You may have heard the horror stories by now about how getting older suddenly causes your metabolism to start tanking. While genetics and age-related hormones play a part, there are several other controllable lifestyle factors that contribute to slowing metabolism. Among significant factors are diet, exercise, sleep, stress and toxins. While you might think your metabolism is out of your control, if you don’t have a pre-existing health condition, it is actually something you can improve. It all comes down to the usual suspects: proper exercise, a healthy diet, adequate sleep and making an effort to reduce your stress and avoid toxins. Of course, all this is easier said than done, but it’s certainly attainable with a little discipline.
Your body is essentially a synergistic computer, everything affects everything. What you eat, how much you exercise, how much you sleep, the thoughts you think, how much you stress and worry; it all works together to create your quality of life. So, if one factor is off, it can throw your entire system off. Think of your body as a finely tuned race car. A working engine isn’t enough and a car can’t run with just an engine. The oil needs to be changed; the right fuel needs to be used; you have to make sure the tires have proper pressure and tread. This is how your body works, so if you’re not taking care of it in all areas, you are essentially reducing your quality of life -and who wants to do that? The answer is: no one!
Thankfully, there’s this handy little infographic, courtesy of Rockwell Nutrition, on metabolism, why it slows down, and how you can improve it. A few changes can go a long way in improving your health, happiness, and overall well-being!
