Metabolic health may sound like a term from biology textbooks, but it's a concept that impacts your daily life. In short, metabolic health is like the orchestra of chemical reactions that keeps your body running smoothly. And like any orchestra, several components are needed for it to function harmoniously. Let's look at the four fundamental pillars of metabolic health and learn about the fifth pillar, which is especially important for women.
What is metabolic health?
Metabolic health refers to the proper functioning of the body's chemical processes that produce energy and keep us alive. Scientifically speaking, this means having ideal levels of blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and waist circumference without taking medication ( 1 ).
It's about how effectively your body can digest food, convert it into energy, and eliminate waste. When these processes are in balance, your body is considered metabolically healthy. However, when they're out of balance, it can lead to various health problems, from weight gain to chronic diseases like diabetes. A person's metabolic health can be influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors.
To be considered "metabolically healthy," you should meet the following criteria ( 2 ):
- not suffer from diabetes
- have normal blood pressure
- have a normal level of "good" cholesterol
- a waist circumference of less than 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women
- not taking medication to fulfill any of the above conditions
Why you should take care of your metabolic health
Taking a deeper look at metabolic health isn't just for health fanatics; it's a topic that should be relevant to everyone! Imagine your body like a finely tuned orchestra. When all the instruments play together harmoniously, everything runs smoothly, but even a small shift in the notes can cause disruption. Metabolic health is this harmony. It is the foundation for your energy, vitality, and overall well-being.
Poor metabolic health can lead to a range of health problems, from fatigue and weight gain to more serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hormonal imbalance. By taking care of your metabolic health, you're not only avoiding disease but also investing in a life of vitality, longevity, and optimal well-being. And for women, with their unique hormonal changes, understanding and maintaining metabolic health is even more important. It's not just about living longer, but also about living better and feeling better every day.
The 4 pillars of metabolic health
There are two ways to assess your metabolic health.
One is looking at your lifestyle factors (diet, exercise, sleep, and mindfulness), the other is your medical parameters such as blood sugar, blood pressure, blood lipids, and waist circumference, including body fat.
At Hello Inside, we combine these two approaches. Considering your lifestyle factors is crucial for rebalancing your metabolic system so you can achieve a healthy metabolism and, consequently, better medical outcomes.
So next, let's look at the medical parameters and find out how your lifestyle factors will improve them.
Pillar 1: Blood sugar
Your body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels is crucial. When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which your cells then use for energy. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps your cells absorb this glucose. Balanced blood sugar levels provide consistent energy throughout the day, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, and prevent sudden energy drops that can lead to fatigue and irritability ( 3 ). Ideally, your blood sugar level should be between 80 and 110 mg/dL (unless you exercise) and should not exceed 140 mg/dL after a meal.
Quick tips to improve blood sugar regulation:
- Limit refined carbohydrates (diet) : Choose whole grain foods and complex carbohydrates, which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream.
- Stay active (exercise) : Regular exercise or physical activity can help increase insulin sensitivity, which facilitates glucose transport into cells.
- Eat balanced meals (nutrition) : Combine proteins, fats and carbohydrates to stabilize blood sugar levels.
How Hello Inside can help!
Managing your metabolic health may sound a bit complicated, but regulating your blood sugar levels through diet and lifestyle changes isn't. Hello Inside is the best and easiest way to control your blood sugar levels because Hello Inside is:
- Accurate and reliable : Hello Inside uses a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that's among the most accurate and reliable on the market. This means you can trust that the glucose data you receive is accurate.
- Convenient and easy to use : The Hello Inside app is easy to use and provides you with all the information you need to effectively manage your blood sugar levels. The app also offers a variety of personalized insights and recommendations to help you make changes to your diet, lifestyle, and/or sleep habits.
- Personalized : Hello Inside takes your individual needs and health goals into account. So you can be sure you'll get the advice and support you need to effectively control your blood sugar levels.
Pillar 2: Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the force with which blood pushes against the walls of the arteries. Keeping it within a healthy range is important for preventing heart disease, stroke, and other complications. High blood pressure (> 120/80) can strain the heart, damage blood vessels, and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Quick tips to control blood pressure:
- Reduce salt intake (diet) : Excessive salt consumption can increase blood pressure. If you need a little more flavor in your food, opt for herbs and spices instead ( 4 ).
- Stress management (mindfulness) : Meditation, deep breathing exercises and yoga can help.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine (diet) : Both can increase blood pressure, so don't overdo it.
Column 3: Cholesterol and triglyceride levels
Cholesterol isn't all bad, especially HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. This is the cholesterol often referred to as "good." Optimal HDL cholesterol levels can actually help reduce your risk of heart disease. However, too much "bad" (LDL) cholesterol can lead to heart disease. Similarly, triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, must be regulated ( 5 ). High levels can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, especially in women.
Quick tips to balance cholesterol and triglycerides:
- Eat Omega-3 Rich Foods (Diet) : Foods like fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts can help lower triglyceride levels.
- Reduce saturated and trans fats (diet) : Choose healthier fats like olive oil and avocados.
- Stay active (exercise) : Regular exercise can increase good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol.
Pillar 4: Waist circumference and body fat
While the number on the scale isn't the best indicator of health, where we store fat matters. Excess fat around the waist can be a sign of metabolic disorders and is linked to heart disease, diabetes, and more ( 6 ). It's important to pay attention to your overall body composition, not just weight, because muscle weighs more than fat but is healthier.
Quick tips for regulating waist size and body fat:
- Strength training (exercise) : Building muscle can improve metabolism and reduce body fat.
- Eat fiber-rich foods (diet) : These can promote satiety and reduce overeating.
- Stay hydrated (nutrition) : Drinking enough water supports a healthy metabolism and increases the feeling of satiety.
Bonus pillar: Hormonal balance (especially for women)
Ladies, this one's for you. Your hormone balance plays a vital role in your overall metabolic health. Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and even insulin can affect your mood, weight, and menopausal symptoms. Certain conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can disrupt metabolic health, highlighting the need for balanced hormones.
Quick tips to maintain hormonal balance:
- Stress management (mindfulness) : Chronic stress can lead to hormonal imbalances. Find relaxation techniques that work for you.
- Reduce processed foods (diet) : They disrupt your body's hormonal balance.
- Develop a sleep routine (sleep) : Irregular sleep habits lead to metabolic disorders and hormonal imbalances.
Why is a healthy metabolism so important for women?
The female body goes through various hormonal changes throughout life—menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, to name a few. These changes can affect metabolic processes. For example, during menopause, declining estrogen levels can impair insulin sensitivity, making it important for women to proactively manage their metabolic health ( 7 ).
Conclusion
Metabolic health is the result of a complex interplay of many processes that keep your body running smoothly. By developing an understanding of these four (or five for women) key aspects and balancing them, you can live a life of vitality and well-being. All of these pillars of metabolism are modifiable through lifestyle choices. One of the easiest ways to measure the impact of these changes is to regularly monitor your blood sugar levels.
What's special about Hello Inside is that we're able to make all this blood sugar data visible and tangible, and support you with tailored advice. The ability to see and understand how your lifestyle influences your metabolic health is now no longer a mystery.
