How Metabolically Healthy Are You?

For the first time in the history, Metabolic Health Day was celebrated Oct 10. It’s a step in the right direction toward educating the 94% of the US adults who live with at least one metabolic health disorder.[embed]https://youtu.be/PDW9auvLzwU?si=Tf8HwVdKLONNP2Ey[/embed]Is your body able to respond to food in a way that reduces your risk for obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease? If not, there are lifestyle modifications to increase your metabolic health like through the guidance of our Pathways To Wellness DIY program.Researchers from the University of North Carolina published a research paper that said that only 12.2% of adults in the United States are metabolically healthy.They used waist circumference, blood pressure, and blood fats and cholesterol to assess metabolic health. People taking medications for diseases like heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes were automatically classified as metabolically unhealthy.

“Less than one-third of normal weight adults were metabolically healthy,” the researchers wrote in the paper. They added that 92% of people with overweight and 99.5% of people with obesity were metabolically unhealthy.  

When your metabolic health is poor, expect to experience wide swings in our blood fat, blood sugar, and insulin levels after you eat (and of course loads of inflammation).That’s why at Premier Integrative Health, most of our programs like Empowerment Over Diabetes spend a significant amount of time teaching you the foundation of good nutrition that is polar opposite of the American diet.A healthy diet includes unprocessed plant foods like vegetables, fruit, legumes, seeds and nuts, as well as healthy fats, like olive oil.There are a number of factors influence your metabolic health that you can’t change like your age, sex, or your genes. However, you can make changes to your diet and activity levels.You see it when you’re shopping or in a restaurant.  Far too many Americans who are obese and therefore at risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The markers of metabolic syndrome include an increase in abdominal adiposity, insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides, and hypertension.Researchers believe these diseases are a result of carbohydrate intolerance and insulin resistance. The team at Premier Integrative Health agrees that a diet that reduces the exposure to carbohydrates, including whole grains, is a solution to reversing metabolic syndrome.According to the Cleveland Clinic, ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs when your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. The keto diet has many possible benefits including potential weight loss, increased energy and treating chronic illness.The keto diet flips the American diet upside down putting fats first and carbs last, which produces a healthier metabolic state of health.

How Do You Know If You’re Metabolically Healthy?

"You have emotional resilience, a vitalized mood, and cognitive focus, according to Dr. Bradley Dyer.  "Your weight is stable, your strength and endurance are robust, and you have good tolerance to wide ranges of food in the absence of indigestion or bloating."

How Do You Know If You’re Metabolically Unhealthy?

When you don't have good metabolic health, your cells (namely the energy-producing powerhouses inside of cells called mitochondria), you can't produce the energy you need to operate properly. That’s when dysfunction and disease can set in.

"Food is medicine. Processed food is poison," says Dr. Brad Dyer.

If you're worried about the onset of disease or illness because of a poor metabolic health system, call for a free one-on-one consult with one of our licensed practitioners.