When you start a new health plan, food choices are very important. While very important, food alone isn’t the total health benefit! However, we have to exercise, not only aerobically but strength training is critical. When you understand the benefits you just might become more active.
Writing in PLoS One, senior author Stephanie Schoeppe and collegues say regular physical activity reduces the risk of all causes of mortality by 30%, reduces the risk of developing major chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease by 35%, type 2 diabetes by 42%, and colon cancer by 30%. Regular physical activity also “increases life expectancy and improves general physical health and well-being.”
Many people don’t know how much physical activity is recommended for health benefits. I have written other articles on this. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical actiivty per week. Which basically amounts to 30 minutes every day! If you have limitations, please work with a skilled physical therapist. Please see my other articles on my site: www.hormoneshealthandfitness.com
Researchers found that the participants in the above studies were significantly more active when they correctly identified more diseases associated with physical inactivity. Health promotion initiatives should aim to raise awareness of the types of diseases associated with inactivity. Which in turn allows aging to become less then functional.
One of many meta-analysis studies found that long-term exercise lowers falls, injury risk among the elderly. Muscle can be regained at any age. Moderate intensity exercise for one year or longer was associated with a “modest but significant” decrease in the risk for falls and falls leading to injury among elderly people. This is well known in many studies.
On the basis of a study, conducted by Philipe de Souto Barreto, PhD, from the Institute of Aging, Toulouse University Hospital, France, and colleagues, which was published online December 28, 2018, in JAMA Internal Medicine, “the best exercise regimen for protecting older people against falls and adverse events would be moderate-intensity, multicomponent training comprising balance exercises, performed 2 to 3 times per week”. A session duration of 30 to 60 minutes (average of 50 minutes, according to studies on injurious falls analysis) should be safe and effective,” the researchers explained.
The mean age of the study participants was 73.1 years, 66.3% were women. The mean intervention length for the study, was 17 months, the median was 12 months. Sixteen trials were restricted to patients who had received a specific clinical diagnosis, such as cardiovascular disease or dementia.
Age-related muscle loss increases the risk for falls, fractures, loss of independence, and ultimately, loss of life. This decline in muscle mass, which begins as early as the fourth decade, is called sarcopenia. It leads to increased nursing home placement and hospitalization rates.
Every muscle of the body needs to be used frequently, because muscles grow and maintain strength or gain more strength only in response to being challenged. Climbing six flights of stairs rapidly can cause leg pain, especially if you haven’t done it in a long time. That pain could be evidence of minor injury to your muscles. In the presence of sufficient amounts of proteins, muscle injury leads to the activation of “muscle satellite cells”, and eventually, to muscle growth. Muscles can be slightly injured and rebuilt by doing simple everyday tasks that are challenging. Of course, minor injury can turn into major injury if the burden in weight-bearing exercsie is too high or if you keep re-injuring already inflamed muscle or cartilage. Muscle training must be balanced to avoid both acute injuries and the slow, chronic damage that comes with ingnoring pain and continuing to put stress on an injured joint.
Between the ages of 29 and 39, women tryically gain about 7 pounds of body weight and men put on an additional 15 pounds, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Research suggest that many people gain weight as they advance in chronological aging from young adulthood into middle age. Men and women tend to put on little or no weight after age 40 and lose weight in their 70s. But this is subjective to people’s metabolism and other factors. Many times it is related to lifestyle.
“Muscles use more calories than fat, less muscle mass and more fat slow your metabolism, which means you need fewer calories”, says Kimberly Gomer, a registered diatitian and director of nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa in Miami, Florida. “As we age, unless we work at it, we lose muscle mass,” Gomer says, “Fat needs very few calories to exist.”
As for women, biological challenges to losing weight in their middle years tend to be because of changing hormones and loss of estrogen, women typically gain 15 pounds around the time of menopause, says Dr. Kathryn Boling, a primary care physician with Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland. She’s also board-certified in obesity medicine. “Women going through menopause tend to gain weight around their tummy”, Boling says. “Men going through middle age face a different issue: the loss of testosterone, which can cause the diminution of muscle mass”, Boling says.
Doing strength training helps you maintain muscle mass, which becomes increasingly important as you move through life. Building muscle helps to burn more calories as well. Maintaining muscle has so many benefits. Other articles on my site contain more information on this. Check them out. As well as articles on senior athletes. Very encouraging.
You don’t need to spend hours doing weight training. Studies show that two days per week for 15 to 20 minutes per session can provide enough muscle stimulation to improve strength and balance in adult men and women. You don’t have to lift heavy loads that increase the risk of injury or overuse either. Go slow in the beginning, build up to higher weights over long term. As long as you exercsie the major muscle groups several times per week and increase weight over time, you will see results. In fact, most people can feel and see the benefits with only six to ten exercise sessions.
There are many issues for weight gain and factors that make it difficult to regain our youthful physique. Adrenal gland fatigue can also be a factor as well as thyroid problems.
FLEXIBILITY
We need to maintain flexibility as well as strong and aerobically active. Gentle practices like yoga, tai chi and Pilates improve your flexibility and your balance too.
You have heard to stretch before and after exercise, but research is mixed on whether you really need both. Before a workout might not be as good as afterwards. Do stretching after your muscles are warmed up to help you avoid injuries. If you tend to have tight muscles do stretch before. Or before you pick up speed during aerobic activities. Being flexible helps you stay mobile and avoid injury.
As you start a stretch, focus mentally on the muscles you are targeting. Extend just to the point of discomfort, you shouldn’t feel pain. Don’t over stretch by forcing your movement too far.
STAY MOTIVATED AND MOVING!
