long distance youth

A hunched-over posture won’t cause any medical problems, but it will certainly make you look old before your time. Most posture problems result form bad habits or weak back muscles. Start by fixing the habit: To walk tall, keep your rear tucked in, pull in your chin, tighten your stomach muscles and keep your knees unlocked. Then, if your back muscles are weak or frequently feel stiff, join a health club and ask your health instructor for specific exercises to correct the problem.
For the long term, you also need to guard your bones against loss of calcium. Men lose this mineral more slowly than women do, but we do lose it, especially in the spine, says Richard Sprott, Ph.D., who heads the NIA’s Biology-of-Aging Program. Too little calcium can eventually make you slouch and can also lead to greater risk of crippling injury. To get enough, experts recommend eating calcium-rich foods such as skim milk, lowfat cheese, low-fat yogurt, broccoli, nuts and dried fruits. Also important is regular exercise, particularly weight training, which makes bones denser and stronger.