To Shrink Or Not To Shrink It’s Your Choice

Our bodies change in so many different ways as we age, but I can’t think of one good way that it does. Let’s face it getting old is a bitch, but there is nothing that we can do about it so we just have to adjust.

Some of the things that change as we age are vision, hearing, memory, hair, and losing height; yes, unfortunately, we do tend to shrink as we age. But like everything else, everyone is different; some will start shrinking earlier than others, some start to lose their height in their 30’s.

Men can gradually lose an inch between the ages of 30 to 70, and women can lose about two inches. After the age of 80, it’s possible for both men and women to lose another inch. But why do we start shrinking as we age anyway?

Our height is determined by the length of the leg bones, the spine, and the skull. While the leg bones and the skull remain pretty much unchanged in length after we reach adulthood, our spinal bones (the vertebrae) tend to shrink. Most of us have 24 vertebrae. They’re stacked on top of one another and are tethered tightly to each other by fibers and muscles, so they keep us straight.

There are several reasons why a person may lose some height as they age:

• A condition like osteoporosis can cause loss of bone density, leading to a compression fracture which is essentially a collapse of the vertebrae
• Flattening of the feet. As we age our arches flatten out and this can take inches off our height
• Dehydration of the discs that lie between each vertebra. Dehydration can cause the discs to compress.
• A stooped posture caused by loss of muscle in the core or abdomen

Unfortunately, women over the age of 50 are at the greatest risk for developing osteoporosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic. During perimenopause and menopause, plummeting estrogen levels can cause loss of bone mass. After menopause, bone breakdown outpaces the building of new bone in women.

But there is good news; it is possible to slow down the shrinking process by doing something as simple as eating right and exercising, which is a cure-all for many things that ail ya.

Calcium and vitamin D are key to building strong and healthy bones – but vitamin C and vitamin K also play an important role in bone health.  Strength exercises are a must, whether lifting weights, playing tennis, running or jogging, they all contribute to bone health.

Stretching the spine helps. I use a big exercise ball every morning that I lay on and roll back and forth to help stretch the spine. I also use the exercise ball for push-ups and crunches.

Bad habits that contribute to shrinking include slouching, a lack of physical activity, smoking, drinking alcohol or caffeine excessively, extreme dieting, taking steroids, and poor nutrition.

Let’s face it, there is nothing we can do about getting older, but there are things that we can do to slow down the process. Healthy habits, eating right, and exercise will help slow down and sometimes prevent the effects of old age.

As of this writing, I am 69 years old and stand 6’2” how long will I be there? I don’t know, but I intend to stay 6’2” as long as I can.