In our previous post, we talked about the metabolic crisis sweeping the globe. In this article, we’ll look at the factors driving it, many of which can be addressed – at least to some extent – with the help of dietary and lifestyle changes. Major metabolic disruptors include:
Modern diets high in refined starches and sugars, processed fats, and additives, and low in the essential nutrients our mitochondria need to function properly: essential fatty acids, high-quality protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and various beneficial plant chemicals. The global increase in metabolic dysfunction has occurred around the same time as the global transition from traditional foodways to “modern” eating patterns featuring foods that have lost much of their nutritional value through refining and processing. Indeed, a recent study found that over half the world is lacking in essential nutrients, notably iodine, vitamin E, calcium, iron, B vitamins, and vitamin C — all of which are essential to a well-functioning metabolism.
Of course, it’s fine to eat nutrient-poor “fun foods” — I, too, enjoy cookies, corn chips, or candies from time to time. However, let’s try to remember that these do not provide adequate nourishment, leaving us feeling less than fully satiated or energized, and driving us to eat more, thus burdening our mitochondria with the task of processing energy they don’t need. Rushed meals or late dinnertimes, may further contribute to metabolic dysfunction (as well as digestive distress). High intakes of alcohol (more than 1 unit/day for women and 2 units/day for men) can further mess up your metabolism.
Sedentary lifestyles at ambient temperatures: We move less and spend more time sitting than our ancestors, thanks to cars, desk jobs, and modern conveniences like remote controls, dishwashers, and washing machines. This lack of movement decreases aerobic capacity, muscle mass, and the number and function of mitochondria in our cells.
Another facet of modern living is indoor temperature control thanks to the wonders of central heating & air conditioning, which allows us to live at relatively consistent ambient temperatures. While this may seem like progress, research indicates that this “thermoneutrality” can impair optimal metabolic functioning.
“Experiencing swings in temperature is great for mitochondrial function, as cold stimulates the body to generate more warmth by increasing mitochondrial activity and stimulates more ATP generation and use,”: writes metabolic expert Casey Means, MD, in Good Energy. Heat exposure, on the other hand, “…has been shown to activate heat shock proteins (HSPs) within cells, which can protect mitochondria from damage and help to maintain their function,” she writes, adding that HSPs also stimulate the production of new mitochondria and improve their efficiency in producing ATP.
Yes; feeling cold at some times and hot at others is good for your metabolism. This doesn’t have to mean ice baths and saunas, as many internet influencers proclaim. Simply allowing your home to be cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer — neither at unbearable levels — and exercising outdoors, rather than in temperature-controlled gyms or basements, can be a simple way to improve your metabolic health.i
Stress triggers the release of cortisol. This is great when the stress is of short duration (a few minutes or so), but not so great when it’s chronic (day in, day out). When our cells bathe in cortisol over weeks, months, and years, this can damage the mitochondria and drive visceral fat storage.
Even when we’re facing short-term stressors, cortisol causes blood glucose to rise, triggering the release of the hormone insulin, which drives fat storage in the liver and around the vital organs in the abdomen (this is called visceral fat). It can also cause our blood pressure to rise, which, over time, damages the lining of our blood vessels and paves the way for plaque formation, arterial narrowing, and heart attack. Chronic stress can also impair sleep quality, making us too tired to be physically active or prepare nourishing meals.
Stress isn’t just caused by day-to-day busyness. It can arise from more complex — and often long-standing — psychological suffering, including adverse childhood experiences, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, loneliness, food insecurity, poverty in childhood, low socio-economic status, housing insecurity, bereavement, weight discrimination, and many more.
If you have metabolic syndrome and are dealing with high levels of stress from any of these (or other) sources, don’t blame yourself; you have done nothing wrong. Take heart: while you can’t undo social inequalities or psychological suffering you may have experienced, it’s never too late to treat your body and soul with kind and gentle nurturance. With the right support, you can make meaningful progress toward better metabolic health, no matter what the life lottery has thrown at you.
Gut microbial imbalance: A healthy balance of microbes in our intestines is essential for the proper functioning of our mitochondria. Their health and function can be impaired through a variety of factors, such as high intakes of alcohol intake, medications like antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs, chronic stress, lack of sleep, physical inactivity, and infections, a microbial imbalance can deprive our mitochondria of important metabolic signaling chemicals. On the other hand, we can support out gut health in many ways; our next article explores these.
Sleep deprivation: Not getting enough quality sleep, or having disrupted sleep-wake cycles (for instance, if you are a shift worker or are dealing with acute or chronic stressors) interferes with hormones that affect metabolism, such as cortisol and insulin. This leads to free-radical production and less antioxidant protection, fuelling systemic inflammation and harming your metabolism.
Yo-yo dieting: Because one of the hallmarks of metabolic syndrome is a propensity to store fat in the abdominal cavity (called visceral fat), doctors frequently instruct their patients to lose weight. This advice has led millions of people to cycle through one calorie-restricted diet after the next, losing and regaining weight over and over again; this is called weight cycling or yo-yo dieting. (The fact that about 95% of people regain the weight they lose on a calorie-restricted diet tells us that dieting is not a very effective intervention.)
Tragically, weight cycling increases the risk of diabetes and hypertension, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, and death. This is in part because of the emotional distress and disordered eating behaviors that weight cycling can cause.
Moreover, yo-yo dieting undermines healthy body composition: when we lose weight, we lose both body fat and muscle; when we regain it, we regain mostly body fat. Thus, with each diet, we lose more muscle and gain more fat — a situation called sarcopenic obesity — and our metabolic function deteriorates. So please stop dieting.
Other metabolic troublemakers include various medical drugs and endocrine-disrupting chemicals in our homes, body care products, and the environment.
Genetics: One factor we can’t change is the genes handed to us by our ancestors, and genes play a role in metabolism. However, even if you have dodgy genes (I, for one, know I have a 40% lifetime risk of type-2 diabetes because I have a parent and two grandparents who had the disease), your genes are not set in stone. A person’s genes interact with their environment to either switch their genes off or on. This process is called epigenetics and can also play an important role in the development — or not — of type 2 diabetes.
Epigenetic changes do not change the DNA sequence but they affect gene expression. In addition, environmental factors such as diet, exercise, and infection can result in epigenetic changes. For example, a 2020 review indicates that dietary carbohydrates and fiber can be modifiers of some genetic variants in type 2 diabetes. Metabolic health is not an “on-off” switch, but rather a continuum. Your choices and genes determine where you fall on that continuum each day.
What does all this mean for you?
Many of my clients have some level of metabolic dysfunction, but the root causes vary widely. For one person, it might be hormonal changes around menopause, for another, chronic stress, anxiety, or depression, for yet another, a genetic predisposition and a history of yo-yo dieting.
Rarely does someone have a poor metabolic function because they are “lazy” or “greedy,” though people often blame themselves for their health issues, having been told for years that their problems are self-inflicted and that they need to “eat less and move more.”
Since no two individuals have the same biology, social circumstances, or life history, each person deserves individually tailored support. That’s why I don’t offer quick-fix solutions in my practice, like the ones you read about on social media. As your coach, we’ll work together on first identifying what’s driving your metabolic issues, and then on addressing these in ways that feel sustainable, taking it one step at a time.
If you’d like to talk to me about working together to improve your metabolic health, please click this link to schedule a free 20-minute discovery call.