Natural Ways to Boost and Take Charge of Your Metabolism

Metabolism is a process. It’s the way our cells change the food we eat into energy we need to breathe, move, think and do… everything. It keep us, as it keeps all living things, alive. 

Basically, metabolism is the process your body uses to convert calories into energy. Whether you know it or not, your body is always burning calories. Even when you’re sitting around watching Gossip Girl for the third time, your body is using energy to run the inner show that goes on behind the scenes – stuff like keeping your ticker running, blood circulating, repairing your cells, breathing, and the list goes on. We are all born with a metabolic rate that suits our body and disposition. Some people are naturally fast burners, and some are naturally slow burners, but that doesn’t mean we have zero control. We do have some authority over the rate at which we metabolize food and use it for fuel. Here we look at some key ways to access that power. 

The greatest wealth is health.

Stay well hydrated – Try to consume at least half your bodyweight (lbs) in ounces of water per day. Recently, a study done among overweight children found that consuming the recommended amount of water increased their metabolism by 25%. 

Stay rested – Clocking at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night keeps your metabolism running strong. When you’re chronically sleep deprived (consistently getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night), your body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol. This uptick in cortisol throws your hormonal balance out of whack, which can slow down your metabolism. Plus sleep deprivation increased your appetite for carbohydrate-rich foods, like sweets and snacks, making sleep loss a double whammy for weight gain. 

Eat an appropriate amount, and make sure you get protein – lets start by stating that eating five to six small meals throughout the day is not helpful for your metabolism. This was a fad that had it’s time in the spotlight, but it doesn’t give your body the break it needs to digest and utilize nutrients. Grazing throughout the day means your body is constantly releasing insulin, the fat-storing hormone. This also means that the body will become less dependant on carbs for fuel, which allows your blood sugar to stay steady. This results in less cravings, better energy, mental clarity, and a sense of control. Having a steady blood sugar also supports an efficient metabolism.

Don’t skip meals – When you skip meals, you actually allow the body to dip into its protein-aka, the muscles-for fuel. So, not eating lunch when your body is asking for fuel isn’t going to strategically pull from, that soft pocket of fat in your inner thighs like your hoping. In fact, it may make your body hold onto it for longer. When you trick your body into worrying that it might not get fuel for a while (or when it needs it), your metabolic rate slows down, so you hang onto your calories longer in case you need them for an emergency. In other words your fat stores will be the last to go. 

Build muscle – Thirty minutes of weight-bearing exercises 3 to 4 times a week can help you increase and maintain muscle mass, which keeps your metabolism running high. A pound of muscle burns about 6 calories a day whereas a pound of fat only burns 2 calories a day. So the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism.

Reduce your stress level – Maintaining a healthy metabolism is also connected to our levels of stress and overwhelm. So if you want to lose the weight and keep it off, then stress reduction practices, like meditation, breath work, exercise, talk therapy and other self-care strategies, are important parts of your overall plan. 

Try cold exposure and heat therapy – Many studies suggest that cold water immersion has a consistent effect on raising the metabolic rate in humans. If immersing yourself in cold water seems daunting or maybe not accessible, a rinse in the shower will do. I am personally a huge fan of alternating hot and cold water in the shower. You can start with smaller spurts of cold water and work your way up, but it’s always a good idea to end on cold. On the other end, heat us another way to boost your metabolic rate. A hot, relaxing, salty bath or a sit in the sauna can purge your pores while boosting your metabolism. 

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Dates

– High in Disease-Fighting Antioxidants, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid, which all have anti-inflammatory properties.
 
– High in fiber, which benefits your digestive health and promotes regular bowel movements.
 
-Eating dates helps improve brain function by lowering inflammatory markers, such as interleukin.
 
– Dates have the potential to help with blood sugar regulation due to their low glycemic index, fiber and antioxidants.

Citrus Fruits

Sweet Potatoes

Parsnips

LEMONS & ORANGES

Citrus Fruits

– Rich in vitamin C which is needed to form and maintain healthy skin, bones, blood vessels and connective tissue.
 
-Plays an important role in supporting the immune system and also acts as an antioxidant that might help protect cells against the effects of free radicals and fight inflammation. 
 
-Full of soluble fiber that can help lower LDL cholesterol, consequently reducing cardiovascular disease. 
 
– Abundant in multiple other nutrients, including potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, and copper.
 

Sweet Potatoes

Parsnips

Kale

Parsnips

– Are highly nutritious, and supply many antioxidants, which are health-promoting compounds that help prevent oxidative stress and decrease damage to your cells.
 
– Parsnips are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber moves through your gastrointestinal tract undigested, helping to get things moving and optimizing digestive health.
 
– Low in calories yet rich in fiber, parsnips make an excellent addition to a healthy weight loss diet.

Garlic

– Garlic is known to boost the function of the immune system and combat sickness, including the common cold.
– The active compounds in garlic reduces blood pressure.
– Contains antioxidants that may help prevent alzheimer’s disease and dementia because oxidative damage from free radicals contributes to the aging process.
– At high doses, the sulfur compounds in garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

Sweet Potatoes

– The fiber and antioidants in sweet potatoes are advantageous to gut health.
 
– Sweet potatoes offer various antioxidants, which may help protect against certain types of cancers.
 
– They are incredibly rich in beta-carotene, the antioxidant responsible for the vegetables bright orange colour.
 
– Full of vitamin A which is critical to a healthy immune system.

Parsnips

Kale

Garlic

Kale

– Kale is loaded with powerful antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol. Antioxidants are substances that help counteract oxidative damage by free radicals in the body. 
 
– Kale can help lower cholesterol, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.
 
– Kale is among the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
 
-Very high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body can turn into vitamin A.
 
– A great plant-based source of calcium, a nutrient that is very important for bone health and plays a role in all sorts of cellular functions.

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