What is metabolic health, anyway?
Metabolic health refers to your
body’s ability to efficiently convert food into energy and extract the
nutrients it needs for optimal health. When your metabolism is working
properly, you experience more sustained energy, fewer cravings, easier weight
maintenance, better mood, and mental clarity.
Unfortunately, 88% (some say
93%!) of U.S. adults are metabolically unhealthy. Metabolic dysfunction is at
the root of obesity and most chronic ailments, such as pre-diabetes or
diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglycerides (which increase the risk of a
stroke), fatty liver disease, mood swings, and even depression. Metabolic
syndrome refers to the whole cluster of ailments caused by metabolic
dysfunction.
How Did This Happen?
We weren’t always this unhealthy
as a nation. Things began to change about 50 years ago when our food system
changed. Food simply isn’t what it used to be. Today, over 70% of the food we
find in the supermarket is processed, much of it heavily so. Ultra-processed
foods (UPFs) contain industrial additives, preservatives, artificial flavors,
refined sugars, inflammatory seed oils, and chemical “obesogens” – substances
known to disrupt hormones. These products are engineered to be hyper-palatable
and addictive, leading to overeating and weight gain. When you combine all this
with chronic stress, poor sleep, and environmental toxins, you have a perfect
storm for metabolic breakdown and dysfunction. The good news is that metabolic
dysfunction is reversible by creating alternative eating and lifestyle habits.
Five Ways to Improve Your Metabolic Health
1) Reduce or eliminate
ultra-processed foods: This is where most obesogens and endocrine
disruptors hide. Look at a typical store-bought loaf of bread: You may see over
15 ingredients, including those already banned in other countries (like
potassium bromate, azodicarbonamide, and BHT/BHA). All these additives are not
put in for health but because they are cheap and extend shelf life. For
instance, even Wonder Bread – not exactly a health food – now
contains far more additives than it did in the 1960s.
Many of the additives in UPFs
harm our gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and microbes living
in our digestive tract. While the FDA claims they are okay, it is not looking
at the cumulative effect of these chemicals and often relies on the “research”
of the companies making them. Compounds in UPFs, such as polysorbate 80 and
carboxymethyl cellulose, thin the gut’s protective mucus layer and allow more
harmful bacteria to grow. Preservatives such as BHT, BHA, and sodium benzoate
act as antimicrobials in the gut, harming beneficial bacteria. Read food labels
to avoid hidden sugars and chemical additives.
UPFs also contain refined carbs
and sugars, which cause blood sugar or insulin spikes. When insulin spikes
repeatedly, cell receptors stop responding properly and shut down. This is a
condition called insulin resistance. Unable to enter the cells, where it
belongs, to break down sugar, insulin may move over to fat cells or float
around the blood stream in a sticky form. This is the metabolic starting point
for weight gain, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, and the many other
symptoms of metabolic dysfunction.
2) Eat more fiber to feed
your gut: Many people know that fiber keeps you regular, but it is also
important food for the gut microbiome. Your gut microbiome acts like a
metabolic control center, creating compounds that calm inflammation and helping
your metabolism do its job digesting food and regulating blood sugar. Gut
microbes stimulate the body’s natural GLP-1, which dictates how hungry or full
you feel. By slowing down digestion, fiber prevents blood sugar and insulin
spikes, the underpinning of metabolic problems.
Most people get less than half
of the fiber they need to support healthy blood sugar and weight. If you are
currently one of them, increase your fiber intake slowly to avoid discomfort.
Start by replacing chips, candy
bars, and cookies with foods like nuts, raisins, hummus, cucumbers and baby
carrots, Energy balls (ground almonds, dates, and cocoa) are great for snacks
or dessert.
Some other good fiber sources
are:
·
Leafy and colorful vegetables (aim for vegetables at every
meal, e.g., a small salad to start)
·
Berries
·
Chia or ground
flax seeds (also rich in Omega-3s, protein, antioxidants)
·
Beans or lentils (black,
chickpeas, kidney, pinto) a few times per week
·
Whole-food carbs (sweet
potatoes, squash, quinoa, barley, bulgar)
·
Avocado (packed with vitamins)
·
Whole grain bread. (Whole wheat bread without
additional grains may not have much more fiber than white bread but will
sometimes contain fewer additives.)
3) Ditch industrial seed oils
(aka “vegetable oil”): For years we were told to use vegetable oils in
place of butter and animal fat. (Many conventionally trained clinicians and
health advocacy organizations, such as the ADA and the AHA still do.) These
oils, made by pulverizing the seeds of plants – such as canola, corn, and
cottonseed, etc. – aren’t harmful because of the plant they come from but
because of how they’re made. They are heavily processed using high heat,
chemical solvents, and deodorizing agents. (The cold-pressed versions of these
oils are fine but very costly.) Because seed oils, which are comprised
predominantly of Omega-6 fatty acids, show up in nearly 60% of processed foods,
we thought the main problem was the excessive amount of Omega-6 we were
consuming. The problem may go further.
Dr. Cate Shanahan, a physician
and biochemist who has been studying these fats for years, argues that seed
oils damage cell membranes and mitochondria (our cellular energy engines). The
cellular damage triggers chronic inflammation and disrupts normal cellular
functions, the root cause of most chronic disease. Furthermore, she believes
that seed oils send misleading hunger and craving signals to the brain –
possibly playing a major role in our obesity epidemic. (See Dr. Shanahan’s
book, Dark Calories.) Dr. Shanahan coined the term “The Hateful 8”
to refer to the worst offenders: canola, cottonseed, corn, safflower,
sunflower, soy, grapeseed, and rice bran oils. Better everyday oil choices are:
·
Extra-virgin olive oil for room temperature use and cooking
under 350 degrees.
·
Avocado oil for baking and frying
·
Butter or ghee
·
Tallow (animal fat) for high heat frying
·
Coconut oil for baking and higher heat cooking. (Unlike
others, it does retain its flavor.)
Healthy fats are essential for
metabolic health – not something to fear. Fat comprises 60% of our brain
tissue and is necessary for building cell membranes and the protective myelin
sheathing that helps neurotransmitters fire properly. Eating small amounts of
fat also helps keep you
feeling full and satisfied, reducing the urge to overeat or snack.
Omega-3 fatty acids are
especially important because they are essential nutrients the body can’t
produce on its own. They are crucial for cell structure; heart, brain
and joint health; and for reducing inflammation and supporting metabolic
health. Foods rich in Omega-3
are oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring
(SMASH), as well as eggs, flax and chia seeds, walnuts, and algae-based
supplements (for those suspicious of fish oil).
Consider buying good
quality extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil at Costco, and be sure to keep
them in a dark cool space to avoid oxidation. Yes, these oils are expensive,
but even a little goes a long way health-wise.
4) Prioritize Protein:
Protein is a metabolic essential. It stabilizes blood
sugar and, therefore, insulin and helps increase insulin sensitivity. That’s in
addition to building strong muscle, bones, and teeth, repairing tissues, and
supporting almost every bodily function.
Because eating protein slows digestion and blunts glucose
spikes, it helps prevent the blood sugar rollercoaster that drives cravings,
hunger, and weight gain. Protein naturally uses up more calories simply in the
process of digesting it. Sometimes a craving for sugar and carbs can be result
of the body’s low protein level. That can also be true of needing more
water. Next time you think you need a carb “fix,” grab a slice of cheese with
your water bottle.
Protein’s effect on leveling blood sugar is why it is so
important to break your nighttime fast – i.e., breakfast – with protein, fat,
and fiber. These ingredients, in addition to being fundamental to replenishing
your body’s needed “building blocks,” can allow you to shift from sugar burning
to fat burning mode. This aids in keeping insulin low, preventing your pancreas
from overworking, and helps with weight loss. A protein-rich breakfast also
keeps you sated and prevents the inevitable crash caused by a high carb/sugar
breakfast, which often causes irritability and hunger by mid-morning.
Proteins that give you all the essential amino acids, i.e.,
complete proteins include eggs, Greek yogurt, Skyr and cottage cheese, fish,
chicken, and beef. Incomplete proteins are plant based and require combining
them correctly to get all the amino acids you need.
The amount of protein a person needs depends on age and
activity. General guidelines are 25 to 30 grams per meal for adults
(approximately 90 grams/day) and .5 to .8 grams per pound of body weight for
children and teens. Protein is especially important during pregnancy and
breastfeeding for a baby’s growth and development. At 40, muscle loss begins,
so increased protein is more important the older a person gets. Athletes, peri-
and post-menopausal women and those recovering from illness or injury also need
more protein.
5) Stay hydrated: The idea
of drinking eight glasses of water a day may seem daunting to some, but it’s a
good goal. It becomes easier when you consider that 64 ounces includes all the
liquids you drink in a day, such as coffee, tea, milk, and juice, and that
about 20% of your daily fluid intake often comes from food, especially fruits
and vegetables, many of which are largely water.
Water makes up about 50% to 70% of
your body weight. Every cell of your body needs water to work properly. Every
day, you lose water through your breath, perspiration, and waste products,
which is why we need to replenish our supply daily. When the body is well
hydrated, all functions are optimized. Hydration helps boost your metabolism,
aids in the breakdown of fat molecules, assists in the absorption of essential
nutrients, and supports the efficient removal of waste products.
We can’t always rely on thirst to
remind us to drink, which is why using a filled water bottle to drink over the
course of the day is useful. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and
make you feel tired as well as increase the risk of urinary tract infections
and kidney stones. In people over 60, dehydration is often invisible and can
sometimes show up as irritability, confusion, slow walking, poor sleep,
constipation, or afternoon fatigue.
Start your day by drinking a glass
of water first thing after waking up, even before your coffee. You might even
try to delay that first cup of coffee for an hour or more to allow your natural
morning rise in cortisol to energize you and kickstart your metabolism.
Take Charge of Your Health
Insulin resistance and its accompanying inflammation are leading to a
national crisis of poor metabolic health. Modern habits – constant snacking,
grazing, and late-night eating – keep insulin elevated all day, blocking
fat-burning and stressing the digestive system.
Don’t wait until problems show up
on lab tests, signifying that you are pre-diabetic, have high blood pressure,
fatty liver disease, or some other common modern ailment. An easy at-home test
is to measure your waist circumference to tell you it’s time for a change.
Women with a waist over 35” and men with a waist over 40” are likely heading
towards metabolic dysfunction. In both cases, waist size should be smaller than
hip size.
Here are some additional simple ways to restore a healthier
metabolism:
·
Try eating within an 8 to12 hour eating window (a
gentle form of intermittent fasting).
·
Break a fast (including
breakfast in the morning) with protein, fiber, and healthful fats.
·
Avoid snacking between meals.
·
Stop eating three or more hours before bed to improve
digestion and sleep quality.
·
Move after meals: A 15-minute walk, even seated
bicycle legs, can aid digestion, lower blood pressure, stabilize blood
sugar, and boost your mood.
·
Include more probiotic
foods in your diet, such as sauerkraut, whole fat kefir and yogurt (the fat may
protect bacteria from stomach acid), olives, kombucha, apple cider vinegar,
pickles, miso, buttermilk, sourdough bread, and kimchi.
Choose any one of the above tips
and try it out for the next seven days. Then stack on another. The goal is not
perfection but slowly building new habits for better health. You can heal your
metabolism, one step at a time. Your body will feel the difference.
Jill Moroson is a licensed social worker and certified
health coach specializing in metabolic health and weight maintenance. To
learn more about taking charge of your health, book a free discovery call via
text or email to 410-262-3168 or jill.heres2health@gmail.com
SIDEBAR:
Breakfast Ideas for Metabolic Healing
·
Greek yogurt topped with blueberries
·
Whole grain bagel with cream cheese (w/o additives) topped
with raisins or lox
·
Scrambled eggs with cottage cheese and spinach
·
Chia pudding (made the night before)
High-Protein Recipes
Chia
Pudding (dairy or plant based)
1 c. milk (if plant based, check ingredients for problematic
additives)
1/4 c. Greek yogurt (optional)
2 T. chia seeds
1 T. hemp seeds (optional)
1 T. maple syrup
1 T. cocoa or cacao powder
Put all ingredients in Mason jar
with top and shake until fully mixed.
(Can then put into smaller glass jars for individual servings) Place in
frig overnight. Top with berries or granola. Easy breakfast.
Ultimate
Smoothie Bowl
1 frozen banana
1/2 c. frozen berries
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
1 scoop homemade protein powder
1 T. almond butter
Splash of milk
Blend until smooth.
Top with homemade granola or more fruit. Eat with spoon.
Homemade Protein Powder
1/2 c. pumpkin seeds
1/4 c. flax seeds
2 T. cocoa powder
1/4 c. chia seeds
1/4 c. almond flour (optional, for texture)
Blend until it is a
fine powder. Store in fridge. Keeps for a week.
Easy Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies (in
place of protein bars)
1 c. almond flour
1/2 c. natural peanut butter
1/3 c. maple syrup
Blend. Roll into
small balls (wet hands first). Press onto a cookie sheet with wetted fork and
make crisscross design. Bake 12 minutes. Let cool. (Great for kiddie snacks.)
