Bone Health Consultations
Rebecca Clark (Bex) - Bone Health Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach
A personalised, one-on-one service designed to protect your skeleton at every stage of life - because strong bones are the foundation of everything you do.
Who should make an appointment
This service is for anyone who wants to take a proactive approach to their bone health. You don't need a diagnosis or a referral — you just need to be curious about your bones.
Women –
Strengthing bone years
Women -
Perimenopause & beyond
Men -
Over 50 or high risk
Building bone density early in life is the best way to prevent osteoporosis later. Bex can guide you on nutrition and personalized exercises to optimize bone density, so that you reach a high peak bone mass by your early 30s.
If you are approaching or through menopause, now is the most important time to understand and protect your bone density. Early action makes a significant difference.
If you are a man over 50, or have risk factors such as low testosterone, a history of fractures, or long-term steroid use, a bone health assessment is well worth having.
Family history of osteoporosis
Genetics play a role in bone density. If a parent or sibling has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, your own risk may be higher than average.
Nutrition or lifestyle concerns
If you are concerned about your diet, have been on long-term medications, or simply want guidance on keeping your bones strong as you age, Bex can help.
Why it matters
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Your bones are living tissue and they need attention
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Most of us don't think about our bones until something goes wrong. But bone density quietly builds and declines throughout our lives, and the choices we make today have a profound effect on our strength and independence in later years.
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Bones are active, living tissue. New bone is constantly being made, while old bone cells are cleared away. This process occurs throughout the lifespan; you replace your entire skeleton every 8-10 years.
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Poor bone health can lead to osteoporosis – weak bones caused by significant bone loss. Osteoporosis affects around 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 in New Zealand.
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Weak bones are vulnerable bones. Osteoporosis dramatically increases the risk of fragility fractures – breaks that occur from minor falls or even ordinary daily activities that healthy bones would easily withstand.
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Osteoporosis is called the 'silent disease' - often there are no symptoms until a fracture occurs. Other signs of osteoporosis may include loss of height or back pain from a collapsed vertebra.
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Are you at higher risk of osteoporosis?
Early menopause
Do you smoke?
Do you have limited physical activty?
Do you have a family history of osteoporosis?
Do you have a high alcohol intake?
Do you have low body weight?
Do you have a low calcium intake?
What Can You Do About It?
First, understand your risk of osteoporosis. Bex can help you work out your individualized risk, and craft a personalized strategy to not only prevent bone loss, but to increase bone mass and reduce the likelihood of a fragility fracture.
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Women & Menopause
Hormones and bone loss - understanding the connection
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Oestrogen is vital for maintaining bone density. Women can lose up to 20% of their bone mass in the 5-10 years after menopause.
Oestrogen protects bone by slowing the natural breakdown of bone tissue. During the reproductive years, bone mass builds, reaching a peak around age 30. Then, during perimenopause and menopause, oestrogen diminishes and bone loss accelerates significantly.
Many women lose up to 20% of their bone mass in the 5-7 years after menopause.
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The lifetime risk of a fragility fractures for post-menopausal women is 40-50%, compared with 12-22% for men of a similar age. One in every 3 women aged over 50 will experience a fragility fracture.
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Menopause doesn't mean fragility fractures are inevitable, but it does mean perimenopause is an important time to assess your risk and take action.
Bone Health for Men
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Men lose bone too and it's often overlooked
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Bone health has long been considered a women's issue, but this leaves many men unaware of real risks they carry. Men typically have greater bone mass than women, but they lose bone density steadily from their mid-30s, and the decline accelerates with age.
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After 50, falling testosterone levels reduce the body's ability to maintain bone density — mirroring, in a slower way, what happens to women during menopause. By age 75, men lose bone at the same rate as women.
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Hip fractures are particularly serious for men, they are associated with higher mortality rates in men than in women, yet men are far less likely to be screened or treated.
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Low testosterone levels
Smoking and high alcolhol intake
Long-term steroid or other medication use
Family history of osteoporosis
History of fragility fractures
Low physical activity or sedentary lifestyle
Low calcium or vitamin D intake
Common risk factors for men
What to expect from your session with Bex
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Your bone health consultation is a dedicated 30 minutes appointment tailored entirely to you. Bex takes a whole-person approach, looking not just at your current physical health, but at the lifestyle and dietary factors that influence your bones.
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Understanding your history — Bex will review your personal and family health history, any previous fractures or DEXA scan results, medications you are taking, and lifestyle factors that may be affecting your bone density.
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Risk assessment — Using validated clinical tools, Bex will assess your individual fracture risk and identify the key factors — nutritional, hormonal, or lifestyle — that are most relevant to you.
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Nutritional review — A detailed look at your diet to identify whether you're getting enough calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other bone-supporting nutrients — and practical guidance on how to optimise your intake.
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Movement & exercise guidance — Weight-bearing and resistance exercise are among the most powerful tools for maintaining bone density. Bex will help you find an approach that suits your fitness level and lifestyle. ​​
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Your personalised plan — You will leave with a clear, written plan covering nutrition, supplementation where appropriate, exercise, and any referrals or investigations recommended — such as a DEXA bone density scan.
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Ongoing support — Follow-up appointments allow Bex to review your progress, answer new questions, and adjust your plan as your health changes over time.