Who wants to live a vibrant, fulfilling life? All of you? Thought so.
In that case, listen up folks: You need to take care of your metabolism.
“Metabolism? What’s that again?” It’s how your body turns food into energy and body tissues and keeps everything running smoothly.
Burning and growing
In the first of an excellent series of mini-videos on metabolic health, Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist, sums it up nicely: “Metabolism is how your body takes stuff from the outside (food) and makes it part of your inside.”
He explains that metabolism has two key jobs: burning and growing. Growing means turning food into body tissues, like muscles, organs, and bones. Burning is how your body turns food into energy that your cells use to do their jobs, allowing your body to run smoothly.
Food is broken down into glucose by digestive processes, and this glucose is then converted by mitochondria into the energy you need to live and thrive. Mitochondria are tiny structures in your cells; you might know them as the “powerhouses” of the cell.
Every cell has mitochondria, some cells have hundreds of thousands. Your brain has a lot of mitochondria because it burns a lot of energy to keep you thinking clearly, and sending messages to every part of your body. Even though your brain is only 2% of your body weight, it uses up 20% of your energy. Fun fact: chess grandmasters burn up to 6,000 calories a day while playing in a tournament, about as much as someone running two marathons!
Why does metabolism matter?
As a nutritionist and health coach, I see my job as helping you eat and live in ways that support the optimal functioning of your cells, with the ultimate aim of helping you lead the rich, rewarding life you deserve. Because while you may not be aware of it, without a healthy metabolism, it’s hard to be healthy and enjoy life. Let me give you a tiny example to illustrate the many vital functions of your metabolism.
Right now, as you read this article, your body is hard at work. Your brain is burning glucose for energy, your blood is delivering oxygen, your muscles are helping you stay upright, and metabolic processes ensure you have the energy to stay awake and alert – even when reading something as dry as this article. All of these processes are powered by your metabolism.
Here’s why metabolic health is so important:
- Steady energy throughout the day
- Sharp memory
- Better exercise endurance
- Healthy body composition
- Stable mood
- Clear skin
- Balanced hormones
- A well-functioning immune system
- Lower risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, and more
- Lower healthcare costs
But here’s the catch: Many of us struggle with metabolic imbalance, which can lead to various health problems. We’ll take a closer look at these in Part 2 of our metabolism series.
If you want to chat with me about dietary and lifestyle changes that could improve your metabolic function, feel free to schedule a 20-minute discovery call with me by clicking on this link.