What is Metabolic Health?
What is Metabolic Health?
We hear this term a lot, “but what does it MEAN?” I asked myself. So, I did what we all do these days, I asked “google”. This is what came up on my phone.
“Metabolic health is the body’s ability to efficiently break down, convert, and use food for energy without medication, supporting stable blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. It is measured by five key biomarkers: waist circumference, fasting glucose, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure, with optimal levels preventing chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.”
Waist circumference – 40 inches for men and 35 for women
Fasting blood glucose – sugar levels below 100
A1c blood sugar average over 3 months- normal 5.7%, prediabetes 5.7 – 6.4%
Blood pressure – optimal levels below 120/80
Triglycerides – a type of fat in the blood, below 150
HDL (good) cholesterol – above 40 in men and 50 in women
These are the numbers your doctor is looking for in a “healthy person”. Many of the common drugs prescribed today and aimed at changing these numbers. One problem with this approach is that it many times it doesn’t take into account age, lifestyle, or other physical problems. What is normal anyways? Who says what is healthy? Insurance companies or your doctor? Prescribing drugs, which DO have side effects, should take into account more than just a number. However, beyond the number, we do want to address these common health issues. Can we do this naturally? You bet! There is so much you can do at home to improve your metabolic health – without drugs.
Let’s break it down…
The first thing addressed in the metabolic health definition is the “body’s ability to efficiently break down, convert, and use food for energy”. FOOD – that is the place to start. Improving our diet is a first step in improving all of the measurements in the above list. I am always amazed at the number of diabetics who come into the store and don’t know what a carbohydrate is. I have been told, “I don’t eat sugar.” Only to then hear them list all the carbs in their diet, that are actually sugar. Do you know which fats are good fats, and which to avoid? Education is important. Learn what you should be eating. Believe me, it isn’t the standard American diet! We need to change our diet, if we want the numbers to change.
The first supplement that comes to mind for support is digestive enzymes. If the problem is that you aren’t breaking down food properly, then maybe it is time for a little help. Raw food, such as an apple, has all the enzymes in it necessary for digestion (or to break it down). The problem is that we cook and process our food to death! There are no enzymes left. This puts a heavy load on the pancreas to create enzymes to break down the food we eat. If the pancreas is overloaded making enzymes, it might not be able to keep up with making insulin. You can see how these metabolic problems influence each other. Herbs that support the pancreas include: nopal, goldenseal or berberine, and cinnamon. To support digestion and give the pancreas a rest, take digestive enzymes before each meal.
The liver is also connected to this process, deciding when to store fat, and when to use it for energy. If the liver is overloaded with toxic environmental chemicals or preservatives, additives, fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides; how is it supposed to function properly in the making and use of triglycerides or cholesterol? Also, back to diet, the widespread use of high fructose corn syrup in everything has contributed to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. 1/3 of the adults in the US have a fatty liver, not to mention it is becoming prevalent in children. The most well-known herb for the liver is milk thistle. There is a lot of scientific evidence that the silymarin in milk thistle may protect the liver from chemical toxins and support the healing of liver disease. Another important antioxidant for the liver is grapeseed extract.
The problem with blood pressure and cholesterol is not really in the numbers, although that is how they measure it. The problem really lies in the health of the arteries. Are they clogged up with junk? Cholesterol and plaque form on artery walls with the purpose of patching weak spots. Are your arteries clear, flexible, strong, and healthy? Again, diet has a lot to do with this. Supplements to support healthy arteries include vitamins A, D, & K; and nattokinase, which is an enzyme contained in fermented soybean cheese, a Japanese food called natto. Nattokinase has an impressive track record for its ability to improve blood flow by breaking down a blood-clotting protein called fibrin. Clean out the arteries so that blood may flow freely and keep them strong and flexible, requiring less “patching” with cholesterol.
You can naturally support metabolic health. Allopathic medicine focuses on blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol numbers. From a natural point of view this includes paying special attention to:
Diet – eat REAL food: quality protein, good fats, complex carbs, minimal processed foods
Digestion – how well is food broken down and used by the body, digestive enzymes
Pancreas – addressing blood sugar and insulin resistance, nopal, berberine, cinnamon
Liver – detoxification and protection, milk thistle, grapeseed extract
Arteries – diet, vitamins A, D, & K and nattokinase
Don’t ignore your body’s signals – support your metabolic health today! If you want to learn more about how your body works, join us for our herbalist classes or make an appointment for a Wellness Plan. I am here to assist you. Health, One Choice at a Time!