Metabolic health does not have to be an overwhelming or confusing concept.
I believe that the simpler metabolic health can be explained, the greater chance we have of understanding it and making changes that support and optimize our health.
There are several big principles I want you to understand, specifically regarding your metabolic health, wellness, and its major components, and I’m going to share them with you here.
Reframe your health as a system rather than a goal
When people think about improving their health, they often come up with very concrete goals.
One of two things happens. Either they meet their goal and go back to the status quo, or give up and go back to what they were doing before. This is health as a goal, not as a system.
The more sustainable approach is to conceptualize metabolic health as a journey rather than a destination. Building habits that will maintain health throughout your life is an important part of this. It will be far less essential to focus on short term goals over your lifetime journey, especially when it comes to metabolic health.
Look at your health as a system that must be optimized rather than achieved. For example, instead of saying ‘I cannot eat certain foods,’ try saying ‘I am going to eat these foods.’
Focusing on metabolic health as a big picture allows you to reach many smaller goals as well. Since becoming metabolically healthy, I have personally improved my mental health, stress levels, and muscle to fat ratio.
Eat real whole food
Eating whole, real food is the best dietary strategy for metabolic health optimization.
I categorize this as is food that comes from the earth or eats byproducts of the earth. This includes:
- Animal products
- Plants
- Fruits
- Nuts and seeds
Whole, real foods must also pass a visual test. If you cannot look at a food and know where it came from, it should not be consumed.
Most of the food we eat should not have an ingredient list. If it does, it should be made up of whole, real foods that can be immediately identified and understood.
Corn dogs, for example, are no longer in this category. While they were once composed of real foods (corn and beef), they have been so highly processed that today they are neither whole nor real.
The outer perimeter of the supermarket is where you will find most of the foods you should eat. Meat, dairy, and produce are generally scattered around the outer circle, while ‘near food objects‘ are lumped in the middle.
I suggest following a rule of thumb: if your great-grandparents did not eat it, neither should you.
Make one sustainable change at a time
When starting a new health regime, people are tempted to change a lot of things at once.
There are several problems with this approach.
First, intensity. Too much at once can become overwhelming quickly, and cause people to fail before they even get started.
Second, development. If your regime is successful, it will be difficult to track down which changes were effective and which were not.
Changing one thing at a time is a scientific approach to metabolic health that regularly leads to success. Slow and steady wins the race, which is why I suggest starting with dietary modifications first.
Following this strategy, it is not unusual for patients to naturally move from one lifestyle change to the next. As they see more and more results, they will organically take next steps into new avenues of health — including physical activity.
Daily movement
‘Eat less move more’ is not always so cut and dry.
These days, it’s simply important to move more. This does not mean exercising at a certain time of day or spending hours in the gym. Movement throughout the day will support your metabolic health better than a simple hour of exercise.
Try taking the stairs rather than the elevator, or parking further away from your workplace. If you turn to HIIT, this may boost growth hormone and stimulate muscle growth as well.
I like for people to prioritize resistance exercises rather than cardio alone. Aerobics are not the most effective use of exercise time, and may counteract the weight loss effects of the cardio by causing people to eat more.
If you want to remain metabolic healthy throughout your life, focus on building and maintaining muscle as much as possible.
Sleep enough
I always encourage patients to sleep enough — whatever ‘enough’ may look like in their own lives.
We don’t yet have solid science to pinpoint the perfect amount of sleep. As sleep is such a customized experience, I suggest focusing on whatever the right amount is for your own body.
You should wake up feeling energized and refreshed in the morning. If not, you may want to reassess your allotted rest time.
It is hard to remain healthy while lacking quality rest. Make sure your sleeping hours are effectively spent by practicing good hygiene habits. Avoid artificial lights too close to bedtime. Turn off your TV at night and avoid certain foods that spike blood sugar or glucose levels in the evening.
Relieve stress
Our world today is very stressful. There are factors both old and new to consider, and they all take a toll on our bodies.
I understand that stress cannot be fully eliminated from modern life. This is why I advocate for relief rather than removal.
There’s no one way of doing this. For some people, focusing on a relaxing hobby may be one method of relief. For others, this may be joining a community of some sort.
Whatever the case, we must understand that stressors are and will continue to be all around us. Finding ways to relieve the pressure will be critical to ongoing metabolic health.
Get a doctor who gets it
You need to take an active role in your own health. This means partnering with a physician or health practitioner who understands the principles and benefits of metabolic health.
This may mean finding a different health practitioner. I’ve seen many people integrate positive metabolic changes only to meet pushback from their current providers.
It is never a good situation to be in when your physician is actively working against health improvements. Find a healthcare practitioner who will be curious about the things that you are curious about, and remain supportive of positive life changes.
If you’re interested in reading more about these seven metabolic principles, I recommend reading my book Stay Off My Operating Table. I provide more actionable tips and go into greater detail regarding each segment.
If you would like to chat with a professional about your personal considerations, you are welcome to book a complementary meeting to discuss any and all principles of metabolic health. If I’m not the right physician for you, I would be happy to help you find the right fit.