Why Nutrition and Exercise Maintains Muscle Strength
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Why Nutrition and Exercise Maintains Muscle Strength
Our body’s compositions change as we go through aging. As we reach our senior years, it becomes more important than ever to have good nutrition and work out to maintain muscle strength. Like the saying ‘use it or lose it’ or ‘well-oiled machine runs better’, the more effort we put in maintaining muscle strength has more benefits than none.1
It helps with Your Independence
Our musculoskeletal system makes up about half of our body weight in an average person. That is why our independence in our seniors can be greatly diminished if any part of that system is hindered. Sarcopenia (age related muscle loss) not only gives you short term inconveniences like dropping things often due to loss of grip strength to long term major effects like mortal frailty. Sarcopenia is not something that happens when you are legally considered a senior. It happens as early as your 40s at a rate of losing 3% to 5% muscle mass every decade after. That rate can be higher if we do not do our best to keep our musculoskeletal system healthy.2
Helps you get less ill
Like how important a healthy musculoskeletal system is to your general well being, we tend to not think of the fact how healthy muscles help with our immunity. Being ill for long periods of time not only has long term physical damages, it damages you mentally as you cannot enjoy life as much. A senior who has stronger muscle strength will have a better amino production to help their immune system respond better to illnesses. Since chronic inflammation is common in the elderly (dysregulation of the immune system), building muscle strength can help release the required molecules to reduce its adverse effects. This in turn reduces the risk of developing other chronic illnesses.3
It helps with your heart’s health
Do you wonder why working on cardio always comes up when it concerns living a higher quality life? It is because your heart is also one of the most important organs to keep healthy for muscle health as well. While you eat cleaner food and exercise, it reduces visceral fat and cholesterol in the body, which are both things that affect heart health and blood with fatty deposits. Coming back to the saying ‘use it or lose it’, exercising the heart, healthily, enhances blood flow, and general distribution of nutrients inside the muscle. The ultimate payoff is that if you feel less winded and have better stamina due to a healthier body and heart, you will enjoy life more.2, 3
Always consult a medical professional before making a major nutrition plan and exercise regime change so that you can maximise effectiveness and reduce injuries. If you want an extra nutritional boost to cover for nutrients missed from food, supplements are also an option. Many of Ensure’s nutritional supplements have been formulated to include Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D & K and HMB (Hydroxymethylbutyrate, a metabolite of leucine for muscle building), to help aid in maintaining muscle strength for healthy aging.4
Your body will thank you for being in top shape but make sure to seek a medical professional’s advice prior to trying out a new exercise program or a nutritional plan. For a boost of nutrition and assurance that you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs, supplements like Ensure can cover all your Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D & K requirements. Ensure also contains HMB (Hydroxymethylbutyrate, a metabolite of leucine for muscle building), to help your body maintain its muscle strength.4
References:
- https://abbottnutrition.com.my/adult-nutrition/flex-your-strength
- https://www.eatingwell.com/article/275991/how-to-eat-and-exercise-to-prevent-age-related-muscle-loss-from-sarcopenia/
- https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/how-muscle-helps-to-build-a-healthy-immune-system-20200706-p559ec.html
- https://www.ph.abbott/products/nutrition/list-of-products/ensure-gold.html
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