It’s Time to Check in With Your Metabolic Health

Whether it’s unwanted weight gain, diabetes or hormone imbalances, metabolic health complications can affect your quality of life. But at the AdventHealth Metabolic Health Institute, we’re here to help you live life on your terms.

Keep reading to learn more about metabolic health and its role in your everyday life.

What Is Metabolic Health and Why Does It Matter?

Metabolism refers to your body's ability to use energy from the food you eat. Having optimal metabolic health means your body can do this efficiently. While many think of metabolism only as our ability to maintain a healthy weight, there's so much more to consider. The indicators of metabolic health include blood sugar, hormonal regulation, blood pressure, cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight.

Several factors may affect your metabolic health, including your:

• Body mass index (BMI)
• Current lifestyle
• Existing medical conditions
• Family health history
• Mental health

Maintaining optimal metabolic health is key to living well, and there’s a direct correlation to your likelihood of developing or preventing certain conditions, like diabetes. One of the primary indicators of your metabolic health status is your body’s response to insulin.

Identifying Insulin Resistance

Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar (glucose) from the bloodstream into your cells, providing the energy they need to function. When this process works well, the body can easily heal, recover and function at peak performance. But when it doesn’t, known as insulin resistance, the body struggles to perform basic processes, creating an environment of poor recovery and inflammation. Because of this, patients with insulin resistance are more likely to have various metabolic diseases, like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

We’ve put together a quick quiz for you to take to find out if you may have insulin resistance. Answer “Yes” or “No” to the following questions:

• Are you having trouble losing weight and keeping it off?
• Do you have sugar cravings?
• Do you feel exhausted after a meal?
• Do you feel thirsty often and urinate frequently?
• Do you experience hunger pains?
• Do you often wake up at night?
• Do diets seem to work when you start and stop working later?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it may indicate early signs of insulin resistance. Don’t hesitate to bring this up with your primary care provider so they can evaluate you and help you with your next best steps.

Getting Started With Your Primary Care Provider

To take steps toward better metabolic health, consider the following:

• Schedule an appointment with your primary care provider.
• Have a conversation with your provider about weight loss and preliminary factors.
• Talk with your provider about your lifestyle. Discuss your need for sleep, diet, exercise and sunlight.
• If you need additional support with your lifestyle, schedule an appointment with a metabolic health expert.

Working with your primary care provider is a great first step toward a healthier you. Together, you can identify the underlying cause of your health concern and find ways to treat it, whether through medication or lifestyle modifications.

The Importance of Personalized Care

When it comes to metabolic health, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. What helped your coworker to lose weight may not work for you, and that’s OK. That’s why receiving specialized care is so important.

If you feel like you’re doing everything right and are still struggling to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle, our metabolic health experts are here to support you. At the AdventHealth Metabolic Health Institute, our team of physicians, nurse practitioners, dietitians, exercise physiologists, behavioral health experts and educators is committed to working with each patient to determine their best next step based on their unique health care needs and goals.

Helping You Feel Your Best, Inside and Out

At AdventHealth, we’re committed to helping you nurture your metabolic health and empowering you to achieve your wellness goals. Visit the AdventHealth Metabolic Health Institute to learn more about our programs, resources and treatment plans designed to help you feel whole.