How To Cultivate A Strong Metabolism
Metabolic health is an essential aspect of our overall well-being. It affects everything from our energy levels to our ability to fight off illness. Today, we delve into understanding what a healthy metabolism looks like, the signs of poor metabolic health, what contributes to weakened metabolisms, and how we can support our metabolism.
What is a Healthy Metabolism?
Metabolism is not just about how fast or slow we burn calories, but rather about how efficiently our body can convert nutrients into fuel. When our metabolic health is strong, we feel less stressed, our nervous systems feel adaptable and resilient, and our cells are happy. A robust and adaptable metabolic rate is desirable, allowing us to engage fully with life. However, if our metabolic rate drops, metabolic processes such as digestion, detoxification, sex drive, immunity will suffer, and energy utilization decreases, leading to more fat storage.
Signs of a Healthy Metabolism
Indicators of good metabolic health include a pulse between 75-90 bpm, a body temperature between 97.8-98.6 F, painless periods, a healthy sex drive, strong nails, 1-3 well-formed bowel movements per day, urinating 4-6 times a day, consistent energy throughout the day, an uninterrupted 8 hours of sleep per night, waking up hungry, and having a strong digestive system.
Signs of Poor Metabolic Health
Conversely, signs of poor metabolic health include constantly cold hands, feet, and nose, low libido, frequent urination, irregular bowel movements, digestive issues, fluctuating moods, fatigue, hair loss, brittle nails, and general dis-ease symptoms. Also emotional states like anxiety, anger, social withdrawal and irritability can be signs of poor metabolic health.
Why Do We Have Weakened Metabolisms?
Weakened metabolisms can be attributed to a decrease in nutrient density leading to mineral depletion coupled with a rise of toxicity in our food and environment. A variety of factors contribute to this including soil depletion of essential minerals, a significant increase in processed foods fortified with iron and synthetic ingredients that our body can't digest, a decreased food nutrient density, increased intake of high fructose corn syrup, glyphosate, and other harmful chemicals causing gut dysbiosis, stress, lack of collective trauma process, and a disjointed healthcare system overprescribing medications that chelate minerals.
Metabolic Health Starts in the Mitochondria
Our metabolic health starts in the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell. 90% of energy creation and exhaust in our body happens in the mitochondria. These biological microchips, or "the drumbeat of the cell", are fueled by minerals. If the mitochondria do not get the fuel they need, they will not create as much energy, nor will they appropriately eliminate exhaust (toxins), leading to oxidative stress, inflammation, and disease symptoms.
Minerals: The Fuel For Our Lives
Minerals are the spark plugs for our body's engine. They are essential for the functioning of our enzymes, hormones, and thyroid. They require a specific ratio and balance within the body. Our mood and even personality are directly impacted by minerals. For example, the lower sodium the higher the stress you experience. Low potassium levels can increase fear. Unfortunately, due to modern lifestyle, processed foods, soil mineral depletion, decline in nutrient-dense diets, and environmental toxins, we are on average 5-6 generations deep in mineral depletion.
Supporting Your Metabolism
There are several ways to support your metabolism:
eat a protein-dense breakfast within 1 hour of waking
eat enough protein and calories (100g per day + at least 2,000 calories)
eat every 3-4 hours
eat organic / pesticide free
prioritize nutrient density and diversity i.e. whole foods over processed foods
stop overexercising
slow down!
Understanding Mineral Ratios with Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a non-invasive cellular biopsy that allows us to see the mineral content of your hair. From a small hair sample, we can identify mineral imbalances and deficiencies in the body, and create a personalized remineralization protocol. It shows the last 3 months of minerals that have been excreted into your hair. When we look at the ratios of specific minerals, it can help us understand our metabolic rate, adrenal function, thyroid function, carbohydrate sensitivity, overall cellular vitality, and how well we eliminate toxic metals.
If you're interested in improving your metabolic health and would like more support you can view my offerings here.
Remember, we are mineral beings. Our metabolic health plays a pivotal role in our overall well-being. By understanding our metabolic health and taking steps to improve it, we can enhance our quality of life.