The word “metabolism” often comes up in the world of health and wellness. You know it has something to do with energy levels and maybe weight loss, but what is it exactly? And how do you know if you have a healthy one?
The body’s metabolic function is multi-faceted and affects the whole body. When it is not functioning optimally, you might experience fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, mood swings, and other less-than-desirable symptoms. So, let’s take a closer look at your metabolism, how it works, and how to give it a little extra boost.
What is Metabolism?
Ultimately, metabolism refers to the chemical processes in your body that convert calories (what you eat) and oxygen into energy.
Your body needs energy for all of the essential functions that keep you alive, like breathing and blood circulation. This baseline energy requirement is called your basal metabolic rate, which is influenced by your size, your gender, your age, the amount of muscle mass you have, your genetics, and more.
Your body also needs energy for digestion (yes, you burn calories while you eat!) and movement. This is the energy requirement that changes the most depending on your lifestyle and fitness routine each day.
Besides exercise, there are other natural ways to boost your metabolism and experience the benefits that come with it—like more energy, a clear mind, and healthy weight loss or maintenance. So, let’s take a look at how chiropractic care impacts your metabolism and what else you can do to ensure your metabolic function is up to par!
Can Chiropractic Care Speed Up Your Metabolism?
Chiropractic care approaches the body as a whole and gets to the root cause of your pain. A chiropractor works to ensure your nervous system is functioning as it should by performing adjustments and other techniques. In turn, this improves the function of all other processes throughout the body since the brain and other systems can communicate with ease.
Now, there are two main ways chiropractic care can support your metabolism. These include:
1. Promoting Proper Nervous System Function
A chiropractor will check and adjust your spine to ensure that there is no pressure on any of the nerves due to misalignment of the vertebrae. Pressure on specific nerves can affect digestion, blocking important messages going from your brain to your gut and vice-versa. Sluggish digestion can contribute to a sluggish metabolism.
On top of this, if the brain can’t communicate easily with the rest of the body, then, inevitably, dysfunctions may occur. This might impact neurotransmitters, hormones, and more—all of which may interfere with proper metabolic function.
2. Relieving Pain That Prevents Exercise
Moving your body is one of the best ways to boost your metabolism. In fact, increased muscle mass contributes to a higher basal metabolic rate, meaning your body burns more energy at rest. Unfortunately, when pain or injury arises, your regular exercise routine might get kicked to the curb.
Luckily, your chiropractor is trained to support healing and address pain so that you can return to your exercise routine—or even start a regular workout regime. Not only that, but as aforementioned, a chiropractor gets to the root cause of your pain, increasing the odds that you won’t face a recurring injury down the road.
5 Ways To Improve Your Metabolism
So, what are a few others ways you can improve your metabolic function? We’ve got a few tips!
1. Eat Enough
Make sure you’re eating enough and not starving your body of much-needed fuel or nutrients. Be careful when restricting calories and consult a dietician to make sure you’re supporting your metabolism while dieting.
2. Eat Well
Simply put, eating enough isn’t enough. Aim to eat nutrient-dense meals and snacks that include healthy fats and proteins. Protein, in particular, helps regulate your blood sugar, sustain muscle mass, and keep you feeling full for longer.
3. Stay Hydrated
Drinking water boosts your metabolism by 25% for up to an hour! Water also helps flush toxins from your body. Use an app or carry a water bottle around to help you remember this essential ingredient of a healthy diet and happy metabolism.
4. Build Muscle
Include strength training in your exercise routine with the goal of building muscle. Why? Muscle tissue requires energy to contract and relax, so the more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn—even when you’re not exercising!
5. Go To Sleep!
Even though your metabolism naturally slows down while sleeping, a lack of sleep increases the stress hormone in your body, which throws other crucial hormones out of balance and may even contribute to weight gain.
To find out more about a healthy metabolism and how to support your body with chiropractic care, book your FREE discovery call here: BOOK NOW