How to Keep Your Spine Healthy as You Age
By Sara Butler
Aging is a gradual process, and different people age in different ways and at different rates. Often, the grace with which you age is impacted by a variety of things such as your lifestyle, diet, health and attitude. When it comes to your spine, there’s more to contend with. Your spine has offered you support your whole life, but have you done all you can to make sure it’s taken care of too? It’s never too late to start caring for your spine. Here are some suggestions to help.
Nature or Nurture?
You can’t change genetics no matter how much you wish you could! And while heredity definitely plays a large part in the aging process, there are things you can do to minimize the impact of time when it comes to your spinal health. You should:
- Get enough calcium – Calcium is essential for keeping your bones strong. After about the age of 30 you stop building bone, so you have to work with what you have and keep it strong. Calcium is a sure way to do just that. Men should get 1000 milligrams per day and women 1200 milligrams. Get it through your diet by eating a variety of fish, green leafy vegetables, nuts, and dairy.
- Exercise right – You’re not competing for a fitness title or anything here, but lifting weights and doing other weight bearing exercise is a great way to strengthen your bones and your muscles. This can help slow down the aging process for your spine.
- Rest – You need to make sure you’re getting enough restorative sleep at night to allow your spine and spinal discs to regenerate and refresh after each day. Invest in a good mattress that is supportive and make sure you utilize pillows to keep your spine neutral all night long.
- Practice good posture – No matter your age, good posture is always a must. Making sure to stand, lift, bend, and sit correctly will do wonders for the health of your spine as you age.
- See your chiropractor – Your chiropractor is your partner in health, and they want to see you age as gracefully and healthily as possible. See them regularly for adjustments to keep your spine healthy and to keep degenerative problems from getting worse.
If you have questions about things you can do to keep your spine healthy as you age, discuss it with your chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.
