Metabolic Typing is the science of discovering the fundamental way in which your body produces energy from your food, in other words, the explanation of why “one person’s medicine is another’s poison.”
One of the basic principles of Metabolic Typing is that protein, carbohydrates, fats,vitamins and minerals, which are transported by the blood, are best absorbed and utilized by the cells in your body at the ideal blood pH level of 7.46. Below this figure the blood is too acidic, above this figure the blood is too alkaline. The more your pH deviates from the ideal, the less efficient will be the conversion of food to energy.
The second principle of Metabolic Typing is that any nutrient can be acidifying or alkalizing, stimulating or inhibiting, depending on yourmetabolic type.
The benefits of eating according to your metabolic type are not justweight loss. Metabolic Typing is used by healthcare practitioners to help many conditions, including the following: weight problems, chronic fatigue, allergies, chronic pain, diabetes, heart disease, and rheumatologic disease, just to name a few.
Determining individual metabolic type:
These variables are analyzed to determine your individual metabolic type:
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Oxidative Rate- This is generally the most important dominant variable. This tells us how quickly or slowly you metabolize (or oxidize) food. A modified glucose tolerance test is done. After fasting for 12-15 hours, you will be given 50 grams of carbohydrate in the form of a fruit drink. Your blood sugars are then taken with a fingerstick test every half-hour for ninety minutes. The extremes of oxidative rates are seen in diabetes (slow oxidizer) and hypoglycemia (fast oxidizer).
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Blood, Urine, and Saliva pH– Protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, are transported by the blood, are best absorbed and utilized by the cells in your body at the ideal blood pH level of 7.46. Below this figure the blood is too acidic, above this figure the blood is too alkaline. The more your pH deviates from the ideal, the less efficient will be the conversion of food to energy. A reduced ability to feed the body on a cellular level causes cascading imbalances and eventually an breakdown that a doctor can hang a diagnosis on. The hip bone is indeed connected to the thigh bone.
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Autonomic Nervous System Dominance– The ANS is the part of the nervous system that controls everything that occurs automatically, from blood pressure and blood flow to breathing and blinking. For instance, you do not tell yourself to breathe or increase your heart rate during exercise. Your body just performs these functions automatically. The extremes of ANS dominance are the Type A personality who is always on the go (sympathetic or adrenaline dominant) versus the Type B personality, laid back person who needs a boost to get them out of bed (parasympathetic or acetyl-choline dominant).
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Blood Type -Most people know the importance of blood typing with regards to receiving a blood transfusion. Likewise, foods can cause agglutination because of the presence of lectins on their cell surfaces. Lectins are sugar-binding proteins that agglutinate or clump cells. Foods contain different lectins. Your blood type will help determine what foods may not be beneficial for you because of lectin incompatibility. This is usually the variable responsible for not being able to eat certain foods that might otherwise be considered very healthy.
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Body Type -Body Type refers to where you tend to gain weight. Certain hormone systems are considered dominant depending on your Body Type. The four Body Types are classified as gonad, thyroid, adrenal, or pituitary. This is the reason why some people gain weightin the hips, while others are extremely skinny, but have that little pouch around the middle. Sometimes Body Type can be determined just by appearance. For example:
Area of Weight Gain
Body Type
Hips
Gonad
Abdomen
Thyroid
All over athletic build
Adrenal
“Baby fat”
Pituitary
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Candida Infection – Candida fungus is present in soil, therefore it is on the food that is eaten every day. When you take an antibiotic, not only are the bad bacteria destroyed, but the good bacteria in the intestines that protect you from candida infections are also destroyed. This is why so many people have candida infections. This is often why so many people have candida infections. This is often the first condition that needs to be corrected when trying to regain your health. Candida or fungus feeds on sugar and simple carbohydrates. For this reason, people with this condition often have uncontrollable cravings forsugar and carbohydrates. Therefore it is imperative that the “food source” for the candida is limited in order to get rid of the condition. Presence of candida is determined by a blood test.
How many metabolic types are found among people? The number ranges from two to ten types. The most commonly used theory among researchers, however, is that there are three metabolic types: slow, fast, and mixed.
Define your own metabolic type using the questionnaire in the Table below . Highlight the characteristics that fit you most closely and count the total score under each column. With any particular entry, if you fall between fast and slow metabolism, highlight both. In choosing the answers, keep in mind that you are assessing your current actual condition, not a past or desired one.
Self-Assessment of your Metabolic Type:
Body build, appearance, and physiological functions
|
Nos. |
Fast Metabolism |
Slow Metabolism |
|
1 |
Broad shoulders, full-chest, and good strength |
Pear-shaped, curvy, with weaker upper body or small and very slim |
|
2 |
Ears are pink or red, darker than the skin of the face |
Ears are pale, lighter than the skin of the face |
|
3 |
Eyes are very moist, even tears appear |
Eyes are dry |
|
4 |
Eyes are often itching, even though there is no cold or allergy |
Eyes are rarely itching, if there is cold or allergy |
|
5 |
Face color is pink, ruddy, flushed |
Face color is pale, sallow |
|
6 |
Face complexion is bright, shiny, radiant |
Face complexion is pasty, chalky, dull |
|
7 |
Nose often is too moist, even tends to run |
Nose often is too dry |
|
8 |
Pupil’s diameter is equal to or smaller than the width of the iris ring around it |
Pupil’s diameter is larger than the width of the iris ring around it |
|
9 |
Fingernails are thin, even weak and brittle, can be easily bent over |
Fingernails are thick, strong, and hard |
|
10 |
Skin, more often in the winter, especially on fingertips and heels, cracks for no reason |
Skin on fingertips and heels, even in the winter, never cracks |
|
11 |
Skin itches often, especially the scalp, arms, or calves |
Skin itches rarely, even the scalp, arms, and calves |
|
12 |
Goosebumps, even on the arms and legs, rarely appear |
Goosebumps, especially on the arms and legs, appear easily and often |
|
13 |
Dandruff on the scalp often forms, especially after eating animal fats |
Dandruff on the scalp never forms, even after eating animal fats |
|
14 |
Weight is usually gained in the upper body |
Weight is usually gained in the belly |
|
15 |
Saliva in the mouth is too much in quantity, with a tendency for drooling |
Saliva in the mouth is too little in quantity, often dry mouth |
|
16 |
Dislikes the heat, does best in cool or cold weather |
Often feels cold, does best in warm or hot weather |
|
17 |
Coughs easily and often, especially soon after eating or at night, even when not sick |
Does not cough, unless when sick |
|
18 |
Strong reaction to insect bites or stings, including swelling, pain, itching, bruising, redness, and takes long time to go away |
Weak or mild reaction to insect bites or stings, and goes away quickly |
|
19 |
Easily and often gags |
Rarely or never gags |
|
20 |
Brief sneezing attacks, especially after eating, not associated with colds or allergies |
Almost never sneezes, unless having cold or allergies |
Psychological characteristics and behavioral traits
|
Nos. |
Fast Metabolism |
Slow Metabolism |
|
21 |
Hard-driving, hyperactive, and ambitious personality |
Laid back, even-tempered, and easy-going personality |
|
22 |
Often is impatient, irritable, anxious, in a state of nervousness, excitability |
Often experiences depression, apathy, fatigue, exhaustion |
|
23 |
Deals with many things at once |
Approaches problems one at a time |
|
24 |
Extroverted, socializes easily with people, loves company |
Introverted, feels awkward at social gatherings, prefers being alone |
|
25 |
Loves to eat; food is a big or central part of life |
Rarely thinks about food; eats more because has to than because wants to |
|
26 |
Eating sweets before bed interferes with sleep or even causes insomnia |
Eating sweets before bed does not interfere with sleep or cause insomnia |
|
27 |
Eating heavy food like meat, fowl, and cheese improves sleep |
Eating heavy food like meat, fowl, and cheese disrupts or worsens sleep |
|
28 |
Has insomnia caused by the need to eat something before going to bed or after waking up in the middle of the night |
Rarely or never experiences that kind of insomnia |
|
29 |
Skipping meals causes negative symptoms like feeling worse, getting irritable, jittery, weak, tired, with a lack of energy |
Skipping meals does not bother much, can easily forget to eat |
|
30 |
Often wants to snack between meals (typically three meals a day) |
Rarely or never wants or needs snacks |
Dietary preferences and food reactions
|
Nos. |
Fast Metabolism |
Slow Metabolism |
|
31 |
Strong appetite, out of control |
Poor appetite, under control |
|
32 |
Does not feel thirsty, unless after eating salty foods |
Gets thirsty easily and often, even if salty foods were not eaten |
|
33 |
It is hard to fast on juice or water |
It is easy to go a long time without food, even fast |
|
34 |
Loves salty foods, even craves them |
Foods salted only lightly are best |
|
35 |
Loves sweet foods, even craves them |
Sweet foods seem too sweet, eating them may even throw out of balance |
|
36 |
Likes sour foods such as pickles, sauerkraut, lemons, yogurt, even craves some of them |
Generally does not care for sour foods |
|
37 |
Going four hours without food results in a jittery or weak feeling |
Can easily go more than four hours without food |
|
38 |
A high-protein meal gives a sense of increased energy and well-being |
A high-protein meal results in a sleepy or lethargic feeling |
|
39 |
A high-carbohydrate meal with fruits, vegetables, pastry, or candy results in feeling worse and does not satisfy |
A high-carbohydrate meal with fruits, vegetables, pastry, or candy satisfies and gives sustained energy |
|
40 |
Prefers fatty foods over sweets |
Has aversions to fatty foods |
|
41 |
Drinking coffee results in a jittery, nervous, hyper, nauseated, and shaky feeling |
A cup of coffee starts the morning off just right |
|
42 |
Feels good or better after eating red meat |
Eating red meat decreases energy and well-being |
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43 |
Gaining weight is due to eating many carbohydrates like bread, pasta, fruits, and vegetables |
Eating meats and fatty foods leads to weight gain |
|
44 |
Eating sweet foods gives a quick lift followed by a sudden drop of energy |
Eating sweet foods gives a feeling of sustained well-being and lasting energy |
|
45 |
Fruit juice between meals can make light-headed, jittery, shaky, and hungry soon after |
Fruit juice between meals satisfies and nourishes well until next meal |
|
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Total score: |
Total score: |
Add the two totals, subtract the lower score from the higher one; then divide the result by the number of questions answered and multiply by 100 percent. If the result is less than 33 percent, your metabolism is moderate, if you come up with more, it is either fast or slow, depending on which score was higher.