Remember yesterday, when I tossed you the idea that osteoporosis was not the cause of the dowager's hump, but possibly caused by poor posture and hunching over? Oh, and wearing the wrong shoes?
Well, now it's time to explain myself.
The cells that generate, or BUILD BONE, are called osteoblasts. They are called into action by little cells called mechanoreceptors. Mechanoreceptors are cells that must be loaded by either compression or tension in order to work. When there is compression or tension, they call out : "Dudes! Start building more bone, 'kay?"
Osteoclasts are cells that are like the wrecking crew. They break down old bone and throw it out into one of those big, blue dumpsters. When the osteoblasts
and the osteoclasts are doing their jobs, all is well. Old bone is broken down and new bone is built to replace, keeping your bone density at a nice, healthy...well, density.
When someone has osteoporosis, or low bone density, they can take an expensive and frightening pharmaceutical that is supposed to help them. Do you want to know what it really does, now that you know so much more about how your bone density is regulated?
It prevents the osteoclasts from doing their job. They are not allowed to take out the old bone junk to make room for new bone. So, these nifty drugs don't build new bone, they only allow you to keep the old, gross, dying bone cells in your body.
Awesome, huh?
Just say no.
To those drugs.
Instead, think about your skeleton and the job it can totally do perfectly well if you allow it. Here's the scoop:
Gravity is a perfect assistant, and it's freakin' free!
When your body is aligned--I mean aligned--, and you are in a vertical position--not sitting on your *ss--then your body can do it's job. No positive heel shoes (this even means tennis shoes!), your shoulders are lined up over your pelvis and your hips can extend fully and the backs of your legs can stretch out--hey, wait--like, when you're walking?
Yes! If you walk a lot (daily!) and if you wear neutral or negative-heeled shoes (or spend lots of time in no shoes! Woot!), and you PAY ATTENTION to your alignment:
Why on earth would anyone choose any other option?
Last night, the kids and I were watching a Disney movie with Selena Gomez.
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| This is actually not a coy pose. That jutting shoulder blade is permanent! |
According to my son, she's like, one of the most famous actresses in the world. So, imagine how everyone on the couch screamed every time she turned sideways and showed her hump! She's twenty years old, and she's got a hump! Too much texting, too many high heels, not enough walking or movement. While I couldn't find a freaky good picture of her hump, I found plenty of other young bucks and does with kyphosis, and I found it interesting that they are NOT OLD LADIES. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
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| Biebs! What's up with that? You auditioning for the spot between B and D? |
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| Hermione! Did you NOT take your Skele-grow? |
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| Tsk. Tsk. Nice shoes, by the way. You look awesome. |
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| Smokin' hot, if you like S-curves. |
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| She's 18. EIGHTEEN. |
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| Better watch it, Maggie, or you'll pass that habit on to the Wee One. |
Okay, now I'm completely grossed out and disappointed in our parents, us, shoe manufacturers, fashion standards, doctors---c'mon!
This is epidemic. Look around at people when you're out and about. If you don't believe that your habits are affecting your health and wellness, have someone take your picture from the side as you stand with your back to a wall, then again when you're wearing positive-heeled shoes. Wear something tight-fitting, like pants and a tank top so you can see your body. Compare the two pictures. Chances are, if you're a regular high-heel wearing person, your flat-foot picture will be out of whack, too. But hold them up, side by side, and see what it's doing to your alignment.
Is this what you want?
With love,
Dani
P.S. Have you read Katy Bowman's book on foot health yet? It's SO worth your time and money.
How exactly do you get rid of the rounded shoulders, though? Katy says just pulling your shoulder blades back only masks the back curvature and doesn't help the actual problem... So what do you do with your arms to get your shoulders back where they're supposed to be?
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