HOW TO RESET YOUR METABOLISM?
Tips on How to Reset Your Metabolism
Between COVID19’s impact on our health, well-being and metabolism (coined the COVID 15 “lbs”) and now that we are approaching December and heavy, holiday foods will leave us feeling bloated and sluggish, instead of figuring out how you’ll get back in the swing of things come January why not try implementing some of strategies now? And, if you’ve set New Year’s Intentions year after year that include healthier eating and activity, then starting with a kick start to your metabolism can help make the difference to living your intentions well before the next New Years! There’s no better time then now in this second lockdown!
Always be mindful when adding strategies as these are general strategies based on science but as bio-individuals are needs are all unique and some strategies do not always provide benefit to you.
These are some of our favourite ways to get your metabolism back into gear:
Stay Satiated
Even if you’re trying to lose a few extra pounds that appeared, staying fairly full is key to your success in managing your metabolism and your weight. Eat slowly and mindfully, until you’re about 80%-90% full, and then stop. Chew your food thoroughly. This will not only aid in digestion and signal the vagus nerve to signal the release of digestive juices and satiety hormones but will also allow you to determine if you really do need more sustenance or if you’re just eating out of habit or boredom. Even if you’re aiming to reduce your caloric intake, starving will only make your metabolism slower as it tries to store the limited energy its being provided - and that’s the opposite of our goal. Also, over eating is a sign of low vagal tone. Want to learn more about the vagus nerve, read my blog “THE GUT BRAIN CONNECTION AND THE VAGUS NERVE” http://thewholefoodapothecary.com/blog/2020/6/18/the-gut-brain-connection-and-the-vagus-nerve
Eat three meals a day
Eat exactly three meals a day, each lasting a maximum of one hour. After the end of one meal and before beginning the next meal, you should take a break of at least five hours (maximum seven). Ideally, at least twice a week, you should aim to extend the overnight break between meals to 14 hours. Note that not everyone will be able to do so, it depends on your health at this time because during the five hour break between meals, and particularly during the night, insulin levels drop, allowing for fat to be burned easily. If you have five or six smaller meals, or if you snack between meals, insulin remains constantly elevated. This would encourage your body to synthesize fat as opposed to building muscle mass. In addition, a consistently elevated level of insulin can block the production of many of the hormones that protect the body from inflammation and aging!
Begin each meal with protein
Always begin each meal with one or two bites of protein to have a long-lasting effect on your insulin levels. When the stomach receives protein first, the pancreas reacts by secreting the hormone glucagon. This hormone is the antagonist of insulin and blocks insulin production as well as triggering a feeling of satiety. The result is a lower insulin level, which stimulates fat burning, blocks fat synthesis, and prevents hunger.
Eat only one type of protein per meal
Eat only one type of protein per meal. For each of your three meals choose a protein from a different protein group so that you are eating from three different protein groups every day. In the digestive tract our bodies use enzymes to break down the ingested proteins into individual amino acids. These are absorbed through the intestinal wall, where they are reassembled into human proteins. The critical factor for our metabolism is not determined by the overall quantity of proteins consumed, but rather by the spectrum of amino acids they contain. The eight essential amino acids are particularly important as they cannot be synthesized by the body and therefore need to be ingested as food. The more a protein resembles human proteins, the higher its Biological Value. This means, how much of a food protein can be converted into human protein. The usability of a protein is actually decided by the amino acid which is present in the smallest quantity. When different protein foods are combined, the Biological Value is determined by the amino acid whose overall proportion is lowest. Above this level, all other unused amino acids will become waste products in the body which can lead to increased acidity.
The ideal amino acid ratio is found in egg yolk, in which 100% of the eight essential amino acids can be converted into human protein. Therefore, egg yolk has a Biological Value of 100. In contrast, milk contains only 91% of the essential amino acid threonine. This means that only 91% of the other 7 essential amino acids can also be used, giving milk a Biological Value of 91. Combining proteins is therefore not recommended as this can actually lower their overall Biological Value.
Up That H20
Whether via glasses of water or broth based soups, giving your body quality fluids is essential to having a well-hydrated metabolism. Water helps keep nutrients flowing into your cells, carries toxins out of your body, and is key to a happy digestive systems. It also keeps you feeling full, and can help you burn more calories by keeping your metabolism higher over time! Moreover, the extra nutrients found in broth based soups are ‘soup-er’ ways of digesting much needed vitamins and minerals with minimal taxing of the digestive system. And, during a season of indulgence, that’s something from which we can all benefit!
Drink a minimum of 35 ml of water per kg of body weight / 1⁄2 fl.oz per lb of body weight. Water cleanses the body, supports all biological processes and helps to remove waste products. If you drink too little, this waste will remain in the body and the metabolism may slow down. It is best to drink water before you feel thirsty and to distribute water consumption throughout the day. Pure water, that has not been carbonated is the best choice. Coffee, black tea, green tea, white tea, or rooibos tea do not replace the amount of your water intake.
An apple a day keeps the Dr away
In addition to being both cholesterol and uric acid lowering, no other fruit displays the same amounts of vitamins and minerals as the apple! Furthermore, apples provide the body with valuable fibre, being rich in both pectin and cellulose. This fibre can help with the efficient excretion of harmful metabolic waste products. Old apple varieties are especially rich in polyphenols, which can counteract the effects of free-radicals in the body. Fruit is not only a pleasure to eat, but also provides the body with many vital vitamins, minerals and trace elements. However, be mindful that some of you might need to limit fruit intake especially high glycemic fruits.
Add Tea or Coffee
Yes, I did just say that. For most people there is some benefits to be add, for others not, so be mindful if caffeine triggers anxiety, headaches and fatigue do not add caffeine to your diet! The antioxidants and small amounts of caffeine found in black, green, and white tea as well as coffee are beneficial to revving up your metabolism and keeping it chugging along healthily. One or two cups a day can provide the most beneficial amounts without going overboard. And, even better, adding herbal teas such as fennel, mint, or ginger tea after a meal can assist your digestion processes, helping meals to settle better and digest more easily - without added caffeine. The combination of fennel and mint is personally my favourite!
Spice Is Extra Nice
Studies show that adding spicy hot peppers or hot pepper sauces can help to increase your metabolism! Studies are showing that the thermogenic properties of peppers and capsaicin, a compound in chiles, can temporarily increase your body temperature, helping it to burn more calories in short bursts of time. So, try adding some extra spice to those soups or other foods, and see what benefit you might derive! However, for some peppers are a nightmare and can induce inflammation or histamine release, so again be mindful that this not may be the right strategy for you.
Include Movement
Any form of exercise can be bolster your metabolism. My personal favourite that has many health benefits is a walk or hike in nature! Always start at where you are and slowly increase your exercise regimen. You can also consider the addition of the short bursts of cardiovascular activity also known as ‘Interval Training’. such as 1-2 up to 5 minute bursts of jumping jacks, skipping, or burpees seem like they’re ‘in the moment’ kick starts but they’re all great ways of building long lasting metabolism increases.
Turn Down Stress
It’s been long understood that high levels of stress hormones like cortisol can result in a slowed metabolism and eventual weight gain. The opposite is also true: by turning down the stress in our lives we can help our brains, hormones, and bodies relax, a natural reboot for our metabolism. Working on activating your vagal nerve can really help in decreasing stress response.
Stimulate Your Stomach
If you consistently experience symptoms like heaviness after a meal, acid reflux, or bloating, food allergies, undigested food in stool, flatulence, or even nausea after taking supplements you might be suffering from low stomach acid which, in turn, can result in lowered metabolism. Stomach acid, or HCL (hydrochloric acid) is a core requirement to digest effectively is one of the essential building blocks to a well-functioning metabolism. How? Start by chewing your food thoroughly.
Excel With Enzymes
Sometimes there are particular foods that make us feel sluggish, heavy, bloated, or uncomfortable. In that case it might be time to consider digestive enzymes or digestive bitters to help break down food to make it more digestible and the nutrients within it more absorbable. Try adding enzyme rich foods like fermented foods, papaya (which contains papain), pineapple (which contains bromelain), mango (which contains amylase), and honey (multiple enzymes). Interested in supplements instead? Look for the ones that help with your food difficulties: protease for proteins, amylase for help with carbohydrates, lipase for help digesting fats, cellulase for breaking down fibre, and maltase to help convert complex sugars from grains into glucose. be mindful however, not to over eat fruits especially if you have blood sugar dysregulation.
Sleep Soundly
The quality of your sleep doesn’t just affect your brain health, moods and alertness, it also has a profound effect on your metabolic state because deep REM sleep, is the body’s time for rest and repair - and that includes how the body manages stress hormones, blood sugar levels, and growth hormones - all of which play critical roles in our metabolism. We’re still learning much more about how important consistent sleep and rest are for our health, but what we do know for sure is that a sleep deprived body is slower and more lethargic which means weight management is harder. So if you choose just one of these tips to follow, make it to get more sleep, more often, first!
Ultimately, our lifestyle and what we put into our bodies not only affects us physically and emotionally, but also impacts our genes, metabolism, hormones, brain, moods and energy levels. Our cells are formed from the nutrients in our diet. The more suitable the choices to our bio-chemical individuality and metabolism, the better our cell structure and outcome of our health. Proper nutrition and lifestyle plan are key aspects of your well-being and to unlocking your fullest potential.
If you’re looking for support and a personalized Meal and Lifestyle Plan based on your very own blueprint we can help you! We can provide you with a fully customized plan for your better health and well-being plus the added benefits of a community of women like you to support you in our Blueprint Reset 12 weeks group program starting the week of January 11th, 2021 .
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Our Program is an anti-inflammatory program that helps create a strong connection between your biomarkers and the diet and nutrition that is essential to your health. But that’s not all, we’ve combined our program with Genetic testing for the ultimate personalization of your program and allows us to put together a long term personalized nutrition and lifestyle plan after the initial Metabolic Reset phase. We will also work together during 12 group coaching calls to not only support you during your program and provide you with accountability and community of other women on a similar journey to rewire your mindset, old patterns, habits, behaviours that kept you stuck and identify your goals, reconnect to yourself, your purpose, your why. This program has been developed to not only Reset your physiology but to Rewire your psychology, Reconnect to your heart and purpose and to Rebalance your “Whole” Biology -mind body and heart- for better health and well-being with our unique 4 R’s approach delivered in a group setting with a community of other women like yourself looking to flourish, thrive and unlock their fullest potential.
* This program is presently only available to Canadian residents. Working towards adding American residents.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS YOU MAY EXPERIENCE:
Reduce overall inflammation
Balance hormones
Weight management
Improved energy
Improved immune function
Better sleep and improved moods
Improve gut function and digestive processes
Reduced allergies
Improved glucose metabolism
Less joint inflammation and pain
No excessive or heavy physical workouts needed to achieve weight loss
Positive Mindset and Behaviour change
Clarity on goals and purpose
Self empowerment
Improved confidence
Improved Stress Resilience
Accountability
INCLUDED IN YOUR PROGRAM:
Bloodwork Biomarkers
Genetics testing
Customized Metabolic Reset Nutrition Plan based on your bloodwork
Personalized Genetic Blueprint Health and Well-Being Plan based on your genetics
One on One Initial Consultation
One on One Personalized Genetic Blueprint Health and Well-Being plan Review
3x One on One Coaching session
Weekly online Group Support and Group Coaching Calls on Zoom and Education
Modules on Digestion and Gut Health, Circadian rhythm, Hormones and Hormonal Rhythm, Energy Stealers, Stress resilience, Vagus Nerve, Mind traps, Goal Setting.
Nutritional, Lifestyle and Mindset education
Handouts
Evaluations and worksheets
Eating Chemical Free & Unprocessed foods
Appropriate foods & food combinations
Safe Detoxification
Nutritional Supplement Regimen Specific to Your Health Needs
Online client portal and app
Online Private Group Support Page
Feel Better . Live Better . Think Better . Age Better
So if you’re looking to reset your metabolism, harmonize your hormones, reduce inflammation, increase your energy and cognitive performance, improve your mood and well-being and manage your weight with the support of a community book your complimentary discovery call to see if this a right fit for you and to benefit from special bonuses!
LET'S CHAT!
In Health,
Caroline
xo