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The scientific basis of metabolic typing

Metabolic typing is based on the premise thatthere are ten systems within the body that control and govern the millions of chemical reactions that take place each day within your body.

To optimize health within your body (and therefore control fat levels) you must bring these ten systems into balance, as this allows the cells to function optimally.

To do this you must eat certain foods and consume certain nutrients. The question is, which foods and nutrients should you consume? Metabolic typing provides the answers to this by calculating exactly which foods you should eat, how much of them to consume and which foods you should definitely avoid.

What should I eat?

It is the role of the main two body systems that provide the exact answer to this question. In order to know what you need to eat you must be classified along your Autonomic nervous system and oxidation system.

Do not be put off by the science here, in simple terms the autonomic nervous system is what controls how all your organs behave that you do not need to think about, e.g. you do not think "let my heart beat 70 times this minute", it just happens. The oxidation system refers to how the body oxidizes food to produce energy within the cells.

It is possible to classify people along both systems by looking at traits associated with each one. For example, someone who has strong hunger is showing one sign of a fast oxidation rate, those who do not want to eat are showing a slow oxidation trait. When you analyze 150 of these traits it is possible to build a picture of your body’s behaviours and classify your body.

Depending on what your classification is, of which metabolic type you are, you need to eat the foods that research has shown to balance these two systems, for example if your oxidation system was too fast you would eat the specific foods that would slow your system down. Or if the fight or flight end of your nervous system was too strong we would support the other branch by eating the appropriate foods.

Putting the science of metabolic typing aside the main thing you need to be aware of is that there is no one diet that will balance everyone’s body chemistry. Therefore in order to be healthy you must know exactly where you are at the moment and then which foods are needed to balance your body.

How much to eat?

For metabolic typing to be successful and the body to be in optimal health the cells must be able to effectively utilize energy. This occurs when they are given everything they need in the right amounts. This depends very much on the type of food you eat (as determined above) but also the relative ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fat consumed.

These food groups are broken down into reaction intermediates within the body. It is essential these intermediates (called acetyl Co-A and Oxoacetate) are in fairly even proportion for effective energy production to occur. Each person has a different ability to produce these meaning some people need more of the foods that produce one while other people the opposite. This allows the two reaction intermediates to be in the cells in the right proportions for effective energy production.

When the right amounts are consumed the body gives off positive body language signals .e.g. it feels energized, no cravings, not hungry etc. When the wrong proportions are eaten negative reactions occur such as sugar cravings or hunger soon after eating, energy dips etc. Coaching you to act upon the signals is a key facet to any metabolic typing program. This is called your ideal fuel mix.

What not to eat?

Metabolic typing looks closely at the issues of what foods to avoid. Food intolerances are a negative reaction from the body to a particular food . This food often engages the immune system and therefore drains the body of its resources which could have been put to better use elsewhere.

Any food can be intolerant to your body but it is usually the most commonly eaten foods that develop into tolerances .e.g. wheat, dairy, caffeine. Any health attempt will be totally undermined if eating foods you are intolerant to.

To lose weight it is essential you allow your endocrine glands to be at their optimal health. It is seen that everyone has one gland that is more active in comparison to the others. These glands (adrenal, thyroid, pituitary and ovaries) will influence the pattern in which you store your body fat. It is believed over reliance on the specific foods that excite your dominant gland can play a major role in fat storage. To lose fat we therefore restrict these specific foods within the recommendations made from the autonomic and oxidation systems.

Blood type influences are dependent on the blood type interactions with specific proteins called Lectins. In a certain few individuals this can cause aggregation of the blood and negative health complaints. The blood type recommendations therefore refer to which foods to avoid with in the nutrition plan.

Other issues

The multitude of issues that affect the ten systems are vital and need to be covered to ensure the body is helped as much as it can to be healthy and thus achieve your goals.

It is essential to use metabolic typing if you are serious about getting results. Consider discovering your metabolic type either On line or through my Personal training.