Ready to take action?

Posted on by Tasleem Kassam

The world feels complicated right now and it is so easy to feel overwhelmed.  As the summer days are winding down, we are returning to school and work routines for our second consecutive CoVid September.

Aren’t you tired of waiting and worrying, trying to avoid an invisible virus, living in lockdown, wondering when and what will be the next imposed restriction? I propose that we harness all of that fear and uncertainty to instead take charge of the factors we can control, to help us achieve a robust level of health. Isn’t it time to take better care of yourself so that your immune system can better handle any infection that may come your way?

Only one in eight people are considered to be metabolically healthy¹, and yet metabolic health seems to be the true indicator of your body’s resilience.² What is metabolic health? According to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill*, metabolic health is defined as having ideal levels of blood sugar, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, blood pressure, and waist circumference, without the use of medications. And contrary to what one might think, you might still be metabolically unhealthy, despite being a reasonable weight.

Here are some key ways to gauge your own level of metabolic fitness:

  • Waist circumference. Your waist circumference is a better marker that your body mass index (BM) or your weight, since we are measuring the degree of abdominal fat. Ideally, men should have a waist circumference of less than 40 inches and women, 35 inches.
  • Waist to height ratio. Your waist measurement should be less than half your height. If it doesn’t, it is likely you have some degree of insulin resistance.
  • Blood pressure. Your blood pressure can be taken at most pharmacies. Ideally, we want to see blood pressure to be 120/80.
  • Other symptoms– if you regularly have sugar cravings, often get “hangry”, feel fatigued or brain fog following a carbohydrate rich meal, or get skin tags, chances are you are experiencing some issues with keeping your blood sugars balanced.
  • Labwork – high triglycerides, high cholesterol, high fasting blood sugar or abnormal HbA1c are all signs that things are out of balance.

Take action by implementing the following strategies:

  1. Eat whole foods, in reasonable quantities. It is the simplest way to avoid all of the inflammatory and blood sugar spiking ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, sugar and oxidized seed oils. Limit grain and sugar intake and instead eat foods that are high in healthy fats (like avocado and olive oil) and protein (like beef, chicken, and fish). Eat protein at each meal. Enjoy your favourite indulgences responsibly and occasionally.
  2. Move. Our bodies were designed to move. For every hour spent sitting, stand up for 10 minutes. Incorporate enjoyable movement to your day – walks, high intensity training, yoga, sports. Walking for ten minutes after meals helps to normalize your blood sugars. Regular movement not only keeps your circulation going, but is also nature’s best antidepressant.
  3. Limit your exposure to anything that brings you down. People you don’t find joyful, social media, the news…
  4. Manage your stress levels. Whether it is deep breathing, meditation, playing music, yoga, going for a walk, sharing with a loved one, watching your favorite TV show, giving/getting hug(s)…find something that brings you joy everyday and takes you out of your mind and into the present moment.
  5. Rest. Go to bed and rise at the same time everyday. Avoid blue screens (tablets, computer screens and smartphones) at least one hour before bed. Ensure you get adequate physical activity in every day so that your body is ready for resting at night. Nap if you need to.
  6. Supplement appropriately. I would certainly encourage everyone to adopt a basic supplement routine including vitamins A, C, D and zinc and quercetin as needed to help support your immune system.

Stay strong, no matter what, know that you are not alone. WE ARE all in this together and though it might not feel like it in this moment, or another – this, too, shall pass.

References:

  1. Joana Araújo, Jianwen Cai, and June Stevens.Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.Feb 2019.46-52.http://doi.org/10.1089/met.2018.0105
  2. Stefan, N., Birkenfeld, A.L. & Schulze, M.B. Global pandemics interconnected — obesity, impaired metabolic health and COVID-19. Nat Rev Endocrinol 17, 135–149 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-020-00462-1
Tasleem Kassam