New Delhi: Although many adults around the world are living longer, they may not always live healthier. As a result, they cannot enjoy their full lives. This picture of less than optimal health is caused by a number of circumstances. Nutrition, or the lack of it, is one of the most important and obvious variables. After all, eating provides energy to every cell in the body and helps maintain muscle strength.
It seems simple enough to optimize your diet to improve your health. Make sure your meals are balanced by using a colorful plate that includes all the necessary dietary groups. But an unexpected fact is that adult malnutrition has recently come to light as a frequently unrecognized health problem that affects many people.
A common misconception is that malnutrition means that a person is not getting enough calories. But malnutrition can be more than a deficiency in nutrient intake: it can also refer to nutrient excesses or vitamin or mineral imbalances.
“Today, many people in India fall into the ‘skinny fat’ category, a term that refers to having a relatively high percentage of body fat and a low amount of muscle mass. of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) or micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) you need to function,” says Prof. Dr. Salil Bendre, Head of Pulmonary Medicine, Nanavati Max SuperSpeciality Hospital.
As we age, muscle mass becomes more crucial to maintaining our overall immune defense as well as bodily strength and mobility. However, studies have indicated that adults can begin to lose up to 8% of their muscle mass per decade starting in their 40s. That rate could double after age 70. This makes it clearer why building muscle is important and why nutrition should come first.
How to prevent muscle loss and protect muscle health
Protecting muscle mass can be achieved with a few simple strategies, primarily by focusing on physical activity and proper nutrition. This is especially important as we age.
Preserve muscles:
Exercise regularly and test the age of your muscles: Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week and include resistance training to help maintain muscle and strength as well. You can test your locomotor ability and find out how good your muscle strength is and learn what to do first to help prevent and delay muscle loss and overall strength. The good news is that grip strength is an easy way to assess your overall muscular strength: simply squeezing an orange or noticing the firmness of your handshake can determine your muscular strength. A chair challenge test is also an easy way to test your muscular strength. The time needed to do 5 sit-ups on a chair approx. height of 43cm [1.4ft] in height can tell you about your muscle age.
Consume enough micronutrients:
Not only reduced protein intake, but also micronutrients such as selenium, carotenoids, vitamin C, E, calcium, vitamin D, etc. have been associated with lower muscle strength. Currently, 1 in 3 adults over the age of 50 do not get enough protein in their diet, which is problematic because protein is a nutrient that builds muscle and helps keep cells healthy, fueled, and functioning at their best, which which is important for keeping energy levels high. To further increase your protein intake, add protein snacks, such as one before bed, or supplement your diet with nutritional supplements, if needed.
Follow an advanced nutrition diet:
Choose a balanced diet full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein, healthy fats, and key vitamins and minerals like calcium and vitamin D. The key is to choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods from all the food groups. Developing healthy eating patterns not only gives you energy, but can also help prevent obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
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