A little over a year ago, Lisa Gardhouse, a retired kindergarten teacher, age 67, wanted to reverse her bone loss using an all-natural approach.  She had been diagnosed with osteoporosis, and did not want to use dangerous bone density drugs. She also had a knee injury and osteoarthritis in her knees, which was limiting her ability to exercise. Having heard about whole body vibration’s ability to stimulate bone growth, she was eager to try it. Watch the video above for her story in her own words.

Which vibration machine to use?

I recommend the Vibrant Health Power 1000 machine for Lisa as it delivers the most effective and safe type of whole body vibration (WBV) for increasing bone density.  Research has shown that to increase bone and muscle strength the frequency (speed) should be 30-35 hz (vibration per second),* and the amplitude (or power) of the vibration movement needs to be strong enough to transmit this vibration throughout your entire body.** Then the vibration will send a powerful signal to all your bones to increase their strength and density. Vibrant Health machines are designed to hit this sweet spot - effective and safe, powerful, but also able to calm your mind and lower inflammation. All of these factors increase your ability to build bone.

At one time, it was thought that high-impact signals were needed to trigger bone growth, as would be created by the impact of a person’s foot against the ground. But it turns out that the quivering of muscle fibers against bone as they contract in the process of running—or from vibration—signals bones to increase in density. WBV can also prompt stem cells in your bone marrow to turn into bone building cells rather than into fat cells, building bone with a bonus gift of reducing weight gain.***

WBV provides this same type of small high-frequency signals to many areas and bones intensively, all at once, and with minimal effort. Simply standing on a vibrating plate will cause all muscle fibers connected to weight-bearing bone to involuntarily contract and release twenty to fifty times per second. Different positions are recommended for impacting the arms, hands, wrists, and shoulders (e.g., a push-up) to activate muscles attached to these bones.

WBV was originally developed in Russia in the 1970's for their Olympic athletes, and cosmonauts who experienced extreme bone loss in zero gravity outer space. But the type of vibration that is safe for elite athletes is not the same as is going to be best for an older person with health issues.

It is also critical to optimize the vibration for the whole body - including the mind. Stress can lead to inflammation, and high levels of inflammation can increase the loss of calcium from bones, weakening bones.  A gentle, smooth, and completely synchronized type of vibration, such as the Power 1000 machine, delivers a calming message to your nervous system that can lower inflammation and stress.

Healing happens when the mind is calm, not when it is in a “fight or flight” fear state. Our bodies have adapted to allow us to respond to danger with surges of adrenalin and cortisol to give us energy and strength in the face of danger. But during that emergency period our bodies are too busy fighting or running to focus on healing bones or other body parts. We need to feel safe for our bodies and minds to focus on healing.

Building bone is also a complicated process, involving many systems in the body, such as hormone levels, digestion, metabolism, absorption of nutrients, and acid levels in your body, to mention just a few. Helping the body and mind to move to a calm, meditative state can help your body heal many of the systems involved with bone growth and health.

At the same time, the Power 1000 machine is still strong enough to travel throughout the body causing muscle fibers everywhere to quiver signally bones to increase their density - standing up straight on this machine, you will feel the vibration from your toes to your nose.

Be sure to check the contraindications before trying this type of vibration, as there are some contraindications for this type of WBV. If you cannot do this type of WBV, don't worry, there are other types of vibration that can be great options for getting started more slowly and gently – see the Low Intensity Vibration section below.

Low Intensity Vibration

Low Intensity Vibration (LIV) is an extremely gentle and safe form of vibration. It can be a good option, especially for getting started for people with more health issues or for fragile and/or elderly people.  While research is showing that LIV can slow the loss of bone, it has not been shown to actually increase bone density. For more info on LIV, click here and check out Becky Chambers' books.

Join our WBV Zoom Classes

Whole Body Vibration can help you reach your goals - but you have to use your machine regularly, and correctly to achieve all the benefits it offers. For support, Lisa joined our weekly WBV zoom classes for affordable personal training. These weekly group zoom classes provide inspiration, discipline, community, and support - just what you need to succeed.

Feeling safe and supported is an important part of moving out of a fight or flight state and into a calm state of mind where your body can focus on healing and inflammation levels are low.

 

Benefits of weekly zoom classes:

• Learn: how to get started, maximize results, bring new life to your WBV program.
• Guidance for using WBV for specific health issues: osteoporosis, losing weight, building strength and flexibility, physical therapy, lowering inflammation... many more subjects and issues!
• Discipline: Coming to the zoom classes will make it easy for you to use your machine. Weekly WBV workouts guarantees you are on your machine every week.
• Community: Working out with other in a fun and supportive environment amplifies the workout effects - good energy is contagious. Plus, you will learn from each other as well as from Becky.
• Ask the expert: You will be able to talk with Becky Chambers in person - ask your questions and get expert help figuring out how to achieve your goals.

 

Lisa’s Story: 

My name is Lisa Gardhouse and I live in Montréal, Canada. Approximately one and half years ago I was officially diagnosed with osteoporosis.

At that point, the first thing I researched was the powerful drug prescription and the supplements that my doctor told me to take without so much as an in person consultation. It didn’t take me long to decide that I absolutely was not taking any of them! This all happened as I was about to retire.

I have a medical background of sorts, and I am very much a believer in taking a holistic approach towards my health if I am able. For me it was only logical to research what I could do to help myself.

During my exhaustive research I came across the more natural supplements that I am now currently taking. In addition, I switched to an anti-inflammatory way of eating which is heavily plant based.

Lastly, I addressed my exercise which was not an easy task as I have a really nasty set of knees, especially my left knee. At that point it was swollen to twice its normal size, and I could not bend it or walk very well. I couldn’t do the recommended bone building exercises at all, and walking was out of the question as it was in the middle of winter and walking on ice was just not going to happen. What could I do instead?

Again, after lots of research, I finally found my vertical vibration machine from BC Vibrant Health, which was quite frankly a gift from God! Becky Chambers is the owner of BC Vibrant Health, and after finding her website and consulting with her, I bought the Power 1000 machine. After this purchase, I never looked back. I am quite literally in love with my machine😊. Eventually, after 10 months, I added Pilates and finally working out at a gym.

Without a doubt my vibration machine and my natural supplements are the two best investments I have made for my bones! Eighteen months after starting this program, the changes that my body has gone through are nothing less than amazing. I feel so blessed.

My most recent bone density scan showed a stunning increase of 18% in the vertebrae in my spinal column. I have gone from osteoporosis to normal in a little over one year. Both of my hips also showed a moderate but still very significant increase of 1.2% and 1.3%. I am now in osteopenia in my hips!

Although I think that both the improved nutrition and the WBV contributed to my increased bone density, I personally think the vibration plate did more for me than the AlgaeCal, because for the first year of my program I really did not take the products carefully and regularly.

In addition, both of my knees now look relatively normal and are pain-free. I attribute this change directly to the use of my vibration machine. Last week I was on my hands and knees, scrubbing my balcony, in no pain whatsoever. Exhausted afterwards, mind you, LOL, but I thought I’d never be able to bend my knees again🤣.

I am thrilled with my progress, and I am convinced that everyone can do this. Once you start on the healing path, it becomes easier and easier to believe that your body can in fact heal itself, that you can in fact, reverse this dreadful disease. It takes commitment, hard work, and believing in yourself!

 As part of my vibration machine package, I got some free vibration zoom classes on Saturday mornings, and I’ve continued on with the group because this is another thing that has helped me greatly. Being a member of this group is simply amazing to me. It is so important to know that we know and feel that are not alone, that I have people in my corner who understand what we are all collectively, going through. People I can vent to, people who support me, knowledgeable people who I can get information from! This is super important, especially in a culture where most doctors simply hand you essentially band aid medicine. They don’t look for a permeant, safe, healthy solution.

Becky Chambers leads this group. It is not just about the bones. She provides a well-rounded collection of knowledge that supports us as a whole: mind, body, and soul. I am so grateful that I found this uplifting group of people from around the world. I find that if I’m feeling down, just thinking about the next class makes me smile.

“We/I can do it!” has become my mantra ❤️🤗❤️

Lisa Gardhouse, age 67

 

*de Oliveira RDJ, et al. Effectiveness of whole-body vibration on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Osteoporos Int. 2023 Jan;34(1):29-52. doi: 10.1007/s00198-022-06556-y. Epub 2022 Oct 25. PMID: 36282343.

**Marín-Cascales E, Alcaraz PE, Ramos-Campo DJ, Martinez-Rodriguez A, Chung LH, Rubio-Arias JÁ. (2018) Whole-body vibration training and bone health in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 97(34):e11918. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000011918.

***Pagnotti, G., et al., Combating Osteoporosis and Obesity with Exercise: Leveraging Cell Mechanosensitivity, Nature Reviews Endocrinology 15 (2019): 339–55.   (see in particular yellow highlighted pages 17-20 for discussion of Low Intensity Vibration for stem cells to turn into bone cells rather than fat cells).