Nutritionist shares 3-step guide to help your parents live longer and stronger
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Protein intake
Protein-rich foods (Pic credit-istock. Image used for representative purpose only)
Yoga or strength training
Yoga for parents. (Pic credit-istock. Image used for representative purpose only)
Sunshine
Exposure to sunshine. (Pic credit-istock. Image used for representative purpose only)
We often talk about gifting our parents love, time, or care, but what if you could also help them live longer and stronger? As they age, especially after 40, the body starts to lose nearly 10% of muscle mass every decade, claims a nutritionist. That might sound minor, but this natural decline in strength is one of the leading causes of weakness, balance issues, and even falls in later years. The good news? According to nutritionist Nandini Agarwal, with a few simple lifestyle tweaks, this muscle loss can be slowed down—and even reversed.To begin with, she shares that one of the important aspects to preserving muscle mass is protein. A diet rich in protein is key to helping the body repair and build muscles. Make sure your parents' meals include high-quality protein sources like eggs, fish, paneer, cheese, tofu, pulses, and legumes.The second pillar is movement, particularly yoga or strength training. While intense workouts may not be ideal for everyone, regular bodyweight exercises, resistance band workouts, or simple asanas can work wonders. Strength training not only builds new muscle but also helps preserve the existing muscle, improves balance, and increases flexibility, reducing the risk of injury in older adults.And finally, she recommends getting lots of sunshine. Vitamin D, which we primarily get from sunlight, is essential for calcium absorption and strong bones. Morning or early evening sun exposure for 15–20 minutes can boost Vitamin D levels naturally, enhancing not just bone health but also immunity and mood.
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Most important, extra magnesium interferes with the absorption of certain drugs like antibiotics and those recommended for diabetes,' warns Dr Tickoo. People often end up having a cocktail of supplements without realising that they could be working at cross purposes with each other. 'Calcium blocks the absorption of iron, zinc blocks copper. So taking high doses of one nutrient can actually cause a deficiency in another if you don't ask a doctor,' says Dr Tickoo. Such is the hype around magnesium for sleep that most people, as Dr Rakesh Gupta, internal medicine specialist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, found out, take the wrong compound. 'Magnesium oxide is one of the most commonly available forms. Unfortunately, it's poorly absorbed and acts like a laxative. So people land up in the OPD with diarrhoea,' he says. He even lists the compounds and their uses. Magnesium glycinate relaxes the nervous system and improves sleep quality. 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Online platforms make them easily accessible and you get them delivered at your doorstep. That ease matters, ' says Dr Sanjeev Sharma, clinical pharmacologist and medical advisor at Apollo Research and Innovations. The elderly fuel the demand for bone, heart and cognitive health products. 'The emphasis on plant-based diets is driving demand for plant-derived proteins, vitamins, minerals and herbal products,' he explains. That's why even organised players like Apollo, Sun Pharma, Zydus and Dr Reddy's now command 30–40 per cent of the nutraceutical market, with smaller brands and international entrants following suit. Major brands claim scientific backing for their products. But regulation is thin. In India, dietary supplements fall under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), with guidance from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). 'There are recommended permissible limits of ingredients to be used. The manufacturing units must have a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certificate and adhere to licensing and labelling norms. The FSSAI even monitors standards and ad campaigns of the products, ensuring they do not make dramatic claims like a cure. Even the smallest of claims should be backed by big data sets. You can't say we saw results in five or 10 per cent of subjects,' says Dr Sharma. Yet, reports of contamination with heavy metals and poor ingredient control — especially in herbal products — persist. That's why Dr Sharma suggests a risk categorisation for supplements at the policy level. 'High-risk items should be prescription-only. This will curb misuse,' he says. India may be mimicking the supplement boom in the West but that happened because of expensive healthcare and limited accessibility to doctors at the primary level. 'In India, doctors are more available, even at the primary care level. That's why we must base choices on medical advice,' reasons Dr Sharma. 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