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Ft Myers Beach - Good Neighbor
FMBGN-HW-REnew Yu - Osteoporosis Prevention
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Most people do not think about osteoporosis until a simple fall turns into a fracture that “shouldn’t happen.” We want to change that timeline. Bone density peaks around age 30, and from there the choices you make with movement, nutrition, sleep, and hormones can quietly shape your strength and independence for decades.
We sit down with Dr. Greet Baestaens from Renew Yu, Natural Health and Beauty in Fort Myers Beach to make bone health practical and understandable. We break down osteoporosis vs osteopenia, what a DEXA scan T-score actually tells you, and why an additional test like TBS can add important context about bone quality. If you have ever left a doctor’s visit with numbers you did not understand, this conversation gives you better questions to ask and clearer next steps.
Then we get actionable about osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Dr. Greet tackles a common fear head-on: the idea that a diagnosis means you should stop exercising. She explains why the right weight-bearing exercise, heavy strength training with low reps, and carefully scaled impact work can support bone density. We also talk about why walking, yoga, Pilates, and pickleball are great for activity and balance, but often need to be paired with targeted training to truly build bone.
We round it out with bone-building nutrition and lifestyle: calcium-rich foods, protein, vitamin D with K2, magnesium, and the habits that can undermine progress like soda, inactivity, smoking, and excess alcohol. We also connect the dots between menopause, hormone changes, fall prevention, and what “strong aging” looks like when you want to stay mobile and confident. Subscribe for more local health and wellness conversations, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your best bone health question.
REnew-YU Natural Health-Beauty
Dr. Greet Baestaens
801 Tamiami Trl E, Naples, FL 34112
(239) 682-1306
RENEWYU3801@GMAIL.COM
renew-yu.com
#REnewYU
#NaturalHealth
#MindBodySoul
@REnewYUNaples
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Welcome And Why Bones Matter
Intro/CloseWelcome to the Fort Myers Beach Good Neighbor Podcast Health and Wellness Series, brought to you by Renew You, Natural Health and Beauty, where we make wellness feel possible and turn everyday choices into stronger living. Each episode brings you uplifting conversations, local resources, and practical tips to help you look better, feel stronger, be emotionally balanced, and more connected to the community around you. So take a breath and settle in because feeling better starts right where you are.
"Cabo" JimWelcome, good neighbors. Today we're talking about something that affects your strength, your independence, and your quality of life. It's bone health. I'm here with Dr. Greet from uh Renew You, and we're breaking down osteoporosis, uh prevention, treatment, and how to stay strong as we age, because we're all getting older, right? Dr. Greet, thank you again for joining us and sharing your insights. Let's start with the basics today. So when people hear about osteoporosis, they often think it's just an older person's issue. What is it really, and who should be paying attention?
Dr. Greet BaestaensWell,
Osteoporosis Basics After Age 30
Dr. Greet BaestaensI think you know, uh osteoporosis is uh, you know, a peak of our bone density is around 30. So as of after 30, you know, with women, the bone density can go down. So I think that you know, at that time we should start paying attention instead of waiting until uh all of a sudden we don't know what's happening, uh, we fall and we have a fracture that shouldn't happen. So I would say anybody 30 and up should start paying attention to it.
"Cabo" JimAnd then sometimes people don't feel anything until they actually fracture something, right?
Dr. Greet BaestaensExactly, yes. And then, you know, that's when they find out that there is issues that they have osteoporosis or osteopenia or you know, low bone density.
"Cabo" JimSo you mentioned that you mentioned uh osteopenia. What's the difference between that and osteoporosis?
Dr. Greet BaestaensWell,
DEXA T-Scores And TBS Quality
Dr. Greet Baestaenswe have a normal level of bone density, and you know, with the T-score that they give when you do your testing with the DEXA, um, you know, it's minus one, that would be normal density. When you the T-score falls below minus one to minus 2.5, that's the next level, and we call it osteopenia. And then when the T-score with the with the DEXA scan goes below minus 2.5, that's when we have osteoporosis. So there is, you know, step from normal to osteopenia to osteoporosis.
"Cabo" JimAnd then what should listeners be asking their doctor after they have that scan?
Dr. Greet BaestaensWell, they should see, you know, the doctor should say uh after a DEXA scan, uh, what the T-score is, and then you know what the what the plan of care would be if they're have osteopenia or osteoporosis. Uh, sometimes, you know, with a DEXA scan, they can do an additional scan. It's called a TBS scan. So with a DEXA, you really measure the density of your bone. And you know, as you get osteoporosis or osteopenia, the density is less. So you can compare it with, like I always say it, with good art cheese, and it has holes in it. So the more holes, the less density. But then the other test, the TBS test, is really to see what the quality of your bone is. So it might be that you have some osteopenia, osteopenia, but that the quality of your bone is not that bad. So that can be a secondary test, actually.
"Cabo" JimVery interesting. So, what are the biggest misconceptions people have about bone health?
Dr. Greet BaestaensWell,
Stop Fearing Movement Start Training
Dr. Greet BaestaensI think you know, once they hear a diagnosis of osteopenia or especially osteoporosis, now they get scared to move. And they're like, I don't want to do anything, I don't want to do this exercise or that exercise. My doctor said not to exercise sometimes, what is really bad if the physician would say that. Uh, we need to exercise when we have osteopenia or osteoporosis. We really can return the density of the bone health, and there's different uh pathways we can do that. We want to make sure that uh, again, hormones are uh used in the right way because in our perine menopause our estrogen goes down quite a bit, what then actually is related to bone loss directly. So we want to make sure that uh the treatment plan is included with uh hormone replacement, uh estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and then put uh the patient on uh weight exercise program, but we mean weight, not like the pink little weights that we're using of one pound. It's really heavy weights with less repetition, four to six repetitions with three sets and a lot of rest in between. So it's really overloading your muscles that it's like then pulling on the bone and makes your bone density uh better. And then also uh I would say we need some impact exercises that means like jumping, you know, two, three times a week. I would say, you know, for a minute if we can, in the beginning, maybe a half a minute, whatever we can do, but we need certain impact to those bones to uh create that uh chemical release to get our bone uh bones better again. There is medication out of there, but since I'm more you know uh natural health and holistic, I would try anything. Uh again, nutrition is important, what we eat, um exercising and hormone uh regulation. That would be my approach as plan of care.
"Cabo" JimAnd then we're a little special down here in Southwest Florida. I mean, people are active, they're outside all the time, whether they're walking, golfing, gardening, playing pickleball seems to be popular lately. So the question becomes how to stay actively safely. Are there certain exercises or activities that are better for bones?
Dr. Greet BaestaensWell, yeah, like uh, you know, all these activities in in Florida are great. You know, it's it's activity, they're moving uh these uh clients or people, but we need to add the weight-bearing exercises, we need to add that to their program because just being doing playing pickleball and walking is not gonna do anything for your bone density. You know, even Pilates is very good, yoga is very good, but we need specifically add those weight-bearing exercises with heavy weights, and we need to add the jumping to it to really prevent you from falling. Um you know, some balance exercises if uh we get older, but you know, I would not take anything away, pickleball and all that stuff, but you have to add the other program.
"Cabo" JimYep,
Calcium Vitamin D Protein And More
"Cabo" Jimand and with and with the activity, what what roles do things like calcium, vitamin D, and protein and minerals play in keeping bones strong?
Dr. Greet BaestaensYes, that's very important. You know, vitamin D. We are in the sun, but still maybe not enough. Uh, vitamin D with K2. Uh, eat eat uh you know, salmon, eat uh you know, calcium, Greek yogurt is very good. So magnesium plays a very important role in the minerals of your bone. Uh so yes, we need maybe a few supplements, it's all part of that package. And then, you know, in a year from if you start with the program, do a test again a year from there, and you can see that you can reverse your bone density.
unknownAbsolutely.
Dr. Greet BaestaensI think what we see in general, if somebody comes from a physician and they say you have osteoporosis, they are afraid to move. And now, you know, afraid to move and afraid to do anything, any exercise. And I think still a lot of uh, you know, personal trainers that are not familiar with the program, you know, when they say, Oh, I have osteoporosis, they they approach it in a careful way. But if you do the right exercises, you work with uh with the right people, it's so reversible that you know you should not be afraid to exercise.
"Cabo" JimAnd and there's a lot of lifestyle factors that that quietly weaken bones as well, too, things like smoking, alcohol, you know, inactivity, you know.
Dr. Greet BaestaensInactivity. Yes, and also, you know, if you drink a lot of coffee or soda or you know, and to be honest with you, uh, bone density has is 40-50 percent uh your genetics, but you can not let it happen if you do if you have the right lifestyle and the right exercises, you can prevent a lot of prevention, and hormones are very important.
"Cabo" JimSo is there is like a small lifestyle change people can make that'll make a meaningful difference?
Dr. Greet BaestaensWell, I would say immediately start a weight program, weightlifting. That is, I would say, immediately, you know, that's the you know, and and be active, you you can do that, and nutrition. So there is like like I said, you can eat calcium, uh high uh protein diet. Uh, you know, it's it's the same thing. Anything if you want to get healthy, you have to change your lifestyle, you have to exercise. You you can be outside the sun again, you know, that's our uh vitamin D. So lifestyle in general, being active and eating healthy, no processed food, stay away from it, and that will do it.
"Cabo" JimThere you go, it's all about being healthy. So, once someone is diagnosed with osteoporosis, what does a smart treatment plan usually include?
Dr. Greet BaestaensWell, nutrition.
Hormones Fall Prevention Strong Aging
Dr. Greet BaestaensThen we do uh blood work and check hormones, so we will see what we have to adjust. Uh, and I think women are really mistreated with the testing that was done on the hormones uh in 2002, I think it was, and everybody was afraid of hormones. Uh, they took recently the black box away, and uh that was really uh research that was done with a totally different hormones than today. Now it's bio-identical. At that time it was synthetic, so really women were mistreated and and not giving the right hormones to prevent uh bone density. So, but to really, if somebody is diagnosed, I would say change your lifestyle, do your workout weight training, your jumping, uh, your nutrition, and and that's what I would do. And then follow up in a year.
"Cabo" JimAnd and then from a renew you perspective, how do you look at bone health as part of a whole the whole body instead of just a bone density number?
Dr. Greet BaestaensWell, it's part of being healthy and prevent it. You know, we work with a lot of prevention. We are not uh giving a pill when you're sick and okay, take this pill, and then in addition, now you get side effects and take that pill. Uh, it's part of our wellness program. When you come in here, we will talk about you know bone density, we talk about your lifestyle. So it is integrated in your general wellness plan. So, with all the experience that I have over the 43 years, I was specialized in women's health. I was uh professor and teaching women's health classes in Andrews University about women's health. We talked a lot about uh hormones and hormone replacement at that time, also. Uh, so it's all about prevention. It's part of our total package, uh, your consultation, and we will guide you in the right direction. Uh, we have we work with personal trainers that know what they're doing. Uh, we cannot do everything ourselves here, but we will guide you, you know, hire somebody that is helping you, how to do the exercises right, uh, and don't be afraid to do them. So, so you know, it's a consultation and we guide you in the right direction.
"Cabo" JimAnd and then we talked about it, and you've touched on it a little bit before here, but how important is fall prevention in osteoporosis care?
Dr. Greet BaestaensThat is, you know, depending on on the age, and we can do some testing. There is balance testing and then see, you know, what risk you are for uh falling. So if we do that testing, we can see exactly that your balance is uh off and we need more strengthening. So we will incorporate a lot of balance exercises too. So it's very simple, you know, it's just you have to do it and you have to be consistent with the exercise program.
"Cabo" JimSo somebody listening wants to start protecting their bones this week. What are the first couple of things they should do?
Dr. Greet BaestaensI would say stop uh drinking any soda if you do. Uh, I would say start a healthy uh nutrition, like you eat salmon, chicken, protein, uh, eat uh Greek yogurt and so on. So a healthy diet, and then I would start immediately with a workout program. So being active, yeah. Being active, yeah. But but you know, being active is not enough. We you have to specifically overload uh you know your muscles that you really can reverse your bone density, and it's consistency, it's the right program, and you will be fine and balance exercises. So it's a fault prevention. We can put you on a fall prevention program. And you know, in in my past, I treated a lot of I would say frail elderly uh patients with a fall prevention program. So, and again, a lot of uh therapists would be careful, they look frail. You can you can put some weight, weight fest might help, uh, you know, working on posture because what we see with elderly, fragile people, they're they're you know, their back is rounded, they have kyphosis. So, you know, we you can reverse a lot.
"Cabo" JimYeah, let's last question. I'll I'll leave let's leave the people with something positive here. What what does strong aging mean to you? Not just living longer, but staying mobile, confident, and and really independent, right?
Dr. Greet BaestaensYes, yeah. I think the key thing is staying active in general, active and and eating no processed food, that is really important. Stay away from processed food, stay active, and make sure you have enough sleep that your cells can regenerate when they need to be able to generate at night. So probably lifestyle changes. That's it.
"Cabo" JimThat's it, and that's it. Cures a lot, right? Exactly.
Dr. Greet BaestaensYes, yes. It always comes really back to all the basics, what we have, and it doesn't have to cost a lot. It's like you know, sleep doesn't cost anything, really. Exercising doesn't cost anything. Changing your nutrition doesn't cost anything. It's all really for free if you can commit yourself to do it.
"Cabo" JimYep, but supplements aren't free, and so many people rely on them, right?
Dr. Greet BaestaensRight, right. You know, that's you know, yes, sometimes we have to add supplements, but if you change a lot in your lifestyle, I think you can do already a lot.
"Cabo" JimSo very good, very good. Any last words for our listeners today?
Dr. Greet BaestaensYou know, I I my favorite thing to say is uh it's better to prevent than heal, and don't don't postpone what you can do today. Start today.
"Cabo" JimVery good. Dr. Greed, it's been a pleasure. Thank you for being such a good neighbor and sharing your insight, and we'll see you soon.
Intro/CloseThank you. Thank you for spending this time with the Fort Myers Beach Good Neighbor Podcast, health and wellness series brought to you by Renew You, Natural Health and Beauty. If today's episode helped you, share it with a friend and check the show notes for local resources and next steps you can try this week. Until next time, be gentle with yourself, celebrate the small wins, and remember, better days are built one breath, one choice, and one good neighbor at a time. Also, to nominate your favorite health and wellness expert to be on the show. Go to fmbgoodneighbor.com, that's fmbgoodneighbor.com, or call 239 427 4100. Until next time, remember to cabo until you and keep being a good neighbor.