Healthy Bone For Preventing Osteoporosis

Software Engineer Karen Liew's mother suffered from osteoporosis three years ago and she is worried that, with her current sedentary lifestyle, she might be at risk of contracting the disease as well. Karen's mother, Mdm Yam was diagnosed with osteoporosis and scoliosis in 2006 and is currently taking medication and regular private Tai Chi lessons on a weekly basis. Prior to taking up Tai Chi lessons, Mdm Yam had been taking calcium tablets for 2 years as prescribed by the doctor. Instead of showing signs of improvements, her bone mass density has shown to decline over the years. Her doctor feedback that the body does not absorb the calcium as intended and thus recommended that she should engage with regular exercise in conjunction with the medication.
Yip See Kit, senior coach from NewAgeTaichi which is also the personal trainer for Mdm Yam comments “Tai Chi exercise is considered as a safe and alternate complementary therapy for prevention of osteoporosis because of its weight bearing nature. Together with the focus on balance and fall prevention in the Tai Chi training program, it has greatly improved her condition.”
Coach Yip also conducted regular record of Mdm Yam's body composition measurement using Tanita InnerScan Body Composition Monitor before and after each Tai Chi lessons to monitor her bone mass and muscle mass. It was observed that she has been able to maintain her bone mass and that her BMR – basal metabolic rate also shows an increase after each Tai Chi lesson, which is one of the psychological benefits of exercise.
Jane Tan, senior coach of NewAgeTaichi with a Dip in sports & exercise science, stressed that the body need both exercise and vitamin D (readily obtained from sunlight) to effectively absorb the calcium into the body, otherwise the excess calcium will just pass out from the body as waste.
Since osteoporosis usually strikes women after menopause, a common belief is that it's an older women's disease. However, a recent study conducted in Britain by the University of Surrey and the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro in 2008 showed that 20 per cent of women aged 20 to 29 had low bone mass, which could lead to early onset of osteoporosis.
It would be a good idea for women to start engaging in weight bearing exercises (rebounding, running, jumping, jogging, Tai Chi, resistance training) as bone mass loss begins at around age 30, which will potentially lead to the disease and causing painful fragility fractures. Dr Lau Tang Ching, president of the Osteoporosis Society (Singapore), said that a person's bone mass usually starts declining by about 1 per cent a year after that age, and that a sedentary lifestyle together with poor dietary habits, which is often the result of living in a busy, modern world like Singapore, can multiple the risk of osteoporosis. In such cases, bone mass deterioration can occur at a rate of 2 or 3 per cent a year, he added. That, combined with unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking means young people are at higher risk of developing this disease in the near future.
Dr Bernard Thong, head and senior consultant of the Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology Department at Tan Tock Seng Hospital stressed that prevention is easier than cure when it comes to osteoporosis. And that specifically means reducing alcohol intake and smoking, increasing aerobic exercise and improving dietary calcium and vitamin D intake, said Dr Thong.
According to Ministry of Health clinical-practice guidelines released in January 2009, the incidence of hip fracture in Singapore has increased 1.5times in men and five times in women since 1960s. One in five dies within a year after sustaining a hip fracture. About 800 to 900 hip fractures occur every year in Singapore because of osteoporosis.
“Fragility fractures of the hip and spine can lead to significant pain and immobility, and affect daily activities, especially among able-bodied working adults,” said Dr Thong.
“We are currently conducting Tai Chi for Osteoporosis classes, which is a special program catered for osteoporosis patients to educate and guide how to exercise safely and effectively. We have been getting very well responses from the participants and the class does not only restrict to people with osteoporosis and is also suitable to people with all ages,” added Coach Jane.
References
Cambell, A. et al. (1997) Randomised controlled trial of general practice programme of home based exercise to prevent falls in elderly women. British Medical Journal 315 1065-1069
Dianne Daniels, M.A., (2008) Exercise for Osteoporosis (3rd Edition Ed) Hatherleigh Press New York, London
Kerri Winters-Stone, P., (2005) Action Plan For Osteoporosis - Your guide to stronger, healthier bones Human Kinetics USA
Kontulainen, S. et al. (2001) Good maintenance of exercise-induced bone gain with decreased training of female tennis and squash players: a prospective 5-year follow-up study of young and old starters and controls. J Bone Miner Res 16:202
Loomer, P. (2001) The impact of microgravity on bone metabolism in vitro and in vivo. Crit Rev Oral Bio Med 12:252
Mau-Roung, L. et al. (2006) Community-Based Tai Chi and Its Effect on Injurious Falls, Balance, Gait, and Fear of Falling in Older People. PHYS THER 86 (9): 1181-1201
Mosekilde, L. (2000) Age-related changes in bone mass, and strength - effects of loading, Z Rheumatol 59 Suppl 1:1
Risser, W. (1990) Bone density in eumenorrheic female college athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22:570
Snow-Harter, C. and Marcus (1991) Exercise, bone mineral density, and osteoporosis. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 19:351
Tanno, M. et al. (2001) Age-related changes in cortical and trabecular bone mineral status. A quantitative CT study in lumbar vetebrae Acta Radiol 42:15
Voukelatos Alexander, M.P. et al. (2007) A Randomized, Controlled Trial of tai chi for the Prevention of Falls: The Central Sydney tai chi Trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 55 (8): 1185-1191
Wolf, S. et al. (1993) The Atlanta FICSIT study: two exercise interventions to reduce frailty in elders. Journal of the American Geriatrics 41 329-332
By: Yip See Kit

Tips for Better Meditation

Meditation students often come to me and ask what they can do to improve their meditation. Success in meditation is not the result of any one single factor but depends on sustained and systematic effort over a period of time. However, there are a few tips for meditation, that will help you to improve your performance, regardless of the meditation method that you follow.
1. Prepare your body for meditation
Your physical condition has a tremendous influence on your mind. This is true for your day to day activity, but even more so when it comes to meditation. You can prepare your body for meditation by eating the right food, and by coming to meditation with an empty stomach. Eating the right food, means food which strengthens the body but doesn't have any adverse affect on the mind. If you consume products that make the mind dull or over-stimulated then it will be much harder to meditate. And whatever your diet is, when you sit down to meditate, it should be on an empty stomach. That is why one of the best times to meditate is in the morning, before you have had your breakfast. Another good time is in the evening, before the evening meal.
2. Prepare Your Mind for Meditation
Just as your body must be prepared, so must your mind. Before you start meditation you must convince yourself, that this period of meditation is your time for personal growth, and that it is important, as important as anything else in your life. When you close your eyes to meditate, you should not jump up to answer the phone, or get ready to leave your meditation due to some slight disturbance. If you convince yourself of the importance of meditation, then your example will also convince others around you and they won't disturb you during meditation. So, remember your periods of meditation are one of the most important parts of your daily routine, and treat them as such.
3. Sing Before Meditation
The Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore once said, "God respects me when I work, but He loves me when I sing." That explains the place of song and music in all the great spiritual traditions. Before you begin meditation you can sing spiritual songs, whose meaning elevates your mind. It doesn't matter if you have "good" voice or a "bad" voice, sing from the heart, and your mind will go to a point that will be the ideal starting point for your meditation.
4. Sit in a Proper Position
Remember when you were in school and the teacher looked around and saw someone slumping in his or her seat, and she said "sit up straight!" She had a good point; when the back is straight the mind is alert. Sit in a position that will keep the back straight. Sit with cross legs in a simple position, or a half-lotus or a full lotus. In addition to making the mind more alert, these positions help you to rest the various motor organs, and provide a peaceful physical base for your meditation.
In the beginning these positions may seem difficult or uncomfortable, but if you can get used to them, they will help you to deepen your meditation.
5. Follow the Meditation Instructions Exactly
Remember carefully what your meditation instructor taught you and do your best to carry it out, exactly according to the instructions. Don't experiment and make up your own method. The various systems of meditation are based on thousands of years of experience, so you don't have to try to figure out what to do. Take advantage of the age-old knowledge of the past, and you will make rapid strides towards a bright future. If you have forgotten any part of your meditation method, go and see your instructor and get a review of your lesson.
6. Be Regular in Your Meditation Practice
This is one of the key factors to success. Meditation works, if you work. If you only do meditation once a month or on whim, when you feel like it, then it will be impossible to be successful and realize the benefits of meditation: mental clarity, inner peace, love for others and spiritual awareness. Make meditation a part of your daily routine. Just as surely as the sun comes up each day, do your meditation without fail. Fix a time for it in the morning and evening and do it on a regular basis If you get into the habit of doing your practice regularly, then you have taken one of the single most important steps towards success in meditation, and indeed, in your life.
7. Be Patient
"Rome wasn't built in a day," and similarly you cannot make miraculous changes in your personality or in your spiritual life in just one sitting of meditation. Don't be discouraged if you feel that nothing is happening. Meditation is a subtle art, the changes come slowly but surely. Keep on practicing and your meditation is sure to deepen and you will indeed be successful.
By :Dada Vedaprajinananda

How to Improve your Brain Fitness

Brain is called the CPU of human body.
It works for the whole day. It works
even while we are sleeping. But stress,
frustration, load of work, negative
thinking, smoking, drinking, unbalanced
diet individually or in combined form dis balances the brain and its working.

But it is said that brain is likeparachute.
It only functions when it is open. So to
open up your mind just try these ideas
given below:

1.Meditation:
It improves concentration andhelps in
focusing. It strengthens the mind. Mind
comes under control and effectively
guide the physicalbody to execute all
its projects efficiently.

2.Mind games and Puzzles:
Many games like sudoku, crosswords
and quiz help in increasing alertness,
focus and concentration. They are
benefit in remembering thingseasily
and mind is then able to think faster.

3.Exercise and Dance:
When you will be physically fit then
you will be automatically mentally fit.
According to the studies, dance is the
only exercise which affects mind as it
integrates several brain functions at
once.

4.Sleep:
If you want your mind to
workproperly, then SLEEP. Yes sleep.
Because giving your mind rest for
sometime will help in recollecting
energy for the next day. So sleep at
least 6-8 hours per day. But remember excessive sleeping can be harmful.

5.Balanced diet:
Eat healthy to keep your brain healthy.
Avoid junk, oily, packed food materials,
smoking and use of liquor as mental
health is always related to physical
health. Eatnuts, fruits, grains, pulses and
use milk products in order to get mental fitness.

6.Positive thinking:
Think positive. To achieve this share
your problems, sorrows and happiness
with your dear ones. and remember
nothing is possible.

7.Laugh:
The best cure of all diseasesis to laugh.
So laugh as much as you can and make
others laugh too.

8.Learn new skills and spend time for hobby:
Try to learn whatever you want to.
Spend some time for your hobby
whether it's dancing, singing, reading,
painting, traveling or something else

Source: didyk