The Osteoporosis Lifestyle
Managing your osteoporosis can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Keeping track of medication, eating a diet geared for bone health, and trying to fit in exercises to help promote strong bones can seem quite overwhelming at times - but can make a real difference to easing your symptoms.
Taking a look at a personal activity tracker might be a good idea, as they can help to motivate and remind you of various daily activities and assist you in sticking to your healthy lifestyle.
The Healthy Decision
While personal activity trackers aren’t geared specifically towards those with osteoporosis, the general health benefits which come from good nutrition and exercise the trackers help to motivate can undoubtedly help sufferers of the disease.
There are still many things we don’t know about diseases like osteoporosis, Parkinson’s, and motor neuron disease but keeping ourselves in good health is one way to try and combat them; and reduce the likelihood of many diseases such as heart problems or diabetes.
Keeping on Track
The market for personal activity trackers is growing daily, and there are options to suit every style and budget and is perfecting for kickstarting your wellbeing. The exact features and capabilities vary from tracker to tracker, but most will offer a combination of common functions.
- Step count – a good record of your daily activity levels, and also an excellent tool to help motivate yourself to get more exercise – even just a gentle walk to the shops rather than driving will help you to clock up a few more, and staying active is really important for those with osteoporosis.
- Exercise tracking – some trackers will also let you log specific workouts, and schedule reminders to do so or weekly targets of a number to complete. Some have capabilities on their corresponding smartphone apps to follow workouts or yoga sessions.
- Tracking food – calorie counting can help you keep an eye on the overall amount of food you are eating. By logging your meals on the app means that you can easily see how much protein, fat, and carbohydrates you are eating - as well as micronutrients like calcium and magnesium which are essential for good bone health.
- Water intake – logging each glass or bottle of water and setting reminders to help you remember to drink means you’ll stay hydrated.
Data-Driven Motivator
Many trackers also collect heart-rate data, which can provide extra insight into your health, particularly during and after exercise. Some even offer information about the length and quality of your sleep, and while the data can’t be used in place of professional medical advice, it can certainly help you stay on the path to a healthy lifestyle with osteoporosis.
Having the information quantified and readily available can be a valuable motivator for many people in doing a bit more exercise or a making a healthier food choice.
Managing your osteoporosis is about finding the tools and methods which work best for you - everyone is different, and everyone’s experience of the disease will also be slightly different. Using a personal activity tracker to keep motivated and dedicated to a healthy lifestyle might be worth a try.