Spring and summer are a time of energetic shedding, as nature shrugs off its winter heft and our inner fire picks up to match the sun’s heightened blaze. This newfound burst of energy encourages us to actually enjoy our physical bodies—to move with joy, to live sensually, to connect.
That’s what metabolism is all about; it’s the body’s mechanism that helps us expend energy and use nourishment as fuel. Though often related only in terms of weight, metabolism is a process involved in essentially every aspect of the way our bodies function, from libido to breathing to how we detoxify. When our metabolism is thriving, we’re able to live at our most bold and energized state, letting nothing weigh us down.
All too often, though, we feel lethargic and less than our vivacious potential—it’s been reported that 88% of Americans are considered metabolically ill. This overwhelming trend can stem from a variety of lifestyle factors, including stress, poor sleep, and diet. Restriction—whether through diet hopping, fearing carbs, or calorie counting—can wreak havoc on our metabolism, too, causing blood glucose levels to spike and crash. When the body falls into this pattern of erratic nourishment, our systems try to find equilibrium by holding onto everything—recirculating estrogen, toxins, stress hormones, and adipose tissue, which can lead to a weakened immune system, hindered lymphatic system, and a tendency to store excess.
Though stale narratives suggest we’re doomed to the metabolism of our family line, the fascinating field of epigenetics tells a different story. Food and lifestyle factors can actually be the control buttons on your plate, guiding you out of the funk of a sluggish metabolism and one that fires on all cylinders. Our bodies have all the tools to shift the body from this mode of stagnant storage and into high-octane burn mode — and we look to plants and functional foods to turn on this physical alchemy.
Turn Up the Heat
Enter the Metabolism Super Bar—the newest functional, edible supplement from Sakara. The key ingredients that power up burn mode and turn adipose tissue into fuel come from two antioxidant-rich plant foods: Atlantic brown seaweed and pomegranate seed oil. Fucoxanthin is a well-researched antioxidant found within Atlantic brown seaweed extract that’s been clinically-studied to increase resting or basal metabolism rate. It also has been shown to regulate appetite hormones and activate fat metabolism to turn on thermogenesis; this shifts stored white fat into lipids with fast-acting mitochondria that can be converted into energy. Translation; your body is burning fat efficiently and fuels you with sustained energy. Meanwhile, punicic acid—the polyunsaturated fatty acid within pomegranate seed oil—has been clinically-studied to encourage improved insulin sensitivity for balanced blood glucose levels, reduce particular types of fat growth like lowering triglycerides, as well as reduce secretion of certain LDL cholesterol. The combination of these functional plants, which are nestled in a protein bar that tastes like chocolate fudge, help propel the body into a high-functioning metabolism.
Our bodies have the tools to shift the body from stagnant storage, into high-octane burn mode.
More Ways to Get Unstuck
A revved-up metabolism requires more than just one tool. Focusing on the ways our body can release what no longer serves us—from a physical and energetic place—can do wonders on our metabolism, as well as our mental clarity and emotional state. It’s about firing up in all realms of life.
Break Up With Sugar | America’s codependency on the sweet stuff is alarming but very common, as refined sugar is sneakily given various monikers and tucked into most snacks and salad dressings. If you feel tethered by the siren call of sweets, look to Ayurvedic herbs like Gynema Sylvestre, which contain unique acids that resemble glucose molecules. When you consume the plant, the sweet receptors in your brain and taste buds feel satisfied, though you haven’t actually consumed any sweets. Gynema Sylvestre is one of the ingredients in Metabolism Super Powder—add a scoop to your coffee to begin your day with squelched cravings (and get things moving, digestion-wise, too).
Say Yes to Sulfur | Detox may be a buzzword, but efficient detox pathways in the body help strengthen metabolism and provide the body with more energy. For a daily cleanse, flood the body with sulfur. Found in cruciferous vegetables, aliums, and herbs like nettles, this critical mineral is a precursor to glutathione, also known as the “master antioxidant.” Together, sulfur and glutathione help oxygenate the blood and improve cell permeability, ridding the body of cellular and metabolic waste through the liver and kidney’s detoxification process.
Explore Your Breath | Our resting or basal metabolic rate is related to our breath.Most of us take shallow, clipped breaths from our chest, but proper oxygenation can have profound effects on the body’s energy and metabolism—not to mention it’s a natural way to balance the glandular and nervous system, which reduces cortisol, the stress hormone. Consider adding breathwork or pranayama practice into your morning or evening routines—even just five minutes—to move through blocks and exhale stale energy.
Love Your Lymph | The lymphatic system is a network of fluid, vessels, and nodes throughout the body. Its job is to filter toxins and waste from your blood to different “ports;” behind the knees, the armpits, the groin, and the terminus, or nestled in your clavicle. When we manually stimulate the lymphatic system—by rebounding, inversions, or gua sha—we drain fluids and toxins from the body, helping release and detoxify excess and strengthen the immune system.
THE CONNECTION TO METABOLISM AND OPTIMUM HEALTH
