The metabolism is the body’s process to break down food into fuel. The digestion of food and the elimination of waste. Metabolism is comprised of two specific processes. Catabolism and anabolism. Catabolic meaning to break down and anabolic meaning to build up. At any given time the body is breaking down the old and building up the new. In order to be your ideal weight you need to have a healthy metabolism, otherwise adding unhealthy weight will be guaranteed.
This happens at a cellular level. Everything from breaking down the food that is ingested to the buildup of new muscle tissue happens through the two metabolic pathways, catabolism and anabolism.
In order to enhance the metabolism you’re supporting the catabolic and anabolic pathways of the metabolism. This is important as the body needs to efficiently breakdown as well as efficiently build up in order to remove waste and build new healthy cells.
The Metabolism Breaks Down Fat, Protein & Carbs
The metabolism has a very important job of breaking down fats, proteins and carbs. Carbs are the fastest burning and most readily absorbed fuel by the body. These are foods like fruits for example. They have a high glycemic index, a lot of fiber and they are burned for energy very quickly.
Fat and protein on the other hand are slower burning forms of fuel by the metabolism. We will focus on how to properly optimize the metabolism today so that you can burn fat and protein more efficiently and have less metabolic waste. Metabolic waste is leftover components from the metabolism that are not properly catabolized (broken down) or anabolized (built up) and this is what we don’t want.
In order for your metabolism to be working well, and humming like a machine it needs certain components to function optimally.
The Body Needs Fat To Be Used Properly
There is often a negative view of fat but fat in and of itself is inherently not ‘bad’ fat is actually necessary. Fat is fuel for the body. The joints are lubricated by fat, the entire body is lubricated by fat! Just hopefully not too much. The brain is also quite literally built with fat. The brain is the fattiest organ in the human body! In other words, we need fat and we need fat to metabolize properly so that our brain can be operating at full power and so that our joints and body can be lubricated and protected properly. Too much fat however turns bad for your health fast.
Vitamin B12 is one of the most important nutrients for metabolizing fat. Interestingly enough the richest sources of B12 are from animal meats and protein. Many vegans and vegetarians suffer from Vitamin B12 deficiencies. Make sure to get vitamin b12 in your diet.
The rest of the B-vitamins play a role also. B-1, B-2, B-5, B-6. B-vitamins are also energy vitamins and support the nervous system as well.
The Body Uses Protein To Build Muscle & Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
Protein is the range of amino acids that are used to build every part of the body. There are 8 essential amino acids and getting these in your diet are crucial. The body needs to be able to breakdown protein and utilize it to rebuild the anabolic pathways of the body. It also needs protein to be used to balance blood sugar levels.
Apple cider vinegar is one of your bestfriends when it comes to protein metabolism. ACV is an acidic drink that causes the stomach to be more acidic (which is a good thing) because it causes your body to produce more pepsin, a digestive enzyme that helps breakdown protein in the body.
Hydrochloric acid is another very important component of protein metabolism. Hydrochloric acid (also known as HCL) is an acid that the stomach produces to breakdown protein. If you’re deficient in it you can supplement with it, but I recommend getting this singular acid through a food source as an HCL supplement can create reliance on this isolated pill instead of your body in it’s innate ability.
HCL can be increased by adding ACV (apple cider vinegar) to your diet. You can add this on top of salads or add it to your water and drink it. Ginger, probiotics and chewing your food more thoroughly are also key factors in giving your body what it needs to produce adequate levels of HCL.
How Else Can I Enhance My Metabolism?
The body can be enhanced and healthy in many ways. The metabolism can be optimized by giving it what it needs to perform. There are specific nutrients that go a long way in supporting the body to have a healthy and strong metabolism.
Prebiotics: Prebiotics are precursors to probiotics. Prebiotics are forms of fiber that the intestines use to clean and clear the way for the intestines to be empty and clear, ready to absorb nutrients for metabolism.
Probiotics: Probiotics are good bacteria that the body uses to feast on food. Probiotics can be eaten or drank in the form of fermented vegetables or fermented drinks. I personally recommend non-dairy sources of probiotics as more people have trouble digesting dairy than realize it.
Fiber is also very important. There are two forms of fiber. Soluble and insoluble fiber. One of my favorite superfoods on earth (chia seeds) contain both forms of fiber which make it very valuable for cleaning and clearing the intestinal pathway for the body. I recommend getting a large bag of organic chia seeds on amazon here, mixing them into water or a pudding and making them a regular part of your diet.
Recommended Reading: Why You Need To Squat To Take A Bowel Movement
