For years celebrities like Miranda Kerr have been espousing the benefits of eating for your blood and body type. Doing so can boost your metabolism, which can lead to better health, an improved immune system and assist with weight loss. What you eat and when, and including some light exercise in your daily routine can all speed up your metabolism.
New book The Metabolic Clock will help you turn your bad habits into healthy ones, help you live a more balanced life and is filled with recipes designed to speed up your metabolism.
We spoke to author of The Metabolic Clock, Julie Rennie about how we can live a healthier life according to our body type.
RESCU: Are some people simply born with a faster metabolism than others, or is that a myth?
Julie Rennie: There is research from Dr. Peter J.D’Adamo that suggests each of the four blood types A, AB, B and O, have different digestive constitutions. For example it is suggested that A blood types process meat very slowly and O blood types processes meat very quickly. The B blood group processes dairy well and AB thrives on seafood. If all members in a family are the A blood group then they may all have a digestive constitution that processes meat very slowly, leading to a slow metabolism when meat is eaten. So, maybe with a different choice of foods your metabolism can speed up quite naturally.
RESCU: Can we beat our genes?
Julie Rennie: If our blood group is genetic then we will also have instincts that lead us to the foods that our own unique body thrives on. It is so important to listen to our instincts when selecting foods. Simply put, lentils are not for everyone. Only you know how a particular food affects your body, so you are the best person to create your healthy eating strategy. If you eat a certain food and have a negative reaction to that food, then your body is telling you that this particular food is not right for your body.
RESCU: What’s more important – the when, how much, or what of eating to boost metabolism?
Julie Rennie: Most people only think about food when they are hungry or from the perspective of their next meal. With this approach, you may not gain all the nourishment required to fuel your body efficiently. Instead, if you look at your nourishment requirements over the 24 hours in a day, you will have more balanced energy levels to perform all activities comfortably and easily.
The most important formula of The Metabolic Clock is to focus on what to eat and when, according to nature’s energy cycles. When it comes to weight loss, the amount of carbohydrates you eat for energy needs to be used up in a day or this fuel will be stored as body fat while you sleep. If you eat most of your energy giving carbohydrates at night, when you don’t need much fuel your body will store this energy as fat while you sleep. The solution is to eat your carbohydrates during the day, not at night and your body will burn fat for energy while you sleep. An early evening meal of protein and vegetables will give your body the nutrients to build and repair while you sleep.
Think of your metabolism like a miniature sun. At sunrise it’s waking up, it gathers momentum and is at its peak at midday, and then it glides gently into sunset slowing down and resting. Now relate this to the modern lifestyle pattern of a late breakfast or no breakfast at all, a late lunch and a large dinner at night. With this eating pattern, you are eating most of your food during your metabolism’s slowest cycle. Your body has to work hard to digest the food and you may wake up feeling very sluggish and tired.
Your digestive system is like a muscle, it contracts and releases and this is how food is passed along. If you skip meals then this process stops and your metabolism slows down. On the other hand if you eat a large meal it overwhelms the digestive system and anything that is overwhelmed slows down. Remember how sleepy you feel after a large meal on Christmas day. Smaller portions eaten regularly keep the metabolism moving in a balanced way.
RESCU: We know speeding up metabolism can be of help to weight loss, but does it have any other benefits?
Julie Rennie: Your digestive system is the beginning and end of all processes in the body. Your metabolism is the engine room of your digestive system.
Quick facts about your digestive system.
1. It converts the food you eat into energy.
2. It houses 70% of your immune system and rids the body of toxins.
3. Nerve endings in your digestive system all lead back to your brain, so what you are thinking will have an impact on your digestive system.
A healthy metabolism gives you lots of energy, boosts your immune system and quite possibly gives you a happier attitude.
RESCU: What are your top five metabolism-boosting foods?
Julie Rennie:
1. Pineapple would have to be at the top of my list. It contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps the pancreas produce the chemicals that digest protein, fats and carbohydrates. The best time of day to eat two slices of fresh pineapple is mid-morning as your metabolism gains momentum and aligns with the sun.
2. Celery is a good food source for diabetics because it stimulates the pancreas glands, producing insulin for carbohydrate digestion. Nibble on celery sticks or have a morning juice of celery, carrot and green apple.
3. Berries all have their special qualities and when you put strawberries, blueberries and raspberries together, you have a fruit mix full of antioxidants and enzymes that kick-start the metabolism.
4. Rolled oats are great because they contain manganese, which helps stabilize glucose levels, giving you more balanced energy. Add mixed berries to your muesli and the antioxidants and enzymes make it an excellent start to your day.
5. Lemons are packed with vitamin C and cleanse the digestive system, which is more efficient when it is clean. Half a lemon squeezed into hot water is a simple way to detoxify your body.
The Metabolic Clock – A Balanced daily routine
1. Wake up at sunrise and gently stretch your body. Sit quietly for 3 minutes and visualise what you would like to experience in your life. Meditate and think of what you are grateful for.
2. Start the day with a cleansing drink. This will rehydrate your body and help to cleanse the toxins from your overnight fast. Ideal cleansing drinks are water at room temperature, hot water with freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh or powdered barley or wheat grass juice and raw, freshly juiced fruits or vegetables.
3. Exercise if you like to exercise in the morning. This is a good time of the day for yoga and Pilates exercises, which encourage the natural flow of energy in the body.
4. Eat breakfast so that your metabolism gets moving. Sit in the early morning sun while you eat your breakfast. Morning sun helps your body to create serotonin, which is known as the happy hormone.
5. Eat fruit mid-morning to speed up your metabolism and fill your body with life giving enzymes.
6. Eat a nourishing meal close to midday when your metabolism is very active. This will give you the fuel for an energetic afternoon and keep your metabolism moving.
7. If hungry, have a mid-afternoon protein snack.
8. Do energetic exercise or walk to burn off excess fuel from carbohydrates late in the afternoon.
9. Eat a light meal of protein and vegetables in the early evening. Then begin your fast and do not eat again until morning. Eat your meal slowly and enjoy relaxed conversation with the people around you.
10. Allow yourself to relax and prepare for a restful night’s sleep. Do not drink tea or coffee or engage in activities that stimulate the mind. Ensure that you are in bed well before midnight to ensure you experience deep sleep that rejuvenates and heals.
The Metabolic Clock is available now.
