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These are the signs of a healthy metabolism
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An active metabolism is essential for health. But how do you know that the body is metabolizing the food it eats well?
We probably all know them: these people who can eat whatever they want – and still don’t gain an ounce. Others pay close attention to their diet and still fail to shed excess pounds. Our metabolism plays a major role in this. Because he is responsible for converting the food into energy, burning the calories and providing the body with nutrients from the food. The metabolism also plays a role in the interaction with some organs in the removal of waste products.
These signals show you that your metabolism is working well:
3 signs of a healthy metabolism
1. Your digestion is running smoothly
Metabolism and digestion go hand in hand. If you feel like your body is digesting the food you eat well—meaning you have regular bowel movements and no gastrointestinal upset—this is definitely a sign of an active metabolism.
2. Your hands and feet are usually warm
A well-boosted metabolism produces heat and energy. So if you often have warm hands and feet, your metabolism is probably running smoothly.
With a crash diet, for example, you deny your body a large part of the food. He lacks energy and tries to make do with what he gets. One way to conserve energy is by not warming the extremities adequately. The result: cold hands and feet.
3. You have power and motivation
The metabolism is not only closely related to our energy level on a physical level. It can also show mentally whether you get enough power. Because if you feel able to cope with everyday life (at least most of the time) and have enough mental strength for all the things you want to do, this also indicates a good metabolism. Because it plays a role in the production of the “reward hormone” dopamine. If the metabolism is active, we produce enough dopamine and feel motivated and energetic.
3 signs of a (too) slow metabolism
1. You gain weight quickly but hardly lose weight
Difficulty reaching or maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most common signs of a sluggish metabolism. If you eat a balanced diet, do enough exercise – and your weight still seems to be doing what it wants, metabolic problems could be behind it.
2. You feel tired and drained
If the food is not metabolized quickly enough, we do not get enough energy. This can lead to us feeling constantly tired and listless.
3. You have digestive problems
Do you often struggle with flatulence, diarrhea or constipation? This can be related to metabolism. Because the metabolism is closely linked to the gastrointestinal tract, both systems are subject to complex interactions.
Sources used: mindbodygreen.com, medicinenet.com