Repairing Metabolism

Repairing metabolism is an important focus for rebuilding our core health and can improve our level of fitness.  Through years of poor dietary choices, sedentary lifestyles or lack of targeted exercise, we lose muscle.   Non-modifiable risk factor for loss muscle mass include: our advancing years, infirmity or disability and by some measure our gender due to menopause and/or andropause. (Decline of reproductive hormones associated with, but not limited to, age, stress, surgery and medications.  A low ratio of muscle to fat may put you at a higher risk for heart disease, diabetes and other health problems.

Your focus is to overcome these health and fitness challenges by rebuilding lost muscle mass, and youthful vitality via healthy protein and fat choices.  Understand the importance of choosing your food based on color and nutrient density, and the use of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) and supplements to repair metabolism and support healthy blood glucose, insulin and leptin levels.  When we support our bodies’ healthy aging, we improve our metabolism and support the elimination of toxins from our system.  One of the side benefits is weight loss.

What about exercise?  While many tend to look at health clubs and exercise programs as a luxury available to few, physical exercise is a necessity for all.  Focus on “Inches loss” not “pounds lost”.  A pound of muscle is about half as bulky as the same pound of fat.  They are pound for pound the same weight, but muscle takes up less space( inches) and is a tissue that can support: balance, strength, flexibility, a quick reaction time and insulin sensitivity.   If you have tried losing weight by cutting calories or participating in “diets” that do not include exercise, you have likely decreased lean muscle mass.

HOT TIP: Something you may want to add to your fitness and health regimen.

As aging occurs, the body’s ability to build and retain muscle tissue or size is reduced, which can result in weakness and frailty.  Research has shown BCAA ‘s promotes muscle retention in older adults.  Additionally, BCAA’s during exercise, regardless of age, support muscle protein synthesis and inhibits protein catabolism (breakdown) and muscle fatigue.

Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) are essential aminio’s, as they cannot be synthesized by the human body and, therefore, must be consumed orally. Unlike other amino acids, BCAA are used primarily by skeletal muscle, and make up 30-35 percent of the muscle tissue itself.   By rebuilding our muscle mass through exercise and a healthy lifestyle, including BCAA’s-we can optimize our health and our longevity.