What is Metabolism?
“Metabolism is a term that is used to describe all chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of the organism and the cells. It can be divided into two categories…
Anabolism – the synthesis of all compounds needed by the cells.
Catabolism – the breakdown of molecules to obtain energy.
Metabolism is linked to the availability of nutrients and nutrition.
Nutrients in relation to metabolism encompasses factors such as bodily requirements for substances, individual functions of the body, the amount needed, and the level below which poor health results.
How Meditation Effects Metabolism
“Meditation can significantly affect hormones and neurotransmitters such as cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, serotonin, melatonin, and epinephrine.” (BEOM )
“The mind has an incredible amount of control over the body. Beyond conscious movements of skeletal muscles, a person’s mental state can influence subconscious body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and even the production of biochemical molecules. A substantial amount of scientific research has shown that meditation can influence the biological concentrations of several human hormones and neurotransmitters, many of which are known to be linked to biological control of stress and mood. These findings correlate well with the well-known positive influences of meditation on relaxation and contentment. (BEOM)
“Elias and coworkers have hypothesized that during meditation the body switches from glucose metabolism to fatty acid metabolism and that the altered concentration of product molecules being produced may lead to increased production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and its increase can relax the mind.” (BEOM)
“Previous studies on healthy patients or patients with medical illnesses have implicated that meditation could balance serum lipid concentrations. However, few studies investigate its effect on metabolic profiles in the depression population. To clarify this issue, this preliminary study compared the effect of an 8-week mindfulness meditation on serum lipids, glucose, and renal parameters between healthy and participants with depression symptoms. This clinical trial was conducted in Shanghai Mental Health Center (SMHC) from August 2015 to February 2017.” (WOL)
“Meditation significantly improved metabolic profiles in both groups, while this effect was greater in healthy subjects. This could be since healthy participants might be more focused and behave better during meditation. Triglyceride, ApoB, and ApoE were robust and sensitive factors in response to meditation regardless of population. No correlations were found between the changes in triglyceride, ApoB, ApoE and HAM-D17 score, indicating a complex regulation mechanism between metabolism and symptoms. Meditators with depression symptoms had a significantly larger reduction in symptoms and greater improvement of sleep quality compared to the healthy group. This might be the floor effect that healthy individuals with a low level at baseline may have a relatively smaller space of improvement.” (WOL)
The Role of Spinal Alignment in Metabolism
“When a bone moves out of alignment in the spinal column it can put pressure on a nerve exiting the spinal cord at any particular level. These nerves control every single function in our body, from digesting food, regulating the thyroid gland, and the hormone production. The spinal cord requires an abundance of energy to carry out its function, even at rest.” (ICH)
“When the spine is misaligned, it takes a surplus of ATP (energy) to meet the high demands of our nervous system. This can cause mitochondria (where energy is manufactured) of our nerve cells to malfunction leading to problems such as chronic fatigue, low energy, decreased performance, weight gain, etc.” (ICH)
What is Corrective Exercise and How Does it Impact Spinal Alignment?
“Corrective Exercise is a technique that leverages an understanding of anatomy, kinesiology, and biomechanics to address and fix movement compensations and imbalances to improve the overall quality of movement during workouts and in everyday life.” (NASM)
“Corrective Exercise is used to help assess and determine the root cause of imbalances and faulty movement patterns that lead to issues with posture, balance, and total body coordination. Read below to learn the benefits of corrective exercise…
Correct or improve improper posture
Corrective exercises can be used to improve neuromuscular control and movement patterns.
Increased strength, flexibility, and endurance
Corrective exercises and stretches help develop and strengthen key muscles in the body as well as help with flexibility and endurance issues.
Improved feeling of overall well being
Corrective exercise can even have a positive impact on the individuals' sense of wellness and well-being.
Facilities increased blood flow and circulation
Better circulation will promote tissue healing, reduced swelling, and reduced pain.
“Movement is a reality of everyday life regardless of if you work in an office building or are a professional athlete. Corrective Exercise is imperative in identifying and addressing imbalances that cause posture, stability, and mobility issues. Having a rich understanding of Corrective Exercise allows fitness professionals to identify problems and potential limitations in a client's movements.” (NASM)
Improve your Metabolism with Meditation and Corrective Exercise Offered at Mind and Body Fitness Connections
The body experiences postural stress when the joints do not align correctly. Over time, this stress due to misalignment creates improper wear and tear on the body, which can ultimately lead to pain, injury and altered metabolism. Since, muscles guide bones in movement it is critical that muscles be at their correct length and tension so that they do not put unneeded stress on the joints.
Wellness Coach Gwyn Davis of Mind and Body Fitness Connections will create a plan to help you correct muscle imbalances, preventing injury and keeping you living your best life! Learn more by visiting the Spinal Alignment Program Page
During an initial assessment, Gwyn conducts assessments to determine your muscle imbalances, core strength, flexibility, and other contributing problems such as gait, poor diet and self-defeating lifestyle choices before your workout program is even created!
Gwyn has extensive training in performing postural assessments that she learned from the world renowned CHEK INSTITUTE and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
Help boost your metabolism with personalized corrective exercises created in the Spinal Alignment Program, individualized meal planning created in the Metabolic Food Healing Program and meditation classes offered through our Zen Movement Classes.
To learn more about classes offered through Zen Zone at Mind and Body Fitness Connections visit our classes page.
Start living your best life today!
Lauren Curtis
Blog Writer
