Remarkably, it’s possible for someone to go their entire life without ever hearing the phrase “metabolic health.” So first of all, if you’ve heard of it but need some help understanding and improving it, you’re still in a much better position than a lot of other people.
Let’s start with a definition, and you can find out more about metabolic health, what it is, and how to track it in my article “What is metabolic health anyway?” As I wrote in that piece, “metabolic health is the body’s ability to utilize what we eat to perform vital functions like repair our cells, provide adequate energy, and protect us from chronic diseases including heart disease and diabetes.”
There are five specific markers for metabolic health, so rather than being based on how you feel, test results will make it clear whether you are metabolically healthy or not.
The five markers are:
- Waist circumference
- Body fat percentage
- Insulin level
- Fasting glucose level
- Cholesterol (triglyceride:HDL ratio)
In order to improve your metabolic health, you need to find out your existing numbers for the above. And, yes, it does mean that if you’re overweight, you aren’t metabolically healthy. With the USA’s obesity prevalence sitting above 40%, it’s no wonder that only 12% of adults are metabolically healthy.
How long does it take to improve metabolic health?
Improving your metabolic health is a lot quicker than many people expect. With my patients, we often see significant improvements in 90 days, although studies also show improvements within just one month.
It’s important to be realistic though. If you’ve got decades of health-destroying behaviors behind you, it’s going to take some time to correct that. But you can see positive changes very quickly.
What are the benefits to improving metabolic health?
By improving your metabolic health, you increase your life expectancy and significantly reduce your chances of suffering illness including heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Considering that heart disease remains the number one killer in the USA, claiming one in every four deaths, reducing your chances of getting it is a major benefit.
But it’s not the only benefit to improving your metabolic health.
To become metabolically healthy, you’ll need to reach a healthy weight. You’ll also have improved hormone levels, which in turn leads to more energy, better sleep, and fewer mood swings. If you suffer from ‘brain fog’ then you’ll also notice an improvement in mental clarity, and the common afternoon slump will be a thing of the past.
Are there short-term solutions to fix metabolic health?
There’s no pill that will make you metabolically healthy. You have to earn it through your lifestyle. Put another way, metabolic health isn’t something you achieve and then enjoy forever – it requires you to consistently make the right choices, particularly around your food intake, exercise, and sleep.
So the answer is “no,” there aren’t short-term solutions. However, as mentioned above, improvements can be seen very quickly, so you’ll be rewarded for your efforts soon after changing some habits.
How to start improving metabolic health?
To improve your metabolic health, you first need to know your current numbers. Once you know what to improve, you can make the necessary adjustments.
To get started, use my free Metabolic Syndrome Calculator to learn how metabolically healthy you are right now.
You’ll also be shown where you need to make changes, so you don’t have to try and figure it all out for yourself.
Calculate your metabolic health now and get started on a healthier, happier life.