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Hi Reader!
This email is part 3 of our series on metabolic health. You can read part one and part two, in case you missed them.
Metabolic flexibility is our body's ability to efficiently switch between different fuel sources for energy production. When this ability is compromised, we become "metabolically inflexible." Our body struggles to switch between fuel sources for energy production, hormonal regulation is disrupted, and nutrient storage and burning are out of balance. Impaired metabolic flexibility can lead to diseases like obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and systemic inflammation.
How do we lose Metabolic flexibility?
Modern lifestyles are the main culprit. Here's how:
- Constant eating: Frequent snacking meals prevent the body from switching to fat-burning mode and overexposes our cells to insulin.
- Processed foods: High in sugars and unhealthy fats disrupt nutrient sensing.
- Overeating: Overloads our mitochondria and reduces their efficiency. Fat accumulation around muscle and liver cells makes them insulin-resistant.
- Sedentary behavior: Lack of movement reduces the body's ability to adapt its fuel use.
Over time, these factors can lead to "metabolic inflexibility," where the body becomes less responsive to insulin and struggles to balance energy. The body senses the lack of cells' response to insulin and produces more to "make" cells respond correctly. The more insulin floating around in our blood, the more insensitive we become to it. This is called "Insulin Resistance," and it is one of the reasons we have a hard time maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and weight.
Signs of Worsening of Metabolic Health
Obesity
Obesity is a problem related to fat storage and breakdown. Usually, your body burns stored fat for energy when you fast and stops burning it after you eat. In obesity, this process doesn't work correctly. Elevated insulin and Insulin Resistance make it hard for your body to access and burn stored fat. In addition, excess fat spills over into areas it shouldn't, like your liver and muscles, causing inflammation. Over time, the fat buildup and inflammation cycle worsens metabolic flexibility, increasing the risk of metabolic diseases.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes:
- Increased waist circumference
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- High triglycerides
- Low HDL (good cholesterol)
If you have three of the five conditions listed above, your doctor can diagnose you with Metabolic Syndrome, which increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
The clinical metabolic health assessment is helpful but doesn't give us a complete picture. If your measurements fall within a specific range, you believe you're metabolically healthy. Even when you have a normal weight and most of your blood tests are within the ranges, your metabolic flexibility might be under stress. It takes a long time to transition from metabolic health to metabolic disease.
It's easier and better for you to stay metabolically healthy than to try to correct a metabolic disease. If you don't want to wait until you are unhealthy, if you want to be proactive, there are ways to learn about your metabolic health and act early to prevent the disease from ever occurring.
We now have new tools and measurements like the HOMA score, Insulin Resistance score, and inputs from continuous glucose monitors that can provide the necessary information. Holistic medical professionals can help you interpret the results and suggest ways to improve your metabolic flexibility. Let me know if you need help by replying to this email.
In Summary
The American medical system mainly focuses on managing or correcting diseases rather than preventing them. However, most metabolic diseases develop slowly. This gradual development means that you can catch the problem at its very onset before it turns into a full-blown disease. So, it's crucial to be proactive if you want to stay healthy. Talk to a health professional or a licensed nutritionist to assess your metabolic health.
Stay tuned: Next time, we'll discuss how to improve or keep your metabolic flexibility.
I'll be in touch in two weeks, take care!
Olga
