I recently listened to one of the most enlightening episodes of Andrew Huberman’s podcast featuring Dr. Casey Means. The episode delved deep into metabolic health and how transforming our metabolism, hormone regulation, and blood sugar management can significantly improve our overall health.
The Importance of Metabolism
Metabolism is the cornerstone of our health—it’s how we convert food energy into human energy. However, metabolic dysfunction is widespread in the USA, leading to serious health issues and deaths. We often focus on treating symptoms rather than addressing the root cause: metabolic dysfunction.
An analogy to explain this is imagining a car coming off the assembly line with a bad tire and missing windows. Multiple specialists can fix the tire or install the windows, but the real issue lies in the assembly process. Similarly, we need to look at the underlying metabolic processes rather than just treating the symptoms.
Mitochondria: The Powerhouses of Our Cells
Mitochondria are crucial in converting food into energy. However, modern environmental changes—such as poor diet, sedentary lifestyles, and excessive blue light exposure—have negatively impacted our mitochondria. This leads to energy being stored as fat, contributing to the obesity epidemic and various chronic diseases, including sinus infections, all stemming from mitochondrial dysfunction.
When cells fail to perform their functions, they release extracellular ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which normally provides energy inside cells. When ATP is found outside cells, it signals that the cell is under stress or damaged, triggering an immune response. This creates a cycle of stress and damage, leading to chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress—a trifecta of bad energy. Dr. Means explained it as:
- Chronic inflammation: a biochemical fear response to a threat.
- Mitochondrial dysfunction: akin to rolling blackouts, where there’s not enough power.
- Oxidative stress: comparable to wildfires, causing further damage.
Improving Metabolic Health
To improve metabolic health, we need to enhance our capacity to convert food into usable energy. This involves:
- Increasing the number and functionality of mitochondria: This is crucial as each functional mitochondrion can process more energy substrates.
- Endurance Exercise: Activities such as running, swimming, or cycling.
- High-Intensity Exercise: Short bursts of intense activity.
- Resistance Training: Weight lifting and strength training.
- Longer Walks: Integrating longer walks into your daily routine.
Regular short exercises, even for a couple of minutes every 30 minutes, are more beneficial than a one-hour workout once a day, as scientific experiments suggest.
Important Blood Work to Monitor
Monitoring certain blood work can provide insights into your metabolic health:
- Fasting glucose
- Triglycerides
- Hemoglobin A1C
- Cholesterol
- HDL
- Blood pressure
Nutritional Focus
We should prioritize eating real, unprocessed foods from good soil. Key nutrients to include are:
- Fiber
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Adequate healthy protein
- Probiotics
- High antioxidant sources
Processed foods are often likened to a “polypharmacy of food,” breaking down components in ways that our bodies were not designed to handle.
Exploring Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM)
Exploring the use of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) can provide valuable insights into our metabolic health. These devices measure glucose levels in real-time, helping us understand our body’s response to different foods and activities.
A True Reformer: Dr. Casey Means
Dr. Casey Means is a true reformer. Instead of following the conventional path of prescribing medications for immediate profit, she delves deeper into research, aiming to influence and improve global health genuinely. I admire her dedication to uncovering and addressing the root causes of health issues. She also pointed out that in the US, there is a high fear of mortality, leading our medicine to focus on treating severe conditions rather than preventing them.