Tag Archive for: sitting

Rozz came to me with very kyphotic posture and a desire to not follow in her mother’s mold. Her determination has paid off. Watch her 30 second clip. She’s made dramatic improvements with strength and postural mindfulness. Way to go Rozz!

There is nothing like the stretch-eze® to give you feedback while you do your Pilates work to build bone and reverse #osteoporosis.

This individual nylon lycra stretch band developed by dance/movement therapist Kimberly Dye, is used for resistance and stretch exercises. Wrap it around your shoulders and put in your feet. Feel snug, supported, and able to press into the resistance to create a cleaner access to the intrinsic core muscles with no build up of tension.

The benefits realized from using the Stretch-eze ® resistance band are:

  • supported and pain free exercise
  • increased ligament strength at the joints
  • increased overall body coordination

This video explores the opposite arm leg reach with the stretch-eze® to enhance connection in your body and provide sensory feedback.    You can purchase a stretch-eze® on my website!

This DVD, created by a physical therapist, addresses exercise that targets common areas of decline as we age. It moves a a faster pace than its precursor, “BoneSmart Pilates®: Exercise to Prevent or Reverse Osteoporosis”. It is a perfect gift for yourself or someone you know that wants to age with strength and grace. Though challenging, it is safe for those with special conditions as well as osteopenia or osteoporosis. Bonus Posture Segment demonstrates how to achieve ideal sitting posture with ease.

Why do I sell Pilates Prop Bundles to accompany my DVD’s?  Besides adding fun and variety to your workouts, they have distinct roles. Props provide “assistance” to make difficult exercises, attainable. They provide “resistance” necessary to build muscle and bone strength. The oval myofascial release ball and the 1/2 tennis balls provide stimulation to different areas of your body improving muscle relaxation and blood circulation. The bands in the Aging Strong bundle progress in resistance so when you find that the light resistance band is easy, you progress to the medium band and so on.  The bands are low powder, low latex to reduce sensitivities.  If you were to start with a band of your own that is too strong for a particular exercise, you might get discouraged and think you’re not doing something right. All the props are of the highest quality and selected to support you on your journey to age strong!

mccormickIf you think osteoporosis is an old lady’s disease or that men don’t get it, think again. Meet Keith McCormick, who will not only shatter those misconceptions but will enlighten you on treatment options that don’t rely on big pharma.  In a recent conversation with Dr. Keith McCormick, a chiropractic physician and author of The Whole Body Approach to Osteoporosis, we spoke about the importance of addressing health as a triad – physical, nutritional and emotional – whether it is helping patients maintain good health or working with them to overcome a chronic disease, like osteoporosis. “Osteoporosis is not just the weakening of bones; it is a weakening of the body’s entire physiology,” Keith explained. “When you have a chronic disease, you have to treat your whole body.”

Overcoming a chronic disease is exactly what Dr. McCormick did. In between getting his degree in Human Biology at Stanford University and going to Chiropractic school, he competed in elite triathlon competitions including the Ironman Triathlon World Championships and was chosen to participate on the 1976 U.S.A. Olympic Team in Montreal, Canada. He maintained his fitness into adulthood and then sustained 12 fractures in a short 5-year period after he was diagnosed with osteoporosis at the age of 45. He immersed himself in the study of osteoporosis and – using the triad approach – went on to find ways to fight it and recover to the point where he could once again compete in triathlon competitions including the World Championships in Hawaii. His story of recovery is truly remarkable, he is the epitome of resilience and aging strong. I would recommend reading his book and checking out his web site, www.osteonaturals.com.

Exercise such as my BoneSmart Pilates® program, can be most successful when we provide the body with all the nutrients necessary for building good strong bone tissue. That only makes sense, and Dr. McCormick has addressed this need through his OsteoNaturals’ nutritional supplements that he formulated specific to improving bone health.

The thing I like about Keith is that when I read through his blogs he really drives home the foundation of good bone health: good diet, healthy life-style choices, exercise and taking steps to promote healthy gut function. He sees bone health through a unique prism that I rarely see in doctors when they treat osteoporosis. Just reading about some of his amazing adventures on his blog also shows that he values the emotional part of the health triad. Having a positive outlook and engaging in life to its fullest, in addition to exercise and nutrition, is truly important for bone and overall good health.