If you do not have an active lifestyle, your muscles will likely lose their size and strength as you age. Particularly, after age 50, statistics show that you could lose ten to fifteen percent of your size and strength due to inactivity.

Imagine waking up one morning and struggling to get out of bed. Think about what it would be like not to be able to walk around the block or get laundry from the dryer. 

Muscle health is critical. It contributes to your overall wellness and happiness. Without healthy muscles, you risk falls, mobility problems, and loss of independence.

Improving the health of your muscles is simpler than you think. It does not take additional time from your day. Rather, it is about making minor (yet essential) adjustments to your daily routine.

Here is how you can improve your muscles and overall health.

1. Stretching

You can drastically reduce muscle tears when stretching for ten to fifteen minutes. Focus on your main muscle groups when you stretch.

For each stretch you perform, hold it for twenty seconds. This is how you can make your muscles more flexible. It will help your muscles achieve their full range of motion.

You are less likely to sustain an injury when you stretch appropriately. The optimal time is before an intense activity but after you warm up. You can stretch better when your muscles are warm.

2. Warm Up

Healthy muscles benefit from ten to twenty minutes of warmups before physical activity, including workouts and sports. The muscles you will use the most during your intense training are the ones you should warm up.

What makes for a good warmup?

  • Light weight training
  • Light jogging
  • Brisk walking

Especially if you plan on sprints, a long run, or heavy-weight training, it is important to prepare the muscle health.

3. Cool Down

When you are finished exercising, healthy muscles need cooling down, which can take ten to twenty minutes. This is similar to the warmup process, but cooling down is slower.

This is an opportunity for your muscles to recover fully. It is an activity that is less intense.

4. Exercise

This is critical for keeping muscles healthy. If you exercise regularly, you will have stronger muscles than others in your age group. That is because any kind of exercise makes the body work against gravity.

This helps to build muscle. Without exercise, over time, muscles will break down.

5. Diet

Both diet and exercise impact the health of your muscles. Diet matters for muscles to function properly, strengthen, and repair themselves.

Healthy muscles need healthy eating, which includes: 

  • Carbohydrates
  • Healthy fats
  • Minerals
  • Protein
  • Vitamins

You need the right mix of food to achieve a healthy diet.

Protein

Specific to muscle health, protein is a priority because that is what your muscles are made of. You must replenish the protein that you lose during a workout.

Poultry, meat, eggs, and seafood have protein. Also, milk products have protein that the body needs, not only for muscles but for bone health too. We recommend you check out Ingredia Inc. Dairy Experts for a healthy diet that improves your muscles.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are like fuel. This allows your body to perform physical activities. It also helps muscles build new tissue, as it promotes the release of insulin.

Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain important carbohydrates for a healthy diet.

Unsaturated Fats

Walnuts, peanut oil, fish oil, olive oil, and flaxseed have unsaturated fats. This helps muscles recover.

At room temperature, unsaturated fats are liquid. Beyond muscle health, they are amazingly beneficial for a healthy diet. Unsaturated fats ease inflammation, improve blood cholesterol levels, stabilize heart rhythms, and more. 

The body has an easier time breaking down unsaturated fats versus saturated fats. That is because unsaturated fats have a double bond. 

Vitamins and Minerals

The adage goes, “Everything in moderation.” A healthy diet is balanced. All the foods listed above are important pieces of a daily nutritional diet.

Certain vitamins significantly affect muscle health, including growth and recovery. The most important vitamins and minerals you need for your muscles are the following:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin E
  • Biotin
  • Calcium
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Potassium
  • Zinc
  • Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin
  • Vitamin B3 or Niacin
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin B12

It can be challenging to balance your diet. A multivitamin can help. It’s a way to get the nutrients you need when you lack a well-rounded nutritional intake.

6. Hydration

It is good overall for your health, in addition to your muscles. Staying hydrated helps your digestive functions, kidney function, and blood flow.

With muscle strength and control, it is important to hydrate yourself with electrolytes. It helps build muscle too.

Humans should drink an average quantity of two liters of water daily or a half gallon. This equals about eight 8-ounce glasses.

During a workout or intense physical activity, the body loses water. In this case, you will need to increase your daily intake.

Improving Muscle Health

Never take your muscle health for granted. It attributes to your mobility and your independence. Without it, you risk not being able to enjoy your daily living routine.

Remember to exercise; when you do, warm up, cool down, and stretch appropriately. Diet and exercise are key. Maintain a habit of healthy eating each day in a balanced way.

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