More Than Beach Muscles

How many of us still lift weights in the gym? I personally gave up this activity years ago when I became more focused on a good cardiac workout. My focus has been to stay in shape and lose/avoid excess fat deposition. Also, I always feared that once I stopped lifting weights all the muscle I had developed would inevitably turn to fat so my thinking (stupid as it sounds) became not to build up excessive muscle. This rationale was completely wrong for me and for all of you based on a concept called sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging. It is associated with the frailty syndrome common in the elderly, however, this process unfortunately starts early. Beginning at around age 25, skeletal mass begins to diminish at 0.5-1% per year (or 10%/10 years). Based on these numbers by the time the average adult is age 70 their body is composed of comparatively more fat than muscle. This reversal in body composition predisposes people to falls secondary to poor balance and coordination. Additionally, skeletal muscle serves as a metabolic reservoir of proteins and metabolites so people with sarcopenia often have poorer outcomes from trauma and surgery.

With the loss of skeletal muscle there is a higher risk of osteoarthritis since the bones and joints carry more of the body weight. Osteoporosis (thinning of bones) is a condition that physicians have become more adept at screening and treating. Since bones and muscles work hand and hand the concept of sarcopenia is being realized as a crucial component to preventive health.

The goal, as always, is to prevent disease or at least prepare the body in the best way possible to do battle. Are those men and women at muscle beach in Venice or in the weight rooms at the gyms around the country "healthier" or fighting the aging process? In terms of preventing osteoarthritis (from wear and tear on joints/bones) and improving balance these people are likely doing their bodies a great service.

Much like many of you, I am sure, I was bored with running on a treadmill and lifting weights in the traditional manner. If you have been reading this blog since its creation you have learned about my new found love for spinning (a great cardiac workout). Now, I have been on a search for the anaerobic equivalent to spinning to build my overall muscle tone. Hopefully, with this information regarding skeletal muscle loss, sarcopenia, we will all be determined to prevent this condition's complications. Here are some tips that I have, and will, be using for anti-aging (as cliche as it sounds).

Resistance training appears crucial to prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, probably in large part to building skeletal muscle. Balance exercises (standing from a seated position, walking on tip toes, etc.), floor exercises for building lower-body and abdominal strength (sit ups), and free weights are all beneficial to longevity. Personally, I have been doing half my cardiac work out then some strength training followed by completion of the cardiac exercise. This has kept the gym more "entertaining" since it includes much more variety.

Nutrition is another key component to maintaining a good balance of skeletal muscle to fat (it basically is always about diet and exercise). As we get older, our protein requirements will increase due to a reduction in the absorption. It is important to continue to maintain a well rounded diet high in fruits, vegetables and good sources of protein. Whey protein and the supplement glutamine are excellent sources of nutrition that are relatively easy to incorporate into everyday nutrition. I continue to have a protein shake (whey protein base) with a scoop of L-Glutamine every morning (I add a banana or other fruit for extra flavor).

Since it is baseball season I figured I should include some final comments on hormones, specifically steroids. As we age, our testosterone and growth hormones decline. With below baseline testosterone/growth hormone (matched against the same age group) it is difficult to build and maintain skeletal muscle. Blood tests are available, most routinely testosterone, which can be supplemented if deficiency exists. Testosterone may also play a role in cardiac health among other things (including the obvious).

Two links for you to check out:
1. www.cdc.gov/features/musclestrengthening (guide to various exercises, also can google resistance training and likely get some good exercise routines).

2. http://www.masssuit.com/ (some good friends of mine have developed and are selling this body suit specifically for resistance training). They have shown some incredible results.

My wish is that this knowledge is power. Now, time for us all to pump some iron. Your comments/questions on the entries is always encouraged. Please continue to share with your friends and families.

To Carbs, I Love You!

Americans are blessed (or maybe cursed) with an exorbitant amount of food choices on a daily basis. These options are multiplying on a daily basis. The sensory overload of perusing the aisles of a Whole foods, Trader Joes, or any major supermarket is likely commonplace for most Americans. Even the task of trying to make a decision about a drink in a take out deli can be a 5 minute process since there are at least 5different tea options and even multiple different brands of bottled water (some prefer their water from the island of Fiji others from the glaciers). For this entry, I will focus on the ever growing land of carbohydrates.

We all have a love hate relationship with carbohydrates. The nutritionists (including scientists, dietitians, physicians, etc.) are in large part to blame since we haven't been able to make up our mind. The recent theory is that it doesn't have to be all or nothing when it comes to carbs, sorry Atkins (although we now have the modified Atkins). Our bodies favorite source of energy is sugar in the form of glucose, therefore, we should not deprive our physical beings but rather ensure it has the right fuel to run.

Carbs got a bad name when they became refined/processed. Refined carbohydrates, much like most processed foods (as we have discussed) provide minimal nutritious value. In an effort to right the wrong of completely abandoning carbohydrate love the food industry (with the help of the scientific community) has made whole grain/wheat options that can help us balance our diet while still enjoying great taste.

However, not all whole grain/wheat options are created equal. The majority of us have stared at the multiple shelves of breads in the supermarket only to pick the one that has the most visually appealing wrapping (that's why there is money in advertising). While good looks can be persuasive they will likely not help your health (at least in terms of bread).

What does whole grain mean exactly? Well, "whole" essentially means not refined/processed. Whole grains contain all the original components (bran, germ and endosperm) and thus all the B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, iron and fiber that they were meant to deliver. The act of processing these grains results in the loss of the bran and germ components which contain the majority of the nutrients. So it seems clear that in terms of overall nutrition that we should choose whole grain over white floured (refined) carbohydrates but which whole grain is the best since there are so many options?

Choose the whole grain option (pasta, bread, cereal) with the most fiber. Fiber is something that we all know is supposed to be healthy but for many the reasons are not clear. Basically, fiber is a carbohydrate that cannot be digested. There are two forms, insoluble and soluble (meaning it can be dissolved in water). The more fiber a whole grain has the slower it will be digested. A slower rate of digestion is beneficial since it controls our bodies blood sugar spikes (along with insulin) that can be detrimental for weight and moods. As we have discussed previously, we generally want to avoid rapid changes in blood sugar (that is why we should eat something every 3-4 hours). Soluble fiber also binds to fatty substances in the intestines and carries them out as waste which results in lowering our bad cholesterol (LDL). Insoluble fiber helps move food through the intestines, thus maintaining regularity and preventing constipation.

For those of us that want to strive for maximum health (and at least have regular bowel movements) the current guidelines for fiber intake are 20-30 grams/day for women and 30-40 grams/day for men (varies by age). Some sources of soluble fiber include oatmeal, nuts and seeds, blueberries, strawberries and pears. Sources of insoluble fiber include whole wheat bread, brown rice, barley and tomatoes.

In my initial stages of this new lifestyle I attempted to avoid carbs. I have learned that they can't be avoided, nor should they be, if eaten correctly. Some refined carbs every once and awhile is also recommended, no reason to make ourselves crazy. If you haven't tried brown rice, a whole wheat bagel or whole wheat pasta give it a shot since you may be pleasantly surprised.

Please continue to pass the blog onto friends and family. Always love the comments and when I see new people have signed up to follow the blog and receive email updates. Thanks for reading!