if you have osteoporosis, the most important things you can do to help heal your body and ensure good quality of life (i.e. prevent fractures!) are two simple things: 1) quality nutrition and 2) movement that creates good quality bones.

your bones are thoughtfully constructed, and constantly undergoing remodeling. even right now, as you read these words. this is wonderful, because you can do things in your everyday life that changes the way they are being built, and rebuilt. a diagnosis of bone frailty is not a death sentence for your skeleton - it's an opportunity for you to do something different, to build a stronger body.

these are things you can do IN ADDITION to supplements like calcium/vitamin D, and medicines like monoclonal antibody therapies, hormonal medications, and bisphosphonates (i.e. alendronate - which, by the way, don't necessarily create stronger bones that are less likely to fracture - even though they do create more dense - thick - bones).

interestingly, the internet will tell you that osteoporosis is a permanent diagnosis. i don't believe this, because i've seen CrossFit athletes reverse it (see nutrition = tissue: food as structure. link to CrossFit Medical Society!). it takes years of dedication to changing your diet and your movement patterns, but i am a firm believer that you can heal your body, most of the time, for most things. at the very least, doing these things won't harm you.

1) increase your protein intake. reduce your processed food and sugar intake.

aiming for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, per day is an appropriate goal for someone with diagnosed osteoporosis. your bones are created from collagen, which is a simple, three amino acid repeating peptide. these are fancy words that mean: your bones are made of good quality proteins.

example: 140 lb person = 140 g protein in a day.

this is a lot of protein to eat, but in actuality, you probably eat far more carbohydrates than this in a day, and carbs are "worth" the same amount as protein in calories. so what you must do is shift your intake to center around your good quality proteins - animal meats, especially with bones and good fat - instead of around grains.

source; source;

2) start doing weight bearing exercise REGULARLY.

if you hate lifting weights and won't do resistance training, may i recommend rucking? rucking is walking or running with a heavy backpack. you can do this for FREE if you have a backpack and objects to put in it.

rucking burns 3.5 times the calories of walking, and builds bone and muscle at the same time. it's "cardio for people who hate cardio" AND "strength training for people who don't want to lift weights." rucking is also how the military has trained for tens of thousands of years - it builds fitness, FAST.

i got my mom a rucksack for christmas in 2022 because she doesn't have to develop osteoporosis! but she does have to do homework to prevent it.

What is Rucking? Complete Guide to Amazing Benefits & More
Rucking is a fundamental movement with unbelievable health benefits, and as it turns out, humans are naturally good at it, too.
GORUCK

this wonderful company is veteran owned, products are all made here in the USA, and they guarantee their stuff for LIFE. they make excellent rucking shoes, rucksacks with special pockets, and plates sized to fit perfectly within.

START RUCKING: THE BASICS

  1. get a backpack that fits well.
  2. put heavy objects in the backpack; start with 10 lbs. you can put rolled up clothes/towels, filled water bottles, or books! try to use things that won't get moved around a ton in the backpack, so it sits well.
  3. walk with your rucksack for about 20-35 min at a time for the first week. start by rucking 2-3 times a week. bonus points if you do this outside, with others - social connection and time in the natural world are both medicine, and powerful when combined with the medicine of exercise. (when i don't have company, i like a good podcast or audiobook to clear my mind.)

as you build up strength, you can increase the weight and/or the "time under tension" – the time you spend rucking.

do NOT exceed more than 10-15% of your body weight unless you train heavily on a regular basis (i.e. you train CrossFit or some other heavy lifting / intense exercise multiple times a week, for > 2 years).

CONSISTENCY is important. your body and your bones are not going to change overnight, but they will over the course of months to years. be patient!