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Improving Recovery

12 Ways to Improve Recovery

Last week I submitted my next piece for T-Nation . The jist of it was simple:

It’s not how often or how hard you can train. The real question is, how well can you recover between sessions?

While many are focused on training harder or more frequently, they’re only looking at half the equation.

If you want to crank up your training, the first thing you need to consider are ways to crank up your recovery.

Luckily for you, I have a few ideas that can help!

Here are just a few quick-hit ideas that you can use to either improve how quickly you recover, or at the very least, the quality of your recovery/regeneration between training sessions.

Sleep

Let’s start with the basics first. How many hours of sleep are you getting every night?

If you’re training intensely, you need to shoot for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly (and yes, I can feel some of you rolling your eyes as you read this).

Another thing to consider is the quality of your sleep. How quickly do you actually fall asleep? Do you lay there with your eyes peeled open thinking about everything you need to do the next day?

Once you are asleep, how deep and restful is it?

These are all things to consider. If you haven’t checked it out before, I would highly recommend reviewing my Sleep 101 blog post that I wrote last year. It’s chock-full of tips and tricks to improve your sleep.

One other note: Let’s say you simply can’t get a ton of sleep in consecutive stretches at night. Instead, maybe you can score some naps throughout the day. I’m often shocked at how much better I feel even if I get a 20-30 minute power nap at some point during the day.

Give it a shot!

Diet and Supplementation

I’m not going to harp on this one too much, because it’s not necessarily my forte.

I can tell you this, though – far too often we get so caught up in calorie counts, macronutrient splits, etc., that we forget about something really important:

Make a conscious effort to eat more nutrient-dense foods that provide your body with quality nutrition. Vitamins, minerals, etc.

Sitting with Cassandra Forsythe this past weekend for lunch reminded me of this. While people are quick to swing back and forth between what they propose to be “ideal” nutrition (high fat, low fat, high carb, low carb, high protein, etc.) one of the simplest rules we can follow is to simply eat more high-quality real food!

Supplementation is another hotly debated topic, and again, I’ll leave the specific recommendations to the experts. I think most of us reading this would probably do well with a protein shake, fish oils, a multi-vitamin, and perhaps some joint support if they are into lifting the heavy stuff (glucosamine, chondroitin, etc.).

Ice

Before we get into some of the sexier options, let’s look and one more staple in our recovery and regeneration routine.

One of the simplest things you can do post-workout is to ice down the specific joints you trained that day.

Now obviously, icing down your hips can be a challenge. But the extremities (shoulders, knees, elbows, wrists, ankles, etc.) are pretty easy to get at.

Self-Myofascial Release/Foam Rolling

How easy is this one?

You already know that foam rolling is great for decreasing stiffness pre-workout. Doesn’t it only make sense to try it out and different times in an effort to get loose and prepared for your next workout?

I’ll often foam roll the night AFTER a heavy workout, or even the day before to get nice and loose. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it definitely works.

Massage, ART and Hands-On Soft-Tissue Therapies

As great as SMR/foam rolling is, they definitely aren’t a replacement for quality, hands-on manual therapy.

I’ve been getting manual therapy performed on myself since 2003. Did I have a ton of expendable income at that point in time?

Nope.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely.

Not only can hands-on therapies address tissues and restrictions that you simply can’t touch with a foam roller or lacrosse ball, but the quality of your movement will improve drastically as well.

Static stretching

Static stretching is another fantastic tool that you can implement with absolutely zero cost outside of your time.

I’ve talked about this pretty extensively in the past, so if you’re looking for a quick and dirty routine to implement, check this out:

Hardcore Stretching, Part II

Keep in mind this was written a long time ago, so I wouldn’t recommend the thoracic or low back stretches any more. It’s not ideal in the fact that it’s not 100% customized to you, but it’s better than nothing and I’m sure you’ll find some areas that are tight and/or restricted.

Traction

Traction is another tool that’s great, especially if you’re pushing the heavy iron on a day-to-day basis. The video below depicts some of the positions we use for the upper body:

Epsom salt baths

This is one of those tools that I used to implement all the time, but I’ve kind of forgotten about. As well, I’m not sure I even remember the science behind them, so hopefully someone will comment below.

All I know is this: When I was squatting heavy for multiple sets of 5, there were times when the DOMS was ridiculous. A good epsom salt bath a night or two after the workout always seemed to expedite recovery and get me ready for my next training session.

Low-intensity cardio

“Cardio” seems to be getting a bad rap these days. Unfortunately, I think that’s due more to a lack of understanding and/or poor application than anything else.

Low intensity cardio such as walking, rowing, riding a stationary bike, or even pushing a Prowler/dragging a sled are fantastic for flushing metabolic waste from the muscles and providing nutrition to the joints.

The key words here are LOW INTENSITY. Keep it light and remember this is for recovery purposes – nothing more, nothing less.

Dynamic Mobility

If you’re big, stiff, or beat-up, simply going through your warm-up on your off-days is a great way to groove better movement and restore lost function.

This is where products like Magnificent Mobility, Inside-Out, and especially Assess and Correct can be huge. If you haven’t checked out any of these, be sure to do so via my Products page.

Activation series

Just like we get stiff and immobile from sitting around all day, we also reinforce poor posture and sub-optimal recruitment patterns. This can lead to poor structural balance around muscles and joints, which leads to poor movement.

Bottom line? You’re more likely to get injured, and you’re not as strong or powerful as you’d like to be in the gym or on the field.

One of the things I like to have my clients and athletes do is combine this tactic with the above. Go through a quick mobility circuit throughout the day (Bill Hartman calls them “mini-mobility” circuits) and perhaps pair them with some activation exercises.

The possibilities really are limitless, but here are just a few thoughts:

• Static stretch and/or mobilize the hip flexors, pair with some glute activation drills
• Static stretch and/or mobilize the pecs, pair with activation/motor control drills for the upper/mid-back (like Prone I’s, T’s and Y’s)

Pool workout

This may be the least accessible option on the list, but pool workouts are kick-ass if you have the resources.

Often when you’re stiff and beat-up after a big session, even low-intensity cardio doesn’t sound fun. The last thing you want to do is go and move around!

The pool is a fantastic option. You move around, and the buoyancy feels fantastic on your joints. Not to mention the fact that there’s a very therapeutic feel to hanging out in the water.

CF Games Open WOD 12.2

Workout 12 . 2

MEN – includes Masters Men up to 54 years old

Proceed through the sequence below completing as many reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
75 pound Snatch, 30 reps
135 pound Snatch, 30 reps
165 pound Snatch, 30 reps
210 pound Snatch, as many reps as possible

 

WOMEN – includes Masters Women up to 54 years old

Proceed through the sequence below completing as many reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
45 pound Snatch, 30 reps
75 pound Snatch, 30 reps
100 pound Snatch, 30 reps
120 pound Snatch, as many reps as possible

Sex leading to heart attacks

Sex can be heart attack trigger for couch potatoes

March 22, 2011 By CARLA K. JOHNSON , AP Medical Writer

Sex and exercise can trigger heart attacks in older people who don’t get much of either, a new analysis finds. The risk is low, but it’s a good reminder that slackers should change their exercise habits gradually, especially in middle age.

People who exercise regularly have a much smaller risk of having a heart attack immediately after sexual or physical activity, said lead author Dr. Issa Dahabreh of Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

“It would be really bad if someone thought our paper means people should not exercise,” Dahabreh said. “If anything, it’s the opposite.”

The analysis, appearing in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association, combined results from 14 studies involving more than 6,000 patients.

The studies involved only people who’d had heart attacks or had died suddenly from a heart problem. The studies looked at what the people were doing during the hour or two before their heart attacks and compared that to the same people’s activity on normal days with no major heart problems.

That study design is used to try to answer the question, “Why did the heart attack occur now?”

Physical activity and sex increased the risk of heart attack by a factor of about three, according to the analysis of the pooled results. Exercise increased the risk of sudden cardiac death by nearly five times. The researchers didn’t find a triggering relationship between sex and sudden cardiac death, that is, a sudden death from a heart problem.

The risk for any one person is extremely low.

“If you were to follow 10,000 people for a year and if they all decided to increase their physical activity by an hour a week, you could expect to see two to three more heart attacks,” Dahabreh said.

That risk is offset for most people by the benefits of exercise. The more frequently people exercise, in general, the less risk they have of exercise or sex triggering a heart attack.

Most of the patients in the studies were in their late 50s and early 60s, but the findings are a cautionary tale for people in any age group who are slowing down.

Exercise might even be considered cross-training for sex, said Mercedes Carnethon, a heart disease researcher at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, who wasn’t involved in the research.

“Engaging in regular physical activity is a requirement for maintaining a long, safe, healthy sex life,” Carnethon said.

“If this isn’t more motivation for people to maintain some degree of physical activity, I’m not sure what is,” Carnethon said. “Get out and walk. Do something.”

Water and Hydration

Proper Hydration Basics
for Sports and Fitness

Proper hydration is essential for anyone who exercises, but especially for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

Since water is one of the most critical components of the body, even minimal dehydration can hinder your sports performance and ability to recover from any type of exercise.

The reason for this is simple: water composes about 75 percent of muscle tissue and about 10 percent of fatty tissue.

But more importantly, water regulates body temperature, aids digestion, protects vital organs, cushions joints, facilitates cellular communication, transports nutrients to the cells, and removes waste, including lactic acid (the primary cause of exercise-related muscle soreness).

Exercise Increases Water Loss

In one hour of exercise, the body can lose a quart or more of water, depending on the air temperature and exercise intensity.

Thus, proper hydration before, during, and after exercise is critical for performance as well as health safety.

In addition to water loss, important electrolytes, electrically charged minerals in the body such as sodium, potassium and chloride, can be flushed out of the body through sweating during exercise.

Sports drinks are designed to replace electrolytes in the body and they do have their place in high-intensity or endurance exercise lasting longer than 60 minutes.

In addition, people who sweat profusely or who exercise in hot weather should consider some type of re-hydration drink that will replenish electrolytes.

However, commercial sports drinks do NOT replace the body’s essential need for water. In addition, I do not recommend sports drinks since they are highly acidic and full of sugar.

A healthier way to replace electrolytes in the body is to simply drink fruit juice (no sugar added) diluted 50/50 with water and add with one-half teaspoon of natural, unrefined sea salt per quart of juice.

For optimal results, the quality of fruit juice and salt you use is important. Thus, I recommend organic fruit juice and Celtic sea salt, Himalayan crystal salt, or Utah sea salt, since these salts not only contain sodium, but as many as 80 trace minerals.

This simple re-hydration drink can easily be prepared at home in minutes. I encourage parents to make it ahead of time and put it in an empty sports drink bottle (such as Gatorade or Powerade). Most children will never know the difference!

See Water vs Sports Drinks for more on this topic.

Proper Hydration Can Prevent These Dehydration Effects

During exercise, if the body does not have enough water to cool itself, it will become dehydrated. In extreme situations, this can lead to heat exhaustion or even a heat stroke.

When even slightly dehydrated, the body will lack energy and muscles may also cramp during or after exercise. Recovery time will also be slower.

According to the American Council on Exercise, dehydration during exercise leads to muscle fatigue and loss of coordination. In fact, even a small amount of water loss may hinder performance.

Exercise physiologists and scientists have proven that just 2 to 3 percent hydration loss equates to about 10 to 15 percent decrease in endurance and muscle strength.

For example, at this level of dehydration for someone who normally runs the marathon in about 2 hours and 30 minutes, a 3 percent hydration loss could mean running 15 minutes slower!!

A 4 to 5 percent hydration loss equates to about 30 percent decrease in one’s capacity for physical exertion. For serious athletes, this is highly significant!!

Tips for Proper Hydration

In order to prevent dehydration, anyone who exercises (especially athletes) should drink water before, during, and after the workout.

The following tips can help ensure your body has the hydration it requires for optimum exercise performance and recovery.These are general guidelines and may need to be increased for high-intensity or endurance activities or races.

If you are a serious athlete, you may want to weigh yourself before and after workouts to keep track of your fluid losses. Doing so will help you develop an individual hydration schedule.

Before Exercise

• Drink at 16 ounces of water about two to three hours before exercising.
• Drink 8 ounces of water about 30 minutes before exercising.

During Exercise

• Drink 8 ounces of water every 15 to 30 minutes during exercise
• If exercising longer than 60 minutes, drink about 12 ounces of a sports drink that contains a mixture of carbohydrates every 20 to 30 minutes.

After Exercise

• Drink 8 to 16 ounces of water 30 minutes after exercise.
• If you weighed yourself before exercise, weigh yourself again and drink 16 to 24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost.

Throughout the Day

• Drink at least one-half to three-fourths of your body weight in ounces of clean water throughout the entire day.
• Drink an additional 8 ounces of water for every cup of soda, coffee, tea, or alcohol consumed. These beverages are acidic and contribute to additional water loss in the body.

Important notes:

• The body can only utilize about 12-16 ounces of water at one time. Thus, when rehydrating, drink 16 ounces of water every 30 to 60 minutes.
• Drink water BEFORE you get thirsty. When you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Thus, drink water regularly throughout the day.
• In preparation for a sports performance, the time to really focus on proper hydration is the three days prior to the event.

2012 CF Games Open Launches!

 

The 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games Open has officially launched.  Welcome to week one.

More than 55,000 athletes and 1,615 teams have registered for the 2012 Open competition. More 2,875 CrossFit affiliates are represented, which means more than 85 percent of affiliates worldwide have athletes participating in the Open.

In 2011, there were 26,000 athletes who participated in the entire competition. Now, more than double that amount are competing for Fittest on Earth.

To have your name up on the Leaderboard and qualify for Regionals, you must register, complete the workout, and submit your score no later than 5 p.m., PT on Sunday, February 26.

If you miss registering before Sunday, it is not your last chance to compete. After Sunday, you can still register and submit your score to the CrossFit Games site. However, those scores will not affect the Leaderboard and you may not qualify for competition beyond the Open,

A new year, a new season, the slates are wiped clean, and anything can happen.

Double What?? Grrrr….

Learning to love the double-under?  

For all but the luckiest, the double-under began as a frustrating struggle.  Unless you were on your double-dutch team in elementary school (you know who you are out there), they have been an evolving journey.  Some days they’re great, some days they’re a terror.  They require coordination and are a skill that requires due diligence in practice.  If you simply ignore them or cherry pick WOD’s without them, they’ll never just magically improve.  So use today as a great opportunity to come in an work on them.  If you’ve never gotten them, then maybe you’ll get one today.  If you have them down perfectly, then aim for linking a new PR in a row.  Either way, go at them with the right attitude from the start and hopefully that’ll reward you.  Here’s some tips to remember.

1.  Land lightly on the balls of your feet and let your heels gently kiss the ground each jump.  
2.  Jump only high enough to clear the rope each time.
3.  Keep your bodyweight balanced on the balls of your feet, your torso upright and tall, hips open.  
4.  Elbows in tight to your body, only turn the rope with your wrists.
5.  Eyes straight ahead to help maintain your balance. 
6.  Relax and don’t forget to breathe!

Courtesy of CF Verve

Food for thought…

I came across a few great blog posts from some of our very own Overdrivers! I couldn’t have stated it better myself! Well done and keep up the great work! I love our community!

1. The CF Games OPEN and not being “good enough”

The CrossFit Games Open will be starting next week. I thought a lot of people from my box would be interested in trying it out but as it turns out, I was wrong. I asked quite a few people if they signed up already and the majority of responses I received were “Oh, no. I’m not good enough to compete.”

I understand that not everyone is interested in competing. But just because a person signs up for the Open doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to compete at Regionals, the Open, or wherever. I see the Open as just another series of WODs. WODs that people all over the world will be doing at the same time. How cool is that?

Everyone has different goals when it comes to CrossFit. Whether it’s to burn calories, test your athletic ability, or get stronger – whatever the reason – the majority of us do it because it’s a challenge. No matter what level of fitness you’re at, there is always a challenge. Whether it’s jumping a 24” box, doing a pull up, or snatching 200lbs over your head – there will always be a challenge.

No one knows what the WODs will be. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and there will probably be some WODs that you will suck at and there will probably be some WODs that you will kick butt at…but how will you know if you don’t even try? Even if you aren’t interested in competing, use the Open as a learning experience. Learn about your strengths that you may not even know you had. Learn about your weaknesses. Learn about yourself.

Too many people compare themselves to the elite CrossFitters of the WORLD. No, not everyone has a sub 2:00 Fran time. And just because you don’t doesn’t mean you aren’t “good enough”. No, not everyone can dead lift 400lbs. And just because you can’t doesn’t mean you aren’t “good enough”. No, not everyone can do 50 unbroken butterfly pull ups. And just because you can’t doesn’t mean you aren’t “good enough”. Get the idea?

If you can benchmark the majority of the WODs, join the Open. Challenge yourself – like you do every time you step into the box on a daily basis. What have you got to lose?

Who knows, maybe you are “good enough”.

2. What Type of Athlete or Student are you?

Cheaters….

There will be people who cheat, cut corners, shorten reps, or go through the motions in the gym.  People may cheat a lot, a little…missing a lot of reps or just one…it is all the same.  The CrossFit community in general have brought up this topic multiple times over the years.  One point that everyone makes is, ‘who really cares, because that person is just cheating themselves and their results’.  But maybe this blog will help those individuals realise what type of athlete they are and what kind of athlete they want to become.

What type of athlete are you? Are you okay with it?

There are two types of athletes, Type 1 and Type 2…

Type 1 Athletes:  Fully commit to whatever WOD is for them for that day, whether it is technique, strength, met con or even the warm-up
Type 2 Athletes:  Complain about a movement or 2 in a WOD, try to modify the technique or increase/decrease their WOD & quickly identify movements that ‘suck’.

Type 1 Athletes:  Work up to the buzzer, even if it means they will only get 20 meters of the next 200 meter run because there’s only 10 sec left.
Type 2 Athletes:  Finish the round they are currently on and lay down with little time remaining on the clock.

Type 1 Athletes:  Ask their coach to closely judge them, give them pointers, and makes necessary adjustments when given a ‘no-rep’ call for not getting full depth on a squat.
Type 2 Athletes:  Roll their eyes at a coach for correctly judging them, scoring them, or giving pointers on how to get full reps, They try to ignore the coach, hide from the view of a coach and continue to ‘sneak’ through bad reps.

The list goes on and on…it takes a lot of INTEGRITY to be a Type 1 Athlete, the reward is deeply fulfilling, gratifying, humbling, & satisfying.  It’s not enough to be a character in CrossFit, you need to have character.  Integrity, honor and respect these things matter here.

“We’re forging elite fitness but we’re filtering for character.” – Coach Greg Glassman

WORDS OF MOTIVATION

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude” – Thomas Jefferson

8 Health Dangers of a High Sodium Diet

Maintaining a low sodium diet is an important aspect of healthy living. As a standard, your dietary intake of sodium should not exceed 2,000 milligrams per day. Any excess amount can inhibit the absorption of other nutrients and disruption normal functions of your body. The following are eight dangerous health consequences of eating too many salty foods.

1. High Blood Pressure

High dietary intake of sodium is the No. 1 cause of hypertension. Sodium regulates your body’s water balance. Higher blood level of sodium promotes the transport of water molecules into your vessels, increasing your blood volume and blood pressure. Studies have shown that reducing your sodium intake through diet can lower your blood pressure by as much as 25%, significantly decreasing your risk for cardiovascular disease.

2. Ventricular Hypertrophy and Heart Failure

Abnormal heart development is the other reason why high salt intake can be detrimental to your heart. Excessively high blood volume can overwork your heart, making it become enlarged and weak. Studies have shown that high salt intake is a direct cause of left ventricular hypertrophy, which is a strong risk factor for heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases, independent of your blood pressure.

3. Osteoporosis and Poor Bone Development

Sodium inhibits your body’s absorption and utilization of calcium. Studies have shown that a high salt diet causes the loss of bone density, increasing your chances for syndromes like brittle bones and osteoporosis.

4. Kidney Stones and Renal Failure

Excess calcium and sodium that are not used by your body will concentrate in your urine, increasing the filtration load of your kidneys. Evidence shows that people who regularly eat salty foods are more likely to develop kidney stones and generally have poorer kidney function. Elevated blood pressure and blood volume can further exacerbate the damage to your kidneys, significantly increasing your potential for kidney diseases and renal failure.

5. Dehydration and Edema

Excessive salt intake can cause fluid to leak out of your cells and blood vessels and become trapped in your tissues. You can feel intense thirst, drink lots of water, but remain dehydrated. You can also exhibit severe swelling in your feet, ankle and legs as well as other parts of your body. Reduce your salt intake can effectively prevent dehydration and edema.

6. Breathing Difficulties

Too much sodium can cause fluid buildup in your lungs, leading to shortness of breath and labored breathing. Respiratory failure and death may occur in severe cases.

7. Duodenal and Gastric Ulcers and Cancers

Sodium regulates the acid-base balance of blood and body fluids. You can develop heart burns and esophageal acid reflux syndromes through eating salty foods. Studies have shown that long-term high salt intake can increase you risks for duodenal and gastric ulcers and cancers.

8. Electrolyte and Hormonal Imbalance

Excessive salt intake impacts both your electrolyte balance and your hormones. It can severely hinder the conduction of nerve impulses and induce symptoms like dizziness, muscle cramps and shakiness. You can also have impaired sensory response and feel disoriented and nauseous. Studies have shown that a high salt diet can often lead to higher stress levels and overeating, making you much more susceptible to depression, anxiety and obesity.

Bone Re-Modeling

A very informative post from CF Verve:

Bone Remodeling

Did you know that your skeleton is brand new every ten years? It’s true, bone is living tissue and is continually going through a remodeling process.  Just like when our home becomes old and we remodel the kitchen, when our bones become old the body replaces it with new bone.  This process is called remodeling.  In this process there are two big players; osteoblasts and osteoclasts.  Osteoclasts remove bone or are more commonly thought of as the vehicle that steals calcium from the bones, to use where it is needed in the body.  Osteoblasts deposit new bone or take absorbed calcium and deposit it to form new bone.  A bone remains dense when osteoclasts are removing bone from the inside and osteoblasts are depositing bone on the outside at a balanced rate.

One big factor in keeping this system in balance is stress. Remodeling and the formation of additional bone can modify the strength of bone in direct response to the amount of stress that is applied to it.  Stress to the bone increases osteoblast activity in the bone tissue. A removal of stress decreases osteoblast activity. Stress is defined as load bearing.  Does it feel heavy, if yes then you might be able to call it stress.  This is why swimming is not in the top running for sports for your grandma should pick up.

Calcium and Bone Health

In the US calcium intakes are one of the highest in the world.  However, the US also has one of the highest rates of bone de-mineralization (osteoporosis or muted osteoblast activity, increased osteoclast activity). Bone mineral content is dependent on not just on calcium intake (where we focus our attention), but on a net calcium balance (intake – excretion).

Excretion is initiated by MANY factors, however they are mostly diet and exercise related.  Calcium needs to maintain a base level in the blood.  If you go below the base level you die.  No joke! This is probably why the human body was designed with one big calcium storage (the skeleton) to keep these levels in balance.  You see calcium is not only used to make bone, but it initiates muscle contraction (this includes the heart), blood clotting and the release of neurotransmitters.  It’s pretty darn important, imagine ANY of those functions being blocked.  No calcium in the blood, muscles stop contracting, heart stops, you die, nuf said.

Dietary calcium excretion from bone is dependent on acid/base balance. All foods upon digestion ultimately must report to the kidney as either acid or base. When the diet yields a net acid load, the acid must be buffered by the alkaline stores of base in the body. Calcium salts in the bones represent the largest store of alkaline base in the body and are depleted and eliminated in the urine when the diet produces a net acid load. The highest acid-producing foods are hard cheeses, cereal grains, salted foods, soda (diet included), meats, and legumes, where as the only alkaline, base-producing foods are fruits and vegetables. Because the average American diet is overloaded with grains, cheeses, salted processed foods, soda and fatty meats at the expense of fruits and vegetables, it produces a net acid load and promotes bone de-mineralization. By replacing hard cheeses, cereal grains, and processed foods with plenty of green vegetables and fruits, the body comes back into acid/base balance which brings us also back into calcium balance. Diets containing high acidity contribute to the development of osteoporosis and renal stones, loss of muscle mass, and age-related renal insufficiency due to the body’s use of calcium to buffer pH.

What promots calcium intake and bone density? Eat your veggies and lift weights.