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For the next few weeks this section of the website will be dedicated to metabolism and to signal diets in general. For this reason, today we'll take a look at the concept of metabolic activation and the most modern dietary strategies. The concept of metabolism and consequentially its activation probably represents the inflection point between the most recent notions of dietetics and those of even just 10 years ago.
Basal metabolism refers to the amount of calories necessary to maintain all of the body's biological processes when it is at rest. However, first of all we need to realize that this value is not unchanging but can be influenced by way of specific dietary techniques and in general by a real change in habits. Another common error is the belief that all calories are the same. Let me clarify this: one's hormonal state influences the value of every single calorie that is ingested.
The majority of what we eat at breakfast is transformed into energy because in the first hours after waking our hormonal balance is devoted to catabolism. This makes sense if we think in terms of evolution: after long hours of fasting during the night we are ready to face the day and much energy will be needed. On the other hand, in the evening our hormonal situation provides for the storage of all of the calories that we have ingested in anticipation of the next day and the possible lack of food. Therefore the majority of the calories that we introduce at dinner are transformed into fat deposits.
But with regard to this topic, we need to focus on another important detail. An abundant breakfast helps us to increase our basal metabolism. This means that people who are used to eating a big breakfast are able to stay slimmer even though they take in more calories than others who maybe only drink a cup of coffee on the run. This is probably one of the most important ways by which you can work on your metabolism.
Along with this simple practice it's also important to keep insulin fluctuations in check. Insulin is the principle anabolic hormone and an excessive production of it can contribute to weight gain. At every meal (especially breakfast), a combination of carbohydrates and simple proteins allows for a reduction in the concentration of this hormone in the blood. This procedure affects basal metabolism because in the first place it reduces the body's fatty mass and in the second place this method makes it possible to receive regulatory feedback on practically all of the hormonal axes.
When we speak of fatty mass it's necessary to understand the importance of the adipokines that are produced in adipose tissue as inflammatory and regulatory molecules. Inflammation within the body is one of the causes of weight gain and for this reason a control of delayed food allergies (food intolerances) has a very positive affect on metabolism activation. The goal of a diet that controls food intolerances is that of helping a person regain immune tolerance by way of a dietary regime that resembles that of infant weaning (and is therefore a weekly rotational diet and not an elimination diet).
Lastly, in addition to a nutritional plan, physical activity plays an important role. A person who wants to increase his metabolism cannot overlook exercise as an integral part of his daily routine.
Over the next few weeks, we'll explore each one of these aspects. For the time being you can consult the articles included to the right of this page for more detailed information.
Gabriele Piuri and dr. Attilio Speciani
Eurosalus Medical Staff
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