Blythe revealed last month that she is one of the estimated 10 million Americans who has osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to weaken, making them susceptible to fractures.
Her first indication was when she broke her foot a few years ago. She began to seriously do everything she could to strengthen her bones
She was a major contributor to Act2ReduceFractures.com which is sponsored by Bone Health organization. She encourages lifestyle changes like diet and exercise which are important to keep our bones in good health.
The biggest change in Danner’s life since her osteoporosis diagnosis is a regular exercise schedule, and not just any exercise: She’s learned the importance of doing weight-bearing activities like walking, which help to increase bone mass by forcing your musculoskeletal system to work against resistance or gravity and thereby build strength. “You can swim and do all of these other things, but you need to really hit the floor and get impact,” Danner explains. “That’s what really strengthens the bones.” She is fairly diligent about walking for at least 30 minutes every day.
She’s even figured out some creative ways to fit strength training into her life. “If I’m out shopping, I’ll always carry one of the recyclable bags,” Danner says, adding that she never uses plastic (“that’s such a no-no”). “I’ll put half my groceries in that and half in my purse, so I kind of balance it out, and that’s how I get my weight-bearing walking wherever I am.”
Diet is important as well. Vitamin D and calcium are a must including lots of leafy green vegetables such as kale..
“I don’t want to be one of those sad ladies who have to use a walker or cane too early,” she says. “It’s really mandatory that I do this because I want to be an active grandmother. And I want to keep acting — so much so that I’d like to drop dead on stage,” she somewhat teasingly admits. “That would be my dream.”
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