Introducing Metabolic Balance

A New Approach to Weight Loss 

“I think my metabolism is slow” is a phase we hear often from patients who are coming to see us for weight loss struggles. The concept of a slow metabolism is not something new, but do you know what a “slow metabolism” really means? How do the inner workings of a person’s body with a slow metabolism differ from that of a person with a high metabolism?

The answer to this question is at the heart of naturopathic medicine, where we seek to treat the cause of a patient’s concerns. In order to treat a slowed metabolism, we need to understand what has happened internally to produce that slowing. 

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is the process that converts the food and beverages that we consume into energy, also known as ATP. This is essential for the function of every cell in our body. When your metabolism is fast, you produce lots of energy which leaves you feeling energized, but also you tend to emit a lot of heat (we all know someone who is a human furnace!). You are able to maintain your weight with little effort because you are easily able to burn the calories you are consuming.

We can think of the metabolic pathways like a car engine, with many different parts that convert gasoline into energy that makes a car move. When we take care of our car’s engine and give it the components it needs to function, like engine oil, coolant, and transmission fluid, our car can go 0-100 in no time! But if it is lacking in even one component, the entire engine can fail and leave it sputtering.

Our body’s metabolic pathways behave in much the same way, except it is much more complicated than a car engine with hundreds of components and nutrients that are needed to function. Every step in the metabolic pathway is regulated by hormones, enzymes and cofactors which are made up of the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals found in our diet. When we eat foods, we are not just trying to get calories coming in, our body is also trying to get the nutrients that are essential to the function of our human “engine”.

Nutrition & Metabolism

If our diet is lacking in anything, such as an essential amino acid, or even a trace mineral, part of our pathway is going to slow down. Now for a very important piece of information – the metabolic pathways are all connected. When any part of the system slows, like the first domino to fall, the entire system will crash. This results in lower energy production – leaving you feeling tired, cold, and not able to burn enough calories to maintain a healthy weight. 

Knowing this, are we able to hack our metabolism to make it function faster? 

Metabolic Balance®

Metabolic Balance® strives to do just that! By understanding what your body needs to nourish itself, we can bring our metabolism back into balance.

The thing that sets Metabolic Balance® apart from all other weight loss programs is that it is personalized just for you. Your custom diet is based on a panel of laboratory values that act as a window into how your metabolism is behaving.

From this information, specific foods are selected to enhance the parts of your metabolism that appear to be under-functioning. When we eat based on our physiology, the body can heal. This results in decreased inflammation, radiant energy, glowing skin, and improved mood. The benefits reach far beyond just fitting into your favourite pair of jeans again!

If you want to learn more about making your metabolism work for you, give us a call to get started!