Bones Because + Help Please

Jersey City

April 11, 2025

Hi there!

You know when you’re having a good hair day or a bad hair day. And you’ve probably memorized every tiny line on your face. You can even look at your feet and know when it’s time for a pedicure.

But when was the last time you thought about your bones? If you can’t remember, I’m not surprised. We can’t see our bones, so we forget about them. Time to pay attention!

Our skeletal system has 206 bones. These bones hold us up and protect our vital organs. Without our bones we’d look like an octopus, just one big blob. Not a good look, at least not for us.

Bone is living tissue. They are dense. Although they may seem solid, they actually has some give, which is why you don’t break a bone every time you fall or bump into something hard.

Unfortunately, bones lose density as we age. This loss begins in our 30’s and decreases as we age. One of the symptoms of menopause is osteoporosis. This is when bones lose density and become brittle. This is serious and irreversible.

The good news is that it is preventable. The bad news is that it is invisible. You don’t know that you have bone loss. The only way to know if and how much bone loss you have is by having a DEXA Scan. This is a noninvasive test that measures bone density. The problem is that DEXA Scans are only recommended and paid for by insurance if you are 65 or older! That’s a problem!

If you have a family history of osteoporosis, you can ask your doctor to prescribe a DEXA Scan.

So, what can you do? Eat well and exercise.

Calcium is essential for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth (teeth are classified as bones). A calcium rich diet includes dairy, leafy greens, sardines with the bones and canned salmon with the bones. Taking a calcium supplement is recommended. You need 1200mg daily. Be sure to also take vitamin D which helps calcium to be absorbed.

Strength training with weights helps build bone. The stress applied during strength training causes bone-forming cells to make more bone tissue which leads to denser and stronger bones. During strength training muscle contraction pulls on the bone, causing bone forming cells to deposit more bone tissue. This makes for stronger and denser bones.

Get out your weight and make sure to have calcium rich foods with every meal. Just because you’re on the menopause journey doesn’t mean you have to suffer from weak bones.

If you need more information, let me know. Call me (201) 927-0648.

Be well,

Laura

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And more...

· I could use your help! I’m working on building my practice as a nutritionist and peri-menopause health coach. Since every woman’s experience with menopause is different, I’d like to talk to several women to learn what your experience has been. This will help me to create programs and offerings specifically with you in mind. Would you be willing to give me no more than 15 minutes of your time? I would like to interview you over Zoom. Please let me know if you are interested by replying to this email. I really appreciate your input. Thank you!

· As you may know, I am a big proponent of sustainability. I still compost even though I no longer have a garden. I read this article about sustainable fishing which was interesting. Check it out. By the way, the newsletter is also an interesting. The focus is happiness.

· These are crazy times for sure, so I leave you this thought: Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, “I’m possible.”