Making an effort to gain lean muscles will likely reduce pain, create more flexibility in the every day chores of life but it also creates more muscle mass which results in better metabolism, possibly better gut health too.
Having proper contraction of the muscles and specific movements is the correct way to channel energy to the muscles, resulting in effective muscle gain. Proper rest for your muscles, adequate sleep for the whole body and a healthy diet are great places to begin and, will result in a better workout.
Enhanced muscle recovery after working out by using quality massage tools with heating cycles and zero gravity settings offer deep tissue massages that add to the rejuvenation of the body after movement. Several studies have shown significant improvement in blood circulation, immunity response, muscle recovery, and managing hypertension. The health benefits of massage can be associated with enhanced mobility, muscle recovery, pain management.
There are over six hundred muscles in the body to help move, pump blood, lift objects, and even to breathe. There are voluntary muscles we control the movement of, and there are skeletal muscles that attach to the bones and work in conjunction with the bones to help talk, sing, play musical instruments, walk, or to just prepare food for daily meals.
Each Muscle Has Its Own Job
Muscles connected to bones by tough cords/tendons are called skeletal muscles. When they contract, they pull on the tendon to move the bones that are also connected to other bones by ligaments. Altogether, they hold the complete skeleton together. Otherwise, we’d just be a “bag of bones”.
Involuntary muscles are smooth muscles that work within the digestive system to move food through and push the waste. These muscles move on their own without a conscious thought, like when eyes are focusing to see something.
Specialized types of involuntary muscles that pump blood throughout the body are called Cardiac muscles.
How to keep your muscles healthy and strong
- Protein Rich Diet
Healthy diets with lean protein is not only essential for athletes but for aging adults as well. Moderate exercise a couple of times a week still requires a good amount of protein to recover, perform, and retain the muscles already worked on.
- Supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids have muscle-sparing effects in seniors as well as vitamin D, a nutrient the body synthesizes when exposed to the sun.
- Resistance Training
The Mayo Clinic suggests that exercise is the most powerful way to stave off muscle loss in aging and in disabled people. Weight training and other resistance exercises are excellent ways to maintain muscle and strength.
- Active Lifestyle
It is not just a formal exercise program to pursue but to have an overall active lifestyle to keep fit and strong. Sedentary lifestyles have shown to be time and again, an unhealthy way to live; physically, mentally, and spiritually, causing unnecessary pain and illness. Like Issac Newton’s first law of motion, describing inertia, “a body at rest tends to stay at rest, and a body in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted on by a net external force,”.
- Good Bone Health
Bone health and muscle health go together like peanut butter and jelly. Much like muscles, bones respond to weight-bearing exercise by becoming denser and stronger. With plenty of exercise, avoiding smoking and consuming a diet rich in calcium and potassium will promote healthy bones.
- Balanced Hormones
Besides exercise and diet, muscle mass and bone mass are strongly regulated by hormone levels. Estrogen, testosterone and thyroid hormones all play a part and keeping them balanced, especially with age.
- Anti-Inflammatory Food
Inflammation is the normal response to hard exercise and other forms of stress on the body. Chronic inflammation is painful and potentially damaging to muscle tissues. To ward off this inflammation, eat foods with anti-inflammatory properties such as leafy green veggies, nuts, berries and olive oils. Avoid foods with refined sugar, trans fats and processed grains.
- Cut Back or Eliminate Alcohol Consumption
This will have a significant impact on strength and longevity. Alcohol causes an inflammatory response, making it more difficult for the body to digest and absorb important nutrients from food . It takes only a couple of drinks to cause dehydration and that leads to muscle cramps and unnecessary pain.
A more holistic approach to health overall, will ensure that muscles remain strong and powerful, even with age.
Fitness Tips to Stay Healthier
Weight Lifting
Yes, lifting weights is still a good idea at any age. Studies have shown women in their seventies building significant muscle by lifting weights two to three times a week and just might be one of the best ways for older women to maintain fitness and slow the creeping fat gain.
Regular Walking
Walking is wonderful in maintaining lower levels of body fat as well as improved flexibility and overall body tone. Additionally, it is a fantastic excuse to go outside, breath in fresh air and to socialize for mental health benefits too.
Benefits of Strength Training and Building Lean Muscle
- Increased metabolic rate
- Gives the body a healthy shape
- Muscle takes up less space than fat
- Stronger Bones
Massages Can Help with Flexibility, Too
When our muscles are more relaxed, they can be pushed and stretched that much further. To be specific, using a massage chair on a regular basis can help enhance flexibility.
Whether it’s getting a massage from a chair or a professional, the results are the same. Massages are known to help release toxins that build up in the muscular system.
Hence why the practice of massage has been around for over thousands of years; people recognize the health and wellness benefits and, continue to want a deep level of relaxation.
Work with a Professional When Implementing New Health and Wellness Practices
Of course, prior to starting any new form of treatment, it is imperative to talk to a doctor. If there is chronic pain, numbness, or tingling, always consult a physician. A doctor can determine the cause of pain and prescribe the right treatment therapies.
