Can consuming plant protein consistently help keep muscles healthy later in life? A new study conducted by researchers in China found some positive results.
While plant-based foods have recently exploded in popularity in Western countries, people living in Eastern regions such as China have consumed plant-based proteins as part of their cultural diets for centuries. The new study examined how this high intake of plant proteins is affecting China’s older population, particularly when it comes to muscle mass.
The cross-sectional study was based on 4,826 participants aged 60 and older drawn from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) of 2018. Researchers analyzed self-reported dietary data—collected during three consecutive days over 24-hour periods—and found that the majority (two-thirds) of total protein consumed among participants came from plant-based sources.
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In their analysis, researchers found that participants who consumed the total highest amount of protein and the highest amount of plant protein had an association with higher muscle mass. When it came to animal protein consumption, researchers did not find a significant association with muscle mass.
While plant protein has a positive association with muscle mass, researchers noted that the population they studied—which came from 15 provinces across China—consumed just below 20 grams of protein per meal. This is less than the recommended 25 to 40 grams of protein previous studies have established is ideal for muscle synthesis in older adults.
In the new study, researchers found that higher daily protein intakes, more than 78 grams for males and 68 grams for females, could be ideal for preventing muscle loss but noted that more research is needed here.
Plant protein and muscle mass
When it comes to aging, a major concern is sarcopenia, a condition characterized by muscle loss that leads to decreased function and quality of life. Could consuming higher amounts of plant protein be the key to maintaining muscle mass for healthy aging? The answer is complex.
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“The traditional Chinese type of diet is [characterized] by large amounts of cereals and vegetables. Thus, plant protein intake contributed more to the total dietary protein intake than animal protein intake,” the authors explained their findings. “It is possible that the ingestion of greater amounts of vegetable-source proteins may be [able to] achieve the same anabolic response evoked by smaller quantities of animal-source proteins.”
The authors explained that while animal protein provides all essential amino acids, it brings with it high amounts of saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories—which can be avoided with a well-planned diet focused on plant proteins.
“Thus, in order to enhance the nutritional quality, the Chinese Nutrition Society suggests people to consume cereals and legumes together,” the authors advised, adding that “ascorbic acid found in vegetables and fruits can enhance plant protein absorption.”
Researchers noted that their limitations here lie in the nature of cross-sectional studies which cannot determine causal relationships; the dietary recall design that only measured data from three consecutive days, collected from summer to autumn, which does not take into account seasonal variations of protein consumption; and the inherent bias behind self-reporting dietary data.
They also noted that their ability to detect a significant association between muscle mass and animal protein might have been limited by the fact that participants consumed a much smaller proportion of animal protein as compared to plant protein.
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While plants continue to be a predominant source of protein for Chinese adults living in rural areas, the researchers explained that people who inhabit cities are shifting their protein intakes toward animal sources—a trend they intend to study in the context of sarcopenia.
Plant-based diet and healthy aging
Recent research on Western demographics bolsters the findings in this new study. When it comes to issues with muscle loss in older women specifically, a study published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia, and Muscle in June examined link between protein sources (plant, animal, and dairy) and incidence of frailty, which is characterized by fatigue, slowed walking speed, weak muscle strength, and unintentional weight loss.
Researchers here analyzed data from more than 85,000 women aged 60 and older who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study, one of the largest studies investigating risk factors for major chronic diseases in women.
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Their findings? Higher intake of plant protein is linked to reduced risk of frailty while higher intake of animal protein is linked to higher risk of frailty. The researchers also found that replacing animal protein with plant protein might help to avoid the development of frailty.
Research conducted on other demographics has also linked plant-based diets to various health benefits for older adults, including a reduction in medications prescribed; reduced risk of certain types of cancers; and an improvement in menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.
She added that the perception of time is also influenced by memory and how much you’ve experienced. For an 8-year-old, a week is a big portion of their life. For an 80-year-old, a week is a much smaller portion of their life, which contributes to the feeling that it went by quickly.
A day in the life of a retired 80-year-old may feel like it’s going by more slowly than that of an 8-year-old who is busy at school. However, when both people look back on a month or a year, that period of time will seem like it went by faster to the older person.
This is for a number of reasons. For the 80-year-old, their life probably doesn’t look too different than it did when they were 78 or 79, “so, in that case, they’re looking back on fewer events,” Lustig said. “When you’re looking back, the less rich your representation is, the more it’s going to seem like the time went by quickly.”
The many experiences young children have in a day (such as learning new things at school, going to ballet class or visiting a new friend’s house) contribute to the notion that time is more plentiful and more activities can fit into that time. Therefore, when looking back, time may feel slower.
This can apply to adults, too. When we look back on a time period that was filled with lots of new experiences, “we see [a] large expense of events and memories, and that makes it seem like time stretches out … and it feels very long,” Lustig said. If you’re not introducing new patterns into your life, time can feel like it’s going by much quicker overall.
How we process what we see can also influence how we view time, Bejan said. Our brains are trained to receive many images when we are infants. Because we’re absorbing so many new images as kids, it may feel like months and years are longer.
This could mean picking up a childhood hobby (like dancing or violin), taking an overnight trip to a city you’ve never visited or signing up for a cooking class. Learning new things is another good way to make your time feel longer when you look back on your life, he said.
Lustig noted that being fully engaged and “in the moment” can make those moments seem to last longer. In fact, laboratory studies show that mindfulness exercises can stretch our perception of time, she said. So don’t try to focus on multiple tasks at once. Instead, just focus on the experience at hand.
You partied and drank too much the night before and perhaps the one before that. Today, you have a business meeting or brunch with the in-laws. Although you…
A best nighttime skincare routine is an essential part of any beauty regimen. A good skincare routine can help you maintain healthy, glowing skin for years. A night skincare routine is vital as it helps to cleanse, repair and nourish your skin while you sleep. In this article, we’ll look at the best way to care for your skin at night to achieve beautiful and healthy skin cells.
What’s the best skin care routine at night for healthy skin?
The best skincare routine at night depends on your skin type and needs. If you have dry, acne-prone skin or sensitive skin, you’ll want to follow a way that includes cleansers, toners, moisturizers, and sleep deprivation masks. For oily or combination skin concerns, you’ll want to add mattifying products and the best nighttime routine for every skin type like face wash and lotion. Finally, use the right ingredients in each product to ensure healthy skin at night.
How to Use the Right Skin Care Products.
Ingredients are essential when it comes to a good skin-care routine at night. Ensure all your skincare products contain natural ingredients like shea butter and olive oil which will help keep your skin healthy and hydrated throughout the night. Additionally, choose effective ingredients that won’t cause irritation or sensitivity in your delicate skin.
How to Keep Your Skin Healthy at Night.
One of the most important things you can do for healthy skin at night is to follow a routine that includes plenty of sleep, including six hours per day spent in bed. This way, you’ll be able to disengage from electronic screens early in the evening and get quality rest without being disturbed by loud noises or commitments outside your bedroom.
How to Make sure You Get the Best Skin Care Routine at Night
Start your day with a good skin routine by following the advice in this section. Make sure you get enough sleep and use the right skincare serum and sunscreen daily. Following these simple steps will help maintain healthy skin while on vacation.
Get enough sleep.
One of the most important things you can do to improve your skin during vacation is to get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can lead to dryness, redness, and other issues with your skin. So, get at least 7 hours of sleep each night to ensure the best results.
Moisturize your skin
Moisturizing your skin every night can help it look younger and more radiant. When you moisturize your skin each night, it helps to keep the dead skin cells healthy and replenished. This helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.
You can use only a few products to get the desired results; a moisturizer will do the trick. Apply moisturizer to your neck, chest, and face at night. You can also apply moisturizer before you get out of the shower. Just use it evenly and avoid getting it in your eyes.
Use the Right Skincare Products.
To keep your skin looking its best during vacation, it’s essential to use the correct skincare products each time you use them. Choose products that are gentle on your skin and won’t irritate it too much; these products should also be affordable if you plan on using them frequently throughout the weeklong trip. Try to stick with brands that have been certified organic or have been chosen for their environmental impact – these companies tend to be more sustainable in their product choices than some others out there.
Use organic beauty oils.
Organic beauty oils are an effective and natural way to nourish, protect, and heal your skin. With these powerful ingredients, you can easily switch up your effective nighttime skincare routine with many organic oil options.
Not only do these organic oils provide a chemical-free alternative to traditional beauty products, but they also offer numerous benefits for both dry and oily skin types. From being gentle on sensitive skin to provide antioxidant protection against sun damage and free radicals, organic beauty oils have been shown to effectively combat signs of aging and inflammation while leaving your skin soft, smooth, and hydrated.
Whether you choose rosehip oil for its anti-aging benefits or jojoba oil for its hydrating properties – incorporating one or more of these natural ingredients into your nighttime skin care routine that works best to help you achieve glowing results without harsh chemicals or irritants.
As one of the few oils derived from a fruit, rosehip oil is instantly recognizable by its sweet and slightly musky scent. This oil, extracted from the rose hip fruit (or rosehip), has a natural SPF of approximately 20 with an antioxidant score of over 50. This means that it is a very effective antioxidant and can help to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun, including wrinkles, discolouration, and sagging.
The rosehip seed oil also contains essential fatty acids (EFAs) necessary for maintaining healthy skin. These include oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. The benefits of these fatty acids can moisturize the skin, increase elasticity in ageing skin, prevent scarring and improve the healing of wounds. Rosehip seed oil is also a good source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), an important antioxidant that can help protect your skin from the damaging effects of free radicals.
Argan oil is a natural oil derived from the kernels of the argan tree, native to Morocco. It has been a beauty treatment for centuries and is known for its anti-ageing and skin-healing properties. In addition, Argan oil contains beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants that can help restore moisture and reduce inflammation in the skin. It may also help protect against environmental stressors such as sun damage, pollution, and windburn.
Rich in vitamin E, linoleic acid, oleic acid, and other essential nutrients, Argan oil helps your skin to reduce wrinkles by boosting collagen production in the skin. It can also improve elasticity and minimize symptoms of acne or psoriasis by balancing out excess sebum production in oily areas of the face or body.
Tips How To Maintain Skin Care Routine at Night for Healthy Skin
When trying to achieve healthy and glowing skin at night, using the right skincare products is essential. This includes selecting products that are effective at keeping skin hydrated and looking radiant without over-the-counter chemicals or artificial colours. To help keep your skin looking its best at night, follow these tips:
Wash your face: Having a good skincare routine is essential for keeping your skin looking healthy and vibrant. It’s important to cleanse your skin every night., washing your face helps remove dirt, oil, and other impurities that can build up on the skin throughout the day. It also helps to prevent breakouts and keep your skin looking fresh. Not only that, but it can help you relax before bedtime and get a better night’s sleep.
Get enough sleep: Sleep is essential for keeping your skin healthy and radiant during the day. Be sure toppers such as caffeine or alcohol don’t interfere with a good night’s sleep.
Use a face mask: Taking care of your skin is essential to maintaining a healthy and youthful appearance. Moisturizing the skin helps to keep it nourished and hydrated, which can help combat signs of ageing. A moisturizing face mask is an effective way to nurture and hydrate your skin deeply. Not only does a face mask provide intense hydration, but it also locks in moisture for long-term effects. You can use many different types of masks depending on your skin type. For example, a moisturizing face mask is the best option for you if you have dry skin. These masks tend to be more hydrating and nourishing than other masks.
Put eye cream: Good skincare routine is essential for a healthy and glowing complexion. Eye cream is one of the most critical steps in any skincare regimen, yet many people need to use it correctly. To ensure that you get the best out of your eye cream, it is essential to know the best time to apply it. In this article, we will discuss why putting on eye cream during the night is beneficial and how it can help reduce signs of ageing around the eyes.
Apply night cream: As part of your daily skincare routine, it is essential for maintaining healthy, glowing skin. Not only does it help lock in moisture overnight, but it can also target specific needs such as dryness, clogged pores, and uneven texture. Night creams are designed to be thicker and more nourishing than day creams to help tackle the signs of ageing that come with time. In addition, they can transform dull skin into a more radiant complexion when applied correctly.
A moisturizing face mask is a product applied to the skin and left on for a certain amount of time. Once it has been removed, your skin will be left looking refreshed and hydrated. Moisturizing Face Mask Ingredients many different ingredients in moisturizing face masks, including Aloe Vera: This ingredient has been used for centuries as a skin treatment. It is known to be highly soothing and moisturizing while also providing anti-inflammatory benefits. It is also known to reduce skin inflammation, redness, and irritation.
This ingredient has been used for centuries as a skin treatment. It is known to be highly soothing and moisturizing while also providing anti-inflammatory benefits. It is also known to reduce skin inflammation, redness, and irritation.
Conclusion
By following a healthy and glowy skin routine at night, you can ensure that your skin is healthy and looking great all night long. Stay asleep and avoid too much exposure to the sun during the day – this will help keep your skin looking its best!
