Does your metabolism need a boost? Some of the most common side effects of a slow metabolism are tiredness and excess weight and although they might be the effects they are also the cause. The more fat you have in your body the slower your metabolism and the more energy you have the higher your metabolism. This is an ongoing cycle that either spirals upwards or downwards. The real question then is which way are you spiraling? Apart from all the potions and pills on the market there are natural metabolism boosters that can greatly increase your metabolism. In fact, the artificial pills and potions rarely work effectively over time.
Metabolism is nothing but the natural process through your body converts food into the energy needed to maintain itself. An increase in metabolism means an increase in the rate at which your body converts food into energy and consequently less food that gets stored as fat. With a high metabolism you will also start to burn off excess fat that is stored, but the key is to understand a simple concept.
You can only lose weight by either increasing the demand for calories through exercise or by decreasing the supply i.e the food that you consume. Although there are several foods like fresh fruits and vegetables that act as natural metabolism boosters, there is something more fundamental than food.
The two most vital ingredients in any process in your body are oxygen and water. You can barely go a day without water and not even more than a couple of minutes without oxygen. When the metabolic process occurs in your body, oxygen is one of the vital components for this reaction to take place. By being properly oxygenated, you keep your body’s oxygen levels high and your metabolism stays at an optimum level.
When you exercise, for instance, you increase your body oxygen intake and consequently you increase your metabolism. Most of us have become accustomed to shallow breathing, but by deliberately breathing properly you can oxygenating your system. Proper breathing happens in the lower area of your lungs where your oxygen capacity is highest. A deep breath should be in your diaphragm – just watch a sleeping baby breathe and you will know how ‘natural breathing occurs.
Deliberate breathing is a highly effective natural metabolism booster. Here is a simple breathing technique that will help you raise your metabolism:
You should breathe in the following ratio 1:4:2 (Inhale through your nose exhale through your mouth.)
Inhale for 1 count
Hold for 4 counts
Exhale for 2 counts
If you inhale for 3 seconds, you would hold for 12 seconds and exhale for 6 seconds. You exhale twice as long as you inhale because that is when you eliminate toxins from your body via the lymphatic system. When you hold you can fully oxygenate your system and allow oxygen exchange.
You must stop and take at least 10 deep breaths a minimum of 3 times a day.
Even when you stop and do these 10 deep breaths you will ‘feel’ a surge of energy go through your body. This is because you are allowing more energy to be released and as you continue to use this simple exercise you can start to change your habitual breathing patterns which for most people are quite shallow.
Equally important to your body’s metabolism is water. 90% of your body is water and when it comes to metabolism water is probably the most important component. Water is a means of ‘transport’ in your body and is responsible for getting the right stuff to the right places. Even more importantly though is water’s function as a natural solvent. All nutrients and toxins dissolve into water to be transported and either used or eliminated.
By drinking plenty of water and breathing properly you can greatly increase your metabolism. In fact, these two natural metabolism boosters will probably increase your metabolism more than anything else.
Source by Deon Plessis