Can you influence your metabolism?
What exactly is metabolism? Metabolism is the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that change food into energy. We need this energy to do everything: moving, thinking, growing. The challenge for some can be a slower than desired metabolism which often happens when we age. Our metabolism actually decreases 2% to 3% every decade after the age of 18. Genetics can influence metabolic rate, but it is not the only determinant. Let’s look at some metabolic disrupters and activators.
Metabolic Disrupters
- Stress/Trauma affects so many parts of our bodies including metabolism.
- Toxins fill our world; our food, hair and skin products, prescription medications, the water we use, and the air we breathe all have the potential to have toxins. Toxins can affect our hormones and hormones can affect our metabolism.
- Poor Eating Habits/Choices is one of the biggest challenges for most of us.
- Sedentary Lifestyle can become a way of life and becomes more of a challenge as we age.
Metabolic Activators
- Adaptation – Our bodies alter how efficient it is at turning the food we eat into energy. The body adjust to the feast or famine challenge.
- Daily Detoxification – Clean eating that supports the liver helps with detoxification.
- Emotional Expression – Using techniques such as journaling, group therapy, talking with a friend/spouse can be helpful when dealing with a stressful or traumatic situation.
- Clean Eating – Choose real foods that support a healthy lifestyle; this is not any particular diet but a way of eating for promoting health. This will be very individualized.
- Active Lifestyle – Maintaining an active lifestyle is critical to improving your metabolism. Try to keep movement a part of your daily routine.
Actions to Build Better Metabolism
- Build Muscle – Muscle burns more efficiently. We build muscle through movement which can include walking, swimming, running, cycling, weight-bearing exercise, gardening, yard work, or housework. Again, get moving!
- Build Energy – Simple breathing exercises, physical exercise, drinking water, keeping a regular sleep cycle, and avoiding smoking can all build energy.
- Build Digestion – Begin by choosing quality, real food which can include organic fruits and vegetables, and pasture-raised poultry, eggs, and meat. Adding probiotic foods to your diet such as raw sauerkraut, yogurt, kombucha, and kefir will improve your digestion.
- Build Elimination – Efficient elimination is vital to a healthy metabolism. Toxins are removed through elimination. This requires healthy gut flora, sufficient fiber, and clean water in our diet to assist the elimination process.
- Build Thermogenesis – Thermogenesis is the process of building heat in our body. There are foods that can actually raise this. These can include protein, vegetables, and certain herbs and spices.
No single food will make or break good health. But the kinds of food you choose day in and day out have a major impact.
Walter Willett
Improving Metabolism with Spices
There are many spices that can increase metabolism; here are four!
- Turmeric has been praised for its ability to relieve pain, boost metabolism, and facilitate weight loss. It can be added to stir fries, soups, sauces, and side dishes in either the fresh or powdered form.
- Cinnamon is useful in the treatment of diabetes as it lowers blood sugar levels and enhances sugar metabolism. It can be added to oatmeal, muffins, breads, and yogurt.
- Ginger is a healthy metabolism booster and helps burn calories. It also facilitates and accelerates digestion. It can be added to stir fries, soups, and side dishes in both the fresh and powdered form.
- Black Pepper helps the stomach automatically increase the levels of HCl so food is digested faster and more easily.
These are just four spices that can help with metabolism. As you can see, eating real food and staying active can build a healthy metabolism. When working with clients, I encourage using real food as the first step in improving metabolism and overall health. Our body knows what to do with real food.
How is your metabolism? Has it changed as you have aged? Do you think you could incorporate any of these strategies to improve your own metabolism?
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
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