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Dehydration and your Metabolism

water

Water is the most important thing that we should never ignore. How many of us have been told that we should drink at least 2.5 to 3 litres of water every day or 8 glasses minimum. And, how many of us actually follow this? Most of us drink water only when we realize that we are very thirsty. But, ideally that should not be the case.


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Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink water. If you are thirsty, then it is already too late. The problem is that many of us have trouble deciding when we are thirsty.

I know I am thirsty when I feel sluggish or tired, experience mild headaches, have trouble concentrating or constipated. A dry mouth and a flushed or tired feeling are all signs that you could be thirsty, but you have realized it when it’s already too late.

‘Thirst’ is a tricky phenomenon to understand. The feeling of thirst is governed by the hypothalamus in the brain. It reads the salt levels in the body. When you are dehydrated, the salt concentration in your body rises. That triggers your thirst alarm. But, by this time, many of your vital organs are already severely deprived of water.

                                                                                          

Water is a miracle liquid. You are a mixture of water, protein and a myriad of molecules blended together to create a physical you. Two-thirds of your body is water. Cells, bones and blood both hold water and float in it. Muscles are 75% water.

 

You need water to enable your body to keep eliminating the toxins generated, to produce digestive enzymes, maintain healthy skin, hair, organs and to help your body absorb essential vitamins, minerals and natural sugars. Water also regulates your body temperature, cooling you down by evaporating through your skin.

Even on a cold winter day your body will use and lose about 2 liters of water. Imagine how much greater that amount is on a hot summer day.

 

The important point over here is to understand that less water or getting dehydrated frequently SLOWS DOWN YOUR METABOLISM.  A slow metabolism means slower fat loss and slumps in your energy levels and growth.

 


SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION:

  • Fatigue
  • Lethargy
  • Irritability
  • Headache
  • Blurred vision
  • Flushed skin
  • Lack of mental clarity
  • Constipation
  • Cystitis
  • Back pain
  • High cholesterol
  • Cellulite
  • Water retention
Don’t reach a point of dehydration.

** Always carry a water bottle with you.
** Wake up to 500ml to 800ml of water every morning.
** Sip through the day and keep a bottle at your desk so you remember to drink in case you get busy.
** Remember, coffee is a diuretic, if you drink coffee you need to drink 2 cups of water post that.
** If you drink alcohol, drink one glass of water for every drink you have.

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Nutrient Absorption and Metabolism: A Catch-22?

Nutrient-Absorption
Optimal digestive function means we’re breaking down food properly, absorbing enough of the right nutrients and eliminating the waste that we don’t need. It’s a very organized, efficient and meticulous process.

But we need energy to perform these tasks, and much of that energy comes from nutrients we digest. It seems like a bit of a catch-22: We need energy in order for our digestive system to break down food, but we get much of that energy from food. If digestion is sluggish, we can’t break down nutrients properly to get more energy. This creates a vicious cycle that leads to a type of malnutrition in our cells, tissues and organs.


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Wastes build up, you retain water and your body converts excess calories to fat, since the body isn’t digesting them properly. Usually, this cycle starts with unhealthy dietary habits: eating too many processed foods that hinder digestive function by depleting our enzymes, probiotics and other factors critical for strong digestion. Unhealthy foods, particularly refined sugars, also spike glucose and insulin. The result is inflammation — another major culprit in weight gain and slow metabolism.

Essentially, a nutritious diet has a direct relationship to healthy body weight — not just because we’re avoiding inflammatory, fat-fueling foods like sugar and hydrogenated oils, but also because nutritious foods give our digestive system the building blocks it needs to function efficiently. Our mitochondria, the tiny cellular engines that create energy for the body, are a central part of our metabolism and digestion.

How quickly and efficiently the mitochondria can turn nutrients such as glucose into energy reflects metabolic health. If our mitochondria are inefficient, we store glucose as fat.

Where does digestion come into play?

When we’re not digesting properly, mitochondria don’t get their nutrients to produce energy, and excess waste creates inflammation and toxic buildup. As a result, we feel sluggish, tired and bloated. It’s all part of a complex, interrelated system where metabolism and digestion rely on one another to keep all the body’s systems fully energized and functioning at peak capacity.

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Are you a sugar addict?

sugar-addict

At first we want to believe that we are not addicts. The very word ‘ addict ‘ makes us think  ‘ Drugs ‘  or  ‘ Alcohol ‘

But, did you know that sugar is sweet poison….it’s a silent killer. The effects of massive sugar consumption creeps in on us and suddenly strikes, in the form of a deadly disease or mood swings or depression or extreme fatigue, lowered libido etc…

There is too much to write about the dangers of white refine sugar or its other ‘disguises’.
The results though, of this consumption can be seen all around us.

~ Obese children and obese parents.

~ People with midriff fat or a ‘ tyre’

~ Bulging bellies.

~ Increasing cases of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, depression, and inability to sleep.

~ Hyper children

~Children finding it difficult to concentrate and focus in school.

~ Individual behaviors that stem from low self-esteem caused due to one’s looks

~ Depression and unhappiness caused because the’ scale does not move ‘

~ Supposedly ‘ fit’ people dying of heart attacks.

If you are told to give up sugar for 10 days, and it worries or angers you, you should accept that you are addicted to it

if your children cannot go 10 days without sugar, they are addicted.

If you can’t control your portions of sugar, for example: if you start with a piece of chocolate and end up finishing the whole bar or the cake or many cupcakes at one go (that’s me) you are addicted to sugar.

Some of the worst stages of cancer require the person to starve the body of sugar, and yet if the only pleading request from that person is to do anything, but not take away sugar from the diet then it definitely sounds like an addiction.

There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of sugar, but when you have a diet that comprises of packaged foods, outside foods and junk, you are in taking more sugar than your body can handle.

Here are three reasons why you should immediately make plans to cut your sugar intake –

Sugar makes you crave for more sugar and if you restrict yourself it leads to mood swings, behavioral changes and a feeling of ‘restriction’. Sugar starts the chain reaction of addiction and more sugar means more calories which in turn mean more weight.

Sugar is the chief cause of ‘ belly’ fat or love handles or Cellulite. It ferments in the body making the body acidic and giving rise to bloating and gas. We then tend to perceive these problems as something else, and end up doing a whole load of wrong things to beat the bloating and gas. For example, we cut down on beans, because we think that all that bloat and gas formation is because of these extremely healthy and nutritious beans. And, so we eliminate beans from our diet and fail to cut down on the substance that is the real cause, sugar.

Sugar makes the environment in our cells acidic.Almost all diseases breathe in an acidic environment. Enough has been said about that. If you feel you’re addicted, get aware of your consumption and slowly start reducing it over time.

Find sweet substitutes, or set small milestones to reach your goal of consuming less sugar.

Till then, be conscious of your sugar intake. At times no matter how much you work out or walk, but if you are consuming too much sugar, you will find you lose some weight, but not from your belly or sides or not as much as you want to and that obstacle is nothing but sugar.

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Signs you need to know to support your metabolism

fast-metabolism

When we hear the term “fast metabolism,” it’s usually regarding people — often younger than us —who seem to be able to eat whatever they want and as much of it as they can: They can indulge in sweets, fried food, simple carbs and more without gaining an ounce of fat.

But just because they don’t appear to gain weight, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re optimally healthy.

They may experience the same low energy, mood swings, brain fog, digestive upset and other effects of unhealthy dietary habits which over time can worsen.

You see, true metabolic health isn’t just about having your cake and eating it too, so to speak.
The state of your metabolism has much more to do with your overall health than simply your weight. Metabolism lies at the foundation of health. It’s a complex system that directly influences how our cells, tissues and body systems function and get the nutrients they need — while getting rid of what they don’t.

Metabolic processes are involved in our most critical areas of health, including cardiovascular, cognitive, inflammation and immunity. Essentially, good metabolism doesn’t mean you don’t gain weight, it means you feel good every day, have plenty of energy for daily activities and are in good overall health. Poor metabolism often means the opposite.

Just as metabolic health can be influenced by a variety of factors, a number of signs and symptoms can indicate that your metabolism needs support. If left unchecked, these early signs may eventually manifest into metabolic syndrome and its dangerous offspring, Type 2 Diabetes. If you experience a number of these signs regularly, it’s time to take action.

Wide Waist: What’s your waist size? Extra fat around the abdomen is the unhealthiest type of fat and one of the most common signs that you may need to support your metabolism. If you are a man with a waistline of 40 inches or greater, or a woman with a waistline of 35 inches or greater, your metabolic health may need to be examined.

Fatigue: Do you generally feel run down, like you’re “running on fumes?” Do you become exhausted after eating? Feeling sleepy once in a while after a restless night can be expected. But, if you are frequently tired with low energy throughout the day — even after a good night’s sleep — your metabolism may be to blame.

Excessive Sweating: Do you sweat for no apparent reason? Perspiring when it’s hot or you’re doing hard physical exertion is normal and healthy. But if simple, daily tasks like doing the dishes or walking up a flight of stairs make you drip, you may need to address your metabolic health.

Poor Circulation: Do you feel cold all time? Are your fingers and toes always chilled or do your hands and feet fall asleep easily? When you hurt yourself, does it take a long time to heal? Low circulation may be a sign that your metabolism could use some help.

Unhealthy Gums And Teeth: Do your gums bleed when you brush or floss? Are they painful? Do you have a propensity for cavities?
More and more research points to a relationship between gum disease and chronic health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and metabolic issues such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
How regularly do you see the dentist? If your oral health is suffering, your metabolic health may be deteriorating according to research demonstrating links between metabolic dysfunction and periodontitis.

Maintain Metabolic Health: So you’ve determined that your metabolism isn’t what you want it to be. Now what? The good news is that a large part of your metabolic health can be improved using targeted diet, exercise and lifestyle adjustments.

Handle Stress: High stress is a culprit in metabolic mayhem. It fuels inflammation and metabolic-disrupting stress hormones like cortisol. Try adding 15 minutes of meditation to your daily routine. In addition, when you feel your stress levels are getting out of hand, take 20 seconds to stop whatever you’re doing and simply breathe. Take three deep breaths and exhale fully, pulling your bellybutton toward your spine to completely empty your diaphragm. A mere 20 seconds is so quick that nobody will even notice that you “checked out” for that time.
But it may be enough to bring you (and your metabolism) some peace.

Exercise: Any kind of cardio (aerobic exercise) helps to both rev up your metabolism and reduce your stress. Studies show that 1½ hours per week of moderate physical activity, like brisk walking, keeps the average person healthy (more is needed if you want to lose weight). What’s more, studies show that 10 minutes work out too work just as well as 45-minute workouts, as long as your total exercise time adds up to 90 minutes or more over the course of the week.

This is a relief for any busy person; it’s much easier to fit a 15-minute walk into your daily lunch break than it is to get up an hour early to go to the gym. Although light cardio is important, don’t forget to include some muscle-building exercises. Muscle is more active than fat, so more muscle means more efficient metabolism. Explore different ways to fit muscle training into your day. Do squats while you’re waiting for dinner to cook. Do some push-ups or sit-ups while waiting for your shower to get hot. Install an over-the-door pull-up bar and do one or two pull-ups every time you walk by. Be creative!
Healthy Diet:

Easy metabolic tip:

(i) Eat more green vegetables, fiber and protein. Eat less sugar and simple carbs.

This alone should be enough to put you well on your way to metabolic health, but it’s not hard to take your food consciousness to an even higher level for greater vitality and health.

(ii) Learn the difference between good fats and bad fats. For example: deep-fry oil, trans-fat and anything hydrogenated are all bad. Omegas, coconut, avocados, olive oil, seeds and nuts: These are good.

(iii)  Incorporate vegetables of some form into every meal: Yes, even eat these at breakfast! Try blending some spinach or kale into a fruit and yogurt smoothie and I bet you won’t even taste the greens. Vegetables should make up at least half of each meal.

Supplements

Natural supplements like curcumin, caratirm, and special teas like Green and herbal infusions can stroke the metabolism and help in the whole process of wellness.

Your metabolism defines your health from a cellular level. Take care of it. It’s never about weight loss, it’s about your metabolism and how strong it is.

 

 

 

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