Bolster Your Amino Acids

Amino acids, simply put, are organic compounds that make up proteins and are essential to human metabolism. Though they don’t receive nearly as much mention in nutrition discussions as vitamins and minerals, amino acids are just as necessary to our health. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most important amino acids in terms of boosting your metabolism – and protecting your brain:

Arginine: This amino acid is partially converted into a chemical known as spermine, which is believed to help the brain process memory. Low levels of spermine often signal age-related memory loss. Arginine has also shown importance in immune function.

Choline: The brain uses this amino acid to manufacture a memory-related neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Older people are encouraged to take choline supplements (no more than 3.5 grams per day) because we tend to produce less acetylcholine as we age, putting us at greater risk of memory impairment. Choline is also important for the transport and metabolism of cholesterol. Dietary sources of choline include cabbage, cauliflower, eggs, peanuts, and lecithin.

Glutamine: This amino acid is a precursor of a calming neurotransmitter known as GABA. It helps improve clarity of thought and boosts alertness by assisting in the manufacture of glutamic acid, a compound known for its ability to eliminate metabolic wastes in the brain. Glutamine is also a necessary fuel for intestinal cells.

Methionine: Like glutamine, this amino acid helps cleanse the brain of damaging metabolic wastes. It is an effective antioxidant and helps reduce brain levels of dangerous heavy metals such as mercury.

Arm Yourself with Knowledge: Metabolism Basics

Broadly defined, metabolism includes all of the physical and chemical changes that occur inside the cells of the body and that maintain life. All activity in the body occurs through the process of metabolism, in which cells break down chemicals and nutrients to general energy and form new molecules such as proteins. Efficient metabolism requires blood loaded with oxygen, glucose, and nutrients enzymes are the molecules that make metabolism happen, and nutrients are the vitamins and minerals that act as essential coenzymes. When a nutrient is deficient in the body, certain metabolic functions are impeded and symptoms of disease can arise. Your metabolism is influenced by:

Age: Metabolism naturally slows about 5 percent per decade after age thirty.

Gender: Men generally burn more calories at rest than women.

Muscle mass: The more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate.
Activity level: The more you exercise, particularly aerobically, the higher your metabolic rate.

Genes: There can be an inherited aspect; some people have sluggish metabolic rates.

Thyroid function: You could have an overactive or underactive thyroid, but this is uncommon.

The good news: If you eat a balanced, healthy (low-fat) diet, add exercise (lots of exercise), and keep your body in top running form, your metabolism will burn calories like a top-flight engine. That’s why you need to learn how to maximizing your overall health, nourishing your body, and exercising, all of which will help your body functioning at its maximum capacity and boost your metabolism.

Keep Your Blood Sugar Stable

In addition to the types of fuel you put into your body, your energy can be directly linked to the amount of energy you put (or don’t put) into your body and the timing of it. Nutrition, as you know, is all about fueling the body for optimum function. Many Americans have become so preoccupied with weight loss that they have lost sight of the main event: You need food and glucose – the energy source found in food – to live. If you don’t give your body glucose through balanced meals, your metabolism will slow down and your sugar cravings will increase. When blood sugar dips too low, your brain thinks it’s starving. This is why you end up craving high-sugar foods; since most high-sugar foods are also high-fat foods, desperation eating packs a double caloric whammy. Well-timed and well-balanced meals will boost your metabolism because you won’t be hungry as often, making you less likely to reach for non-nutritious foods.

Have an Occasional Fiber-Filled Day

If you want to lose a few pounds quickly, spend a few days eating only fiber-filled foods like fruits and vegetables. Be sure to drink plenty of water and try not to exceed 30 grams of fiber in one day to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort. The healthiest choice, of course, is to make sure every day is a fiber-filled day with plenty of fruits and vegetables in addition to whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. This will fill you up, crank up your metabolism, and keep you from eating more calorie-laden foods.

Eat an Apple

Apples are fabulous for you – and your metabolism. The active ingredient in apple pulp is pectin, a soluble form of fiber that helps reduce “bad” cholesterol by keeping it in the intestinal tract until it is eliminated. Pectin also creates a sensation of fullness and suppresses appetite. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that pectin binds certain cancer-causing compounds in the colon, accelerating their removal from the body. European studies indicate that apple pectin can even help eliminate lead, mercury, and other toxic heavy metals from the human body. Note: It’s important to wash apples thoroughly and to avoid eating the seeds, which can be poisonous. All apples provide super nutrients, but eating different varieties of apples is even better.

Always Choose High-Fiber Grains over Processed Grains

We all know by now that white bread, white rice, and plain crackers contain a lot of empty calories and a lot less fiber than whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, and rice. One of the quickest and healthiest ways to boost your fiber intake – and thereby your metabolism – is to substitute higher-fiber foods, such as whole-grain bread, crackers, or chips, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta for lower-fiber foods, such as white bread, white rice, or plain crackers.

Know Why Insoluble Fiber Is Great for Your Metabolism

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve as it travels through your digestive system. The benefits of insoluble fiber are twofold: (1) It creates a feeling of fullness that help you eat less, and (2) it speeds things along and lessens the amount of fats, cholesterol, sugars, and starches that are absorbed. One caveat: Too much insoluble fiber may have a deleterious effect if it prevents absorption of nutrients.

Foods containing insoluble fiber include:

Corn bran
Vegetables such as green beans and dark green leafy vegetables
Seeds and nuts
Fruit skins and root vegetable skins
Whole-wheat products

Eat Quinoa

Once known as “the gold of the Incas”, this grain – a complete protein – includes all nine essential amino acids, making it an excellent choice for vegetarian, vegans, and everyone else as well. Quinoa has extra-high amounts of the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. Combine this protein with quinoa’s high amounts of potassium and its magnesium content to help lower your blood pressure and strengthen your heart. For such a small grain, quinoa not only provides a whole lot of nutrients and helps boost your metabolism, but it may also be especially valuable for people with migraine headaches, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and other debilitating health issues. It is also a very good source of manganese as well as magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

Eat a Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes have high amounts of beta-carotene, equal to that of carrots; for only 90 calories per sweet potato, you get a huge amount of health-building nutrients. Beta-carotene is a major fighter against cancer, heart disease, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. The bright orange flesh contains carotenoids that help boost your metabolism, stabilize your blood sugar, and lower insulin resistance, which makes your cells more responsive to insulin. Sweet potatoes have four times the Recommended Dietary Allowance for beta-carotene when eaten with the skin on. In fact, it would take 20 cups of broccoli to provide the amount of beta-carotene (vitamin A) available in a cup of cooked sweet potatoes. They are a source of vitamin E, vitamin B6, potassium, and iron, and have even been found to provide as much fiber as oatmeal. Plus they’re fat-free. Sweet potatoes are definitely a superfood!

Add Superfoods to Your Diet

Superfoods are natural foods that are nutritive powerhouses. They work to ensure your body gets what it needs to be healthy. Loaded with nutrients, superfoods can help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, stabilize your moods, and more importantly, boost your metabolism. According to nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, author of The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals, a healthy diet incorporating a variety of the superfoods that will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and liver longer. One thing these foods all have in common? “Every superfood is going to be a ‘real’ (unprocessed) food”, Somer points out, “You don’t find fortified potato chips in the superfood category”.

Try Ginseng

Ginseng has many beneficial effects. It has been used for thousands of years by herbalists to reduce cholesterol levels, increase the absorption of nutrients through the intestinal walls, mop up free radicals in the bloods, and protect against cancer. Ginseng may decrease muscle injury and inflammation following exercise, and some studies suggest that it may reduce oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and brain tissue. This herb can also boost your metabolism. It does so primarily by alleviating stress and by reducing the amount of carbohydrates that are processed into your bloodstream and cause your glucose levels to spike. People scheduled for surgeries should stop taking ginseng a week before surgery and caution should also be practiced if taking anticoagulants. Patients with hormone-sensitive diseases – like certain cancers – should not consume ginseng.