What Is Metabolic Balance?
What are metabolic balance and how can it be beneficial to my overall health and well-being? The human body contains various pathways through which energy is used throughout the day, from a light workout in the morning to a heavy workout at night. In addition, the different physical conditions we face throughout our day (i.e. fatigue, dehydration, inflammation) affect the proper functioning of these systems and contribute to the development of diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, atherosclerosis, heart disease, etc.
Although there are many different components involved in the overall functioning of the body, such as nutrition, hydration, and rest, the major functions are carried out by the cells in our bodies. There is a delicate balance, maintained throughout the day by these cells that is “polluted” will affect the performance of all of the other systems and lead to imbalances, diseases and premature aging. These imbalances, if allowed to continue unchecked, will lead to the deterioration of our health.
Metabolism is a process that is “checks and balances” – a balancing act between the break down of food (energy) to provide the body with fuel for activity and the repair of cells that have been damaged by free radicals (those that attack healthy cells). If the body’s organs and systems are not functioning properly, it is impossible to maintain a normal balance of energy. Energy cannot be created, only destroyed. And if the body’s organs and systems are out of whack, it is nearly impossible to get through the day (without constant stimulation) without exhausting every last ounce of energy possible just to maintain normalcy. This is where nutritional intake (or lack thereof) plays a significant role in our overall health and longevity.
When a person does not maintain a healthy level of metabolism, they often fall into a state of ketosis – in other words, their body works at a very low level of efficiency. They will have a very poor ability to efficiently use carbohydrates (the “fuel” for their cells), fats (the “stored” energy” for their muscles) and proteins (the building blocks of muscle tissue). In addition, the body will be unable to properly absorb nutrients from food to provide its cells with energy. In this way, ketosis is a leading cause of death in diabetic patients.
The best way to look at what is metabolic balance is to look within yourself. When you look inside your body, do you see a map of disorder? Do you see where there is a breakdown in the regulation of carbohydrates, fats or proteins? There might even be an internal battle going on between the good guys and the bad guys (you may call them carbs, fats or proteins depending on which category you prefer). If you can recognize this, then you can begin to use supplementation to correct the problem!
Nutritional balance, as described above, is absolutely critical to proper cellular health and vitality. So if you want to maintain a healthy metabolic balance throughout your entire body, then you need to pay special attention to your nutrient intake. Nutritional balance (like any other aspect of health care) takes a little practice to become really good at, but it is worth the effort! And remember, the benefits of a healthy body go far beyond just looking good…