Exercise Your Way to Healthier Bones

Last week we talked about how to make food choices that will provide the nutrients you need to build stronger bones. Today, in honor of this week’s guest interview, I want to talk about nutrition’s partner in building healthy bones- EXERCISE!

We all know that for the CF community as well as the general population, cardiovascular exercises like running, swimming, dancing, and others are great for strengthening your heart and immune system, improving your lung function, reducing disease risk, boosting your energy, and even helping you sleep.

Strength (aka resistance) training involves toning and strengthening your muscles by contracting them against some resistance. This type of exercise helps build stronger muscles, optimize your bone density, prevent injury and supports your performance of functional movements of daily life like lifting heavy bags, reaching to place items on shelves, or pushing and pulling motions.

Examples of strength or resistance training exercises include lifting free weights, using weighted machines, resistance bands or doing push-ups (using your body as resistance). It’s generally recommended that you work each major muscle group twice a week, allowing for a full day of rest in between.

If you’re new to strength training, check out Beam, a website offering online workouts to help people with CF “feel good though movement.”

And, stay tuned for this week’s interview with “CF star” and Beam coach Marissa and find out about how Beam can show you how to make exercise not only “doable,” but fun!

Stay Well!