Muscle, Biological Gold, Part 1

Quote: “In movement, there is life” – Aristotle

“Genius starts with the abs Max” – The Grinch

 

Muscle is your bodies bank account. It is the currency of life. It is biological gold.

 

Why Do People Need Nursing Homes?

As a hospitalist I frequently have to place people in nursing homes

. I estimate that the reason why >90% cannot live at home anymore…….NOT ENOUGH STRENGTH. Think: needs help standing, needs help walking, unable to go up steps, unable to lift a dinner plate, etc. Additionally, I have noticed that as soon as muscle goes, cognition follows. Want to maintain your independence as you age? Start by maintaining your physic (aka – muscle)

 

Most people are concerned about having enough money for retirement. But, what people should be concerned about is having enough muscle. No-one can give this to you. It must be earned over years and decades.

 

You cant just talk about it, you have to do it. – Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

Strength peaks in our late 20s and early 30s. After this it declines by about 1-2% per year in most people. This decline is accelerated in the last 1 or 2 decades of life as we literally wither away.

 

Functions of Skeletal Muscle

-              Movement

-              Posture, Stability, and Joint Health

-              Metabolic Health 

-              Neurological and Brain Health 

-              Store of Nutrients and Protein

-              Heat Production

-              Circulation (particularly venous)

-              Protection and Padding

-              Communication (facial expressions, posture, gesturing, etc.)

-              Attraction and Reproduction

 

Did you know: 

The best way to prevent dementia is physical exercise.

See https://www.longetrics.org/blog for the complete blog post