According to the book “BioMarkers,” the greatest predictor of health as we age is the level of lean body mass that we carry. Lean body mass fuels our metabolism. Unfortunately, a chronic wasting condition affects many seniors. The condition is called sarcopenia. What causes it and what can we do to prevent and even reverse it?

Sarcopenia – chronic wasting
A deficit in lean body mass (muscles, organs, bones, etc.) is called sarcopenia. Energy is born in your muscles and other lean body mass. It is created to meet the needs of the day. People actually program their energy metabolism by their activity level. In other words, if you regularly expend a certain amount of energy every day, your body will start anticipating this. Your metabolism will create the lean body mass and produce the energy needed to meet the regular tasks of the day.

Energy requires fuel. A healthy person will have a hunger equivalent to their energy needs. The hunger ceases and you feel satisfied when nutrient levels – especially fats – have reached the general requirements for fuel anticipated by your body. Interestingly, in a healthy person certain cravings will direct their appetite to foods containing the nutrients they lack. Most of us have obliterated our delicate sense of taste with added salt and sugar. We have erased the ability of our body to communicate through cravings.

These are three main components for metabolism and building lean body mass:

1. Peaceful sleep
2. Nutritious foods
3. Purposeful daily activity.

Without these three elements your body simply does not have the resources or even the need to build lean body mass. Building up does not keep pace with wearing down. As the balance of metabolism tips toward muscle loss instead of muscle gain, a person is at risk of sarcopenia.

Purpose, sleep and nutrition
“BioMarkers” also discusses how the human body can begin to shut down after retirement when there is a lack of purposeful daily activity. This is accompanied by a reduced ability to sleep and eat. With less whole food in the diet, fewer nutrients are ingested and vitamin deficiency is very common.

A real key for healthy aging is reclaiming your sense of purpose in life. When we are younger, this sense of purpose is often expressed in caring for a family or pursuing a career. As we age, new activities may replace the endeavors of our youth:

• Adult education
• Volunteerism
• Mentoring.

Additionally, a regular exercise program becomes very critical as we age, and we should pay more attention to a healthy diet every day and peaceful sleep every night.

The supplements of healthy aging include four critical components:

• A balanced multiple vitamin/mineral supplement to protect against nutrient deficiency
• An essential fatty acid supplement to reduce inflammation in the arteries and rehydrate the brain
• A Vitamin C supplement to serve as an antioxidant reserve and to help keep the immune system active
• A B-12 supplement to help keep energy levels up and the mind bright.

Vitamin B-12 is the number one nutrient deficiency among seniors, followed by Vitamin C.

Healthy aging after retirement
The average lifespan of retirees is only 2.5 years from the point of retirement. Without a sense of purpose there is no reason for energy and the body simply begins to shut down. The greatest wellness and longevity is experienced by those who enjoy purposeful daily activity, peaceful sleep and a nutritious diet. Take your healthy aging supplements and, to paraphrase former President George H.W. Bush, “Stop yelling at the TV; get up off the couch, get out of the house and live the life of your dreams!”

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