Does your diet have a positive or a negative effect on your overall health? How can you optimize your nutrition for better metabolic function?
Nutrition and metabolism are closely linked, impacting both physical and mental well-being. Over the past half-century, our dietary habits have shifted toward less nutritious options. Improving your diet can have a significant positive influence on your body’s metabolism and overall functioning.
Read on to discover practical tips for enhancing your nutrition and boosting your metabolic health.
Nutrition and Metabolism
In his book Brain Energy, Christopher M. Palmer highlights the strong connection between nutrition and metabolism, writing that eating a nutritious diet can improve your metabolic and mental health. He explains that dietary quality has declined over the last 50 years: On the whole, we’re eating more low-fiber, high-sugar junk food. A lack of nutritious foods in your diet can lead to mental and neurological disorders because your mitochondria need enough nutrients to function well. Additionally, many of these foods can lead to addictive eating habits, which in turn may result in obesity and insulin resistance, further affecting your metabolism.
(Shortform note: In In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan elaborates on the decline in dietary quality in recent history. He explains that the industrialization of food production has led to a focus on quantity and shelf-life over nutritional value. For example, the vitamin and mineral content of fruits and vegetables has dropped by 15-38% since the 1940s. At the same time, highly refined grains and added sugars (which provide little nutritional value) now make up over 50% of the typical diet. This means you now need to eat more food to get the same nutritional value people used to get from smaller portions.)
To improve your diet, Palmer suggests you do four things.
1. Correct nutritional deficiencies. Eat a diet rich in whole foods and high-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables. Consider consulting a professional to identify deficiencies in essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in your diet.
(Shortform note: Vitamin D, potassium, calcium, and dietary fiber are some of the most common nutritional deficiencies, since many people in the US don’t get enough of these nutrients from the foods they eat. These nutrients are important for your health, from building strong bones to maintaining healthy blood pressure and digestion. To get more of these nutrients, eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods from different food groups. Some top sources include dairy products and leafy greens for calcium, fruits and vegetables for potassium and fiber, and fish or dairy products for vitamin D.)
2. Avoid inflammatory substances. Palmer says certain foods like junk food and trans fatty acids (TFAs) contain toxic substances that cause inflammation, which impedes your metabolic functioning. Some people may also need to avoid common allergens like gluten or dairy that can trigger immune reactions. Additionally, heavy use of drugs and alcohol can also harm your metabolic health.
(Shortform note: Environmental toxins may be another hidden source of inflammation and metabolic problems. In Estrogeneration, Anthony Jay explains how common chemicals in certain foods, plastics, pesticides, and personal care products mimic estrogen (a hormone that plays a role in regulating metabolism). These chemicals can disrupt your hormonal balance and can cause a variety of health problems, including obesity, depression, cancer, and infertility.)
3. Improve gut health. Palmer writes that probiotics may help boost your gut health, but research isn’t conclusive. Avoid antibiotics and foods that contain antibiotics, as these disrupt your gut microbiome.
(Shortform note: In I Contain Multitudes, Ed Yong echoes Palmer’s suggestion to avoid antibiotics, but he disagrees on the benefits of taking probiotics like those found in pills and yogurt products. Yong argues that commercially sold probiotics are largely ineffective for two reasons: First, most studies on probiotics were done in labs or on animals, so it’s unclear if the results apply to humans; the studies that did involve people tended to be small and likely biased. Second, Yong points out that the amount of probiotics in supplements or yogurt is tiny compared to the trillions of microbes already living in your gut. So, any supplements you consume probably won’t make much difference.)
4. Consider diets and fasting. Palmer cites research suggesting that the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats, improves mitochondrial functioning. The ketogenic diet (a high-fat, low-carb eating plan) and intermittent fasting (which involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting) can also improve metabolism and brain functioning.
| Choose a Diet That Works for You Although Palmer’s diet and fasting recommendations may be good options for maintaining a healthy metabolism, you should experiment to find the right diet for your body’s needs. Many experts argue that no diet that suits everyone: In Outlive, Peter Attia argues that there is no best “universal” diet because everyone metabolizes food differently. However, he does offer some broad guidelines that can benefit most people. In general, people who eat a diet heavy in processed, sugary foods, consume too many calories, and don’t get enough nutrients. For this reason, Attia suggests you focus less on finding a specific diet and instead try to eat more protein, fewer carbohydrates, and a moderate amount of healthy fats. He only suggests fasting if you have metabolic dysfunction, however, because fasting makes it hard to eat enough protein and causes you to lose muscle. The authors of Life Force add that many of your dietary needs depend on your ancestry. They explain that different groups of people evolved to eat certain foods based on what was available in their environment. This affected their microbiome and as a result, some people’s bodies are better at processing certain foods than others. The authors suggest getting your gut microbiome tested to find out which foods are best for your health. |
