Spring Growth

"Got to keep moving", say these two geriatric girls!

We spent a beautiful morning walking through the woods looking for spring ephemerals and birds and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. The past week has been very cool and spring's progression has slowed to a crawl. Magnolias, which almost opened three weeks ago, are still in flower. 

Spring Beauties

Spring is a season of growth and regeneration. I love the four seasons we experience at our latitude and the observance of birds and flowers that belong to a particular month. I never tire of looking for the same ephemerals in the woods year after year.

Sadly, our bodies do not regenerate every spring. The years take their toll and we seldom demonstrate new physical growth in our adult years. Aging brings increasing frailty which describes a loss of health and function that can make a person more susceptible to large declines in function from a minor illness. Sarcopenia is an involuntary loss of strength and muscle mass that starts in our mid-thirties. By the time we are in our 70's, we have likely lost 50% of our maximum strength. 

White Trout Lilies

Joint stiffness and pain can cause us to limit activity and movements that would help us maintain strength. But strong muscles support aging joints. 

Frailty can be delayed and even reversed with resisted muscle work and adequate protein intake, two things that older people often lack. I have too many patients who never walk or exercise in any way and it leads to a cascade of functional loss. The right kind of exercise is like a spring renewal for our bodies.

Personally, I cannot run or jog anymore (I never enjoyed running!) but I love cycling and water exercise is kind to my joints. I have a floor mat and hand weight routine that really keeps chronic pain under control and helps my posture. Even a chair exercise routine can be muscle-enhancing. 

Older adults should not try to be too thin. The ideal BMI for longevity in older adults is between 25 and 28 rather than below 25 which is recommended for younger adults (source). Low body mass and unintentional weight loss in older people are associated with falls, weakness, poor food quality and intake. 

I found an Eastern Comma butterfly, one of a few local species that overwinter under tree bark. Their wings are somewhat tattered when they emerge in the spring but they can lay eggs for another generation. Humans are not hibernators and a winter of fasting and inactivity would be devastating to our health. A consistent activity routine is key to maintaining health and function in our later years.

Eastern Comma Butterfly

This chart shows a few exercises that can go a long way in keeping muscles strong enough to maintain functional mobility. They can all be done at home and exercises like the row and presses can be completed with hand weights instead of gym equipment.