Metabolism has a much more significant role in how we look and feel with each passing decade. Symptoms of aging like loss of muscle mass, motivation, memory decline, and hormonal imbalances are all related to your metabolism. When we say “I want a faster metabolism,” we really mean “I want my body to perform like it did when I was younger.”
The Many Benefits of a Healthy Thyroid and Fast Metabolic Rate
Your thyroid works as a metabolic orchestra’s conductor, influencing various aspects of your health. A state of good metabolic health can harmonize sex hormones, aid in maintaining a stable blood sugar level, and facilitate fat loss while preserving muscle mass. It protects against excess estrogen, improves stress management, and enhances deep, restorative slow-wave sleep. Notably, a high metabolic rate is often linked with increased longevity and even offers a defense against the blue light from our electronic devices.
Why Does Your Metabolism Slow Down With Age?
- Loss of Muscle Mass – Muscle atrophy is one of the most common signs of aging. As joints get achy and the body gets tighter, we tend to avoid many strenuous activities and movements from our youth. Mixed with a decline in reproductive hormones, losing 5% of your muscle mass every decade after 30 is possible.
- Poor Stress Management – We have more potential for stress than at any other time in recent memory. Deadlines, busy schedules, financial constraints, and plenty of uncertainties apply pressure on us daily. With social media and other technologies at our fingertips, we’re also VERY interconnected with each other. This, of course, can be good and bad in terms of stress management.
- Processed Foods – Our food system has been built to give us plenty of what we want when we want. To satisfy Americans’ need for “more” and “faster,” big food companies emphasize shelf life at the expense of food quality. They also understand the addictive qualities of foods that combine refined carbs and fats in palatable and fast-digesting concoctions. These foods release energy quickly, with a blood sugar crash soon after. Not surprisingly, this is when you crave the same types of processed foods a few hours later. Regular consumption of these foods leads to hormonal imbalances.
7 Tips to Support Thyroid Function & a Faster Metabolism
- Aim for 25-35g of Protein Per Meal: Quality proteins from animals raised on their natural diets offer health benefits beyond just building muscle. They play a critical role in anti-aging by supporting an increased metabolism. Our protein synthesis declines as we age, so it’s vital to meet daily protein goals to prevent muscle atrophy.
- Reduce Inflammatory Oils: Common oils in the American diet such as soy, corn, safflower, cottonseed, and canola contribute to inflammation. By contrast, fats from grass-fed beef, butter, wild-caught fish, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil provide a more balanced omega fatty acid profile. These fats support our mitochondria and, hence, our metabolism.
- Add Coconut Oil & Extra Virgin Olive Oil to Your Food: Current research suggests that these fats can boost the metabolism and offer anti-inflammatory benefits, crucial for maintaining thyroid health and overall metabolic function. At nine calories per gram of fat, it’s essential not to go overboard.
- Eat Foods Rich in Vitamins A, D, K, Magnesium, & Selenium: These micronutrients combat intracellular fatigue and aid in normalizing thyroid and steroid metabolism, which can influence your energy levels and metabolic rate.
- Backload Your Carbohydrates: By consuming carbs in the evening, you can take advantage of your body’s natural insulin sensitivity after a day of lower carbohydrate intake. Correct timing and quantity can support thyroid function and lead to better sleep. The amount and type of carbs will vary by individual, but good sources include jasmine rice, potatoes, and various fruits.
- Lift Weights: Regular weight training helps regulate sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen. It also builds muscle, naturally increasing your resting metabolic rate and insulin sensitivity, contributing significantly to anti-aging.
- Get Early Morning Sunlight: Exposure to morning sunlight can reset your circadian rhythm, leading to a natural hormonal balance that improves energy, drive, and sleep. This exposure helps manage insulin and blood sugar levels, which are vital to maintaining a healthy metabolism. For skin protection, the optimal time is between 7 am and 10 am when UV levels are typically lower.
You have far more control over your metabolism than you think, and it’s possible to mitigate the damage to your overall health and metabolism by understanding how your hormones work and the life and nutrition triggers that are the real problems.
By following these seven simple steps, you can take little daily actions that compound over time, raising your metabolism and getting you back to that healthier, more youthful you.
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