Metabolize Your Life

The definition of metabolism is the sum total of ALL chemical reactions in the body.

With the understanding that our thoughts also create a physiological chemical reaction, we might say that metabolism is not tied purely to the physical body, but plays a part at a mental and emotional level as well.

Food that is not properly metabolized and digested may be stored in our bodies as fat or will cause other toxic reactions. Similarly, if we rush through our life experiences and miss the lesson, we do not properly process and digest each situation. Unresolved experiences and emotions may accumulate as tension in the muscles and other tissues of the body.

Racing through life and rushing through our meals puts our body into a stress-response mode rather than a state of rest-and-digest.

If we continue to approach each of our experiences in a fight or flight response, we are expending more energy then we are creating. Our digestive system and metabolism weaken, our breath shortens, and our muscles chronically tighten.

Accumulating energy and bringing metabolism back to its optimal functioning level will happen by finding ways to slow down: achieving more by doing less.

What you eat is only half of the equation; how you eat is the other half.
Let’s work toward stopping the fight. When we love, we are receptive and open to receiving our food and our experiences. By embracing these things, we correctly metabolize because the body wants to integrate them rather than see them as an enemy that it needs to restrict. Can you start to relax enough to choose healthy pleasure over fighting the pain? Life is not working against us and food is not an evil culprit.

It is my personal belief that one of the biggest keys to a strong metabolic rate is feeling personal empowerment. When we feel self-empowered we receive a sudden huge surge of natural energy. When we feel strong, our body feels strong.

Simple first steps toward introducing mindfulness while eating:

* Eat with chopsticks.
* Eat with your non-dominant hand.
* Chew your food 30 to 50 times per bite.
* Eat without TV, newspaper or computer.
* Eat sitting down.
* Put the proper portions of food on your plate and try to make the meal last at least 20 minutes.

Oils and Fats

Not all oils and fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, “trans” fats and oils that are used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. However, fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. Our bodies also need fat for insulation and to protect and hold our organs in place.

A healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal satisfies and leaves feelings of energy, fulfillment and warmth. When there are excess fats and oils in the diet, especially heavily processed fats, symptoms can include weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness. Signs of insufficient high-quality fats are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, hunger after meals and feeling cold.

There are many sources of healthy fats and oils. Oils higher in saturated fat such as high quality butter, ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil hold better at high temperatures. When sautéing and stovetop cooking at moderate temperatures, try organic extra virgin olive oil. Any vegetable oil is best when unrefined. Oils like flaxseed, sesame, walnut and pumpkin seed are best used unheated. Try using less oil with cooking and then add it unheated in sauces or dressings, on top of salads, veggies or grains. Other healthy fats are found in whole nuts and seeds and in their butters like almond butter or tahini. Whole foods such as avocados, olives and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat, along with wild salmon and omega-3 and omega-6 organic eggs. Experiment with these healthy fat sources and see which agree with you and leave you satisfied.

Choose UNREFINED oils.

When selecting oils, buy the highest quality organic products you can afford, since cooking oils are the backbone of so many dishes. Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined. Words to avoid are expeller-pressed, refined and solvent extracted.
Oil is sensitive to light and heat so those that come in plastic clear bottles are usually oils of a lower quality.

Recipe: Savory Tahini Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
pinch of cayenne (to your taste)

Directions:
1. In a bowl briskly whisk together the tahini and water until combined. It will look separated at first: just keep whisking!
2. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until combined.
3. Adjust flavors to your taste. Add additional water if you want it thinner.
4. Serve over grains and greens.
Note: Tahini sauce keeps refrigerated for up to one week.