Ways To Boost Metabolism- Through Herbs and DietTo find ways to boost metabolism, we first need to understand what metabolism is. Metabolism is essential to survival, as it is the process by which the body changes nutrients that we eat into both energy, and other elements, that are in turn used by the body maintain itself. Through the products of metabolism, we have the energy to go about our lives, the body repairs it's tissues, heals itself from injury, fights disease, and eliminates toxins and metabolic by-products. Our metabolism is most affected by these things:
Muscle tissue uses more calories to maintain itself than fatty tissue. Therefore, people who are more muscular (and have a lower percentage of body fat) tend to have a higher metabolism than those who are less muscular or who have a higher percentage of body fat. People who are more active or exercise more also burn more calories than someone who is less active, so these people also have a higher metabolism. That's why increasing our muscle mass through strength training, or increasing our activity levels through cardiovascular training, are such effective ways to boost metabolism. Ways to boost metabolism by increasing muscle mass - resistance exercises, like weight lifting, push-ups, sit-ups, and others. Try to find something you enjoy, and vary your routine if you're getting bored with it. Ways to boost metabolism by decreasing the amount of fat in our bodies - aerobic exercise, at least 3 times a week, for longer than 20 minutes each session. This can include jogging, walking, either high or low impact aerobics, swimming, cycling, or many others. For more information on ways to boost metabolism with fat burners, click here.
Metabolism and The Thyroid GlandMany of the herbs and foods that boost metabolism have a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland releases hormones that regulate energy, metabolism, and growth. The thyroid hormones:
Coconut OilCoconut Oil has a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland. It is a medium chain fatty acid, and is said to 'activate' the metabolism. These types of fats are used directly by the liver instead of being stored in the body's tissues as fat. Dr Ray Peat has a very interesting article here on coconut oil - This article provides a greater understanding on how coconut oil is one of the may ways to boost metabolism available to us. In the article above, Dr Peat tells this interesting story: "In the l940s, farmers attempted to use cheap coconut oil for fattening their animals, but they found that it made them lean, active and hungry. For a few years, an antithyroid drug was found to make the livestock get fat while eating less food, but then it was found to be a strong carcinogen, and it also probably produced hypothyroidism in the people who ate the meat. By the late l940s, it was found that the same antithyroid effect, causing animals to get fat without eating much food, could be achieved by using soy beans and corn as feed." (www.efn.org) He also describes how two people, G. W. Crile and his wife, found that people in the Yucutan had a higher metabolic rate (25%) than people in the US. And this was despite living in a tropical climate where the metabolic rate is usually lower than in a cold climate. Coconuts are a staple in the Yucutan. So, using coconut oil instead of regular cooking oil, or taking 2 tablespoons of coconut oil directly per day, is another of the various ways to boost metabolism through nutrition.
Green TeaGreen tea has a mild thermogenic effect. This means it increases, by 3 to 4 percent, the amount of energy used in heat production by the body that is unrelated to either physical activity or resting metabolism. It is not the caffeine in green tea which does this, and you can get caffeine free green tea if you are sensitive to it.
More information on green tea here: Green tea weight loss KelpKelp has metabolic precursors of the active hormones of the thyroid gland (Fisher and Painter) It also has naturally occurring iodine in it, which together with the above precursors, is believed to increase basal metabolic rate, and help with fat metabolism. Fisher and Painter describe a clinical trial that found those taking kelp lost twice as much weight as those who didn't take it. Both groups were on the same calorie controlled diet, and the study lasted 60 days. They do say that they don't know how effective kelp would be helping those people with no 'obvious' thyroid problem, however. Like vitamins, it may be something that can help only those who have a need for a particular vitamin, or in this case, thyroid benefiting herb. If taking kelp, don't take more than the equivalent of 1000mcg of iodine per day. The label usually has recommendations taking this into account. Finally, one of the old tried and true ways to boost metabolism, is to eat 5 or 6 smaller meals per day instead of 3 larger ones. More information on natural products that will help boost metabolism is available here.
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The catechin polyphenols in green tea extract
are believed to alter the body's use of norepinephrine,
which is a chemical transmitter in the nervous system, to
increase the rate of calorie burning. Thus green tea may
be a mild and pleasant way to boost metabolism.
(C) by Rebecca Prescott, 2003-2008. All Rights Reserved.
