As we get older, we realize the importance of muscles. People who live long and healthy (healthy lifespan) eat protein foods such as eggs in the morning and climb the slopes in the neighborhood to maintain muscle strength. Muscle strength is the support that allows the body to move and be active. Muscle strength is muscle strength. Learn about lifestyle habits to maintain strength at home.
◆ Climb the slope every day and squat… Strength training even after 90 and 100 years old
104-year-old Professor Emeritus Kim Hyeong-seok (Yonsei University, Department of Philosophy) says in every media interview that he climbs a mountain in the neighborhood after breakfast. He builds leg strength as he climbs the slope. 90-year-old Dr. Lee Si-hyung (psychiatrist, director of Serotonin Culture Center) does 10 squats every day. It is an exercise that is difficult even for young people to do because of knee joint concerns. Another, 91 years old, said that she alternates standing on one foot while brushing her teeth. He, of course, holds the wall with one hand and secures it. It’s for a few minutes, but he said it helps with leg strength. There are people who are doing strength training even after they are 90 or 100 years old. Muscle strength is greatly reduced if you don’t care.
◆ Simultaneous decrease in muscle-bone mass… What Happens to Lower Body Strength?
After the age of 40, muscle naturally declines. If you don’t pay attention to protein food and exercise, there are cases where you lose 1% of your muscles every year. Especially in menopausal women, estrogen (female hormone) that protects blood vessels and bones disappears, and bone loss progresses rapidly. The lower body, which is the support of the body, is emergency. Decreased muscle and bone mass in the legs increases the risk of fractures. If the lower body is weak, the risk of metabolic syndrome, which occurs one after another, such as abdominal obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, increases. The first step in preventing vascular disease is to train from the lower body.
◆ Relatively safe tip-toe exercise… “Do it while watching TV”
Heavy rain continues. Try toe-toe exercises at home while watching TV. Maintaining muscle strength in middle age begins with small changes. Try a tiptoe exercise in which you lift your heel and stand on tiptoe repeatedly. You can develop calf strength relatively safely. The frequency and intensity can be changed according to the individual’s physical condition. You can do half of the toe workout while sitting on the couch. If you sit for a few hours after dinner every day, you will gain weight and gradually lose muscle.
◆ Balancing while standing on one foot… The Basics of Preventing Dangerous Falls
If you are middle-aged or older, try standing on one foot alternately when you have time. Of course, be sure to hold onto the wall or support with one hand and secure it. Let’s do tiptoe exercise in this state. You will feel a lot of intensity. After the lower body is strengthened, closing your eyes and standing on one leg will help you maintain a sense of balance. Safety is also important here. It is good for health even if you go back and forth between the living room and room after eating at home without having to do difficult exercises. It lowers blood sugar and helps strengthen leg muscles.
◆ Eat animal-vegetable protein evenly… “Eat meat too”
Among the major nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins), middle-aged and elderly people have a survey result that the proportion of carbohydrates is too high. Protein intake is important to protect the muscles that decrease every year. Although individual differences are large, the recommended daily amount of protein is about 1g per 1kg of body weight. A person who weighs 60 kg should eat an average of 60 g of protein per day. Animal protein, such as meat, has a higher content of essential amino acids and a higher digestion and absorption rate. Eggs, beef-pork, chicken, fish such as mackerel, and dairy products. Vegetable protein is a great help when served with various legumes, tofu, nuts, etc.
