Issue #65: Don’t let sarcopenia and joint degradation ruin your golden years

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Hey Radical Health Seekers 👋🏼

Here at Heart & Soil HQ, we like to do a thing called “Question Of The Day”.

Past questions have included:

‘What was your favorite song when you were 12? 🎵’…

‘What’s an item you always travel with that most people don’t? ✈️’…

And ‘What’s one thing you have done that you don’t think anyone else at Heart & Soil has done?’

This is always a fun way to spark conversation and learn about each other…

Like last week we learned Doug (COO) won a 16-man arm wrestling tournament while spending a weekend in jail…

(he was completely innocent BTW)

Or that Zach (Health Guide) never travels without one refrigerated steak, one frozen steak (cooked), and 64 ounces of frozen raw milk.

But there was one question from last week that got us thinking:

What are some things you want to be able to do when you’re 80 years old?

Dean (CEO): ‘To shoot hoops with my grandkids’

Abby (Customer Support): ‘To go bowhunting in deer season (with my grandkids too!)’

Melanie (Social Media): ‘To travel the world’

Noel (Affiliates): ‘DANCE’

What are some things YOU want to be able to do when you’re 80 years old ?

This is such an important question, and worth thinking about…

Because being able to enjoy our favorite activities at 60, 70, and 80+ will be a huge determinant in the quality of life we can expect in our old age.

Yet for most people, once they reach a certain age (often as young as 40+), they aren’t able to do the things they love…

And very often, by the time they reach 80 (if they reach it), they’re mostly confined to a chair.

This is mainly down to two factors:

#1 – Sarcopenia

Which is the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength due to age (and a lack of use)…

and 

#2 –  Joint degradation

Which is where your joints become stiffer, because the amount of lubricating fluid inside your joints decreases, the cartilage becomes thinner, and ligaments shorten and lose flexibility.

Now most people think sarcopenia and joint degradation are as inevitable as the wear and tear on your car tyres…

But we say otherwise.

Just check out the difference between the legs of these folks:

Notice how the sedentary man’s legs have less muscle, more fat, and smaller, weaker bones?

So if sarcopenia and joint degradation are inevitable, how do you explain the condition of the 70-year-old triathlete’s legs? 

They look more like the 40-year-olds than the 74-year-olds!

This tells us we CAN avoid sarcopenia. 

And you don’t need to compete in triathlons, but you DO need to practice some form of resistance training 2 – 4 times a week. 

There are so many options…

Freeweights, calisthenics, rowing, swimming, pilates, yoga, heck, even arm wrestling like Doug will do it 😉

But if you truly want to be a radical 80 year old, then:

✅ Train smart (utilize proper form and recover)

✅ Train hard (practice progressive overload)

✅ And train consistently (follow a program)

But what if I’m already “old”, and have never trained my muscles before?

Then all the more reason to start today!

You are NEVER too old to begin building and strengthening your muscles, even if you are already 80+ (ref, ref, ref 🤓)

If you’re starting from scratch, hire a professional trainer, and watch your quality of life improve 🚀

How to fight joint degradation

Besides maintaining muscle, we also need to take care of our joints (all 350 of them).

Like all moving parts, they degrade with age and use, but we can determine the degree and speed with which that happens.

Regular movement, mobility and strength training will help, as will avoiding foods which can trigger joint pain, such as processed foods, seed oils and oxalate-containing vegetables.

But we can’t talk about joints without talking about cartilage…

Because so many of the joint issues plaguing us are down to thinning and damaged cartilage:

Cartilage is the cushion between our bones, absorbing the shock of everyday activities…

It’s also a smooth surface for our bones to glide over each other with minimal friction, essential for pain-free and efficient joint motion.

Now they say cartilage can’t be rebuilt, but we’re more optimistic…

Because our bodies have an incredible ability to repair and rejuvenate when given the right nutritional tools 🛠️🧬

This is why we’re so excited about our latest product, Joint Strength & Repair.

This is our MOST collagen-rich product ever…

And also loaded with glycine, glucosamine, chondrocytes, glycosaminoglycans, and proteoglycans…

These important nutrients have been shown to alleviate joint pain and stiffness (ref, ref, ref, ref)…

And support cartilage formation and tissue repair (ref, ref, ref) .

So if you’re like us and want to be shooting hoops, arm wrestling, or hiking with grandkids in your 80’s…

Joint Strength & Repair can be a powerful addition to your longevity regimen.

Future goals:

The take home message is this:

Don’t let sarcopenia and joint degradation ruin your plans for later life.

Identify the radical things you want to do be enjoying in your golden years…

And take action now, so you can continue to enjoy them pain-free in your 80s, 90s and beyond.

Now before we say goodbye, check out this 3 minute Christmas commercial in German

You might become a blubbering wreck, but we PROMISE it’s worth your time, and really cements everything we’ve talked about in this weekend’s newsletter.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

The Heart & Soil Team