Metabolism explains not only weight gain and loss, but also immune system function, energy levels, mood and emotional health, hormonal balance, skin quality, body shape, elimination … In fact, all the functions that you can imagine in the body, physiological or mental, can be related to some metabolic process. So conditions like diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart failure, chronic inflammation, depression, and even epilepsy – all of them (and many more!) Can be linked to an underlying metabolic problem.
In truth, we metabolize much more than what we eat and drink. We metabolize our own hormones and waste created as a by-product of physiological processes (including metabolism itself). And, of course, we metabolize thoughts and emotions (some of which are often highly toxic) in the same way that we metabolize food and drink.
At first glance, metabolism turns out to be the core of our physical, mental, and emotional health. Therefore, to optimize health, we must optimize metabolism. Importantly, there are three equally important factors to consider to improve metabolism: stress, sleep, and diet.
Stress creates free radicals, meaning more waste to metabolize. The other problem with stress is that it activates the fight-flight mechanism that leads to shutting down healthy metabolic pathways. As a result, insulin and blood sugar levels rise, causing us to store more fat (and fat cells, in turn, hold on to more physical and emotional toxins). Therefore, stress-busting practices, such as meditation, physical exercise, and some form of therapy, are crucial to maintaining optimal metabolic health.
Lack of sleep also raises blood sugar and insulin levels and prevents the parasympathetic nervous system from firing. Therefore, instead of the parasympathetic rest-digest-metabolize-repair mode, we stay in fight-flight which, as already explained, leads to the storage of fats and toxins. To avoid this, make sure you are asleep no later than 11 p.m. M. And get at least 8 hours of sleep.
Last but not least, diet. Now, there is a way to eat to increase metabolic health and there is a way to eat to destroy it. If you want to help your metabolism, you should stay away from: sugar (especially fructose, which is highly fattening and inflammatory), flour and starch, polyunsaturated fats (especially seed oils), alcohol, and cigarettes. You should also stay away from snacking: limiting your food intake to two or three meals a day will increase your metabolism and help you burn your own fat and toxins; constant grazing, on the other hand, will do the opposite. Lastly, don’t eat after 7pm because everything you put in your mouth after that time is stored as visceral fat around the organs (the worst fat of all).
In conclusion, eat well, love and pray and sleep, and you will feel and look beautiful both inside and out.
