Bones for Life program teaches an unexpected way
to care for our bodies

Lesley University, MA. -- June 3, 2005 - There’s a commonly held misconception out there. It has to do with your bones and the fact that they are more important than most people realize. Lesley University’s Institute for Body, Mind and Spirituality is trying to change that notion with their Bones for Life (BFL) Certificate program, a semester-long series that promotes bone strength through dynamic movement and weight-bearing posture.

When most people think of strengthening their bodies, they immediately concentrate on their muscles. Little to no thought is actually given to the bones. The Bones for Life program, on the other hand, espouses the ideology that through proper bone strengthening processes you can actually improve your body in a way you might not expect. Bones for Life is based on the teachings of the Feldenkreis Method, a technique developed by Moshe Feldenkreis that advocates awareness through movement and trains you to deprogram and counter harmful habitual patterns, such as poor posture and improper weight-bearing movements.

Ruthy Alon, center, takes the class through some movements

Senior Feldenkreis trainer, Ruthy Alon, originated the Bones for Life program and now teaches and lectures all over the world. "Posture is very important," she says, "Bones for Life is about teaching our bodies and our bones to work properly. Movement becomes pleasurable and inspires self-confidence and biological optimism."

That "optimism" may just be the key to tackling some of the more common bone problems. Recently, Ruthy presented her findings on the effect of the BFL program on osteoporosis to the Aerospace Medical Association. Participants in a four-month study who practiced BFL with Ruthy showed a marked improvement in bone density. She has also presented her findings to NASA, outlining the ways in which the BFL program can help astronauts combat the loss of bone density that they experience from the gravity-free atmosphere of outer space.

Students in the BFL Certificate program got the chance to learn from her first-hand when Ruthy came to Lesley’s campus last month to present the only didactic Bones for Life seminar on the east coast. John Stevens, a student in the program, views the BFL method as an important tool in his efforts to bring bone strengthening awareness to the public. He has been teaching Feldenkreis for the past four years, and as a retiree, recognizes the value of bringing such knowledge to his peers.

"People from my generation are getting older," he says, noting that mature adults have an even greater need of new ways to keep themselves healthy and vibrant. "Poor posture saps your energy. This program teaches you how to feel better," he adds.

While most of the students in the seminar are training to teach BFL, Sherry Seaver had another reason for taking the course. Recently diagnosed with osteoporosis, she wanted an accelerated program that would teach her how she could actually work to fight the degeneration of her bones. "Bones aren’t static," she says, "They tear down and rebuild constantly." Inspired by guest faculty member Deborah Lotus, who significantly reversed her own osteoporosis in just eighteen months using the BFL method, Sherry decided to enroll.

Even in the short span of time she’s been practicing BFL, she’s already noticed a difference in her body, citing the ability to move easier and with less pain. She plans to take what she’s learned and help others by teaching the BFL method to the elderly, a population that could greatly benefit from learning proper movement and bone strengthening exercises.

Fellow student Nancy Haller also has an interest in discovering ways to combat osteoporosis and related bone problems. She is pursuing a Master of Independent Study with a focus on posture and its effects on osteoporosis. A Feldenkreis practitioner in Seattle, WA, Nancy plans to open a center for alternative medicine and health practices, using what she learns from the BFL program to help her patients understand how they can help themselves.

"About eighty-five percent of my patients come to me with pain caused by poor posture," she says. Over the past eight years, she has worked with a number of people of various ages and even trains equestrians in proper movement. The mother of two daughters, one at MIT and the other on the waiting list for this fall, Nancy hopes she is serving as an inspiration to her children. "I want to be an example for my girls," she says, "I want to show them the importance of learning from the inside out, and that you’re never too old to learn something new."

The Bones for Life Certificate program is offered through the Institute for Body, Mind and Spirituality (IBMS) at Lesley University in cooperation with the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge, MA. Graduates of the BFL program who are also enrolled in Lesley’s Interdisciplinary Studies or Independent Study Master’s programs can earn nine (9) credits towards their degree. For more information on Bones for Life and other IBMS programs, visit the IBMS website by clicking here.