High impact physical activity may increase bone mineral density Low ultrasound attenuation by heel bone is associated with low bone mineral density and is also a predictor of higher risk of hip fracture. After adjusting for age and weight, they found that participation in high impact recreational activities was an important predictor of increased ultrasound attenuation. There was no relation with moderate impact activity. Increased high impact activity can improve bone density but may not be acceptable to older people. Integrated medicine poses challenges for education, regulation, and research Undergraduate education in complementary medicine is needed to familiarise tomorrow's doctors with the therapies used.
Practical issues raised by the model include prioritising funding and respecting individual choice.
On page 158 Mills emphasises the importance of regulation . In Britain complementary medicine practitioners can set themselves up without any regulation so long as they do not claim to be medically qualified. This is not the case in most other European Union countries. This results in varying educational standards and codes of professional conduct. He recommends that each discipline should set up its own regulatory body, with the possibility of combining them in the future.