It’s a fact that you lose height as you age, this is one of those things that just happens but before you can choose to accept it or not there are a few things you should know about why bodies react the way they do and what can be done to combat this if and when it becomes a problem. Read on.
Your Spine
Your spinal discs are what keep you upright and your height, these discs are made up of two parts the annulus fibrosus which is a tough circular band that acts as an energy store for the inner gel which absorbs impacts. This gel is called the nucleus pulposus.
As we age our discs become less flexible so they cannot cushion us as well during physical activity. They also degenerate, the tough bands tend to tear and this causes problems if they are in fact herniated.
As we get older our discs begin to dry up which can lead to them rupturing because there is less gel inside of them to act as a shock absorber when you move around. This is due to a lack of moisture, as we age our body does not produce as much elastin and collagen which are the main components that give our skin its elasticity.
So, these can be problems that can result in a loss of height, and when you use the height comparison tool on this URL you’ll notice a change. Because when your spinal discs degenerate they do not create enough space for you to move properly and this causes your spine to compress, the space between your vertebrae is where much of your height comes from.
Try exercises that can lengthen your spines such as yoga or pilates, these are gentle activities that will help to strengthen your core muscles and improve the flexibility of your spine. It is important to keep your back free from injury and pain throughout the process.
Your Genes
Although you can do a lot to look after yourself as you age there is only so much you can do to keep your height which starts to decrease once puberty has finished. If your mother or father lost a lot of height as they got older then this might be something that runs in the family and it is nothing to worry about, after all, if it runs in the family then you’re probably familiar with how it works and you can use this knowledge to help yourself.
The thing is that, when we age our bodies start producing less of the growth hormone which helps us to grow taller when we are young, they also produce more of a chemical called prostaglandin and this causes cartilage to swell which in turn causes a lot of stiffness and pain.
This is a very normal part of the aging process, in fact, if you notice that you’re not quite as sprightly as you once were then this might be nothing more than your body reacting to years of wear and tear. This will cause many changes including loss of height.
It would be wrong to assume that there is nothing you can do to stop this, in fact, you can take many steps that will reduce the effects. You should start with some moderate exercise; it doesn’t have to be anything excessive but something like swimming or even light jogging is often enough.
Your Diet
Your diet and your height are very closely related; if you eat well and look after yourself then you will be healthy and your height will reflect that.
Although there isn’t a certain food that you can eat to make you taller, if your diet is poor or lacking in any way then it will impact the function of your body and slow down the rate at which things, including height, grow.
Rather than focusing on any one food you should look at your diet as a whole and make sure that there are plenty of greens, vegetables, fruits, and high-quality meat included. These foods will give you the energy to keep healthy and they will help you to develop the muscles that support the spine.
The right nutrients are important, something as simple as folic acid can make a big difference to height. You will find this in things like spinach and oranges, it is helpful because it has been proven to prevent spinal deformities which can be a major problem when you grow older.
Your height is something that is predetermined and fixed, you cannot control it and the only way to alter your height is through surgery. However, there are steps you can take to make sure that you stay as healthy as possible and this will help your body to function properly for longer. Without good health then all of these things like loss of height become much more frequent.