Fight Osteoporosis With...The Push-Up

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness Month and I'm on a mission to get everyone focused on how to prevent this potentially debilitating, even deadly, disease. Half of all women, and one in four men, will break a bone due to osteoporosis. The risk of breaking bones - a major health and quality of life issue as we age - is on the rise.

Approximately 9 million adults in the U.S. have osteoporosis, but  more than 48 million have low bone mass (indicated by T-scores between -1.0 and -2.5), placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis and broken bones. It doesn't have to be this way.

Each week during the entire month of May I will post an article with tips and tools on how to work out, what to eat, and everything else you need to know, accompanied by a YouTube video. I'm honored to be the National Osteoporosis Foundation's very first Ambassador for Bone Health and national spokesperson for the new campaign -- "Break Free from Osteoporosis" -- and will work to encourage the public to learn about their risk factors for osteoporosis and to make simple lifestyle changes to build, maintain and protect bones at every life stage.

When I started approaching 50, I decided to take stock of  where I was in my life and made a commitment to improve my health and well-being. One of the first things I started to do to strengthen and tone was the Push-Up, the "gold standard" of upper body exercises. Doing push-ups every day, combined with eating well and running with walk breaks (check out my video and blog about running after 50 next week) helped to strengthen and tone my body in ways I never thought possible. If you haven't done a single Push-Up since high school, check out Episode #1: "Push-Ups for Strong Arms and Healthy Bones."  I'll show you how to start with the modified push-up and work your way up to the full push-up. And remember this: how low you go isn't as important as keeping the right form. Result? You'll be stronger than ever.  If I can do it . . . . so can you! Just click on the box below to get the details:

Please join me in helping promote National Osteoporosis Awareness Month by doing just a few simple things:

1. Take adequate amounts of vitamin D (and make sure to get it checked during your annual physical exam)
2. Eat more foods that are rich in calcium (keep an eye out for my upcoming video and blog about the best foods for strong bones)
3. Do strength-training exercises every day (running, push-ups, squats and the Plank are all great)
4. Check out the National Osteoporosis Foundation website -- www.nof.org -- during May, and all year long, for the most up-to-date information
5. Subscribe to "The Best of Everything" AARP YouTube series, especially during National Osteoporosis Awareness Month (click here if you missed the promo trailer for the show)
6. Share all this with all your friends and family!

Don't forget to subscribe to the full series, which you can do at the end of the video. Until then, remember this:

We can't control getting older . . . but . . . we can control how we do it!

Photo credits: AARP.org

Also of Interest

• 6 Ways Turning 56 Was Far Different Than 50
• Key to a Longer Life? Fatty Fish Twice Weekly
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

 

See the  AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more