Lesson Two in Ten 15 Minute Topics.
1/ What is Metabolism?
From Wikipedia:
Metabolism (/məˈtæbəlɪzəm/, from Greek: μεταβολή metabolē, "change") refers to the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions that occur within organisms.
The three main functions of metabolism are:
converting the energy in food into a usable form for cellular processes;
converting food to building blocks of macromolecules (biopolymers) such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and some carbohydrates;
and eliminating metabolic wastes.
The word metabolism can also refer to all chemical reactions that occur in living organisms, including digestion and the transportation of substances into and between different cells. In a broader sense, the set of reactions occurring within the cells is called intermediary (or intermediate) metabolism.
These enzyme-catalyzed reactions allow organisms to grow, reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. It's how your body reacts to the lifestyle and environment you expose it too.
To make it even clearer: There are three processes.
1. creating energy in the body
2. building and maintaining the body
3. breaking down and eliminating waste products.
Metabolic Syndrome (5 Metabolic Disorders)
Credited to Prof. Gerald Reaven, endocrinologist at Stanford.
Good News: About 50% of us suffer from Metabolic Syndrome, and it's not necessary. Change what you know. Change what you do. Change your health for the better.
Metabolic syndrome is a lifestyle disease, and most of us have it because we all live in a similar way. "Living normally" is killing us. With a little knowledge we can stop that. It's easy to fix.
The five disorders of Metabolic Syndrome (Originally called "Syndrome X", 1980's)
| 1. Excess weight | 4. Low HDL |
| 2. High blood pressure | 5. High LDL |
| 3. High triglycerides |
The ongoing health problems that are caused by Metabolic Syndrome are:
| 1. Heart Disease | 5. Strokes |
| 2. Type II Diabetes | 6. Some Cancers |
| 3. PCOS | 7. Dementia |
| 4. Fatty Liver | 8. Obesity |
| Insulin Resistance is the Driver | |
|---|---|
| Other Related Health Conditions | |
| 9. Joint degeneration | 11. Memory Problems |
| 10. Arthritis | 12. Some Respiratory Disease |
Professional Pressure to Conform
We should remember the work of Gerald Reaven in the light of the existing paradigm. His theory about a single cause of five common metabolic diseases (Insulin Resistance) cut across the research fields of many people.
The recognized problems within the paradigm include obesity, CVD, diabetes, High BP, high fasting triglyceride. Each recognized as a separate discipline.
It's not surprising that Reaven's work on diabetes was not well received by some other professionals.
Your good health depends on your own knowledge.
A quick visual health test. Thirty Seconds. (Page returns to here.)
We all have malformed health knowledge because health propaganda is everywhere. There's nothing new about fake news. Unfortunately everyone wants ONE PAGE to read for instant results. In two words; "begin learning."
To be normal in our society, (Normal = Like most other people.) is to loose your physical fitness early in your life, and to become progressively less capable and heavier, and metabolically sick, so that you die at least 10 years too soon. Your last 15 or 20 years are likely to be difficult and perhaps painful.
Unfortunately, to be like most people is to be unhealthy. That's to be avoided. Being average is to reduce your years of good health, and enjoyable life. Yet: just to get your weight under control, and to increase your muscular strength is very achievable, since the bar is set so low. The reward, will be better health, less pain, and a longer active and enjoyable life. Diet feeds the root of the Metabolic Syndrome tree.
So why is it that homeostasis, that is supposed to keep us healthy, breaks down? Unless we are particularly health focused, conscientious about our health, we all tend to age more rapidly than we need to. Notice the distinction between those who are conscientious about their health and those who are careless.
That's something you can influence in your own life, if you choose. The difference is about 10 or 14 years longer life according to many experts. Perhaps even more importantly, we are talking about a high quality of life, with very good strength and mobility and free of pain.
It's sad to hear people say, "I can see that now, but it's too late for me." You can't know that.
Please choose a screen size to return to the Directory Homepage.