Why did my mother become shorter?

One day, I suddenly found that my mother, who used to have a tall and straight figure, had turned into the old lady next door in my childhood, hunched over, kind and loving.

As we age, the endocrine system of the human body is constantly changing. A mother will experience more obvious changes after giving birth and breastfeeding. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine says: "At the age of 49, the Ren channel is weak, the Taichong channel is weak, and the Tiangui is exhausted." This means that after a woman reaches the age of 49, her Qi is weak and her reproductive essence has declined. In today's terms, this means that the secretion level of estrogen and progesterone has decreased.

The intervertebral disc and articular cartilage also lose water, their viscoelasticity decreases, and their degeneration accelerates, which in turn causes the motor function of the spinal joints to decrease, and the thickness of the intervertebral disc and articular cartilage to decrease. The human spine has 23 intervertebral discs, each with a thickness of 2-10 mm. An average decrease of 1 mm per disc, combined with the loss of articular cartilage thickness, will make the elderly 2-3 cm shorter than when they were young.

Osteoporosis caused by calcium metabolism disorder will also follow, which is called "bone atrophy" in traditional Chinese medicine, that is, bone shrinkage. The height of the human body will naturally decrease with the shrinkage of bones. Not to mention severe osteoporosis and brittle fractures of the spine, a person's height will suddenly become much shorter. The decline in the secretion level of estrogen and progesterone in middle-aged and elderly women will also lead to the absorption of skeletal muscle fibers, a decrease in muscle mass, and a loss of muscle strength. It is for these reasons that the old mother's back is no longer straight, and she has quietly turned into a kind little old lady.

In view of the above reasons for becoming shorter, the measures taken include supplementing glucosamine, calcium, vitamin D3, eating high-protein foods, and supplementing protein powder when necessary. You can also use traditional Chinese medicine health care therapies, such as moxibustion, massage, diet therapy, etc., which are very effective. At the same time, it is recommended that the elderly eat more fruits, green leafy vegetables, beans, lean meat and fish eggs, drink more milk, and arrange their diet reasonably to meet their comprehensive nutritional needs.

Of course, as children, we can accompany and encourage the elderly at home to participate in more outdoor activities, get close to nature to receive the sun and wind bath, and maintain a happy mood, which can keep the elderly in a good state. (Li Wuqiang, Director and Deputy Director of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Sanmenxia Wuqiang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital)