Train your metabolism to work for you
Metabolism is a word that shows up a lot in the medical world, but what exactly is it? To put it simply, your metabolism encompasses all of the chemical processes that produce the energy your body needs to live, and there are several pathways it can use to go about this task. How your body uses these pathways is dependent on how much energy you need, how fast you need it, and the resources you have available.
By now, you have almost certainly encountered someone who has shared with you, ad-nauseum, the perils of excessive sugar consumption. Metabolic Syndrome is just one of the reasons why. Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of blood markers that indicate an increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke and Type II Diabetes (and, I would argue, a myriad of other chronic diseases). The road to Metabolic Syndrome can be attributed in large part to prolonged overconsumption of sugar and carbohydrates.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to improve your metabolism, and the benefits of these changes extend deep into many of the regulatory functions of your body. Some of these practices, like the ketogenic diet, have received a lot of attention lately, they walk a fine line, are not for everyone, and thus should only be undertaken with the guidance of a qualified health professional. One of the most accessible, beneficial and safest of these practices is intermittent fasting (IF). Don’t let the word “fast” fool you, this isn’t a practice of deprivation, and the benefits of IF are profound. IF has been shown to activate many of the longevity mechanisms of the body, as well as retraining your metabolism in a way that can kickstart weight loss.
Intermittent fasting is as simple as creating a 12-16-hour break between two meals (the most sensible are dinner and breakfast). If you think about it, most of us would already be doing this if we could commit to finishing dinner before 7 p.m. and not having breakfast before 7 a.m. The closer to 16 hours you get, the more effective the fast will be, in this case that would involve skipping or having a late breakfast around 11 a.m. Used alongside a diet that emphasizes vegetables and consists primarily of whole foods, consistent IF can greatly improve the markers that coincide with Metabolic Syndrome.
It is imperative that you get ahead of conditions like these before they degenerate into something more serious, less controllable and less reversible. My job is to dig deep into an individual’s health history to uncover the underlying cause(s) of their condition and provide them with the resources to correct those causes. IF is just one of the many tools we use bring our patients back to a place of wellness. Join us at 7 tonight, Nov. 6 for our class on Metabolic Syndrome to learn more! The class is at Vital Health in Coeur d’Alene. Fee: $10. RSVP: 208-765-1994 or register here: http://bit.ly/MetabolicClassNov2019
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Jonathan M. Sasser holds a Master of Science degree in Oriental Medicine, is a Licensed Acupuncturist and is board certified in Oriental Medicine by the NCCAOM. He has more than 3,000 hours of training in acupuncture, classical Oriental Medicine, herbal medicine and nutrition.
Additionally, Jon also holds a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine. Jon is a “Health Detective.” He looks beyond your symptom picture and investigates WHY you are experiencing your symptoms in the first place. Jonathan is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements at Vital Health in Coeur d’Alene.
Visit our website at www.vitalhealthcda.com to learn more about Jonathan, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Jonathan can be reached at 208-765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.