The kind of unbreakable strength every woman needs
Today, we focus so much on muscle, gut, and hormone health. But there’s one area that quietly supports all of these yet is often taken for granted: bone health. And it doesn’t just matter as we age. It matters for anyone striving to reach their full health and longevity potential.
As we transition into menopause, the body needs adequate nourishment and sufficient energy to move and apply the appropriate load to the bones. Without this, we may unintentionally work against the very unbreakable strength we’re trying to maintain, which can lead to falls, fractures, and loss of freedom to function and enjoy life.
When bone health becomes part of daily life—not something you wait for at 60
I started paying closer attention to my bone health about a year ago, at 47, after my first bone density scan (DEXA scan), which uses very low-dose radiation to measure bone density and shows whether you fall within an optimal range for your age or below what’s expected. It classifies bone health as normal, osteopenia, or osteoporosis.
When I asked for the test, an orthopedic doctor told me it’s something he typically prescribes for older patients because it’s commonly recommended for those aged 65 and above. That was surprising.
But most experts now agree that we should be paying attention to bone health much earlier—before menopause or even years prior—when we still have the opportunity to build and protect bone quality, not just manage its decline. And I totally agree. It also gives you a baseline you can monitor over time.
Even with nearly three decades of regular exercise, I had my concerns. I’m on the lighter side, and I believe I’m now in perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause), when estrogen begins to decline and directly affects bone density over time. Plus, my growing focus on hormone health, combined with seeing my clients’ bone scan results, had already raised my awareness.
When my results came in, I was, thankfully, reassured to see that I was above average for my age. Years of consistent movement, resistance training, and a sustaining lifestyle had paid off—giving me a stronger buffer as I approached menopause.
But it doesn’t stop there. Aging and hormonal changes continue whether we focus on them or not. In fact, during late perimenopause and the early years of postmenopause, women can lose 10 to 20 percent of their bone mass if bone care gets neglected.
Osteoporosis is often called a silent disease. You don’t feel bone loss as it happens. There are no warning signs, no discomfort—until one day, a simple fall leads to a fracture. And in an instant, your pain-free lifestyle, your freedom to move, your quality of life, and even your life expectancy can change.
It isn’t something you want to fix later—when it’s already compromised, and it’s too late. You need to build it consistently through your everyday lifestyle.
So speak to your doctor (OB-GYN, endocrinologist, rheumatologist, rehab specialist, or orthopedic doctor) about your bone health, getting a DEXA scan, and having it monitored every one to three years—depending on your results, overall health status, and risk factors such as genetics, age, perimenopause and menopause, smoking, excessive caffeine intake, low body weight, and certain medications). These may be the best health upgrades you can make right now to protect your freedom and life.
A type of stress your body actually needs
Yes, we put so much effort into avoiding stress. But there is one kind your body actually needs in order to stay strong, capable, and resilient—bone-loading stress. It stimulates your body to build and maintain both muscle and bone, especially as you get older. When you lift weights, your muscles pull on your bones with every contraction, creating the stimulus needed to strengthen them. Over time, this can help slow down or even prevent bone loss.
It’s never too late to start. In fact, a 2018 LIFTMOR trial, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research showed that postmenopausal women with low bone mass, including those with osteopenia and osteoporosis, who performed supervised resistance training twice a week for 30 minutes—using exercises such as squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, and jumping chin-ups—experienced considerable improvements in bone mineral density at the spine and hips, along with better functional performance and quality of life.
Start simple. Stay consistent. Slowly improve. You can increase your sets, duration, resistance, and/or the number of movement combinations. You can even add external load using tools such as weighted vests and ankle weights during controlled, safe movements.
You can also engage in dynamic movements and incorporate safe impact. I prefer full-body training that develops multiple components of fitness (strength, endurance, balance, agility, and core stability) while allowing the body to move in different planes. For example, when I do lunges, I move forward, backward, and sideways, varying the tempo and combinations to build strength that translates into real life. I also include jumps and plyometrics to further challenge and load the bones.
For more intense workouts like CrossFit or Hyrox, intensity should always match your current fitness level and health condition. Consulting a doctor and working with a good, reliable fitness professional can help you train safely and effectively.
Reducing sedentary time is just as important because, as we age, the body benefits from more movement throughout the day to maintain muscle and bone, support balance and coordination, and contribute to overall well-being.
An important mindshift: Nourish, rather than deprive
As women approach their 40s and beyond, an important shift is needed in how we think and what we do.
Instead of constantly trying to eat less or follow restrictive trends, it may be time to focus on something more powerful: nourishing the body to enhance long-term health. When the body is under constant stress from under-eating, over-fasting, or excessive restriction, it doesn’t just lose fat. It can also lose muscle and bone.
Bones provide structure and protect vital organs. Beyond that, they are active tissue that also plays a role in metabolic and hormonal health, influencing energy use, glucose control, and overall balance. When bone health declines, it can negatively affect the body’s overall function, and vice versa.
Support your bones with adequate protein, along with calcium-rich foods—not just milk but also leafy greens, seeds, sardines, yogurt, and other dairy products. Vitamin D, whether from food, sun exposure, or supplementation, helps improve calcium absorption.
For these nutrients to be properly used by the body, gut health also plays an important role. Aim for around 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily. Eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and add fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, or sauerkraut to promote digestion.
Continue to prioritize recovery. This is when your bones repair and rebuild, as growth hormone released during deep sleep supports bone remodeling. Insufficient quality recovery can slow bone formation over time.
For the moms
This article is for all the mothers—and for those who take on that role in caring for others. We spend so much time giving, supporting, and holding everything together. We deserve to feel strong, capable, and well-supported from within. And sometimes, that begins by paying attention to the part of our health that is often taken for granted—but quietly carries us through life: our bones.
Happy Mother’s Day!
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