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What is a pro-metabolic diet? Simply put, it is a way of eating that supports metabolic health. The metabolism is a window into our overall health.
To put it simply, a pro-metabolic diet is essentially eating in a way that supports the metabolism.
Chances are when you think of the metabolism, you think of the rate in which we burn fat. In reality it is responsible for every single metabolic process that takes place in our bodies. If you want to get a good picture of your overall health, take a look at your metabolism.
Our metabolism is responsible for thinks like your immune system, sex hormones, and so, so much more. Our metabolism is how our body takes things like glucose, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats and turns them into energy, or heat.
If our metabolism is not functioning optimally, we will see that through symptoms. For example, our metabolism directly impacts our hormones. Our cells use hormones as chemical messengers. When our cells are stressed out, not functioning properly, or haven’t been given the tools they need to function properly (ie, food!), our hormones are going to begin to get a little out of whack.
I have lived through green smoothie phases, loading up on raw kale, and consuming nut butters by the spoon full – all of which mainstream health advice would praise you for. When we take a step back it is so clear that these foods in large quantities can be huge stressors to our digestive system, our thyroid, and our metabolism. It’s not that these foods are inherently bad, but where in nature would we be pounding back nuts in absurd amounts (especially due to nut milks) without properly preparing? Absolutely nowhere.
If you really think about it, do you crave these foods? Has your body ever begged you for them? I’m guessing not, especially the raw kale salad. If you think you crave raw kale, it is likely the fats in the dressings you’re after, because I think it’s safe to assume you aren’t eating raw kale all by itself. Nut butter? Maybe you think you crave it because you can’t get enough, but if those fats were truly nourishing you, you’d feel satisfied after just a bit.
Children are so intuitive, and I don’t think we give them enough credit. Fruits and milk always seem to be kid favorites, and for good reason. These foods that mainstream health advice may have told you are ‘bad’ are so nourishing to our bodies.
A pro-metabolic diet is a way of eating that supports metabolic function. It is getting nourishing our bodies with foods that support of our biology. If you understand basic human physiology, there is no question on whether or not these foods are metabolically supportive.
When we talk about pro-metabolic eating, it really is based off of human physiology. Maybe you have heard that carbohydrates are bad. That seems to be a common misconception. Well, when we look at human physiology it is crystal clear that our bodies run on glucose. That isn’t an opinion, that is fact.
Consuming a diet rich in bioavailable foods is how we support our metabolism. Bioavailable foods are easy to digest, nutrients are easily assimilated and absorbed, and they are easy for the body to use as energy. Our modern day world is so packed full of stress in every way. We are constantly exposed to stress. Environmental toxins, EMF’s, pharmaceuticals all contribute to stress, let alone our day to day lifestyle stress. Our bodies are in a constant state of stress, and eating a metabolically supportive diet is the perfect way to combat stress hormones.
When we are running on stress hormones, thyroid hormone production is impacted. Our thyroid function determines our metabolic function. When we are stressed, thyroid is impaired, therefore our metabolism is impaired. Our bodies goal is to feel safe. When it is in that state of stress, it will slow our metabolism right down in order to avoid expending more energy than necessary.
It is literally impossible for us to completely avoid stress in this day in age. By consuming metabolically supportive foods, we can support metabolic function. If we are fueling our bodies properly and enough we can lower those stress hormones.
First off, I really hate to call this a diet, because it is so far from one. This is getting back to fueling our bodies as they were meant to be fueled. Plus, most diets I have seen don’t include the foods our bodies naturally gravitate towards.
My eating a pro-metabolic diet, we are simply focusing on foods that support our bodies on a cellular level. Our cells preferred source of energy is glucose, aka, carbohydrates. Every single cell in our body runs on glucose.
If we’re eating a low carbohydrate diet, we will likely be riddled with symptoms. Our bodies need glucose. If we aren’t getting it from the food we eat, our bodies will make it. Gone low carb? Your body is going to convert protein and fat into glucose. There’s no getting around it – our bodies run off of glucose, and we can make it a lot easier on it if we just give it what it’s asking for.
The liver needs glucose to properly detox. If it isn’t getting it from food, it’s going to use the process gluconeogenesis to break down muscles, tissues, and organs to get what it needs. This is a guaranteed way to elevate stress hormones. If we are constantly not giving our bodies what it needs like this, those elevated stress hormones are going to impact thyroid function, and therefore metabolism. Obviously this is not what we are after.
We know our bodies need glucose, so why are we trying so hard to avoid carbohydrates? I don’t think it’s too hard to understand that if we fuel our body with what it needs, instead of trying to trick it, our health will improve.
Eating pro-metabolically is feeding our body as it is intended to be fed. Eating in a way that is supportive to our body means less stress on the body, and that it will have an easier time handling external stressors.
Well, foods like fruits, root vegetables, honey, maple syrup, grass fed and pasture raised meats, eggs, saturated fats like butter and coconut oil are all going to be very metabolically supportive. Notice how most of these foods have been demonized. These foods are getting back to our roots, before diet culture and big industry began to dictate how we eat.
A diet high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s) like vegetable oils and nuts are not going to support the metabolism. That doesn’t mean to avoid them completely, just something to be mindful of.
I know often times people want a set list of foods they can and cannot eat. That’s diet culture stepping in. There are no rules. This isn’t a diet, it’s learning how to best fuel your body. A simple way to test how a certain food works for you is by getting familiar with your temperatures and pulses. You can learn all about that here.
Listed below are some markers of good health. Chances are if you aren’t ticking most of these boxes, your metabolism needs a lot of love.
Low sex drive, mood swings, low energy, and hair loss are all much too normalized. A strong libido is a sure sign that our body is craving reproduction. If we constantly have a low sex drive, it is likely because our body is not in a great place to reproduce. Mood swings may be common, but they are not at all normal. It may sound far fetched to live daily life without experiencing these symptoms, however it is totally possible when we treat our bodies with respect.
Increase your calories! Most clients I see are not eating near enough calories. If you are eating 1200 calories a day, please know that is enough for a toddler. Grown women need far more calories than the diet industry claims. For most women, 2000 calories per day should be a minimum. Fuel your body well and it will function as it’s supposed to. When we are constantly eating less than our bodies require, our metabolism is going to slow right down. This is because if our body isn’t getting what it needs, the metabolisms goal is to conserve energy.
Eat when you wake! It is more common than not to have a low appetite upon waking. By the time you wake up in the morning, you have already been in a fasted state for likely a minimum of 8 hours. By this point, your glycogen stores are going to be depleted. Your body needs some fuel! Skipping breakfast, and on top of that, consuming coffee on an empty stomach, is a sure way to negatively impact your thyroid, and therefore your metabolism. Aim to have your first meal within 30 minutes of waking. If you’re not hungry, start by implementing a snack first thing. As your metabolism begins to heal, your appetite will come back.
Eat Carbohydrates, Protein & Fat Together. Protein and fat will help to slow the release of glucose into the blood stream. This means no crashes in energy! We all have experienced those incidences when we eat a ton of carbohydrates alone, have a huge spike in energy, followed by a crash. Combining carbohydrates, protein, and fat together will keep you off of the blood sugar rollercoaster.
Swap the PUFA’s for saturated fat. If you still believe that saturated fats cause heart disease, please know this has been debunked for decades. Saturated fats are much more stable than polyunsaturated fatty acid’s. PUFA’s can be disruptive to our thyroid, and therefore impact our metabolism. Nuts are high in PUFA’s, and these days with nut milks, nut cheeses, and nut flours, we are pounding them back on a daily basis. On top of that, we aren’t even preparing them properly. Ditch the nuts and focus on saturated fats which have the fatty acids to support metabolic function.
Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspecting Illness by Dr Broda Barnes
How To Heal Your Metabolism by Kate Deering
How To Track Temps & Pulses For Metabolic Health
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Homemade gluten free garlic & herb crackers recipe using sourdough. These recipe is a great healthy way to use up extra sourdough starter!
When my husband first tried these crackers he assumed they were store bought. “You made these?!” were his words after I shared that they were homemade. I know that could be taken either way, but he meant it as a compliment. Plus, I’m fairly confident in my skills in the kitchen so no offense was taken.
Most gluten free crackers available are either filled with crappy ingredients, don’t taste great, or they’re just expensive. I so often see people following a gluten free diet out of thinking it’s the healthier option, however most packaged gluten free products end up being worse off than their gluten filled counterparts. It takes a lot more ingredients to make gluten free foods taste and act like gluten containing varieties.
I don’t typically buy gluten free crackers often because a box of our beloved Mary’s crackers run at about $9 a box. That is a lot of money for a box of crackers that honestly don’t go that far! This recipe is beyond simple, and well worth the little effort they do take. Your family, your body, and your wallet will thank you for these!
To make homemade sourdough crackers you need just a few simple ingredients. In my recipe I use a mix of white rice flour, brown rice flour, psyllium husk, melted butter, water, dried herbs, salt, and of course, gluten free sourdough starter.
I have not tried making this recipe with substitutions, so I can’t guarantee results, however below are some substitutions I would feel confident making in this recipe.
This recipe is beyond simple, and you can choose whether you prefer to have these long fermented, or not.
Add white rice flour, brown rice flour, herbs, ground psyllium husk, salt, water, melted butter, and sourdough starter to a large bowl.
Mix all ingredients together well.
Cover with a dish towel and leave on the counter for up to 12 hours to long ferment. Alternatively, skip this step, and preheat the oven to 325.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half, then roll out the dough on each sheet as thin as possible.
Cut across the dough in rows, vertically and then horizontally, with a knife or pizza cutter. 1 inch by 1 inch pieces is perfect.Using a fork, pierce each cracker in the middle.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, then allow to cool fully before serving. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 7 days.
Homemade, gluten free garlic and herb sourdough crackers are the perfect way to use up extra sourdough starter. Long fermented, or quick to make, your choice. Customize with herbs and seasonings as you like.
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Keep reading to learn more about the Berkey Water Filter. Learn why we chose it, how it’s different, and what we like about it in this Berkey Water Filter review.
For a very, very long time I have wanted a berkey water filter. I did research years ago on various water filters on the market. It seemed like most of the water filters available either filtered out too much, or didn’t filter out enough. The price point kept us from purchasing a Berkey for several years. In hindsight, I wish it was an expense I had made a priority sooner! It turns out when you consider the filter cost and their capability, it is a fairly inexpensive long term investment. In this Berkey Water Filter review, I am sharing why we chose it, how it’s different, and what we love about it.
The Berkey Water Filter is a gravity fed water filter. There is a top and a bottom chamber, and with gravity water is pulled from the top chamber through the filters, and into the bottom chamber. All except the Berkey Light are stainless steel. While depending on the size you choose it is quite large, it’s fairly light when empty and doesn’t require any electricity. In an emergency situation we could take this with us and filter water as needed.
If you’re looking into spending around $500 on a water filter, I’m going to go ahead and guess that you want to make sure it’s worth it before you spend your hard earned cash. There are plenty of water filters on the market at much lower price points, so why would you want a berkey water filter?
The water we drink is easily one of the foundations of our health. Clean water, sunlight, nutrition, sleep are all key players when it comes to our health. It doesn’t take much digging to find that most city water is filled with chlorine, fluoride, lead, arsenic, and viruses and bacteria. None of these are particularly things that I want in my water.
Per Berkey, their Black Berkey Purification Elements Remove:
You can find more detailed information on this straight from Berkey.
While Berkey removes all that junk, it does leave the minerals we need in our water. Consuming water stripped of minerals can be very depleting.
Berkey also has fluoride filters. We are on a water line and our water in untreated, so fluoride is not something we have to worry about. Had we purchased our Berkey while we were living in the city, we would be using the fluoride filters as well.
There are so many different types of water filters, including reverse osmosis, pitcher systems, under counter systems, etc. To keep it simple, here are some of the differences between Berkey and a store bought, inexpensive pitcher system.
While a Berkey may seem like a more expensive option due to it’s upfront cost, when you compare it to the cost of a typical pitcher filter, Berkey is much, much cheaper at filtering water per gallon. Every Berkey system comes with 2 Black Berkey Purification Elements which will last up to 6000 gallons. Given the cost of a set of the black Berkey filters, it works out to a cost of about 4 cents per gallon. My quick calculation of the cost of a typical store bought pitcher filter based on how many gallons it will filter gives you a cost of about 15 cents per gallon. Long term, Berkey is the cheaper option by far.
The store bought pitcher systems will not remove pathogens, pesticides, herbicides pharmaceutical drug contaminants, or heavy metals like the Berkey does. Depending on the brand, these may reduce them but will not remove them. For a more detailed comparison on many different brands of water filters versus Berkey, check here.
Berkey makes a variety of sizes for water filters. Make your choice based on how you intend to use your Berkey, the space you have, and the size of your family. We went with the Royal Berkey which holds 3.25 gallons, or over 12 litres of water which is recommended for a family of 2-6 people. We use our Berkey for drinking water, to fill pots and the kettle, our coffee maker, fermenting etc. I didn’t want to feel like we were constantly filling up our Berkey if we went with a smaller model.
While it felt like a big expense when we purchased it, I only wish we had went with a Berkey Water Filter sooner. I feel at peace knowing that we are getting some of the best water possible, free of anything harmful. I hope this Berkey Water Filter Review helps you in making your decision!
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