6 Tips About How You Can Activate Your Metabolism
Metabolism is the process by which our bodies combine nutrients, trophines with oxygen to obtain energy for its proper functioning. This energy is measured in calories and means to the human body, what gasoline is a car – Fuel.
When our main source of energy, blood sugar (glucose), is consumed, our body will focus on fat metabolic process, in order to obtain the needed energy.
Similarly, when the reserve of blood sugar is too high, metabolism tends to store the “energy” in excess, by turning it into fat, to be used another time.
Even when our body is at rest, it still consumes a minimal amount of energy needed to provide the functioning of the vital organ and to maintain its normal temperature.
Of course, when we exercise, the body needs more energy and metabolism accelerates to supply it. But most of us are not very active so we seek a faster metabolism. We want to burn calories all the time, even when we sit or sleep. Is this the meaning of a greater efficiency?
It is wrote a lot around this topic, accelerating the metabolism, and many articles have suggested that an increased metabolism is more efficient because it burns more calories.
This is especially true if your goal is weight loss. But it is interesting to note that an increased metabolism is actually less efficient, because requires more food, to maintain body weight.
This is against the way nature designed us to survive. And, it is very important to note that, an increased metabolism, involves a more rapid aging.
We should ask ourselfs whether it is really needed to operate as an enigine at race, but not to be connected to the gearbox. It is rather desirable to make sure we have a healthy nourishment, in reasonable amounts, accompanied by a program of regular exercise.
Signs of a lazy metabolism
If you gain weight faster than you lose weight, or you are getting extra kilograms without eating excessively, you might have a slow metabolism. Unlike the lucky ones with a fast metabolism, which will eat what and how they want, without gaining weight at all, others require a change in diet to increase metabolism. Fortunately, there are special diets to help you reactivate your metabolism !
Before reading any further, you might find out whether you have or not a lazy metabolism. Do you find yourself in at least two of these signs?
- You don’t lose weight, no matter how much sport do: in theory, you lose weight when you have a calorie deficit, which you get either by eating less or practicing a sport.
- If you do sport and yet you don’t lose weight, this can be because you eat the wrong foods, not that you are eating too much calories. In this case, what will help you will be not those 2 hours in the gym, but an important change in your diet.
- You don’t lose weight even if you eat very little: when you follow a very restrictive diet, something terrible happens to your body – it enters in the state of crisis! That means that, because your body does not get enough food, your metabolism begins to create a deposit and keeps the fat for the future crises. This is not what you really want? Then begin to eat enough foods, but the good ones.
- You see fat deposited in new places: you know your areas of problems, but if you noticed that the fat began to settle in other places too, may be a sign that you have a slow metabolism. Your body is looking for new areas to deposit fat – deposited in the waist area, for example, may look like your cortisol level is not normal. When you’re stressed or you have a disturbed metabolism, your body has more cortisol, a hormone that leads to fat storage around the abdomen.
- You have cracked heels and / or your hair falls: thyroid regulates metabolism and is also responsible for healthy skin, hair and nails. Dry skin, chapped, especially in the elbows and heels, show that the thyroid is not as effective as it should be. Hair loss, especially for women who lose hair from the top of the head, can look as a hormonal disorder.
- You are craving for sweets, especially afternoons: mostly afternoon, your body begins to eliminate stored fat for energy, but when this does not happen, sugar level drops and you feel you need to eat something that can give you quick energy – and this mean much sugar! But this is a vicious circle, because the sweets will not give you energy in the long term, while a fast metabolism can balance blood sugar levels for you to have energy all day without sudden falls.
Tips to activate your metabolism
We can mention a few rules so that metabolism can be improved naturally through a healthy lifestyle.
Eat often, do not skip meals and eat healthy snacks between meals. Through frequent meals you will avoid starvation, ensuring a constant source of energy and maintain the effectiveness of human metabolism. Your body has a survival mechanism, by which it stores fat to protect us from starvation. When you skip a meal or keep a very strict diet, the body thinks that follows a difficult period of starvation and react promptly, slowing metabolism to conserve energy.
The store is made in special deposits of fat, weight loss occurs mainly through water and muscle mass loss. Therefore, it is said that, to increase metabolism, is advisable to eat 5-6 times a day, 3 meals and snacks in between. In this way, you ensure a high metabolism rate throughout the day.
Let’s not forget, of course, that just snacking between meals can be a cause of weight gain. It is therefore very important that they are healthy, portioned to avoid the temptation of eating large quantities, and meals will be reduced to compensate for the exact amount of calories brought by snacking between meals.
Exercise regularly. Not only that exercise increase metabolism but will remain at high levels for a significant period of time, after completing the exercise. It’s a surefire way to burn more calories. And the beneficial effects of regular exercise on health, far outweigh the aging effect that can have an accelerated metabolism.
Improve the ratio of the percentage of muscle and fat. In general, strenuous activities such as running, burn more calories than muscle-building activities such as weight lifting. But, do not forget that muscle burns more calories than fat. That means the metabolism is more active when muscle mass is greater. So it is better to choose natural and balanced ways by which we help body to burn calories and by this gentle treatment, it will be the best and closest friend.
Drink green tea. Green tea comes from the leaves of Camellia sinensis and is used by the Chinese for over 2,000 years as a refreshing drink, because of the many therapeutic properties available from this plant. Camellia sinensis is an evergreen Asian shrub, highly cultivated in the Far East, Argentina, China, India, Pakistan and Russia. From this plant are harvested young leaves and the green tea is produced by the hot drying of these leaves. Also, the tea can be obtained from shoots.
In the composition of green tea, are found the following : flavonoids, tannins, gallic and mixed polyphenol carboxylic acids, triterpenes, sugars, vitamin C, alkaloids such as caffeine, teobromoina, theophylline, free alcohols, and inorganic substances such as potassium, aluminum, and fluorine .
Because green tea contains alkaloids, it provides the body with stimulating effects and L-theanine contained in it has calming effects on the nervous system.
Catechins and polyphenols help to combat free radicals, which can be produced by cigarette smoke, pollution, ultraviolet or exhaust gases. However, polyphenols in this plant favors reducing the blood pressure, but also contributes to the lowering of blood cholesterol level, improves blood circulation and digestion, stimulates metabolic processes in cells of the central nervous system, contributes to blood supply to the skin and allow their regeneration, and due to the intake of fluoride prevents tooth decay. However, in the composition of green tea the existing polyphenols promote calorie burning, reduces the risk of stroke and lowers bad LDL cholesterol.
Also, green tea helps destroy bacteria that can cause food poisoning and removes toxins that can cause these bacteria, stops the evolution of cancer cells, reduces the level of blood sugar, and due to the high concentration of antioxidants, especially vitamin E slows ag,ing.
Green tea is indicated for the relief of depression, is an effective adjuvant in cardiovascular diseases, regulates metabolism, increase immunity, energize the body in cases of fatigue, ensure proper functioning of liver and kidneys, keeps heart rhythm steady and prevents respiratory and digestive infections. It’s also an adjuvant in multiple sclerosis and laboratory tests have shown that if it is used during a chemotherapy treatment, increases the effectiveness of treatment.
In addition, green tea inhibits the growth of tumor cells, particularly those of the colon, rectum, bladder, esophagus, pancreas, and stomach, without affecting the healthy cells. And all these lines are meant to encourage you to introduce the green tea into your diet, due to all these benefits it has. Not only that will boost your metabolism, but will give you many other benefits for your health.
Have vitamins and minerals. To activate your metabolism you need iodine, zinc, selenium and calcium, which ensure the functioning of the thyroid and bones. If you do not get them naturally, from food, cover your necessary vitamins with supplements .
Iodine is an essential nutrient that is responsible for the production of thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for adjusting the metabolism, affect the speed at which our body uses energy, adjusting body temperature, cholesterol level, and heartbeat, mental and physical development and more. Without an adequate intake of iodine, metabolism become slow, resulting in a number of serious medical conditions – including the inability to lose weight.
The most important natural sources of iodine are:
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Sea vegetables or seaweeds
are queens of iodine – which makes sense because the iodine ions are mainly concentrated in the seas saltwater. Although all large vegetables are rich in iodine, brown alga ( Fucus vesiculosus ) it is probably the largest source . 50 grams of dried seaweed containing more than 100 % of the recommended daily allowance for iodine.
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Himalayan salt
. Although many people try to cover the needed amount of daily iodine with iodized table salt, this is not recommended because table salt (sodium chloride) is toxic to the human body and iodine from this salt is inorganic and synthetic. Instead, favoring real salt, like sea salt or unrefined -and better – Himalayan salt . A half gram Himalaya contains a full spectrum of 84 minerals including iodine 250 micrograms. Real salt is great because it can be added to almost any crane. Simply sprinkle over food and will not have to worry about iodine, ever.
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Most fish and seafood
are good sources of iodine. An 85g portion of code, for example, gives 99 micrograms of iodine. Another especially good source is shrimp. Even fish processed foods, such as fish croquettes, are containing a small amount of iodine.
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Baked potatoes
Are one of the best sources of iodine from the land, but please note that soil quality plays a very important role. Generally, a medium potato, baked with skin, contains about 60 micrograms of iodine. Potatoes were grown on soil rich in nutrients, often contain even more iodine.
Although yogurt is best-known for its content of calcium and protein, this product is also surprisingly rich in iodine. A cup of yogurt gives us 90 micrograms of iodine. For comparison, a cup of milk contains 56 micrograms of iodine.
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Beans
Are very nutritious and listed like foods high in iodine. A half cup of cooked beans, for example, gives 32 micrograms of iodine. Other good sources are Lima beans, green beans, and soybeans.
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Turkey breast
… boiled eggs, dried plums, strawberries, and blueberries are other natural sources of iodine.
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Zinc
Is a natural mineral which is absolutely necessary for human survival. There are many sources of zinc in raw foods, that can contribute enough to provide the needed power for the essential bodily processes .
The minerals are best absorbed when are part of daily food, rather than through a supplement. While meat and dairy products contain high concentrations of zinc, do not forget that at the cooking temperatures, minerals are destroyed at a rate of 80 %. But there are many natural sources of zinc. If the food is grown on the zinc content, depends on the levels of minerals present in the soil.
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Raw organic seeds and butter obtained
Including pumpkin, chia, hemp, sesame, sunflower or poppy, helps supply the body with essential needs of zinc. Pumpkin seeds , in particular, have one of the highest concentrations of zinc in plant-based foods. Organic oats, raw and fresh, also are good sources of zinc. Organic walnuts, raw, such as cashews , almonds, Brazil nuts also contain significant amounts of zinc.
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Most fresh fruits
Avocados, raspberries, apricots, blackberries, figs, berries and pomegranates contain appreciable quantities of zinc and provide great sources of minerals.
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Organic dried fruits
… such as peaches, plums, blueberries, bananas, figs are also a good source of zinc.
Many vegetables also contain zinc: asparagus, Brussels sprouts , peas, and pumpkin are all good sources of zinc. -
Selenium
Is an essential mineral for the functioning of the whole body. It is scientifically proven that selenium stimulates the immune system and cell protection. Let’s see what foods contain it, to make sure that this element is not missing from your daily diet .
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Sunflower
Among the important active substances, sunflower has a significant amount of selenium. Specialists believe that the valuable trace is found mostly in plant seeds, but also in its leaves and stem. Sunflower seeds are also recommended to combat infertility, especially in women. The oil made from the seeds is beneficial in atherosclerosis, hypertension and treating the lazy gallbladder.
Not only the sunflower seeds are rich in selenium, but the also are nuts. Depending on the variety of nuts, the amount of selenium varies. The richest in this mineral are Brazil nuts, with over 1,900 mcg of selenium per half a kilo. Experts recommend you to consume these products with caution because selenium can become toxic in high amounts.
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Pumpkin
Proved beneficial in renal failure, diabetes, urinary tract infections, insomnia and enteritis. Nutritionists recommend the treatment with pumpkin porridge, which is obtained by boiling the pumpkin pulp in milk. For cardiac patients and those suffering from water retention in the body, the daily dose is 300 g. The treatment with this preparation should last 30 days.
A lesser known source of selenium is lamb. It also contains other essential elements such as iron, zinc and protein. A portion of lamb chops (100 grams) provides a significant contribution of B vitamins and a quarter of the amount of “good” cholesterol per day recommended.
Eggs are rich in selenium, and zinc or iron. Eggs provide almost all the body needs minerals and valuable proteins. Two eggs contain almost a quarter of the recommended daily intake of selenium.
- Selenium is also found in oily fish. It does not contain much-saturated fat, so it’s preferable because of the high amount of unsaturated “good” fat. Salmon is one of the varieties of oily fish that have significant amounts of omega-3. Fresh tuna is very healthy for the heart.
It does not even need to explain the importance of calcium in the body . From healthy bones , muscles and teeth – to maintain a perfect look, calcium is an element that must be found in the daily menu. Fortunately, there are foods that contain it in sufficient quantities . And it’s not only milk. We all know that precious mineral is found in abundance in dairy foods, but on what other foods we can count when we want to be sure that our diet has enough calcium?
Despite the unpleasant smell and taste, the very salty sardines are among the first foods rich in calcium. They can be consumed post appetizer or to mitigate their taste can be mixed in a salad. Two whole sardines contain about 460 milligrams of calcium, half of the recommended daily dose. In addition, the advantage is that besides calcium intake, sardines are important sources of omega 3 fatty acids.
- Figs, fresh or dried, can ever compete for mineral supplements, but scientists urge us to eat them rather dry ones, which are richer in calcium than fresh. Thus, for fresh figs provide up to 25% of the RDA of calcium, the dry figs provides even a small amount of iron and fiber.
Broccoli, cabbage, and green onions are vegetables leading the fight against hypocalcemia. In addition, parsley is by far the richest source of iron: a handful of leaves contain about 8 milligrams.
Spinach, peas, leeks and radishes contain significant amounts of iron, minerals and vitamins.
Tofu – this vegetable cheese, soy milk obtained, is a remarkable source of protein and calcium. One hundred grams of tofu provide approximately 10% of the RDA of calcium.
- Think positive and relax. Stress can influence metabolism. Do those things that you like, walk, meet up with friends.
Stress is a major producer of cortizol. And cortisol is the hormone that stimulates fat deposits.
Stress is an inevitable part of life. Some degree of stress is normal and even necessary for survival. Stressful experiences occur early in life, after birth, helping to develop the body’s adaptability to new situations, potentially dangerous . Stress is also the most important factor that determines over-nutrition.