Metabolism: What Is It?
The dictionary defines metabolism as the sum of all biochemical
processes involved in life, or the sustaining of life. In
application concerning our health, metabolism is related to the
intake and use of food. In reference to the case in point it is
our ability to utilize our food to the fullest extent.
Some people have really high rates of metabolism. In other
words, when they consume food, their bodies burn it up almost as
fast as then consume it. Then there are those of use who use our
food intake so slowly, as to not even notice that we're burning
calories. These people who burn quickly are often slim and trim,
the people who burn more slowly are the people with a tendency
toward obesity.
The body's metabolism is a unique process for each individual
person. No two people metabolize food at the same rate therefore
no two people have the metabolism. We all use our calories at
different rates, with different results. Our metabolism, like
our fingerprints is unique to each of us. But the need to
understand and accommodate this metabolism is an issue that we
all face.
All of this metabolic process is related to our calorie
intake, our vitamin and nutrition needs, our thyroid and
endocrine production, and how well all of these processes come
together. For years, people have sought ways to raise the
metabolic rate. If you can raise someone's metabolic rate, you
are then better able to control the burn of calories, especially
for overweight or obese people. This would make the goal of
better or improved health a much easier reality for those
people. Efforts to date have produced very little results.
There are foods that we can consume that naturally raise our
metabolic rate, but not to a great extent. What we need is a way
to directly alter the rate. We need to be able to raise our
metabolism to a point where we can actually see a benefit. What
determines our metabolic rate, as far as our genetics?
Generally, we tend to inherit the same tendencies for metabolic
rates, body frames, and other related body functions from our
parents. Thus, the origin of "well, she comes from big people;
naturally she's going to be big".
Right now, the greatest results in raising our metabolism come
from exercise and building our muscle mass, while reducing our
body fat. Adding more muscle to the body, in turn causes us to
burn more calories, and this helps to elevate our metabolic
rate. Our metabolism functions also depend on how well we have
taken care of our nutritional needs. The process of burning
calories and creating energy is a delicate one, and one which
must be carefully tended, or it can become imbalanced.
It is often through these natural imbalances that we tend to
"inherit' our metabolic rate. I believe through careful
analysis, and attention to each person's unique needs, we could
bring about a more natural balance of the metabolic burn vs. the
calorie intake. To a level where optimal health and weight
control are in equilibrium.
.