Friday, July 17, 2015

Ballroom Dance: A weight bearing activity

I recently went to the allergist with my 3 year old son. Our allergist is an allergist, immunologist, and rheumatologist.  In the examination room was a diagram of a healthy bone and a bone with osteoporosis. My son is very observant, and in that "why" phase. I ended up explaining the best I can what the pictures were. I thought it went over his head. Over a week later, out of the blue, he says to me "mommy, Grandma and Grandpa need to get their bones out". WHAT? He went on to explain to me that they are old (sorry Grandma and Grandpa) and their bones are holey. The needed new bones that are strong like his. Besides being thoroughly impressed with my kid (I'm biased I know), it got me thinking about bone health.

We all know that calcium is good for our bones, that's why are parents made sure we drank our milk. Up until now I didn't think there was much else I could do to improve my bone health. After a little research I got a great surprise. Did you know that ballroom dancing can build strong bones. Ballroom dancing is a moderate, weight bearing exercise. Weight bearing exercises stress your muscles and bones more than everyday life. Some other weight bearing exercises include yoga and golf. But, you can't get cozy and romantic with your partner while playing golf.

Cycling classes are popping up everywhere. It's a great way to strengthen your cardiovascular system, but it does nothing for your bone health. Activities like swimming and biking are non-weight bearing activities.

According to the Surgeon General, by 2020 half of all people over the age of 50 will have weak bones. Weak bones increase the rise for a fracture, which besides being painful, can seriously limit mobility. We can improve our overall health and bone health by getting enough calcium, vitamin D, and exercise.

So grab a glass of milk, walk in the sunshine directly to your ballroom dance lesson :-)


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