MAILBAG! Popeye’s Healthy Aging Secret
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted August 2, 2022
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
What’s the best way to stay active as I age?
–Jean from Raleigh, NC
Hi Jean,
There is one thing you need to do to stay mobile as you age: Make like Popeye and maintain your muscles.
Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about our muscles.
Sure, we all want good muscle tone because it makes us look attractive. But having strong lean body mass doesn’t JUST help us look great. It helps us feel great too.
Maintaining healthy muscle mass is also vital for healthy living AND healthy aging.
That list includes many things, like:
- Maintaining or losing weight. Most of your metabolism is determined by how much muscle mass you have. That’s because muscles burn more energy than body fat. Want a higher metabolism? Get more muscle.
- Positive health outcomes. Muscle strength has been associated with a lower risk of death, cardiovascular disease, and fractures in seniors.
- Bone density. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your bone density and the lower your risk for fractures.
- Blood sugar. Muscle mass is strongly linked to better blood sugar control.
In fact, if I know how much muscle mass you have, I can give you a good idea of how long you’re likely to live and how mobile you are. That’s how important it is.
The good news is you can build muscle as you age. It’s NOT too late. Let me show you how…
Dr. Scott’s Plan for Building Muscle:
- Keep exercising: This is a no-brainer… you have to move around to build and maintain muscle. But you don’t need to turn into a gym rat or bench press hundreds of pounds. Committing to a daily walk is good enough. Pump your arms and keep up the pace for even bigger muscle benefits.
- Eat More Protein: All proteins are helpful for muscle building. But the most critical proteins for building lean muscle mass are the branched-chain amino acids (especially leucine). These include beef, chicken, eggs, salmon, and nuts.
- Eat a balanced diet: Building muscle requires a bunch of vitamins and minerals. So make sure you’re eating a healthy balanced diet, avoiding processing foods, and taking supplements to fill in those nutritional gaps.
Oh, and ladies, if you’re worried about looking like a bodybuilder if you work on building muscle, don’t. The few ladies that can bulk up like that typically have to eat massive amounts of protein and exercise for eight to 10 hours a day.
PS: You can literally fight off muscle loss in just 3 seconds a day. Find out how here.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
View More Free Articles
Stop Obsessing Over Diet Trends
Can we stop with the endless diet debates already? Every other week there’s a new headline shouting about which diet is best for weight loss, heart health, or diabetes. Paleo, keto, low-carb, high-protein… it’s exhausting. And now, a new meta-analysis is out comparing the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and something called AHEI (that’s “Alternative...
A New Reason to Ditch Processed Junk
If you’ve ever walked the inside aisles of your local grocery store and thought, “This is all just junk,” your instincts were spot on. A new study published in the journal Thorax just added another red flag to the list of dangers linked to ultra-processed food—a 41 percent higher risk of lung cancer. That’s right....
When Being Winded on Stairs Is Serious (And When It Isn’t)
I had an athlete visit me recently because he experienced shortness of breath while climbing stairs. He is in great shape, so he was worried about what it might mean. “Doc,” he said, “I run five miles three times a week. Why am I huffing and puffing after two flights of stairs?” His concern is...
Study EXPOSES Hidden Danger Lurking in Your Car
We think of our homes and cars as safe havens. But according to a startling new study, they may be flooding your lungs with microscopic plastic particles—every single day. Researchers in France recently found that adults inhale an average of 68,000 microplastic particles daily from indoor air alone. To put that in perspective, that’s about...
Mailbag: Is Modern Food Making You Snore?
“What can cause snoring, and is there a way to correct this issue?” —Seeking Silence Hi Seeking, Snoring happens when the soft tissues in your throat relax and vibrate as air passes through during sleep. While several factors can cause snoring—from sleep position to nasal congestion—I want to share one trigger that might surprise you....
Simple Food Swap SLASHES Dementia Risk 28%
Let’s be honest… who would jump at the chance to cut their dementia risk by 28 percent. And no, you don’t need to run marathons, survive on broccoli, or learn to play the zither (whatever that is) to make it happen. All it takes is one easy swap—something that’s probably already in your refrigerator. Researchers...
This SMART Floss Exposes Hidden Health Danger
Scientists have created dental floss that doesn’t just clean between your teeth—it also tracks your stress while you’re flossing. Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Great—now even flossing is going to stress me out by telling me how stressed I am.” But this fascinating new tool from Tufts University could be a game-changer for understanding...
Is This "Safe" Sweetener Damaging Your Brain?
The headlines are alarming… “Popular Sugar Substitute Linked to Brain Cell Damage” and “Erythritol Could Damage Critical Brain Barrier” are just two of the dozens I’ve spotted recently. But before you toss every sugar-free product in your pantry, let’s take a closer look at what this study actually shows—and what it doesn’t. The latest research...
This Summer Threat Could SPIKE Your Blood Sugar
Picture this… It’s another scorching hot summer day. You crank up the air conditioning while watching the weather forecast, which predicts yet another “record-breaking” heat wave. It’s starting to feel like just another miserably uncomfortable summer. But what you might not realize is that—if you have diabetes—those rising temps could do far more damage to...
Move Over Yogurt—5 Foods That Pack MORE Probiotics
Let’s talk about your gut. The microbiome is the collection of trillions of bacteria and other tiny organisms that live in and on your body—especially in your gut—and help keep you healthy. I’ve written often about how vital it is to maintain a healthy microbiome. And you might have dutifully added yogurt to your shopping...