most books and schools of nutrition advocate the same
TRANSCRIPT
It's been said thousands of times: “One person’s food is another person’s poison”. Despite this reality, there are countless books in the marketplace which discuss ‘one-size-fits-all’ ways of eating, purporting to be the ideal diet for all human beings.
Whether these books are marketed for weight loss and dieting (the majority), fitness and
performance, or to reverse some disease process, the underlying theme is essentially the
same:
Most books and schools of nutrition advocate the same
diet for each person. Despite this idealistic concept, the clinical truth is that:
There is NO ONE way of eating, nor one nutrition
program that works well for every person. In fact, your body’s nutritional requirements are about as unique as your fingerprints. How
can we speak with such certainty? We have a very strong clinical bias. Metabolic Typing®
is a true science of health, factoring in your unique metabolic tendencies, your own body's
rate of cellular metabolic tendencies, and its nervous system function, ALL of which are
seen as the fundamentally most influential factors upon your ability to generate biological
energy from the food you eat.
Over the past decade, we have been fortunate enough to have worked professionally
with thousands of clients with health and nutrition. We’ve literally witnessed how the great
saying: ‘one person’s food is another person’s poison’, is actually a clinical truth. We’ve
watched how high protein and high fat/low carb diets can build and sustain health and
even reverse disease processes in some people, while plant-based, high carb, lower
protein and lower fat diets build and sustain health, and even reverse disease processes
in someone else.
In fact, we’ve even seen how the same disease process resolves by completely opposite
means with two different people: one person consumes high protein, high fat and low
carb foods, just as another consumes a plant-based, lower protein and fat diet, each
regaining health in their own individual way.
Modern Day Example Let’s use a modern day example and diet fad
to gain a deeper understanding...
If you’re a health conscious person, or even if
you’re a person who is trying to become more
health conscious, you’ve likely read about your
paleolithic ancestors and the foods that they
consumed to be healthy. You’ve likely read
about the anthropological work of Dr. Weston
Price.
Today, paleo has become somewhat of a household name in the nutrition world. Paleo
diets advocate, like most other diets, a rather ‘one size fits all’ type of approach. Since
our paleolithic ancestors didn’t rely on agriculture, whole grains are not included in a paleo
diet. Since dairy farming hadn’t yet manifested, dairy consumption is avoided by the
paleo followers. The strict paleo diet is typically meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds,
seasonal fruit...and that’s about it.
Sounds pretty boring doesn’t it? Well, surprisingly, droves of people have derived
tremendous benefit by eating a strict paleo diet. Just do a Google search and you will
find tens of thousands of blogs, websites and forums on paleo ways of eating, and the
remarkable testimonials that follow.
It’s good to also be very aware that many people don’t do well eating this way. They may
gain weight instead of losing weight, feel bloated, overfilled, tired, spacey, and run down.
After all, if there is any truth to “one person’s food being another person’s poison”, there
has to be evidence of it. There are a lot of people in this world, and many, many types of
ancestry, genetic mixes, climates, altitudes, and many physical demands placed upon
different body types.
A true paleo diet is not one that adheres to dogmatic, pre-agrarian principles of
long-deceased ancestors. Even if you tried to recreate a true paleo diet, the majority of
people couldn’t come close enough to actually bridging the gap. A true paleo diet would
involve hunting and foraging for your food, likely going days without eating. If someone
really wanted to eat like a caveman, they would have to endure tremendous hardship to
obtain their food. Because food was sparse many times throughout the year, fasting
would be required and with that, your body would enter into ketosis and likely dehydration,
and many people would die from these difficult experiences.
Are you ready to go Full Paleo?!
Today, most paleo followers obtain their food with convenience from local grocery
stores, the bulk of which is being shipped in from far away locations, on trucks, planes or
by other means of transport.
So as you can see, in its truest sense, a true paleo way of eating is an impossibility. And
even if you decide you want to avoid grains and dairy, and whatever else our paleolithic
ancestors didn’t have access to, the truth is that human civilizations have evolved
beyond paleolithic times. Since then, cultures have subsisted on the foods that were
made available to them, including grains and dairy foods when available.
But most importantly, any diet that prescribes one way of eating for everyone, is going
to:
Work well for some people.
Have little effect on others.
Make a third group’s symptoms worse. An ideal paleo diet actually is not a diet at all, but rather, an individualized nutrition program that is designed in concordance with the biological needs of the individual, in organic harmony and abiding by nature’s laws. When you realize you have reached the end of your dieting rope, the opportunity for real nutrition begins! This individualized way of eating and living is TOTALLY THE OPPOSITE of what mainstream nutrition “experts” recommend, or try to convince you of. What Metabolic Typing® ultimately is about is teaching you to turn off the ‘one size fits all’ nutritional noise that you’re being bombarded with. Metabolic Typing® isn’t a nutritional system that exists to attach you to a dogma. Instead, Metabolic Typing® serves as a starting point to bring you back to the concept of listening to your body, and understanding which foods nourish your body (and why) and deliver you to ideal health. Essentially, Metabolic Typing® is a guide back to your OWN experience of your body and what it actually needs to be healthy and vital. Metabolic Typing® is based on the scientific discoveries of metabolic individuality, proving that no two people are alike, and therefore may require vastly different foods, macronutrient and micronutrient ratios.
Individualized Nutrition: The Evidence Throughout Human History
Get this! The two major, ancient medical systems did not advocate one-size-fits-all diets. In fact, both of these systems recognized the inherent individual tendencies in each person.
Both Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acknowledge the inherent, individual tendencies and imbalances present in each person. Ayurveda teaches that the individual constitution (vata, pitta, kapha) is the primary determining factor for the prescription of correct diet, herbs, and lifestyle adjustments. In a slightly different way, Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses organ and 5-element diagnosis to determine
imbalances in each patient. The total individual picture is then used to match the correct method of treatment through diet, herbs, acupuncture and other modalities. It is only in today's modern, Western world that people somehow believe that everyone should be eating the same type of diet. If you’ve tried vegetarian and vegan diets only to find you become very weak, hypoglycemic, overweight, insulin-resistant, cold, or hypothyroid, the evidence of your experience clearly indicates
This way of eating is not correct for your body. If you’ve eaten as a vegetarian or as a vegan and found you actually did exceptionally well with this way of eating and your energy and mental clarity improved, your blood sugar and blood lipids improved, your vitality peaked, then the evidence indicates:
You are eating more closely aligned with your body’s
needs. If you’ve explored high protein and high fat, low carb diets and found you do very poorly with this way of eating because you gain weight, lose energy, feel sluggish, heavy and constipated, the evidence clearly indicates:
This diet is not correct for your body. If you’ve explored high protein and high fat, low carb types of diets, and you did exceptionally well here, lost weight, blood glucose and blood lipids improved, mental clarity and mood became stable, energy improved, hypoglycemia went away, then the evidence of your experience clearly indicates:
You are eating more closely aligned with your body’s
needs. What if you tried eating both extremes (vegetarian or vegan and high protein/high fat) and found you did okay with both, but neither extreme seemed ideal? OR, you could eat vegetarian for one or two meals in the day, but not all 3? OR you could eat high protein and high fat/low carb meals for 1-2 meals in the day, but not all 3?
Then you do well with a more ‘middle of the way’ type of
diet; neither ‘too much of this, nor too much of that’.
All of these scenarios are typical and have the same relevance and respect in the practice of Metabolic Typing®. In truth, there are an infinite number of Metabolic Types® in the human population. However, for practical purposes, we can categorize all of these different types into 3 main categories. These are commonly referred to as:
Protein Types, Carbo Types, and Mixed Types. The Protein Types (Fast Oxidizers & Parasympathetic Dominant Types) do BEST eating significant amounts of animal protein and fats, and fewer amounts of carbohydrates. Perhaps you’ve heard of Atkins or “ketogenic diets”. Well, the people who will derive the most benefit from these types of diets are in Protein Type metabolism. Their body’s metabolic demands REQUIRE protein and fat as their primary source of fuel. Without sufficient dietary fat and the purine and adenine-rich animal proteins, protein types suffer from “metabolic inefficiency”. Protein types are very inefficient at making energy from sugars and carbohydrates, so much so that
overconsumption of carbs burn up very rapidly, similar to how paper kindling thrown on a fire creates a huge flame very briefly, only to have nothing remaining once the paper burns up.
Protein type 1- Fast Oxidizer
Protein type 2 - Parasympathetic Dominant
On the opposite end of this metabolic spectrum of possibilities, are the ‘Carbo Types’ (Slow
Oxidizers and Sympathetic Dominant Types). Carbo Types are the grazers. They eat because they know they should, not because they feel they need to. If carbo types overeat protein and fat, they get tired, sluggish or feel weighed down and heavy. Carbo Types thrive on simple foods: lots of plant foods, vegetables, grains, some fruits, and with a lot less of a protein requirement than the Protein Types. For the Carbo Type, eating is just simply not the most important part of their day. They are casual eaters. The people who do best eating as vegetarian, pseudo vegetarian or vegan diets are definitely in Carbo Type metabolism. Carbo Types can make energy from carbohydrates very efficiently, exactly the opposite of the Protein Types. For a Carbo Type, carbohydrates are the primary fuel that drive their metabolic engines.
Carbo Type 1 - Slow Oxidizer
Carbo Type 2 - Sympathetic Dominant
In the middle of the spectrum of metabolic possibilities are the “Mixed Types” (Mixed Oxidizers and Autonomic Balanced Types). Mixed Types are neither in Protein Type metabolism, nor are they in Carbo Type metabolism. They get by with what is available. A true Mixed Type cannot eat entirely like a Carbo Type, nor can they eat entirely like a Protein Type. Mixed Types have a greater sense of adaptability to certain diets and ways of eating. Because they can make energy relatively efficiently from all macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats), a mixed type has a wide variety of foods from which to choose. Of course, the caveat to being in Mixed Type metabolism is that it is very much like a metabolic juggling act;; too much or too little of any food or macronutrient could throw them off kilter.
Mixed Type 1 - Mixed Oxidizer
Mixed Type 2 - Balanced Dominant
Now the interesting thing here is that while we can clearly define and classify each of these 3 Metabolic Types: Protein Types, Carb Types and Mixed Types, we recognize that there can be
an infinite variation of the degree of possibilities within each type. For example, one person could be an extreme Protein Type, but someone else may be a Protein Type closer to Mixed Type metabolism. Or on the other extreme, one person could be a Carb Type right on the “cusp” of Mixed Type metabolism, while someone else is an extreme Carb Type. Identifying the degree of variation within your Metabolic Type category can greatly assist in fine tuning your diet and nutrition plan. For example, it stands to reason that an extreme Protein Type (take for example a native Inuit) has an intense metabolic demand for very high amounts of animal protein and fat, and a very minimal demand for any type of carbohydrate. In contrast, a Protein Type leaning closer towards Mixed Type metabolism, still has a strong demand for protein and fat, but also will likely benefit from some of the carbohydrates (and other foods) that benefit a Mixed Type. One major benefit of our Metabolic Typing system, is that your test results show you the degree and variation of your Metabolic Type through a percentage calculation (example: Fast Oxidation 62%, Slow Oxidation 30%, Mixed Oxidation 8%). These percentages may be helpful in guiding you towards the correct macro-nutrient combination at meal time, as well as understanding the need for certain vitamins and mineral combinations. Another amazing facet to your Metabolic Type blueprint-puzzle is that your Metabolic Type can change over time. It has been said that “change is the only constant”. Its important to point out that your biochemistry is always experiencing change and fluctuation to some degree. In truth, there is an endless stream of variables influencing your body’s metabolic processes: genetic influences, current nutritional practices, climate, altitude, stress demands placed upon your body, level of fitness, types of regular exercise, menstruation, disease processes, and countless other variables ad infinitum. It is possible to change Metabolic Types frequently. We’ve observed that some people may have cyclical metabolic tendencies. From our experience, this may be happening with some menstruating women. The metabolic changes occurring during luteal and follicular phases, in many cases can propel a woman into a temporary metabolic shift, towards a completely different Metabolic Type. Ever wonder why some women become ravenously hungry in the days
before menses, while others experience a decrease in appetite? One of the great things about Metabolic Typing and our program is that we teach you how to listen to your body and how to decode and understand the metabolic signals that your body is sending you. We believe that if each of us was living in true harmony with our Metabolic Type, we would be succinctly tuned into our nutritional intuition. As we always say: “the body knows how to be healthy”, we just have to “pay close attention” to what our body is telling us.
The symptoms you have, the cravings, urges and
tendencies, are actually opportunities for you to learn to
listen to your body, and understand what it needs.
Get Started Today
At Metabolic Healing, we work to uncover your own body's clues and match you with the correct dietary practices to optimize YOUR health. What’s involved in a MT assessment, you ask? In the privacy of your own home or office, we will direct you to an online assessment which gives us very comprehensive information about your history, your habits, your nutrition requirements, your personality and way of doing things, as well as an insider’s view on the way your body functions. All of this information is formulated with precision and statistical accuracy to determine your Metabolic Type ®. Once we know where you are on the spectrum, we will guide you with getting started on the best eating plan for your type as well as support you with tools for generating more self-awareness and knowledge about how your body is responding. This is just the beginning! There are many levels of discovery and advancement to experience on this path. You may choose to join a group educational experience to share with others and their experiences in one of our webinars, or you may choose to move on and have some in-depth biochemical analysis to increase your knowledge of your body. Who knows? You may even choose to become a practitioner of this powerful knowledge and bring it to others! Here are a couple of success stories from Metabolic Healing….
“I began working with Michael on Metabolic Type Nutrition just over two months ago. I
began eating the foods for my type the same day of my initial consultation, which also
happened to be a critical time for me. It was approximately five days before the typical
time of “normal” PMS symptoms. Those symptoms included bloating, sinus pressure,
water retention, anxiety, and plenty of brain chatter (unfocused thinking). Eating the
foods, and eating them in the order discussed with Michael, made me feel better within
days, I was impressed by how quickly my sinus pressure disappeared. Best of all, my
PMS symptoms did not show up at all. I became convinced that I was eating right for
my type when I experienced the same PMS free cycle the following month. I should note
that I have had a few days where I was unable to eat the foods that are best for my
type. During those days, I have felt the sinus pressure and the unbalance of blood
sugar through anxiety and headaches. As soon as I return to eating what is right for
me, the symptoms disappear.”
– Marcia Sivek, Cupertino, California
“So far I’ve been following the plan pretty well! I’ve been feeling just great. My energy and mood are much better, my PMS was almost nonexistent, and I haven’t been as hungry as I usually am. I also had a birthday dinner party to go to this Saturday. I ended up eating way more high carb foods than I was supposed to and woke up the next day feeling awful!! Although I hated that I felt so awful, it was a nice realization that I really need to stick to the meal plan in order to feel better. It was amazing, I woke up feeling hungover (without drinking more than one glass of wine!) and almost ‘sick’. My brain fog and mood swings also came back full force.”
– Jasmine, Chicago
I later learned that certain foods which were not compatible for my type of metabolism caused muscle inflammation and nerve pain in my arms. I am now aware of the cause and effect of food on my health. My body is so sensitive to incompatible foods, that I notice negative effects in my body immediately after consuming them. Thank you Michael for your help, and all of your continued support.”
– Nikki Wong, San Jose, CA
To unravel the mystery of what's just right for YOU, let's take the next step on your journey! Contact us today to participate in one of our carefully-designed assessment and educational processes to know and optimize your well-being for the rest of your life. Whether your needs are weight loss, emotional stability, energy regulation, or healing from chronic or acute illness, Metabolic Typing ® will support your needs and help move you along the road to optimum health!
Find out your Metabolic Type® today by visiting us at
http://www.metabolichealing.com/consultations