Sarcopenia increases the risk of dementia! Nutritionists teach 5 key points to prevent sarcopenia and turn micro-muscles into strong muscles

"Sarcopenia" has gradually been widely discussed in recent years. Especially after the world entered an aging society, sarcopenia has become a very important topic! It is highly valued in the medical, nutrition, sports, and even health care fields. Because it is associated with many ethnic groups and chronic diseases. As we age, our physiological functions gradually deteriorate. If we want to stay active and avoid falls, injuries, fractures, and severe bed rest due to insufficient muscle mass, we must start saving our "muscle capital" from now on.

Understanding Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia refers to a decrease in muscle mass, combined with decreased muscle strength or decreased physical activity, which can easily increase the risk of falls and fractures, causing bed rest and limited activity, thereby reducing the quality of life. Nutritionist Chen Jiaxun from the Catholic St. Martin's Hospital said that in addition to reducing mobility, sarcopenia may also induce other diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, disability, dementia and other risks. Therefore, in recent years, sarcopenia has gradually become a health problem for the elderly that is being taken seriously. In order to avoid the occurrence of sarcopenia, we can prevent it through "diet" and "exercise".

Turn tiny muscles into strong muscles─nutrition for sarcopenia! (Photo courtesy of St. Martin's Catholic Hospital)

The crisis of sarcopenia

The causes of sarcopenia include malnutrition, lack of exercise, the effects of other diseases, the effects of drugs and the natural aging of the body. Nutritionist Hou Wenyi from Catholic St. Martin's Hospital shares how to self-assess and detect sarcopenia early! People can observe whether they and their elders have sarcopenia by paying attention to some key points in their daily lives.

●Measure the calf circumference, which should be less than 34 cm for men and less than 33 cm for women.

●Test the hand grip strength. The grip strength of men should be less than 26 kg and that of women should be less than 18 kg.

● You start to be unable to lift the kettle, the vegetable basket, open cans or bottle caps, or wring out the towel.

● Walking speed slows down, taking more than 6 seconds to walk 6 meters or walking speed is less than 1 meter per second.

● Unable to stand up from a chair in one go and need support to get up; or unable to climb stairs.

If you have any of the above problems, it means that your muscle mass may be insufficient and your risk of developing sarcopenia is increased.

Five nutritional keys to prevent sarcopenia

At present, drugs are not the first line of treatment for the clinical treatment of sarcopenia. The most important thing is to be able to screen for sarcopenia problems early and actively provide nutrition and exercise intervention to effectively control the deterioration of sarcopenia and then reverse sarcopenia! Nutritionist Chen Jiaxun from Catholic St. Martin's Hospital introduces the five keys to prevent sarcopenia:

Key 1: Diversify your diet

A balanced diet is the first principle. Food can be divided into six categories based on the type of food and the nutrients it contains: (1) whole grains, (2) beans, fish, eggs and meat, (3) vegetables, (4) fruits, (5) dairy products, and (6) oils, fats, nuts and seeds. The human body uses six major types of food to provide the calories and various nutrients it needs every day, allowing physiological functions to function normally to maintain physical health and muscle synthesis. In order to help the public implement a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, the National Health and Family Planning Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare promotes the visualization of "My Plate" for the people of Taiwan. As long as you eat smartly according to "My Plate", you can eat well and feel full at every meal, and nutrition will follow.

(Figure 1) Daily food guidelines and My Plate. (Photo courtesy of St. Martin's Catholic Hospital)

Key 2: Get enough protein

Protein is the key to muscle synthesis. Depending on body weight, it is recommended that adults consume 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per day. However, protein intake should not only focus on "quantity" but also "quality". The public is encouraged to choose more high-quality protein foods for intake, such as soy products, fish, eggs, poultry and dairy products. If the elders are vegetarians, in addition to choosing soy products, eggs, and dairy products, they can also increase protein with the following foods. For example, cereals and beans both contain a small amount of protein. Eating these two foods together can make up for the amino acids that are lacking in each other. The 1+1 combination of the two is more perfect.

Key 3: Get enough vitamin D

The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 10 micrograms (15 micrograms for people over 50 years old). Its function is to regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, maintain bone and tooth health, and maintain muscle function and strength. It plays an important role in physical performance. Foods rich in vitamin D, such as: fish about the size of a palm (salmon, mackerel, saury), mushrooms, algae, egg yolks, etc. once a day. In addition to eating, sun exposure is also key. Exposing yourself to sunlight for 15 to 20 minutes a day can also help the body synthesize vitamin D.

Key 4: Get enough calcium

The recommended daily calcium intake for adults over 19 years old is 1000 mg (1200 mg for those over 13 to 18 years old). Its function is to maintain bone health, promote and assist muscle contraction, and nerve conduction. Therefore, adequate calcium intake is very important for maintaining bones. Foods rich in calcium include: drinking 2 cups (240cc/cup) of dairy products a day can provide about 500 mg of calcium, black and white sesame seeds, soy products, seaweed, dark green vegetables, dried fish, dried shrimp, etc.

Key 5: Diet Tips

Many elders have poor teeth, difficulty chewing meat, or even poor appetite, which affects their diet. They can effectively use these 4 eating techniques to increase nutrition and protein intake.

1. Food Choice

It is recommended to eat soft foods that are easy to chew, that is, based on a normal diet, avoid foods with hard texture and rough fibers, and choose foods that are easy to digest and swallow.

2. Change the texture of food

When we prepare meals, in addition to choosing soft and tender ingredients, we can also soften the ingredients through different methods. For example, add a little more water when cooking rice, so that the cooked rice will be more moist. Vegetables can be washed and cut into small pieces, shredded, or cut into small cubes. Poultry can have its fascia removed or be beaten with a hammer, or use natural bromelain to make the meat softer. Finally, tofu, eggs, and fish can be used to replace harder meat.

3. Change your cooking method

By changing the cooking method to make the food softer, such as through boiling, stewing, braising, steaming, braising, and roasting, and by extending the cooking time or thickening the food with appropriate amount, the food will become moist and smooth and easier to eat.

4. Increase the number of meals

As the chewing and swallowing abilities of the elderly deteriorate with age, they often cannot eat much at a meal and their meal times take a long time. In order for the elders to take in enough calories and nutrition every day, in addition to three regular meals, you can increase the frequency of meals and use snacks to supplement nutrition. It is recommended to divide the meals into 5 to 6 meals a day.

Nutritionist shares muscle-building snack recipe - "Muscle Toast"

Nutritionist You Weiming shares tips on diet to enhance muscle strength: Muscle-building snack recipe "Muscle Toast" to turn micro-muscles into strong muscles! Easily DIY to increase the protein quality of snacks, so that the elders can also easily eat them.

【Seasonal local ingredients】

Whole-wheat toast, lettuce, and smoked chicken slices.

Slice beef tomatoes and slice hard-boiled eggs.

40g edamame kernels and 3-5g mayonnaise (for one person).

A little warm water and a little lemon juice (depending on personal preference).

【Prepare utensils】

Rice cooker, food processor, magnetic plate, spatula, large bowl

【Making edamame paste】

Steam the edamame kernels in an electric rice cooker, pour them into a food processor, and then add appropriate amount of warm water and lemon juice to blend into edamame paste. Pour the edamame paste into a large bowl and mix with appropriate amount of mayonnaise to make the edamame paste.

【Muscle-building snack making】

1. Spread some edamame paste on two slices of toast.

2. Add sliced ​​beef tomatoes and sliced ​​boiled eggs first.

3. Add smoked chicken slices and lettuce.

4.Finally, cover it with toast to complete the meat toast.

(Figure 2) Muscle-building snack recipe - muscle toast. (Photo courtesy of St. Martin's Catholic Hospital)

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