Many people are not aware of the implications of our body’s metabolism. Metabolism refers to the process by which the human body can break down the food we consume and convert them into energy and its forms. Metabolism itself falls into the process of catabolism and anabolism. The energy released by the metabolism process is vital for the body to function and stay alive.
The process of metabolism is highly dependent on the nutritional intake of individuals. The energy sourced from nutrients is necessary to synthesise nucleic acids, proteins and other biomolecules in our body. Therefore, metabolism is an ongoing body activity. For example, resting metabolism occurs even when a person is not physically active. However, an unhealthy lifestyle and food habits can cause complications for the body and require people to increase their metabolism through lifestyle changes.
The good news is that you can improve your metabolism. Simply introducing post-meal walks and eating 3-5 healthy meals through a healthy plating method can improve several health conditions. For example, downloading HealthifyPRO 2.0 will tell you if your doos selection is complete. Lack of fibre and protein and too much reliance on simple carbs and tasty fats may affect your metabolism. It also helps you to measure your hydration levels, sleep quantum and activities. Simple measures can improve metabolism, and it is visible within 1-2 months of making these changes.
Here are some factors which cause Inadequate or slow metabolism in an individual:
Unhealthy Diets
An extremely unhealthy diet can slow down metabolism in your body. Some foods are difficult to break down easily. Certain foods like refined grains, alcohol, soda, etc., cause your body to slow down the metabolic processes and concentrate on breaking down and absorbing these foods. Moreover, studies show that unhealthy diet patterns may increase metabolic syndrome risk. Additionally, another study indicates that cheese-laden and greasy fried food also lowers the metabolic rate in the human body.
Dehydration
Studies show that water is an essential catalyst for promoting metabolic health. Dehydration or inadequate water intake makes the body incapable of performing metabolic functions at ease. The body cannot afford to lose fluids as by-products of metabolic activity, which is why the process is stalled and slowed.
As per research, prolonged dehydration can cause chronic metabolic problems where your metabolic power becomes too weak to recover.
Inadequate Sleep
Inadequate sleep can cause the body’s metabolism to slow down significantly. Studies show that a wrong sleep schedule may lead to prolonged eating times and less space for energy expenditure. A body which doesn’t sleep for at least 8 hours is likely to have a decreased glucose metabolism. As a result, this can cause problems of obesity and diabetes.
Research suggests that sleep restrictions also affect the energy balance of the body. Thus inadequate sleep coupled with lack of recovery sleep can slow down metabolism.
Certain Health Conditions
Sometimes, our metabolic health can be affected by certain underlying medical conditions. For example, hormones are essential in regulating one’s metabolic health. Studies have shown that medical problems like thyroid have influenced body metabolism rates and caused them to drop significantly.
Another research shows that low levels of oestrogen and testosterone hamper the body’s metabolic rate. Additionally, studies show that stress can lead to decreased metabolic health. Stress releases cortisol in the bloodstream, making the body work hard to hold on to calories. This process can, in turn, cause your metabolism to slow down.
Genetic Factors
Slow metabolism also results from genetic factors not influenced by lifestyle or dietary preferences. As per studies, genetic problems like atherogenic dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, cardiac issues, hypertension, etc., can slow your metabolic health. However, it occurs in rare cases only.
The HealthifyMe Note
Resting metabolism is the base form of the body’s metabolism, which is not a direct function of physical activities. However, resting metabolism may not be ideal or suitable for people who suffer from certain health conditions like obesity. Slow metabolism or inadequate metabolic power can occur due to several factors and may lead to adverse health conditions.
Health Risks Associated with Slow Metabolism
A slow metabolism can lead to several health problems like:
Obesity
People with slow metabolism are unable to burn the calories that they intake. Therefore, when you overeat food daily, the calories, you eat primarily get stored in your body as fat. While the change is not noticeable within a few days, the constant fat deposition will significantly add to your weight and make you obese.
Fatigue
Several studies have proved that slow metabolism can lead to fatigue and lethargy. The metabolism process helps the body break down the calories and convert them into energy that fuels the body. Hence, when your metabolism is slow, you won’t feel energetic and will be unable to complete even basic tasks. Your body will stop being active until your average metabolic rate gets restored.
Hair and Skin Problems
Hair and skin both need adequate nourishment from nutrients and hormones. Also, the skin needs certain hormones to keep itself healthy. Metabolic processes facilitate the production of these hormones.
As per studies, skin diseases start to appear when there is a problem with a slow metabolism. Skin regeneration also becomes slower because there isn’t enough energy for the skin cells. People also experience extreme hair loss and breakage due to slow metabolism. Since slow metabolism doesn’t utilise all the nutrients, study shows hair starts to lack nourishment and becomes fragile.
Mental Health Problems
When someone suffers from slow metabolism, they find themselves amid anxiety disorders. Also, research shows the impact of slow metabolism. Slow metabolism may cause specific hormonal changes in the body, which can add to your anxiety. For example, when your body’s metabolic rate is slow, your body will release cortisol which is the root cause of many mental health problems.
As per studies, slow metabolism causes problems for the brain and prevents it from functioning normally. In this situation, the person may have difficulty concentrating on work or processing tasks successfully.
Inadequate Body Waste Disposal
Since waste excretion results from metabolic activity, a slow metabolism can hinder this activity in the body. As a result, breaking down food and producing waste materials gets minimised, and people cannot excrete the toxic wastes from the body. Therefore, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome are pretty common among people who suffer from a low metabolism.
The HealthifyMe Note
Many people are unaware of the problems associated with a slow metabolism. However, understanding the balance between food consumption and a good metabolism is essential to know if the body is doing enough to break down the calories and use them up.
Slow metabolism has some severe consequences for the body. When your metabolism rate is inadequate for your body to process the ingested food, you will rapidly put on weight. Additionally, people with slow metabolism also find it difficult to lose the weight they have gained. Obesity has become a big problem for people worldwide and has hampered their normal living conditions.
Research shows that obesity from slow metabolism may also lead to other heart and liver health complications. Therefore, one must boost one’s metabolism to combat weight gain and avoid fatigue.
Ways to Speed up Your Metabolism
Sometimes, the slow metabolism can be due to underlying genetic diseases. However, there are some ways in which you can change your body’s metabolic power. It is essential to speed up your metabolism to eliminate unwanted medical problems that may become more severe in the long run. Correcting your metabolism is easy but requires perseverance since results don’t show within a few days.
Here are some simple but effective ways to speed up your metabolism without medications:
Have a Good Exercise Schedule
People who are already obese should always have a proper exercise schedule. When people invest time in exercising, their body has to go through strenuous activities which require energy. Since energy gets produced by breaking down calories, your metabolic processes will speed up and start breaking down your body fat. Like most solutions for slow metabolism, results won’t appear in a single day. You must maintain a proper schedule with different exercises and stick to this plan in the long run.
Dietary Regulations
Maintaining a proper diet is one of the top requirements when you want to speed up your metabolism. You need to watch the calories you intake and eat the right amount of food to make sure there is no overeating involved. When you overeat, the excess calories not needed by the body turn into fat.
You must also watch your daily calorie count to avoid this problem. Research shows that you can substitute eating oily, greasy, and fatty foods with high protein and carbs. Make sure you consult a nutritionist to have a proper diet chart. It is also essential to stick to the diet plans and avoid overeating even if the craving continues.
Get Adequate Sleep
Our resting metabolism is essential for the body. Since resting metabolism is always at play, we often ignore that our resting metabolism increases when we sleep. Studies suggest that sleep is a super important factor when speeding up your metabolism. Getting a good 8 hours of sleep is a must when you want to speed up your metabolism.
Research also shows that even if you miss the mark on some days, catching up on recovery sleep is essential and restoring your body’s metabolic power.
Try Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is pretty well-known for helping obese people lose weight. Intermittent fasting can also help in Speeding up the metabolism, as many studies have proved. As per studies, when people practise intermittent fasting, the body uses the stored fats to produce energy. All the preexisting fat slows down metabolic functions and fulfils the body’s needs. When obesity becomes the primary reason for slow metabolism, Intermittent fasting can lose the extra calories and speed up the metabolism significantly. Fasting should be tried under guidance considering proper medical conditions if any
Speeding up your metabolism can be highly beneficial for your health. However, when trying to speed up your metabolism, you must follow specific guidelines and preventive measures to avoid side effects. In addition, there needs to be harmony between your lifestyle changes to speed up your metabolism without creating additional health problems.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making lifestyle changes to speed up your metabolism:
- Do not go overboard with exercising. For example, you are a working individual who often feels tired after long shifts at your office. You must understand if your body can go through intensive exercise schedules after work. You need to consult a trainer and discuss your schedule so that they can plan a perfect exercise plan for you. Don’t overwork yourself or jump to challenging exercises at the very onset. Instead, gradually shift your exercise schedule to accommodate your changing capacities.
- When following diet plans, don’t limit portions, so your body starts to lack the essential nutrients to keep you alive. Buring fat itself is not enough to sustain the body in any form. Make sure you have a healthy and balanced diet with regulated quantities of food. It is better to chalk out a meal plan with a nutritionist who would know your requirements better. If you suffer from health issues like diabetes, see a nutritionist and do not follow a fad diet plan blindly.
- People with hypertension must go easy on the exercise in the beginning. It is easy to get carried away in your desire to speed up your metabolism, and you may make the wrong decisions. Continuously monitor your blood pressure levels when following strict diet and exercise plans, so they don’t drastically affect your blood pressure levels.
- Intermittent fasting is suitable for your metabolism, but eating nothing for a long time may not suit people with existing medical problems. Always try to eat low-calorie food like sprouts, fruits, and baked veggies so your hunger stays at bay and your body doesn’t react negatively to the sudden changes.
Summary
A little research will tell people that speeding up one’s metabolism is an excellent solution to many health problems. We often take our metabolic health for granted and forget that every unhealthy lifestyle habit has consequences. It is always a good idea to try and speed up your metabolism so that the food you eat does not end up severely affecting your health.
The secret to guilt-free eating would be to eat in moderation and count your calorie intake daily. However, suppose you feel like you have been putting on weight and started experiencing the side effects of your bad food choices. In that case, you need to speed up your metabolism by following these simple remedies at home.
