How Women Over 40 Can Prevent Shrinking!

Do you remember getting taller and taller as you reached adulthood?

Suddenly, even though you stopped growing, you kept getting taller and taller over them. What happened?

Could it be that your female relatives have indeed been shrinking?

On average, women can lose up to 2 to eight inches of their height once they hit menopause. Medical experts used to believe that this loss was unavoidable. However, now the experts say that it isn't.

This shrinking is attributed to osteoporosis, which is a lessening of the density of the bone. Although both men and women have the same issues, it is more of a problem for women. The two best ways to prevent it from affecting you is to take supplemental calcium and have a regular fitness routine.

Staying fit in your 40's and beyond will help you retain the necessary bone mass - and your current height - but it is only one benefit of exercising daily. It is very important to have a regular fitness program has you get older because it can reduce the risk factors in any number of health problems including cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

If you are going to get fit and make it a part of your routine, you must do it in such a way that will bring you pleasure and not be a chore. Set yourself up for success. First think about what you enjoy doing, it can be walking your dog, jogging, going for a bike ride or sweating to the oldies! If you need more discipline, find a buddy to do it with you or get a personal trainer to keep you on task.

Whatever you exercise you choose, you should also incorporate some form of weight training. This will help to keep your bones strong by stimulation of the mineralization and remodelling process. Since every major muscle is attached to the bones by tendons, whenever these muscles contract, the force that is exerted on that bone will help build bone mass.

While activities like yoga and t'ai chi build bone mass, one of the most widely known ways is through weight lifting. Now before you begin to form images in your head of what you believe the average weight lifter looks like, let us just add something. Weight lifting isn't necessarily the domain of just those testosterone-energized men out to outbuild their muscles. And if you decide to lift weights, you needn't worry about developing overstuffed muscles like the woman competitive lifters.

Miriam Nelson, Ph.D. of Tufts University conducted a study of the benefits of this particular form of exercise, the results are astounding!

Dr. Nelson took two groups of post-menopausal women. Neither group were taking hormone replacement therapy nor was either group already enrolled in a fitness program at the start of the study.

The two groups were separated into those who remained sedentary and those who began a simple weight lifting program, for 40 minutes - twice a week. Everything else remained the same. At the end of one year, the results were quite remarkable. Those who were doing the basic weight lifting had lost inches, lost weight and had vastly improved strength tests. In fact, their results matched scores of women who were much younger.

But the most delightful transformation in these women was seen in how they spent their free time. They were freed from the sedentary life they once lived. Some of these postmenopausal women took up canoeing . . . others began to go dancing on a regular basis . . . still others participated in in-line skating.

As we reach 40 years of age and older, fitness becomes more and more important not only to our health but to enriching our lives. The key is to select one or two activities that you really enjoy that will keep you fit and do them regularly. The more active you are - the stronger your bones will stay - and the taller you will stand in your life.

Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com

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