THINK STRONG NOT THIN PART 1

“Thinking strong, not thin” is a moniker coined by Dr Mary Claire Haver. Dr Haver is a
menopause expert and physician. She discusses on several podcasts how women tend
to think of thinness – wanting to fit into an outfit. But as we get to perimenopause and
menopause and beyond our focus must be muscle. My moniker is “muscle is the
currency of aging.”
Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass and can accompany bone loss, it is progressive
and results in a loss of performance and strength. As we age this is a natural
occurrence at a rate of 0.7-0.8% annually.
We must fight the loss of muscle. Continued muscle loss due to inactivity, inflammation
and poor or low protein intake means we are weak.
Frailty kills older people every day and it prevents us from being active as we age. We
all have seen elderly people who are thin, with little arms/legs, who cannot get up from a
chair without help, whether from another person, a device like a walker, or pushing up
from the arms on the arm chair. That is because their quadriceps muscles right above
the knee are very weak and they cannot use those muscles alone to get up to standing.
When someone is frail they are more likely to trip and fall. This is a more common
occurrence as we age and our balance is not as good as it once was. We have all
missed steps, tripped on a sidewalk or rug. Add frailty in the mix and the chance of
breaking a bone or getting a head injury from a fall are real concerns.
Muscle loss can occur from the following:

 Poor or low mobility
 Nutritional deficiencies
 Weakness, prolonged illness, bedrest, surgery
 Increased insulin resistance, metabolic and blood sugar issues
 Poor protein intake
 Sedentary jobs/lifestyle
Outcomes of Muscle Loss:

 Lack of muscle can cause inflammation
 Functional decline
 Assisted living or nursing home placement
 Increased mortality

 Increased risk of fractures and injuries from falls
 Increase in hospitalizations and prolonged hospital stays

How to determine if you have sarcopenia:
Get an electronic device to measure hand grip strength, called a dynamometer. Are you
feeling weaker? Are you walking slower? Are normal activities hard to do? Unintended
weight loss can be a sign too, but it is a sign of other issues too. You may also find that
you are easily exhausted.

How to fix it?
 Strength training and walking. Adding a weight vest as you get stronger will help
burn fat and help your bone density increase.
 Eat more protein. Animal protein. You can use plant based protein, and that can
be a supplement, but cannot be the mainstay. Plant based proteins are not as
“bioavailable” as animal based proteins and more servings would be needed as
compared to one serving of animal based proteins.
 Be more active during the day – avoid prolonged sitting.
 Avoid processed shakes like Boost or Ensure. They are little more than soda pop
with synthetic vitamins. Make your own shake with a protein powder that could
be egg whites, plant based protein, or whey protein (unless you cannot tolerate
dairy, in which case avoid whey). The powder should have only a few
ingredients listed. NOW Egg white protein powder has 18g of protein for 3
tablespoons or Protein Made Simple by Vega has low calories and 5 or fewer
ingredients. Avoid artificial sweeteners. Some people do not do well with Stevia
either so the Vega protein powder is a good option. Focus on protein at every
meal. At least 25 grams.
 Have a pre- or post-workout snack that has some whole food carb and protein to
feed those muscles you are working on. Eat within an hour of working out.
 Add omega 3 fatty acids in supplement, or eat more oily fish like sardines and
salmon.
 Add 2.5mg or 5mg of creatine post workout, drink a lot of water with this
supplement. Start low and see how you do.
 Add vitamin D after you have had your levels checked.
 If you are frail get on a good multivitamin to support your nutritional status.
 Avoid seed oils and refined sugar as they can cause inflammation. Low muscle
mass and sugar can perpetuate metabolic dysfunction as there is not much
muscle for the body to put sugar into if it is not all used.

Studies used:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18948558/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sarcopenia#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5240970
Disclaimer: the information provided on the site is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice