Emphasizing the Importance of Metabolic HealthOverweight Concerns: A Case for Metabolic Health Assessment
In today's fast-paced world, maintaining optimal metabolic health has become more crucial than ever. Metabolism, the process that converts the potential energy in food into a usable form of energy that powers cells, plays a significant role in our overall well-being.
Dr. Markyia Nichols, MD, the chief medical officer at Ciba Health, a root-caused healthcare organization, emphasizes this point. She explains that optimizing metabolic health can lead to increased energy, improved mental clarity, better physical performance, and an increased feeling of well-being. On the flip side, poor metabolic health can contribute to chronic fatigue and brain fog.
The holistic approach to metabolic health involves treating the whole person by integrating nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management to optimize metabolic function, reduce inflammation, support hormone balance, and improve overall well-being. This approach, according to Michal Mor, cofounder of Lumen, can help us influence our metabolic health.
The key components and ways to improve metabolic health through this holistic approach include:
- Nutrition: Emphasizing balanced macronutrients with sufficient protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates from whole, nutrient-dense foods can stabilize blood sugar, support energy, reduce inflammation, and promote gut health and a healthy microbiome, which improves nutrient absorption and metabolic function.
- Movement: Regular physical activity tailored to the individual helps improve insulin sensitivity, circulation, cardiovascular health, and muscle mass, all essential for boosting metabolism and reducing the risk of metabolic diseases.
- Sleep: Optimizing sleep hygiene and circadian rhythm through consistent bedtime routines, exposure to natural light, and relaxation techniques enhances hormone regulation, supporting metabolic recovery and preventing dysfunction.
- Stress Management: Managing stress with mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, adaptogenic herbs, and nervous system regulation lowers cortisol levels, which can otherwise impair metabolism and contribute to fat storage and metabolic diseases.
This integrated approach recognizes the body's innate capacity for self-healing by restoring balance across physical, mental, and emotional health dimensions. Consistency and personalized adjustments considering genetics, lifestyle, and health history are crucial for long-term metabolic health success.
Casey Means, MD, a best-selling author of Good Energy and a co-founder of Levels, a metabolic health tracking device, agrees. He stresses that you don't just naturally have "fast" or "slow" metabolism; there is much that can be done to improve mitochondrial function.
However, the current healthcare system tends to focus on treating symptoms and conditions rather than preventing diseases. This is evident in the fact that the United States spends 4.5 trillion dollars per year on healthcare, yet Americans are getting sicker. A recent survey reveals that 93.2 percent of Americans aren't metabolically healthy.
Fortunately, medical providers can now get a comprehensive look at metabolic health through various assessments like lifestyle questionnaires, blood glucose monitoring, wearable data tracking, blood work panels, blood pressure testing, and weight circumference measurements. The term "metabolic health" requires a holistic look at our bodies, which is lacking in the current healthcare system.
An unhealthy metabolism can lead to a range of diseases including type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, behavioral disorders, cardiovascular issues, autoimmune diseases, etc. Therefore, it's essential to prioritize our metabolic health by adopting a holistic approach that considers the interplay of nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management.
In summary, improving metabolic health holistically means balancing diet, physical activity, restful sleep, and effective stress control to support hormonal balance, reduce inflammation, enhance energy utilization, and empower sustainable lifestyle changes.
- Dr. Markyia Nichols advocates optimizing metabolic health for increased energy, mental clarity, better physical performance, and overall well-being, while poor metabolic health can lead to chronic fatigue and brain fog.
- The approach to metabolic health emphasizes nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management to optimize metabolic function, reduce inflammation, support hormone balance, and improve overall well-being.
- Michal Mor suggests this approach can help influence our metabolic health by stabilizing blood sugar, reducing inflammation, promoting gut health, improving insulin sensitivity, and enhancing hormone regulation.
- Casey Means argues that our metabolism is not predetermined, and much can be done to improve mitochondrial function, which is key to metabolic health.
- Medical providers can now assess metabolic health through comprehensive methods, including lifestyle questionnaires, blood glucose monitoring, wearable data tracking, and blood work panels, among others.
- Prioritizing metabolic health by adopting a holistic approach and balancing diet, physical activity, restful sleep, and effective stress control is essential to avoid a range of diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular issues.
