Kerri Waldron
Many older people never expected that they might feel weaker, tire faster, or struggle to lift things that once felt light as they grow older. However, several studies have shown that we lose up to 30 per cent of our muscle mass between the ages of 60 and 80, even if we stay active.
This silent muscle loss not only makes everyday life harder, but also increases the risk of falls while taking casual walks around the neighbourhood, weakens the immune system, and gradually steals independence.
The good news is that you can rebuild your muscles. You can get stronger, and you do not need a gym membership or expensive supplements to achieve that. In Japan, elders in their 70s and 80s still garden, bike, and even dance, thanks largely to the way they eat.
Their meals are centred on simple, inexpensive, high-protein foods that nourish the body and keep their muscles strong.
Today, we will show you some of these powerful Japanese foods, whose equivalents are available in most Nigerian markets, and how they can help you feel strong, steady, and in control again at any age.
Sustained muscle strength is essential for balance and coordination, which are crucial in preventing falls, one of the biggest challenges for people in their senior years. These mishaps do not respect age or status, and many prominent individuals across the world have suffered serious consequences from such falls.
We will cite two examples: A former Israeli Prime Minister, Menachem Begin, sustained a fall in his bathroom at the age of 79 and fractured his hip.
He underwent emergency surgery and survived, continuing in his role. However, a former Scottish First Minister, Donald Dewar, slipped over a step just outside his official residence and hit his head.
He died later that day from a brain haemorrhage. He was much younger than Begin, only 63. Younger men may have been able to prevent such falls or reduce the severity of the injury with more muscle bulk and better nerve, vision, and muscle coordination.
The real issue, therefore, is why we lose muscle so rapidly after the age of 60. If you have been feeling weaker lately, you are not imagining it; the science is clear. At around 60, we begin to lose muscle at a rate of up to three per cent per year. It may sound small, but over a decade, it can mean losing nearly one-third of your strength.
This condition is known as sarcopenia, and it is not just a medical term; it is something older adults feel in their daily lives. You may have noticed it is harder to get up from a chair or that your arms tire quickly when carrying things. These are not just signs of ageing, they are signals that your muscles are struggling.
What causes this muscle loss? One key reason is that, as we get older, our muscles become less responsive to protein, a condition known as anabolic resistance.
In simple terms, the same amount of protein that once helped you build and maintain muscle in your 40s now has far less impact. In your 60s and beyond, your body actually needs more protein, and it needs it more frequently.
Lifestyle is another factor. Many older adults eat less overall; they may skip meals or eat small portions, especially of protein. Add to that reduced physical activity, common with age, and the body receives fewer signals to preserve muscle tissue.
Muscles are essential not just for strength but for overall health. They help regulate blood sugar, support posture and balance, protect bones from fractures, and keep the immune system functioning well. Most importantly, they help you stay independent.
Many people feel old and behave old when, in reality, their bodies are simply undernourished, especially with diets low in high-quality protein. This is where the Japanese lifestyle offers something powerful.
In Japan, older adults consume small portions of protein-rich foods throughout the day, not only at dinner. From fermented soybeans at breakfast to small fish and miso soup at lunch, their diet keeps their muscles constantly nourished.
Their meals are designed to gently nourish muscle, not just fill the stomach. This is why Japanese elders maintain muscle better than the Western races. There are two very different pictures of ageing now; in many parts of the Western world, growing old often means growing weaker mentally and preparing for walkers, railings, and mobility aids, but in Japan, the opposite is the case. There are 80-year-olds who still bike to the market, sweep their courtyards each morning and climb stairs without a second thought. What makes the difference so big is that it lies in how they eat and when they eat.
That is unlike the typical Western model, where protein is often saved for one large meal at dinner, or in our typical style, where the timing does not matter. Sometimes, the amount of protein we eat depends on where we are. We do not prioritise nutritious protein foods like moin-moin and akara well enough, but have a tendency to eat starchy foods throughout our lives.
The Japanese, on the other hand, distribute small portions of protein-rich foods evenly throughout the day, and this supports constant, gentle muscle repair, which is especially important for ageing bodies, which can no longer process large amounts of protein at once, as it seems to be the case with our style of feeding. Japanese meals are also filled with variety and intention instead of relying heavily on red meat or processed foods. They eat a mishmash of fermented soybeans, small fish, sea vegetables, eggs, and grains, like brown rice, all of which contribute not just protein, but nutrients that support muscle strength, joint health and digestion.
This approach comes from a cultural philosophy, called Shoku, the Japanese art of mindful eating, which teaches that food is not just fuel but something that deeply connects body, mind and community.
The meals are small, but satisfying protein comes in multiple forms, not just from meat. Most importantly, meals are seen as healers, not just a habitual engagement. Japanese daily life encourages gentle, regular activity like walking to the train station, a serious scarcity in Nigeria, tending to a garden, and squatting while cooking.
These small actions, when done consistently, provide the physical signals muscles need to stay active. They try to keep muscles alive every day, which is what their culture supports.
Especially for those over 60 years, one of the richest plant-based sources of complete protein is soybeans. Just one small serving of around 2 tablespoons contains about 8 grammes of protein, along with a rare nutrient called vitamin K2. When it is fermented, it plays a vital role in helping calcium go to the right places in your bones and not your arteries.
For older adults, that means stronger bones, better joint health and a lower risk of fractures. Natto diet is fermented soybeans combined with rice and contains natural probiotics, which support gut health and improve nutrient absorption, including the protein your muscles need.
This is typically taken as breakfast. In ageing bodies, digestion often slows and absorption weakens, so this kind of support is crucial in both Japanese and other households. In Nigerian homes, a small bowl of rice, a bit of lentils or beans, sometimes green onions where available, mustard, or eggs would be a modest combination quietly supporting the body in a way no medications can, and provide sustained nourishment from the inside out. There is a beautiful rhythm to this way of eating. Rather than consuming large amounts of protein in one sitting, Japanese elders offer their bodies steady, gentle signals throughout the day, encouraging muscles to stay active, not break down.
Questions and answers
Good morning, doctor. Please, my daughter has fibroids. She is over 35 years old and bleeds heavily. She recently left Nigeria, but while she was here, she was advised to undergo surgery to remove the fibroids.
We were afraid because she is not yet married and has no children, so we did not want to jeopardise that chance. Other doctors, however, told her that surgery is not always recommended nowadays, which is what her doctors in Australia are also saying.
They told her she would need to take a medication for at least one year. She just went there for her master’s degree and is not working for now, so she says the cost of the medicine is too high and she cannot afford it. What do you think we should do? Can we get such medicines in Nigeria so I can try to send them to her? 09014250***
There is room for drug treatment of fibroids, which can help shrink them, reduce bleeding, and allow her to continue her studies. However, the fibroids we often see in Nigerian women tend to be larger than those seen in white women, and this may explain the differences in medical advice she is receiving.
She needs to clarify exactly what her doctors are recommending. As for the medications, they can be obtained in Nigeria, although their quality may be a concern. Many contain male sex hormones, which can affect bone health over time.
Good day, Sunday doctor. Childbirth is not easy, and some women die in the process. I have lost some relatives who died while giving birth or soon after, either naturally or through surgery. I pray that no woman should die giving birth. Thank you very much, and have a nice day. 08063871***
Thank you for your contribution and prayer. I join you in saying amen. Even in the most advanced nations, maternal deaths still occur, though rarely, and they are newsworthy when they do.
In Nigeria, such deaths have unfortunately become more common due to a variety of factors, all of which we have discussed on this page.
Good evening, doctor. If someone’s penis bends to one side, what does it mean? Does it have any medical effect? I am asking because I noticed that among my classmates, only my penis bends to the right. Thank you, sir. 07039040***
Not all penises are straight, especially when erect. They may bend to the right or left. If you have difficulty aiming your urine, you can guide it with your hand. Otherwise, a slight bend is not abnormal and has no adverse medical effect.
Good day, doctor. I am a 25-year-old single woman with fibroids. The last scan I did two weeks ago showed that one of them is about 7.2 centimetres with calcification. All the teaching hospitals are currently on strike, and I cannot afford private care. The bleeding and pain I experience during my periods are severe. What do you suggest I do? Thank you very much. 09092191***
The best thing you can do under the circumstances is to visit a private hospital, not for surgery, but to obtain medications that can help you manage your symptoms while waiting for public hospitals to reopen. This should help you cope over the next few months until services resume.
Good evening, doctor. I am an 83-year-old woman with diabetes, which has been well controlled for the past 15 years. Recently, I have been suffering from severe tooth pain. I cannot chew properly and feel exhausted.
I believe there is a cavity in my tooth. I have checked my mouth, but cannot see anything. I am afraid of going to the dentist. Please, I need your advice. Thank you, sir. 07084997***
Madam, your situation is challenging, especially because of your fear of visiting a dentist. The pain may not necessarily be from a cavity; only a dentist can confirm that. If the pain is due to inflamed gums, such as gingivitis or a gum abscess, medications may help.
You can start by gargling with warm salt water twice daily and taking a simple pain reliever like paracetamol: two tablets, three times a day.
You may also take an available antibiotic such as Ampiclox, 500 mg every six hours for at least five days. If there is no improvement after five days, you must see a dentist. It does not always mean your tooth will be extracted, but professional care is essential, as you have already suffered enough.
Good morning, doctor. My mother is 89 years old. Earlier this year, she had a fall that resulted in a hip fracture, and she underwent surgery in India. Four days ago, she began experiencing severe pain when walking, but she has no pain when lying down or sitting. Moving her is difficult because my brother and his family are far away. What do you think may be wrong? 08077892***
Please accept my sympathy. You should arrange for a diagnostic centre with ambulance services to conduct an urgent X-ray of her affected hip. The implant used during her surgery may be failing, either loosening or breaking. An X-ray will determine the problem, and appropriate treatment can then be planned. Good luck.
Good day, Sunday doctor. Thank you very much for your work. I am 71 years old with well-controlled hypertension. Can I take vitamin supplements, like Centrum Silver? My son regularly sends them from the United Kingdom, but I decided to ask, even though I have used them before. God bless you. 09023644***
Thank you for your kind words and prayers; they are greatly appreciated. Centrum Silver is a supplement and should be seen as complementary to your prescribed medications. There is no harm in taking it at your age.
Source: bing.com
