Dr. Panda is a Professor at the Salk Institute, where his research focuses on circadian rhythm in health and disease. His discoveries are among the top ten breakthroughs of the year by the Science magazine, and he is considered as one of the top 50 influential scientists in the book “Brain Trust”. Research in his lab has shown the profound impact of ambient light and daily eating-fasting rhythm on the prevention and management of chronic diseases and cancer. Currently, his lab has developed a freely available research app to study how our daily timing eating, sleeping and physical activity affect our health. Anyone can sign up for the study at mycircadianclock.org.
Learning Points:
What are circadian rhythms?
What happens when we are not in sync with our circadian clock?
What is time restricted eating and how does it support our circadian rhythm?
Listen live or catch the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud!
Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada. Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.
You may feel tired, cold or that you’ve gained weight. Maybe your digestion seems a bit more “sluggish”.
You may be convinced that your metabolism is slow.
Why does this happen? Why do metabolic rates slow down?
What can slow my metabolism?
Metabolism includes all of the biochemical reactions in your body that use nutrients and oxygen to create energy. And there are lots of factors that affect how quickly (or slowly) it works, i.e. your “metabolic rate” (which is measured in calories).
But don’t worry – we know that metabolic rate is much more complicated than the old adage “calories in calories out”! In fact it’s so complicated I’m only going to list a few of the common things that can slow it down.
Examples of common reasons why metabolic rates can slow down:
low thyroid hormone
your history of dieting
your size and body composition
your activity level
lack of sleep
We’ll briefly touch on each one below and I promise to give you better advice than just to “eat less and exercise more”.
Low thyroid hormones
Your thyroid is the master controller of your metabolism. When it produces fewer hormones your metabolism slows down. The thyroid hormones (T3 & T4) tell the cells in your body when to use more energy and become more metabolically active. Ideally it should work to keep your metabolism just right. But there are several things that can affect it and throw it off course. Things like autoimmune diseases and mineral deficiencies (e.g. iodine or selenium) for example.
Tip: Talk with your doctor about having your thyroid hormones tested.
Your history of dieting
When people lose weight their metabolic rate often slows down. This is because the body senses that food may be scarce and adapts by trying to continue with all the necessary life functions and do it all with less food.
While dieting can lead to a reduction in amount of fat it unfortunately can also lead to a reduction in the amount of muscle you have and more muscle means faster resting metabolic rate.
Tip: Make sure you’re eating enough food to fuel your body without overdoing it.
Your size and body composition
In general, larger people have faster metabolic rates. This is because it takes more energy to fuel a larger body than a smaller one.
However, you already know that gaining weight is rarely the best strategy for increasing your metabolism.
Muscles that actively move and do work need energy. Even muscles at rest burn more calories than fat. This means that the amount of energy your body uses depends partly on the amount of lean muscle mass you have.
Tip: Do some weight training to help increase your muscle mass.
Which leads us to…
Your activity level
Aerobic exercise temporarily increases your metabolic rate. Your muscles are burning fuel to move and do “work” and you can tell because you’re also getting hotter.
Even little things can add up. Walking a bit farther than you usually do, using a standing desk instead of sitting all day, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator can all contribute to more activity in your day.
Tip: Incorporate movement into your day. Also, exercise regularly.
Lack of sleep
There is plenty of research that shows the influence that sleep has on your metabolic rate. The general consensus is to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
Tip: Try to create a routine that allows at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
Try to incorporate some, or all, of the tips I have include to try and kickstart your metabolism. I am also including a resource for you called “Top 10 Foods that Boost Metabolism” to get you started in the kitchen!
Mara was awakened to the potency of Hatha Yoga in India twenty years ago. Teaching yoga and meditation now for over a decade, Mara’s ability to hold healing space for the hearts and minds of others offers a vast landscape for transformation within. In her yoga teachings, Mara weaves together her background as a dance artist, her practice in the shamanic tradition, and her twenty years of experience on her mat Currently, Mara hosts international yoga retreats, offers mentorship programs and spiritual counselling, fuses yoga and corporate leadership to executive teams, teaches professional athletes and artists, and teaches classes/workshops in Vancouver.
Talking Points include:
Why do we need to practice self-care?
What are some ways to practice self-care
What are the major types of yoga practice?
Listen live or catch the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud!
Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada. Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.
