30% of Australians have a mild Vitamin D deficiency Many Australians do not get enough of the "Sunlight Vitamin" Vitamin D, especially during winter. Sun exposure is the main source of Vitamin D but how much do we need? In Winter, we need longer exposure, if you live in Perth, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne or Hobart you will need around 2-3 hours a week. In Brisbane and Darwin you need as little as a few minutes on most days. During Summer all cities need only a few

So what type of exercise and how much exercise should we be doing to prevent osteoporosis? Weight-bearing, resistance training and muscle strengthening are the most effective forms of exercise for bones. Pilates is an excellent form of weight-bearing and muscle strengthening exercise. Many exercises in the Pilates repertoire teach clients how to use their own body weight in a variety of different positions including standing, kneeling, side-lying, inverted, prone and supine.

2.2 million Australians are affected by osteoporosis and 20,000 hip fractures occur every year in Australia Calcium is a key ingredient to bone health, without it our bones are at risk of fractures especially after the age of 50. Milk, cheese, yoghurts are all great sources of calcium as well as green leafy vegetables, nuts & seeds, salmon, sardines and tofu. How much of these foods should we eat each day? Children 1-3 years 500mg/day Children 4-8 years 700mg/day C