Healthcare systems net are on the cusp of one of the greatest health problems faced as tens of millions of the Baby Boomer generation are aging. As our technology driven lifestyles have pushed vigorous physical activity out of our lives that our bodies have lost the stimulation required to stay healthy.
Body reaction
They respond by becoming sick and frequently have trouble recovering from injury or illness because a lot of muscle mass was lost from the body. Our muscle mass peaks in our early 20’s then starts the long gradual decline as we age between 300-500 g per year being dropped for the remainder of our lives. This slow stealth like muscle collapse largely goes unnoticed as body fat may collect padding the area where muscle tissue has been lost. The name of the villain is Sarcopenia and can have a profound impact on the past 10-20 years of a individual’s life taking away their health, freedom and independence.
It will become a familiar name in the coming years as our sedentary and inactive lifestyles become more common. Everybody knows that muscle is essential for strength but not many individuals understand that muscle mass functions as the body’s armor and protection against disease and illness. To strengthen the immune system the entire body’s muscular systems must be strengthened. The essential fuel source used by several cells of the immune system is that the amino acid glutamine and the muscles are the main site where this is saved.
Did you know?
The more muscle you have the more abundant the glutamine provide, the greater the immune system functions. Muscle is where the body stores protein. Protein is important to generate new antibodies and white blood cells to fight off infections or find and destroy cancer cells. The body uses protein at a much faster rate when battling illness and muscle tissue is where a book of additional protein is kept to draw on when required. As lots of individuals get sick when they’re stressed or depressed exercise helps decrease stress hormones and releases great hormones.
Conclusion
Along with providing an outlet for the nervous energy made by stress, exercise increases the robustness of the immune system itself and reduce susceptibility to disease. So forget the notion that muscles are only for looks, they’re vital for the healthy functioning of the immune system and the ability to resist disease. This will lower your chance of being the victim of a horrible life threatening disease and may well save your life. The only way to keep those valuable muscles strong and healthy throughout your lifetime is with strength training exercise.