While being slender can be desirable, as you age, it’s important to be cautious when striving for a slim physique because you’re more prone to muscle loss. Besides aging, poor dietary and exercise habits also contribute to muscle atrophy. In this article, Wu Hongqian from the Yisheng Chinese Medicine Clinic in Taiwan teaches us how to “eat” our way to stronger muscles, while I will provide five exercises to prevent muscle loss.
Muscle atrophy refers to the sustained, systemic, and widespread phenomenon of skeletal muscles in the body losing mass and function. It is a common condition affecting approximately 10 percent of adults aged 50 and older.
Mr. Wu said that individuals following a long-term vegetarian diet may have insufficient protein intake, and a lack of exercise can result in very soft muscles. Only when one consumes adequate protein and has a functioning digestive system can they develop firm muscles.
What to Eat for Muscle Growth
To prevent muscle atrophy, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) places great emphasis on regulating the spleen and stomach. In TCM, the spleen governs the muscles, and when the spleen and stomach are well-balanced, nutrients are easily absorbed. Mr. Wu recommends a soup called “Four Gentlemen Lean Meat Soup” that nourishes the spleen and promotes muscle growth. It is advisable to consume this soup within approximately two hours of exercising. This not only helps regulate the spleen and improve nutrient absorption but also converts lean meat into one’s own protein and muscle.Ingredients
- 10 grams Codonopsis (Dang Shen)
- 10 grams white Atractylodes (Bai Zhu)
- 10 grams Poria (Fu Ling)
- 2 grams licorice (Zhi Gan Cao)
Instructions
- Take a medium-sized lidded porcelain bowl and add 500 cubic centimeters (about 17 fluid ounces) of water to it.
- Next, add 30 grams of lean meat to the porcelain bowl.
- Place the porcelain bowl inside an electric rice cooker and cover it.
- Add approximately one bowl of water to the outer compartment of the rice cooker.
- Wait until the rice cooker automatically switches off (typically indicating that the water inside has boiled).
- Once done, you can consume the soup.
Foods rich in collagen or mucin proteins, such as Chinese yam, wood ear mushrooms, okra, and clean pigskin, are excellent dietary supplements. Additionally, traditional Chinese medicines like “Gulu Erxian Jiao” or donkey-hide gelatin also contain collagen that can aid in bone growth. Many people also consume protein shakes to increase muscle mass, but Mr. Wu cautions that protein shakes should be consumed carefully.
Exercise Precautions
Solving muscle atrophy requires regular exercise. I suggest starting with the body’s largest muscle groups, the quadriceps and glutes. Everyday activities like climbing stairs, sitting down, and standing up are all related to the strength of these two muscle groups.
Next is the training of core muscles. Due to osteoporosis, older individuals are prone to problems like intervertebral disc degeneration or spinal stenosis. Strengthening the core muscles can improve the condition of the spine. Finally, by exercising the pectoral muscles and latissimus dorsi to address back muscle weakness, it’s possible to address issues like rounded shoulders and hunchbacks in older individuals.
However, excessive exercise can also increase free radicals in the body. Mr. Wu, therefore, recommends a balanced approach, which involves exercising three to five times a week for 30 to 50 minutes each time. Additionally, it’s essential to stay well-hydrated during exercise because water is involved in all of the body’s chemical reactions. Sweating, bowel movements, and urination help eliminate metabolic waste and inflammatory substances from the body.
5 Exercises for Muscle Atrophy
I recommend the following five exercises to strengthen muscles and address or prevent muscular atrophy problems.1. Squats: Quadriceps
- Stand firm on three points of your feet: These three points are the big toe, little toe, and heel. They must all stay firmly planted.
- Activate hips and knees simultaneously: When sitting back, activate both the hips and knees at the same time. Excessive bending of the knees can increase pressure on the knee joints.
- Rise with thighs parallel to the ground: After squatting down, rise when your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Chair squats: Place a chair behind you and touch your buttocks to the chair before rising.
- Assisted squats: Hold onto a chair while performing squats, using the support of your hands to reduce pressure on your legs.
2. Bridge Exercise: Glutes
- Lie flat on a yoga mat with your knees bent.
- Exhale as you engage your glutes to lift your buttocks, feeling a squeezing sensation, and inhale as you lower your buttocks.
- Keep your back flat, avoiding excessive arching.
3. Crunches: Core Muscles
- Lie flat on a yoga mat with your knees bent.
- Extend your arms forward and engage your abdominal muscles to lift the upper part of your body and your shoulders off the ground.
- Hold your shoulders off the ground for about two seconds before lowering them without straining your neck.
4. Chair Pushups: Pectoral Muscles
- Kneel on the ground with your upper body upright, and place your hands firmly on a stable chair.
- Inhale, lower your upper body toward the chair and exhale as you push back up.
5. Resistance-Band Rowing: Latissimus Dorsi Muscles (Broad Back Muscles)
- Sit on the ground with slightly bent knees and pass the resistance band under your feet, holding the ends of the resistance band with both hands.
- Keep your back straight, avoid hunching your shoulders, and maintain a neutral shoulder position.
- Exhale as you squeeze your shoulder blades together, pulling the resistance band toward the back of your elbows. Feel your back muscles engage. Inhale as you slowly release the resistance band forward, but maintain tension in the band.
Some of the herbs mentioned in this article may sound unfamiliar, but many can be found in health food or Asian grocery stores. Additionally, since everyone’s body is different, the appropriate treatment methods may vary. It’s important to consult a health care professional for specific treatment plans.
