Good health is way more than battling the scale – we need good quality muscle mass.
It’s in our genetic blueprint – our bodies cannot stay healthy without consistent vigorous exercise and that means strong lean muscles.
Movement is what triggers a chemical reaction that tells every single cell in our tissues, organs and systems to repair, rebuild and renew itself.
It’s no secret that strong, fit muscles are mandatory for body strength but not many people realize that muscle mass also serves as the body’s armor and defense against illness and disease, improving more than just body composition, muscle force and mobility.
Strength training is key.
Strong muscles open the door to a strong immune system. Strong muscles make the body work better at repairing tissue and fighting off disease as well as dealing with stress.
They are, in effect, a protective shield in the body against disease, leading us to stellar health and longevity.
Why do people get sick when they feel stressed or depressed? Because the immune system slows down when stress hormones are released.
Studies reveal that regular strength training exercise provides long-term immune protection – because it causes adaptations that allow the body to withstand stress and recover from it more efficiently.
How exercise helps us deal with stress:
Exercise helps reduce the release of stress hormones and releases good hormones instead.
Regular exercise provides an outlet for and consumes much of the nervous energy produced by stress.
Exercise shifts ones’ focus away from any external factors producing the stress.
MUSCLE MASS MATTERS
If we don’t consistently give the body the correct stimulus that triggers muscle growth and strengthens the immune system, once we reach our mid-twenties, things begin to shift and the slow process of muscle wasting begins.
In other words, if our muscles are not getting the physical “work” required (what they were created for – their reason for being), they will start losing about ½ pound of muscle tissue loss per year from disuse.
If that’s not bad enough, after age 50 this number doubles.
This change in body composition – the loss of precious muscle tissue accompanied by an increase in body fat – puts extra strain on all systems, siphoning away strength, weakening the entire body and opening the door to disease.
The reality is, after we reach the age of 30, we basically have two options available to us –
We can either give in to the long process of becoming weaker with time (destroying our immune system along the way) or we can work at maintaining our strength (building our immune system) for the rest of our life.
Loss of lean muscle with increased body fat causes way more damage that what appears in the mirror or even the effects it has on our immune system.
Weak flabby muscles cannot help the heart push oxygen and nutrient rich blood around the body so all cells, tissues and organs suffer. This changes the balance of fats in the blood and can lead to heart attack and stroke. It also alters sugar metabolism increasing obesity and diabetes.
Even the brain suffers a downgrade and this is dangerous because it is the central processing unit – comparable to the hard drive on a computer.
Bottom line is this – the loss of muscle tissue hastens the degenerative processes and conditions that characterize the dreaded aging process. When the bodily systems weaken, including the immune system, it leaves one exposed to life threatening disease and illness.
It’s not only physical health that suffers, but mental and emotional health suffer as well. Moods, anxiety, stress levels, levels of happiness and satisfaction with your life are all impacted with the loss of lean muscle tissue.
Strength training – the one simple lifestyle strategy amounting to 2-3 total hours each week dedicated to maintaining your physique, provides you with a strong immune system offering a massive reduction in disease risk and ultimately extended health and longevity.
Activity that works our muscular system forces us to grow. So, what are you waiting for?
Isn’t it time to right the wrongs you have committed against your body? You can regain vitality, muscular strength, endurance and lead a higher quality of life beginning now…
If you truly want to take command of your life, build your immunity and avoid disease somewhere down the road…
“Healthy Self Healing” can help you do just that…
For more tools and resources from Carolyn Hansen to assist you in attaining your health and fitness goals please visit:
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