Increase Your Metabolism

 The best resource I have found for information on boosting your metabolism comes from the book

Flip the Switch by Robert K. Cooper. Below is a summary:

 Click on book for more info

 

1.    Eat the proper foods –high fiber, whole grains, lean meats, low sugar,  low salt, low fat

2.     Eating frequently , 3 meals, esp. breakfast,  2 snacks

3.     Slow down your eating, digestion begins in the mouth 

•  Put your fork down after each bite
•  Take at least 20 minutes to eat
•  Seek healthy foods that stimulate your sight, smell and taste

 4.     Add hot spices to your diet like cayenne pepper, jalepeno, scotch bonnet peppers

 5.     Add vinegar to your diet, apple cider vinegar is great

 6.     Sip cool or ice water

 7.     Expose yourself to the sun as early in the day as possible

 8.      Sleep well

•  Cool room
•  Establish a routine
•  Don’t go to bed hungry – protein snack –turkey, low carb yogurt, cottage cheese
•  15-20 min stretching & flexibility
•   Human Growth Hormone is secreted 1hr after falling asleep
•   Critical healing period is between 12MN-3am

 9.     Green Tea—increases metabolism by 35%

•  Drink one cup before each meal

 10.  Breathe deeply—increases oxygen

11.    Protein shakes—protein increases glucagon, will burn 40% more than with carbs alone

           *Try Balance Complete

12.   Eat protein at every meal.

13.    Eat starches early in the day—Insulin has a circadian rhythm, peaks early in the day

14.     Fish oil—improves efficiency of Leptin

15.    Do not skip meals – increases Ghrelin, a hormone  which creates a voracious appetite

16.    Pay attention to when your body needs a break during the day i.e. get up and move around or stretch

17.   Have your biggest meal at lunchtime

18.   Have an early dinner around 5:30pm or 6pm.  The later the dinner the less caloric intake you should have.

19.  Limit each meal to no more than 600  calories.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 20.   Get moving 

          *Exercise builds muscle and muscle burns fat

•  20 min aerobic activity 3-4X week
•  Muscle tone-ups anytime throughout the day
•  Core strength training for Abs & legs twice a week,
•  Upper body strength twice a week
•  Balance & Flexibility twice a week 

       21. Physical activity 30 min after eating while digestion is still taking place  will burn Carbs that otherwise will be stored.

• Take the stairs, park farther away, stretch or walk during lunch
• Pushups within an hour of getting up or go up and and down stairs or deep knee bends. Best if done before breakfast. 
• Fat will be used as fuel vs. Glucagon which is stored in the liver. 

 22. Manage Stress – stress depletes your reserve of Dopamine and Serotonin

23. Proper vitamin and mineral intake

24. Drink plenty of water

 

 Burn It Up

Sleep is better than gold!!  It can’t be bought, stored up or borrowed.  It’s precious. 

Humans have a natural circadian rhythm.  We were made to sleep at night and be awake during the day.   One of the roles of the hormone cortisol is to wake us up. It peaks about an hour before sunrise and falls in the evening when the sun goes down.

 How can you improve your sleep and wake up feeling refreshed?

• go to bed as early as you can and wake up as early as you can, keep in rhythm with daylight and nightfall
• get sunlight into your eyes as soon as possible, step outside for a few minutes before you leave the house, open all the curtains, blinds or shades, turn on the lights in your house
• do the reverse at night, keep lights low and noise low
• make your bedroom as dark as possible, comfortable room temperature
• stop eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime
• stay hydrated during the day, 
• practice living in the here and now, leave work problems at work, they don’t pay you when you get home so don’t give them  any more of your time
• 30 minutes before bed, have a routine, listen to relaxing music, take a warm bath, read, write a letter,  but no tv or internet
• try aromatherapy oils  like Lavender, Peace & Calming® or Valerian

When needed take a natural supplement like Melatonin (short term), Valerian Root with passion flower,  Sleepesssence™ or herbal teas,  Kava Stress from Yogi™ or  SleepyTime from Celestial Seasonings®.

The National Sleep Foundation has more great  tips for getting a good night’s sleep. And Lights Out is one of the most informative books on sleep and how it relates to health conditions like diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

 

                                   

  Sleep in peace