No one cares as much about your health as you do. No one has as much power to build and rebuild your body as you do. And, most importantly, no one will suffer the consequences of self-neglect as much as you will.

That’s why I hope you will join me in making dramatic change in 2013 — or as I am calling it — The Year of The Better Bones Revolution.

The Better Bones Revolution calls us to become informed and to take charge of our bone health, to educate ourselves and to work with nature rather than tinker with it or look to “better living through chemistry.”

Revolution Resolutions

Where to start? To show you that even a bone-health specialist can make improvements, here are a few of my favorite “Revolution Resolutions” to take charge in 2013:

• I will have my vitamin D level measured this winter, and make sure I maintain a 50 ng/ml level all year round. This is something we can all aim for!

• I will make time to exercise 40 to 60 minutes a day. Personally I like to walk with my weight vest, ski, golf, use my whole body vibration platform, practice Qi Gong or take yoga classes — so I have lots of exercise options. If you’re just getting started, you may consider finding an exercise you enjoy and work at least 30 minutes of it into your daily routine (outdoors, if possible).

• I will set aside all the research articles I love to read and sleep more—8-9 hours each night in the winter. I tend to push myself to do ever more at night, but nature rests in the winter and so will I! Are you getting enough sleep?

• I will consume 2 cups of vegetables (or near that) at both lunch and dinner (mostly cooked during the winter). Variety supports life, so I will try eating veggies from all the colors of the rainbow. One dietary change I can make is to rotate in some alkalizing root crops I usually don’t eat (like rutabaga, turnips, kohlrabi and parsnips).

What will be your Revolution Resolution?

Remember, by making your own Revolution Resolution, you’ll be taking important action to keep your bones and your entire body strong, vital and full of life at any age. For a natural approach that includes changes in the key areas that affect bone health, learn more how my Personal Program for Better Bones includes the methods recommended by the Surgeon General of the United States for reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Here’s to a happy, healthy and revolutionary 2013!

I’ve been inspired so often by Deepak Chopra, MD, and his approach to physical health. Chopra has long promoted the importance of respecting the human body’s innate wisdom, intelligence and sense of order. Chopra is a physician and a scientist who also writes about spiritual strategies for healing and wellness.

I recently watched a very short video of Chopra talking about the “wonder” of the human body, with its trillions of cells, and multiple coordinated systems and functions. It struck me that we often lose sight of just how wonderful our bodies are, especially when we’re dealing with long term health concerns like bone health issues.

But your body is still doing amazing things, even as you’re confronted with health challenges. Nowhere is this more evident than in the healing potential of your bones. Your bones naturally break down and build back up again in a totally natural cycle. When this cycle is interrupted or influenced by other factors, bone can be weakened excessively.

But — and here comes the amazing part — you can often naturally recover the bone strength you need to live a long, healthy life.

Ensure your bones function as intended — give them what they need every day.

Of course, we are all different and so are our family histories, and environmental experiences. And the best thing you can learn to do is to respect and understand what’s unique about your own body. That makes it much easier to choose the right foods, supplements, exercise, and stress reduction methods for your individual situation.

When you are struggling with a medical or emotional issue, or worried about staying strong and healthy, it helps to know you can tap into the innate strength and resiliency of your amazing body. Your own body is the greatest, most reliable healer there is, just as long as you give it what it needs to do its work.

Let’s all follow Deepak Chopra’s lead and make a point of getting to know more about how our own bodies work so we can take care of them. Today, you can decide what your next move will be to improve your bone health. Then relax and enjoy the satisfaction of taking action to make it happen.

Your One Minute Shift: Think of one thing you appreciate about your body -- right now

For me, menopause and beyond represents a chance for us to be “deliberate creators” – that is, it’s an opportunity to design our physical, mental, and nutritional activities with an awareness to be consciously aligned with our priorities for the second half of our lives.

For those of us with strong bones as our health goal, our focus should be to maintain as much of our bone mass and muscle mass as possible. And if we really get into exercise, perhaps we can even build both bone and muscle. In my video “Tips for Building Bone Health in Menopause,” I ask you to thoughtfully review your Program for building Better Bones and a Better Body as you move forward:

• Are you recognizing and releasing stressful thoughts and situations?

• Are you satisfied with your level of exercise and physical activity?

• Is your acid-alkaline balance in line?

• Do you take a daily high-quality, pharmaceutical grade multivitamin/mineral/omega-3 fat supplement that assures you have all the 20 key nutrients to keep on building bone?

If you see some areas that you think need improvement, remember your power as an infinite choice maker each and every day! Learn more about the natural options available to you to improve bone with the Personal Program for Better Bones.