Metabolic Health
Metabolic health refers to the proper functioning of all biochemical processes that regulate the body’s metabolism. It involves the body’s ability to maintain stable levels of blood sugar, triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressure without the need for medications.
Good metabolic health means the body efficiently converts food into energy, uses insulin effectively, and maintains a healthy balance of lipids (fats) and other metabolic markers. Key indicators of metabolic health include:
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Healthy blood sugar levels (glucose control).
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Normal triglyceride and cholesterol levels (lipid management).
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Healthy blood pressure.
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Normal waist circumference (an indicator of fat distribution, especially visceral fat).
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Optimal insulin sensitivity (how well the body responds to insulin).
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Poor metabolic health can lead to conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome, which are linked to chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. Maintaining a balanced diet, regular exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices are essential for promoting metabolic health.
Jump to metabolic health checks:
Do You Experience:
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Being tired when you wake in the morning
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Falling asleep after lunch
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Hungry all the time
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Brain fog
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Difficulty falling asleep
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Digestive issues
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Having low muscle mass (do you know what you have or how much you should have?)
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Easily physically fatigued
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Back, neck and shoulder stress/discomfortBeing overweight - a larger midsection
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Have one or more of high blood pressure, imbalanced lipids (cholesterol), high blood glucose levels - pre or full Type 2 Diabetes
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Having tried improving your body composition but not been successful (often referred to as weight loss)
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Difficulty squatting or hip hinging to pick things up
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Strain to lift your kids, carry the groceries, shovel snow or rake leaves
Would You Like To:
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Feel Well
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Move Well
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Perform Well
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Feel energetic
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Have good self esteem - positive body image
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Keep up physically with your kids (and grand kids)
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Not have to be taking numerous medications as you get older
TRIGLYCERIDE-GLUCOSE INDEX (INSULIN RESISTANCE/NAFLD): The triglyceride and glucose index is a screening method for insulin resistance that is very simple to use and only requires two laboratory determinations: serum triglycerides and serum glucose. Also, the screening method using triglycerides and glucose is predictive of non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as it is considered the manifestation of metabolic syndrome, while triglyceride and serum glucose are key components of this process.
WAIST-HEIGHT RATIO (INSULIN RESISTANCE/CVD): Waist-height ratio is considered a simpler and more predictive of the ‘early heath risks’ associated with central obesity. The waist to height ratio can be considered as a marker of insulin resistance and it may be a better indicator for screening overweight or obesity-related cardiovascular disease risk factors than the other indices.