I just received an email from Kirsten who states
"It is a degenerative condition resulting from lack of proper bone structure & mass. While it is a dibilitating that can affect anyone (especially women), I've seen it really affect a lot of tall people. My 6'4" father was told a cancerous tumour was disintegrating a vertebrae in the middle of his back earlier this year. Doctors have determined the vertebrae was earlier damaged due to osteoporosis. Because he is so tall, the pressure from the weight of his upper body further pulverized the bone. Though the cancer has been treated successfully, now he can still barely sit for an hour or two without pain because of the bone, and the bone will likely never heal to normal again. If for no other reason than this... remember to eat a balanced diet including foods high in calcium like milk, or take a calcium supplement if you're lactose intolerant.
Always maintain good posture also, for good posture can result in naturally (*slightly) trimmer tummies, lees back pain, and keep you from developing the characteristic hunch in older women, but especially those who are tall."
Thanks for that input, Kirsten!
Advice from a biologist
As for osteoporosis: if you need calcium and are lactose intolerant, besides industrial supplements (there are many people who have a side-effects when using them) the best ones are fermented milk products: sour milk, cheese (especially fresh), yoghurt, kefir and such because they contain calcium and phosphorus in physiological ratio. Also, I recomend use of vitamin D or their precursors (especially in food rich in them: fish, fish oil, yeast...) because organism needs vitamin D to absorb calcium and phosphorus properly. Though, as for milk products, there is some caution needed: some people are allegic on casein, a major protein component of milk and its products, so they should avoid them.
Also, for a females who menstruate profusely, eat food with iron: spinach, liver etc along vith lots of vitamin C (fruits, vegetables), because without vitamin C you cannot get enough of iron, and will become anemic, as well as can get a scurvy.
Tall women have big organisms, so they need more food than avarage women. Be proactive, and find out what is optimal for you.
And be careful. Bones of tall people break more likely than of small ones, because they are much longer, but not much thicker. Also, if you trip and fall, or someone causes you to fall, your injuries can get more serious, especially for upper body parts, because of fall from greater hight and therefore harder impact when you hit the ground. So, be carefull for injuries of head, arms, ribs and upper spine, especially neck.
So, Your Highnesses, stay well and good
Sincerely yours, Tomo
Joerg adds:
I have done a bit of googling and came up with the website of the National Osteoporosis Foundation (USA). There is also the National Institutes of Health Website re. Osteoporosis, the Osteoporosis Society of Canada and, for my European visitors, the National Osteoporosis Society Website from the UK. For even more info check the Google Directory entries for Osteorporosis.