting low fat vegan diets.

I'm also pleasantly surprised I've gained 1.6 lbs. of muscle in just over a year when most women my age lose 1/2 lbs. of muscle a year.

Yoga has also helped my anxiety issue/panic disorder (as has low fat veganism) and my hypoglycemia is much better. I even tested things this weekend with sugary pancakes and my body behaved!

Empowered!
Atheria

YES! Pacifica is in CA, on the coast about 20 miles south of San Francisco. We have a great group of McDougall folks here including f1jim. It's definitely the place to be. Come on down!!! We need you.

How can you tell that you have gained 1.6 lbs of muscle? How do you measure that, as opposed to fat, or water or ????

[Atheria]

I looked up Pacifica and...OMG! Fabulous location!! I'm so "over" Albuquerque. We can form a starchivore commune! LOL

Well, I had to do this fitness test last week at work to save money on my health insurance. They weighed me and then had me hold this little machine that calculates body fat. My fat has decreased and my muscle weight has increased. Because I'm so small, any difference is visible and I've been noticing that I look more defined/muscular.


Atheria

[Vanilla Orchid]

OK, Atheria--I'm on board with the commune idea. We could use your talents in Pacifica to head up the kind of yoga practice that will help us build bones. I need lots of adult supervision for my yoga practice. The studios in Pacifica offer little in the way of Iyengar--so I've been going to San Francisco at 6 am before work. Love the instructor (who has osteoporosis), but she has a full-time day job, too. There are yoga instructors twice a week who come to my office building in Oakland--nice people, but they do flow, not Iyengar. I won't bore you with the details, but $%^&*, I sure would love to have someone like you to bring us what we really need.

I do feel as though I dodged a huge bullet by declining medications.