There’s a myth that says with aging comes muscle loss. Some version would even have it that as soon as you reach a certain age, your muscle begins to shrink until your body is no more than a bag of bones and saggy skin. Some seniors will blame it to diminishing energy levels which prevents them to do a decent physical workout anymore while others prefer to hide behind their illnesses and health conditions, whichever is worse. However, a recent study shows that while muscle loss in seniors is quite alarming, many are not bothered at all!
Do note that protecting your body from muscle loss is very important especially if you are nearing your golden age. Muscle loss can lead to health complications and it can also cause unwanted injuries which can otherwise be prevented. The muscles inside your body not only give you strength and balance but also enable good mobility as well. Good mobility is an important factor to good quality of life, by the way, which will allow you to continue doing the things you enjoy the most!
When battling muscle loss, aim for physical activities which require resistance. Resistance training increases muscle size. With regular training, you maintain a healthy muscle size that is just right for your lifestyle. If you are currently recovering from a surgery or perhaps nursing an injury which prevents you to do some resistance training, inquire about therapies that are specifically designed to keep your body active until you are strong enough to exercise on your own. The idea is, as much as possible, keep your body moving so you won’t lose momentum.
Aside from exercising, boost your fight with supplements. Fish oil has been found to halt or delay muscle loss in seniors. Protein has also been proven to combat sarcopenia—or muscle loss in medical term. Contrary to popular notion, a senior who maintains a diet that has moderate amount of protein in it can still turn protein into muscle which ultimately helps in fighting muscle loss. Of course, taken into consideration is your lifestyle and level of activity. You might want to check your body of metabolic acidosis as well since this condition attacks your muscles. For your information, metabolic acidosis is when your body retains too much acid while excreting less than it should. This happens when you overload on animal protein and consume less fruits and vegetables so make sure you are keeping everything checked and balanced. You can still get protein from other sources, by the way.
