10 Natural Ways to Stimulate Your Metabolism

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Some people are lucky to be born with a fantastic metabolism and a slim allure no matter what they eat or do. Are the rest of us doomed to live without it and envy the others? Luckily, everybody can boost their metabolism, if they want to and act accordingly.

Metabolism and Health

Having a proper metabolism is not only preventing us from gaining (funny how it sounds like we got a prize along with that belly fat, isn’t it?) unappealing weight and getting sluggish digestion but it is even more critical for our overall health. Nobody died of belly fat, right, but cardiovascular diseases are one of the highest causes of death in the world.

What is Metabolism?

While you may think that metabolism is something mysterious in your belly that makes your food disappear metabolism happens in all your body, starting within your cells. All the chemical reactions that occur in every living organism 24/24 aimed to keep you going are called metabolic reactions.

Metabolism is, basically, the process that transforms the calories that we consume into energy that your body uses to support other functions. A proper metabolism doesn’t only mean a slim body, it also means an excellent immune system, a proper digestion, a healthy thyroid function, a superb endocrine system, an extraordinary reproductive system, a good vitality and energy, a healthy brain, a good heart, a good mood, a beautiful skin and so on.

10 Natural Ways to Stimulate Your Metabolism

1. Detox

Since you have to start somewhere, I’d say a proper metabolism begins with getting rid of the toxins that slow down your body’s functions and prevent your body to function at its optimum rate.

  • Colon: Detox your colon using natural products made with herbs and plants.
  • Liver: Detox your liver naturally, with herbal teas such as burdock, nettle, dandelion, milk thistle, turmeric and so on. The liver is our body’s filtering system. If the filter is clogged, the whole system fails to get rid of toxic waste and can’t function properly. So, taking care of the liver regularly is a necessity for the entire body.
  • Skin: Detox your skin by eating healthy, adding more vegetables and greens in your diet, and increasing the amount of fresh, uncooked, raw meals (salads, smoothies, juices). Also, use natural cosmetics on your skin, as what goes on your skin, goes into your body. Nourish it from inside out and from outside, too, with natural, pure ingredients.
  • Mind: Detox your emotions and mind by refraining from criticism, judgments, heated arguments, and negative emotions like anger, fear, sadness, jealousy and so on. Let them go, allow your mind to get rid and eliminate these toxic thoughts and feelings, knowing that they affect your health and metabolic rate. Instead, focus and manifest only positive, beautiful, creative, inspiring thoughts and emotions.

2. No Inflammatory Foods

Avoid inflammatory foods as they slow down the digestion, decrease your metabolism, and increase cortisol (stress hormone) production. These foods are your metabolism “killers.” So stay away from:

  • Processed and overprocessed foods
  • White flour (bread, pasta, pastry, etc.)
  • Refined sugar (including desserts, yogurts, and supplements that contain it)
  • Artificial sweeteners
  • Refined, hydrogenated oils
  • Dairy and dairy products (the human body has a hard time processing them)

3. Intermittent Fasting

One of the most popular health trends lately, intermittent fasting is tried and tested and has been proven to boost metabolism, help you shed weight, boost your brain function and add years to your life.

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern, using cycles of eating and fasting. You can fast for 24 hours, two times a week, or you can fast 16 hours daily. You will not eat any food during that fasting period, but you can drink pure water.

The effects of this method go deep to the cellular and molecular level. It regulates your hormone levels and insulin levels, your cells and tissues will have enough time to repair and regenerate, and there will be changes even in your genes.

4. Water

Since we talked about water, let me stress the importance of drinking water daily in optimum quantities. Water hydrates your body and skin, and if you educate yourself to drink water instead of sugary or energy drinks, you’ll see that you feel better, lose weight and have better digestion. Studies show that drinking water accelerates your metabolism. Drinking water with half an hour before meals you will feel fuller sooner and you will eat less.

5. Herbs on Fire

Many herbs and spices have more properties than adding flavor to your meals. Some boost metabolism, burn fat fasters, reduce cravings, and help increase weight loss. With them, your food tastes impressive AND gives you health benefits. Add them in your cooked and raw meals, in soups, morning bowls, salads, sweets, beverages, and smoothies.

Herbs that stimulate your inner fire for a better and continuously high metabolism:

  • Ginger
  • Cinnamon
  • Fennel seeds
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Turmeric
  • Cumin
  • Fenugreek
  • Coriander
  • Garlic
  • Cardamom
  • Green tea

6. Dance!

Any physical exercise would improve your metabolism, but why would you do the boring stuff like going to the gym and train hard till you drop, when you can Dance! Dance! Have fun and just dance!

Put the music on and dance. It’s a form of physical exercise that is beneficial on all levels of your being, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Dancing increase the production of happy hormones in your brain boosts metabolism, and oxygenation rate in your organism. It stimulates the lymphatic system, endocrine system, and immune system.

7. Laugh Your Belly Out

Laughing stimulates your abdominal muscles and is a great, fun exercise that will boost your metabolism while making you feel great and happy. Studies show that laughing burns calories, too, by increasing your heart rate, which leads to an increase in your metabolism rate as well. The exciting part is that you’ll continue to burn calories after you stop laughing.

Watch good comedies, invite your friends for laughing parties, learn and tell jokes to your coworkers, family, and friends daily, go to laughing yoga sessions in your city. All in the name of metabolism. Isn’t it funny?

8. Breathe!

Breathing is vital to your health. Due to our modern lifestyles, we mostly live indoors, with almost no contact with nature. We stay 8 or more hours at our desks, in improper postures that make us breathe incorrectly. As a result, we have shallow breathing that doesn’t give our body and especially, our brain the number of nutrients and oxygen needed to function correctly. Our metabolism rate decreases and our health, too.

Correct your posture when you walk and when you sit. Check to have your back straight, shoulders pulled back, so you allow deep breathing that lets your belly breath and relax better, for increased metabolism.

Breathing exercise to fan your inner fire:

  • Lay back or sit on a chair.
  • Close your eyes and focus freely on your breathing.
  • Now, put one hand on your belly and when you inhale, make sure that you inhale deeply so that your belly raises with your hand, and when you exhale, blow out all the air, so that your belly goes down with your hand.
    Keep breathing deeply to your belly for 5-10 minutes.
  • This simple, yet effective exercise improves your breathing, brings more oxygen to your lungs, blood, and brain, stimulate your digestion, and boosts your metabolism.
  • You can practice it at home or at your desk, too, during a break. It will also help you feel energized.

9. Yoga Poses

The ancient Indian science of yoga has several postures that boost metabolism. Its first recommend you to start with the Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara), which is a dynamic series of 12 poses that boost your metabolism, stimulate your lymphatic system, detoxify your body, improves your digestion and energize your whole body.

Other seven fantastic yoga poses that stimulate digestion and metabolism are:

  • Plow Pose (Halasana)
  • Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)
  • Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)
  • Seated forward bend Pose (Paschimottanasana),
  • Bow Pose (Dhanurasana),
  • Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana),
  • Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana).

10. Sleep Well

A great day with a great body, a great mood, and a high metabolism starts with a great sleep at night. Going to sleep no later than 10 – 10.30 p.m. for 8 hours straight to replenish your body with energy, help you relax, let your organs and bodily function rest at night so you can have plenty of energy and vitality during the day is a way to improve and support your metabolism.

Things to do for a great sleep:

  • Leave electronics outside your bedroom.
  • Read something pleasant and relaxing before going to bed.
  • Listen to ambient, instrumental, chill out, soothing music that balances your brain’s hemispheres and calms you down. You can try binaural beats or different frequencies.
  • Use thick curtains at your windows to keep the room dark at night, so your body produces melatonin.
  • Drink a warm, calming tea (chamomile).
  • Infuse your bedroom with sleep-promoting, calming, relaxing essential oils (Lavender, Chamomile, or Eucalyptus).