How To Keep From Shrinking

Honey, I Shrunk Myself: For many of us, the older we get, the shorter we’ll become. Until we’re about 30, our bodies are building bone, but that stops at around age 35. By 40, we may start losing some bone density and some height. Why? The discs in between vertebrae start to flatten, the vertebrae start to thin, and muscle mass starts to decrease. But there are steps you can take now to protect your bones and keep shrinkage at bay. 

The Benefits: Maintaining bone density and preventing osteoporosis can keep us standing tall and protect us from fractures if we fall. This is of particular concern for women. One in two women will develop osteoporosis, as they rapidly lose muscle mass and bone density as estrogen declines during the menopause transition. 

How to Do It: Be sure you’re getting at least 1,200 mg of calcium and 1,000 IU of vitamin D3, plus plenty of protein, every day. Weight-bearing exercise, like walking or running, improves bone density by stressing bones to stimulate bone growth. Strength training builds muscle to support bone density. Avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol use, as they can weaken bones and interfere with vitamin D and calcium absorption.