Boost Bone Health with Ayurveda

Maintain Strong Bones for Mountain Living

By Julia Clarke

way for the rest of your life, they actually require a bit more nurturing than you may realize.

“At a cellular level, the human skeleton is in a constant state of flux between new bone formation and old bone resorption,” explains Dr. Zoe Watson, founder of Wellgood Wellbeing based in London, England. Watson reveals that cells called osteoblasts are constantly building bone while osteoclasts tear old tissue down and reabsorb the minerals.

Basically, bones are rebuilding themselves all the time, and when they don’t have the materials they need to do so, it’s like leaving a half-built house out in winter without any protective sheeting; things are going to deteriorate, fast.

Bone density naturally declines as you age, reducing your strength and potentially leaving you exposed to conditions like osteopenia or even osteoporosis, a so-called “silent disease” that occurs without symptoms, that is, until you fall skiing and fracture your hip or suddenly experience severe back pain as a result of a collapsed vertebrae. Though there are genetic factors involved in low bone density, environmental influences also play a role. Research into exactly how your lifestyle and environment might affect bone health have produced conflicting results. Exposure to sunlight is thought to contribute to higher bone density, which should put Colorado residents at a significant advantage, but other studies suggest that high altitude living could lead to a loss of bone mineral content.

What’s for sure is that you want to keep your bones as strong as possible. Modern medicine proposes a diet rich in calcium and vegetables to aid bone health, as well as regular weight-bearing exercise, from working out at the gym to hiking and running where you’re carrying your own body weight. In addition, Ayurveda recommends specific therapies that you can introduce into your routine starting today to maintain that all important stability. +

+ AVOID DEPLETION

Excessive cold, stress, exercise, processed foods and travel can all deplete Asthi Dhatu. Though you probably experience some of these factors some of the time, take care not to overindulge in cold, processed foods, working out or non-stop travel, and practice stress reduction techniques such as meditation. For local meditation guidance, Karen Anderson leads classes at Gravity Haus in Vail Village.

+ ENLIVEN YOUR DIGESTIVE POWER

Digestion is at the root of all health in Ayurveda, including bone health, and certain procedures are recommended to ensure your digestion functions optimally. This includes simple but effective practices, like sipping hot water during the day, eating a little grated fresh ginger mixed with lemon juice, honey and salt before meals, and only eating until you are satisfied, but not stuffed.

In addition, focus on regular, warm meals like soups and stews cooked with spices such as ginger, cumin, coriander, fennel, turmeric and black pepper. Take oil, ghee, nuts and seeds, especially almonds.

+ WARM MILK

Rather than pouring cold milk over your Cheerios in the morning, drink a cup of boiled milk with a pinch of turmeric before bed. You can add a little raw honey to taste if you like.

+ SELF-MASSAGE

One morning or evening a week, massage warm (noncured) sesame oil into your skin for 10 minutes then take a shower.

+ PERSONALIZED EXERCISE

Watson explains that exercise is thought to suppress osteoclast activity and increase osteoblast activity. Though weight-bearing exercise is universally indicated as important for your bones, overdoing it could lead to depletion and injury, which in the end will work against you.

Ayurveda recommends you exercise to about 50% of your capacity, where you just break a sweat and are breathing harder, but still able to hold a conversation. Less robust or ailing bodies should prefer walking and yoga, while sturdier readers can enjoy trail running and weight lifting. Finally, exercise should be performed in the morning sunlight when possible, which modern science is discovering may have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties.

William "Bill" Foster Vail Yeti Hockey

by Laura Mills

Avariety of motives bring us all to the Vail Valley if we aren’t lucky enough to be born here. It’s often making the decision on a whim or only to move for a season. Then, the next thing you know, it’s 10 years later and your whim of a decision has helped mold your life. That experience definitely rings true for Vail Yeti hockey player William “Bill” Foster.

Foster grew up in Pennsylvania with skates laced to his feet starting at the age of 3, played Division III hockey for Numan University, dabbled in semi-pro and then found himself looking for something to build his future when he found the listing for player coach of the Vail Yeti. Foster had his initial phone call securing the job on a Tuesday and was packed up and moving to Colorado on that Thursday; it was a no brainer to relocate.

For the first eight seasons, Foster filled the role of player coach well — day-to-day operations, scheduling bus trips, planning line ups, recruiting players and ordering jerseys. Since Kyle Forte purchased the Yeti last season, Foster has had the ability to step back a bit and immerse himself in the joy being a player, when not working his full-time job as an electrician for Eagle River Water & Sanitation.

“For me it’s the camaraderie of the team and kind of always has been. I genuinely enjoy competing; that’s half the fun, going out there and playing in a game and trying to win. Ultimately if we win or lose that doesn’t really matter to me,” Foster explains.

Making The Vail Valley Home

When talking with Foster about what motivated him to stay here after his initial season, all roads point to the camaraderie of Yeti hockey — and the fact he met his wife here during the 2013 season.

“The team aspect of it is bigger than anything for me. When I moved here, I had no place to live, no job. The first place I went to was practice. By the time I left practice, I had a job lined up and a place to live. That says a lot.”

Foster is humble to his core, especially when talking about his ability among the team. Proud of the growth the team has seen, he not-so-nostalgically looks back on the days Friday night games barely drew 500 attendees and Saturday nights were mainly girlfriends and wives.

“It’s grown a lot since the first year,” says Foster with a smirk. “The fact that now it’s a consistent part of everyone’s Friday and Saturday night and the place is crazy packed all the time, that growth has gone a long way.”

Every player on the Yeti carries a normal job, attending one Tuesday morning practice a week during the season. They all know the reality of hard work in this and love the ability to put on a show for the people that make this town what it is.

“I’d say 90% of the people that go to games are local people. We’ll get some tourist traffic in there in the height of our seasons.” Foster says. “It's an entertain- ment thing for the people that work here, live here and are actually part of the community. It’s a really great community event, and you get to see all the people you know that you might not see all the time.”

When friends back home question why Foster still plays, it usually takes a ski trip visit and one Yeti game for it to click, and they all understand why he made the Valley home.

Recent Years

Since Forte took ownership of Vail Yeti hockey back in fall of 2022, it seems the awareness and hype around the games has continued to grow. Forte not only crushes advertising and sponsorship goals, but he is also really focused on giving back to the community that makes Yeti hockey thrive. The players of the team see the importance of that, too.

“I think Kyle has done a really good job since taking over of inserting a giveback mentality with the team,” Foster explains. “That was one of my qualms with the old owner; we had this team that operated and made a bunch of money, but it didn’t give back to the community that we live in. Kyle has done a really good job of making sure that’s a big part of it. If we can sponsor one charity a weekend or make a difference, that’s awesome. Use the team for what it should be used for — to bolster the community and make it a better place for everybody.”

Not only has Vail Yeti had the ability to give back in recent seasons, but they’ve built an incredibly capable team.

“We’re going to be really good this year,” Foster says confidently. “We’ve got a bunch of younger players that are really talented. We’ve got an even more competitive schedule this year than in the past, and that will make for some very entertaining games.”

If you find yourself with a free Friday or Saturday night this season, make sure to grab a ticket and enjoy the show at Dobson Arena. +