Happy National Women’s Health Week! The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health has designated May 13-19 as the week dedicated to the idea that “It’s Your Time” to make health a top priority. And I couldn’t agree more with the recommendations that empower women to take action for better wellness:

• Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings.

• Get active.

• Eat healthy.

• Pay attention to mental health, which includes getting enough sleep and managing stress.

• Avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet.

In fact, it sounds like the government has been listening to me talk about my approach found in the Personal Program for Better Bones!

Why not celebrate women’s health by thinking about ways you can make a little extra effort this week to add bone-building activities into your routine? Then see if you can keep them up for the next week as well!

And remember, you never need a special occasion to celebrate women’s health!

To encourage you to get outside and enjoy the arrival of spring, I suggest you pump up your walking routine by adding new movements that will strengthen your bones.

As you’ll see in this clip from my popular Exercising for Bone Health DVD, fitness instructor Meredith Sabella and I try out some fresh ideas to increase impact during walking – which also increase bone-building effectiveness. 

Plus, we show you how to really mix up the movements by making them more gentle or difficult — depending on your individual level of fitness or how you feel. 
For even more bone-building exercises, try my Exercising for Bone Health DVD, part of the Personal Program for Better Bones, which introduces you to Pilates, yoga, isometric training, weight-bearing exercises, and strength training.

Or try them all. Variety is especially important when you remember that your bones respond best to unusual bursts of impact.

I’ve written several posts about the importance of deep breathing for bone building – it helps you relax, reduces stress, and boosts any exercise routine. Another benefit I find is using deliberate, full breaths in the morning raises my level of energy and purpose. It’s like turning on my switch!

Still, many women tell me that deep breathing remains somewhat of a mystery to them, and ask: “Do I have to meditate?” “Do I have to do yoga?” and “How do I know that I’m doing it correctly?”

That’s why I wanted to focus this blog post on the simplest way to get started — deep breathing and nothing else.

Here’s what you can do:

• Sit comfortably and tighten and release your muscle groups — noting what it feels like to be relaxed.

• Begin to breathe slowly and normally through the nostrils. Notice how your normal breathing is generally quite shallow. Your next step is to begin breathing in and out more deeply, but not so deeply that you feel like you are forcing the breaths.

• Breathe even more deeply. Imagine that you have lungs in your belly and that you are creating a gap that you need to fill. Sink into that gap as you breathe in and out.

• Imagine how each breath is bringing in energy — visualize a bright light that’s powered by your breath. You are now letting go of any draining, heavy thoughts.

• Focus your mind in the direction of what you will accomplish — such as rest or energy building.

• Continue breathing.

Follow the breath ratio chart to relax, balance, energize

See how many seconds you should try to allow for each segment of breath in order to achieve your desired result:

At first, you may start with just 3-4 minutes and build up as you wish. I often take 20 minutes in the morning for deep breathing, as well as another 20 minutes the end of my work day. I consider my morning routine a way to gather my internal forces before I power up, and I use the peace of mind to set my intention for the day. At the end of the work day, I use the time to rest and regain my energy as well as to detox and purify, releasing the negative emotions of the day, as well as toxins and acids.

My daily breathing routine is about as simple as it can be, and I encourage you to try it – even right now if you can!

Learn more about a natural approach to bone health with the Personal Program for Better Bones.