How to Prevent Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. It is primarily caused by the biological changes that take place in the body as we age. These changes can begin taking place in the body as early as age 30. In addition to the natural aging process many lifestyle changes impact the age-related loss of muscle. As people age, they tend to eat fewer nutrient dense foods, and tend to move and exercise less. The good news is, there are several things we can do to help prevent sarcopenia.
- Understand that your body will naturally change as you age.
- As we age biological changes take place in the body, the impact of these changes can often be more easily navigated based on lifestyle changes.
- Dial in your nutrition.
- Do your best to eat a healthy and balanced diet fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, plenty of water and protein.
- Prioritize protein.
- Studies have shown that consuming protein has one of the biggest impacts on sustaining and maintaining muscle mass and function. Try to eat protein with each meal.
- Prioritize strength training.
- Strength training exercises such as body weight squats, pushups and weightlifting can help to maintain current muscle mass while also building stronger more functional muscles.
- Get an annual physical.
- Checking in regularly with your doctor and asking about sarcopenia (especially as we get older) can help us to recognize signs of muscle wasting and give us the best chance of gaining and maintaining strength as we age.
The great news here is there are many things we can do to help keep our bodies healthy and strong as we age. Start with one thing at a time and work toward making life-long changes to your health and well-being. If you need added support be sure to see your doctor, and maybe even hire a trainer or coach.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8746908/ https://www.aspenhospital.org/healthy-journey/protecting-your-muscles-how-to-prevent-sarcopenia/ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23167-sarcopenia
