Dance Your Way to Health 30 minutes of high-impact activity, 4 times a week like jogging, time on the Stair Master, step aerobics, or tennis was associated with and increased heel bone density in men of nearly 10%, and 3.4% in women. Moderate activity had no effect. According to researchers the the University of Cambridge, this effect in women is equivalent to about 4 years of bone loss. Climbing stairs was especially effective for preserving heel bone density in women, and decreased heel density was associated with time spent watching tv each week. Low heel bone density has been predictive of increased risk of hip fracture. In the study, high-impact activities included: high impact aerobics, step aerobics, competitive running, jogging, tennis or badminton, squash, football, rugby, or hockey, netball, volleyball, or basketball. Physical activity in general is associated with higher bone density and less hip fractures, and this study helps define what kind of activity is best: high impact. Jogging is good, especially off the pavement on a dirt track or path, but can be monotonous, and downright dangerous in large cities. My favorite kind of high impact exercise has to be dancing. I have a reputation, well-earned, to go at it full-tilt. I always know if I've had a good time if I have a blister or two on the bottom of my feet. The best high-impact exercise in the home, hotel room, or just about anywhere is the good old jump rope. If you're not used to it, 100 skips non-stop can make you feel like you need a new pair of lungs. Work up to it, and make sure to start in your 30s or 40s rather than in your 60s or 70s, where starting high-impact exercise is more likely to injure you. Study after study shows that exercise just might be your best medicine for a long life, extra energy, and happiness. And while you're at it, don't forget to laugh, the next best medicine, even if people do look at you a little funny. You'll still be laughing at 85. Don't forget to complement your exercise program with a good bone-preserving diet rich in green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds (almonds or almond milk is great), some high-quality dairy, and a calcium-magnesium supplement that includes silicon, boron, and herbs like nettle leaf extract. I know of no higher herbal source of highly assimilable calcium than nettle leaf (as a tea or extract in capsules or tablets). C. Hobbs other health news
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