Metabolic Health is Everything
**Disclaimer: I am not a licensed medical professional. This is food for thought, not medical advice. Any information presented here has come from various medical sources, some contextual “certifications” & personal experience. Please do your own research, and always consult a licensed medical professional before making any changes to your healthcare routine or medications.
What is metabolic health?
Your body’s metabolism is the process where food is converted into energy, repairing and maintaining essential cellular functions. However, metabolic health is more than just about energy conversion; it’s deeply intertwined with the health of virtually every system in the body. It influences how we process energy, manage stress, fight off illnesses, even how we feel mentally and emotionally. At its core, it involves blood sugar regulation, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and waist circumference. When these things are within healthy ranges, without prescribed medication, your metabolic health is considered good. Poor metabolic health is linked to an increased risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, progressive brain disease like alzhiemers, autoimmune disease like crohns, irritable bowel & hashimotos. As well as a slew of inflamatory, mental and emotional conditions. Leaky Gut can be a major player and often times the root of imbalance in metabolic health. To learn more about Leaky Gut and how you can heal yourself click here .
How metabolic health affects different body systems & how you can use food to heal yourself.
1. Cardiovascular System
A healthy metabolism is vital for the cardiovascular system to function optimally. Some indicators of imbalance are insulin resistance, chronic inflammation & high blood pressure. Taking steps to lower & stablize your blood sugar levels can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar can also lead to atherosclerosis; where plaque builds up in the arteries leading to an an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Balancing your HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) can help reduce cardiovascular strain aswell. You can help your body maintain balanced blood sugar and cholesterol by consuming low glycemic, high protien & fiber-rich foods like berries, veggies, meat & lemumes. Omega 3’s and healthy fats are also important to heart health, you can get that from olive oil, salmon, avocado and nuts. Adopting a more active lifestyle where you get cardiovascular acivity is crucial. Daily walks or workouts that get your blood pumping for 30-60 minutes is crucial to robust cardiovascular health.
2. Nervous System
Your brain and nervous system rely on a steady & balanced supply of glucose, ketones & amino acids in order for their complex communication system made of neurotransmitters to operate. Signs of an imbalance in the system are brain fog, trouble focusing, moodiness, stress, anxiety, depression, tremors, insomnia or chronic fatigue, among other symptoms. These are symptoms of a sympathetic dominant or chronic state or fight or flight in your nervous system. Activities to reduce stress like meditation, deep breathing, time in nature & yoga can help regulate your nervous system and bring you into a more parasympathetic state where you body can rest and digest. Foods that can help increase neural communication and a healthy gut brain axis connection are lean meats, eggs, foods high in omega 3’s, walnuts, bananas, beets, fermented foods, green tea and magnesium.
3. Digestive System
Metabolic health and digestive health are a two-way street. You can’t have one without the other. Refer to my article on Leaky Gut for a full explantion of why metabolic health is virtually impossible without first addressing this root problem. A healthy gut biome and metabolism optimizes the breakdown and assimilation of nutrients. As stated here it effects your entire body’s state of health and wellbeing. Eating fermented foods and supplementing with probiotics, prebiotics and digestive enzymes can help with building a healthy biome. However, doing this without first healing your guts intestinal mucosal lining and digestive valve function is pointless. The population you are introducing has no place to live, it will literally go in one end and out the other. Click here for a meal and supplementation plan that can help assist you in this process.
4. Endocrine System
The endocrine system governs hormones and plays a major role in metabolic health. Again, you can’t really have one without the other. Hormones like insulin, cortisol, seratonin, histamines, epinephrine, dopamine and thyroid hormones not only regulate your body’s metabolism, some also function as neurotransmitters. Chronic imbalances in hormones can lead to nervous system disregulation which leads to leaky gut and the visious cylce continues. Hormones are really important to emotional and mental health balance aswell. Hormones like progesterone, estrogen and testosterone rule these and reproducctive functions. Our environments are full of endocrine disruptors. The blue light from screens can mess with your sleep cycles. Chemical fragrances in your cleaning & hygene products, scented candles, preservatives, artificial sweetners, flavors and colors in processed foods. These not only cause cancer they wreak havok on your endocrine system. Dong your best to seek out more natural alternatives with your personal care and cleaning products, reducing processed food and sugars, getting plenty of sleep every night are great places to start supporting hormonal balance and edocrine function.
5. Immune System
A robust immune system is reliant on good metabolic health. Chronic metabolic conditions like obesity, diabetes and leaky gut are associated with a weakened immune response, making the body more susceptible to disease, infection and slower to recover from illnesses. Reducing or eliminating sugar is crucial. Studies show that after just one teaspoon of sugar the immune system responce is shut down by at least 50% if not fully, for 1-5 hours after consumption. This also counts for processed foods that convert to sugar metabolically. One cup of plain pasta equates to 11 tsp. of sugar, yikes! Eating foods like berries of all kinds, oranges & other citrus, pomegranate, ginger, garlic, tumeric, yogurt, sunflower seeds, almonds, broccoli, spinach & poultry can help because of the anitoxidants & vitamins they contain. Supplementing vitamins B6, C, D, E and zinc is helpful in adition to getting these from the foods mentioned.
6. Musculoskeletal System
The health of muscles and bones and the metabolism influence eachother. Muscle tissue is a key site for glucose uptake & fuel burning, the building of muscles is relient on proper amounds of protiens and amino acids. Bone health is supported by the metabolic absorption of calcium and other minerals like magnesium and vitamin D. Incorporate resistance and cardio training to build muscle mass & bone density. Suplement with a cal, mag, zinc D blend and amino acids. Eat foods high in calcium and protien like lean meats, spinach, nuts , legumes and prunes. A note about dairy: The efficacy of dairy as a calcium supplement is debatable because of the metabolic process. Its got protien and calcium but “dirty protien” which needs calcium to “clean” it negating the amount of calcium it contains. Dairy can also increse mucus in the body effecting the immune system, elimination and respratory function. Its also inflamatory in many people but others are fine with it.
7. Integumentary System (Skin, Hair, and Nails)
The skin, hair, nails and the lining of the gut are our bodies barriers from the outside world. One being infiltrated effects the other. The external often serving as a signal of the internal situation. Poor metabolic health or issues like leaky gut can manifest as acne, rashes and other skin conditions, thinning hair, or brittle nails. Part of this is because metabolism affects the synthesis of proteins like collagen and keratin, essential for skin elasticity, strong nails and thick hair. Proper blood flow ensures the delivery of nutrients to skin and hair follicles so it can also be a sign of problems with the circulatory system. Maintaining proper hydration by drinking enough water and moisturizing topically is important. Supplementing omega 3’s, collagen & biotin can help and well as eating foods like oilive oil, salmon, watermelon, cucumber, avocado, carrots, nuts and seeds.
