Improve Your Metabolic Health
How can we help? Obesity | Insulin resistance | Diabetes | PCOS | Thyroid disease
How did we get so much sicker?? Metabolically healthy individuals in the US are a minority.
Isn’t it sad that with all that information available at our fingertips, metabolic illness in the US is a norm rather than an exception? Is the processed food industry driving the obesity epidemic with its hyper-palatable, preservative, and chemical-laden foods?? I wonder if they can single-handedly contribute or if are there other factors at play as well…
What is metabolic health?
Metabolic health refers to how well your body processes what you consume. It primarily reflects your body’s capability to efficiently convert food into energy and eliminate waste products. Having good metabolic health decreases the risk of developing chronic diseases such as:
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Many factors contribute to your metabolic health, some of them you can influence while others are predetermined:
Factors you can influence:
- Diet: Maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources is crucial to have a good metabolic health. Not consuming processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats is also important.
- Exercise: Frequent occurrence of any form of physical activity helps your body use insulin more effectively, which is important for regulating blood sugar levels.
- Sleep: Getting quality sleep is very vital for overall health, including metabolic health. Try for at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
- Stress management: Stress can disrupt your metabolism. Finding ways to manage stress, such as yoga or meditation, can be helpful..
Only 12% of Americans are metabolically healthy, based on stats released in 2019, and that number in 2022 went further down to 6.8%. In the last four decades, the prevalence of diabetes has increased fourfold. 37 million people have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and around 80 million people that is 1 in 4 adults to give perspective have Pre-diabetes (ie HbA1c of 5.9 or higher) many of whom don’t even know they will be diabetic in a few years unless they make food and lifestyle changes.
Metabolism is the complex process through which our bodies convert what we eat and drink into energy. However, several interconnected factors can disrupt this delicate balance, leading to conditions like obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, PCOS, and thyroid disease.
All of these chronic diseases that evolve from metabolic diseases might have a 20% genetic predisposition at play but shockingly 80% of the contribution to these conditions is coming from things one puts on their plate and from their lifestyle.
Which to me is good news! Because if one changes their food and lifestyle guess what they can start to undo 80% of the disease contribution. Isn’t that amazing?
Improve metabolic health
Even if you don’t have the best of metabolic health, there are many ways to improve metabolism. Your daily activities play a crucial role in determining your overall health as well as metabolic health.
Steps to improving metabolism
- Better diet: Make gradual changes towards a healthier way of eating.
- Regular exercise: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week.
- Good sleep: Develop a good sleep schedule that ensures you get enough rest.
- Stress management: Find healthy ways to manage stress in your life.
- Speak to your doctor: Discuss your metabolic health concerns and create a personalized plan for improvement.
Foods that increase metabolism
As mentioned earlier, it is crucial to implement a healthy diet schedule to maintain a good metabolic health. As per research, the below list includes the kind of foods tom incorporate in your diet for better metabolic health:
- Protein rich foods
- Chicken
- FIsh
- Beans and legumes
- Eggs
- Lean meats
- Tofu and tempeh
- Fiber rich foods
- Fruits (Berries,pears, apples)
- Vegetables (Mainly leafy vegetables)
- Whole grains (Oats, quinoa, brown rice)
- Legumes (beans, lentils)
- Health fats
- Fatty fish
- Avocados
- Nuts and seeds
- Extra virgin oil
- Green teas
- Chili peppers
Unlocking Metabolic Health: Understanding the Links Between Obesity, and Insulin Resistance, Diabetes, PCOS, and Thyroid Disease is the key!
- Obesity: The Root of Metabolic Imbalance
Obesity is the cornerstone of metabolic disorders, and significantly increases the risk of developing insulin resistance, diabetes, PCOS, and thyroid dysfunction. Excess body fat, especially around the abdomen, leads to chronic inflammation and disturbs hormonal balance, creating a hostile environment for metabolic imbalances.
- Insulin Resistance: A Precursor to Diabetes
Insulin resistance occurs when cells in your body do not respond properly to insulin (The #1 fat-storing hormone). Prolonged insulin resistance for years can lead to type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels.
- Diabetes: Managing the Blood Sugar Rollercoaster
We have known for years that food and lifestyle are 100% effective in preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes/insulin resistance. Yet in traditional practice, the furthest we go is trying to manage diabetes with prescription medications while trying to limit sugar intake in the diabetic population. Most of them continue to have processed carbohydrates (breads, tortillas, pasta, crackers, cereals, bagels, etc) which are also fast carbs leading to worsening conditions and increased doses, and the need for multiple diabetes prescriptions and ultimately insulin.
- PCOS: Beyond Reproductive Health
PCOS is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. It can lead to irregular periods, fertility issues, and the development of cysts on the ovaries. Additionally, PCOS is closely related to insulin resistance, leading to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. PCOS has become increasingly common affecting 20% of the female population yet is a complex condition that has left so many practitioners baffled.
- Thyroid Disease: The Metabolic Regulator
Thyroid hormones play a vital role in regulating metabolism. Both hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can disrupt metabolic processes. There are two autoimmune disorders that affect the thyroid gland activity – Hashimoto’s disease leads to hypothyroidism and Graves’ disease leads to hyperthyroidism. But both these conditions involve the immune system attacking the thyroid gland.
Understanding the intricate web connecting obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, PCOS, and thyroid disease is the first step toward better metabolic health.
The idea of healthy living has become over-complicated in our information overload era and unfortunately, myths travel faster than truth!
Let me tell you that being healthy is neither hard nor expensive nor a lot of work as perceived! As you know I am on a mission to show you that being healthy is PRICELESS!!
The goal is to break the vicious cycle and come out ahead!