What is a Metabolic Typing Diet? Finding Your Metabolism Specific Blueprint

In my last post I covered the variables involved in what determines whether an “individual” is overweight and the fallacies involved with that in regards to the Body Mass Index formula. I also wrote an earlier piece on the leptin diet and how a number of foods on that menu may not fit your genetic makeup. Which brings me to this topic: Metabolism and insights into how you can find your own individual metabolic type.

When I came up with the domain name for this site situationalwellness.com I wanted to pick one that would offer perspectives on finding optimum health solutions for individuals with specific issues they would like to address and could be unique to their best interest thereof. The topic of understanding your metabolism and metabolic typing is perfect for projecting that mantra.

Why Is Understanding Your metabolism Important?

When you metabolize food two events are taking place:

1. catabolism – breaking food down to be used as energy
2. anabolism – making and repairing cells

In my post the leptin diet I mentioned the cases where there are those who can basically eat anything their heart desires, burn it off and still stay relatively fit. Of course that depends on a number of factors like: DNA, age and physical activity. But, what if none of those fore-mentioned are working to your advantage? Not just in regards to weight but aches pains and other ailments?

What Are Some Methods Of Identifying Your Personal Metabolic Type?

Maybe it would be a good idea to start monitoring the your daily and weekly consumption habits with the goal of singling out items that are leading to those particular issues. Where do you start?

Food journal:

One way is to start a food journal. Which is, essentially a diary where you monitor and log everything you eat and drink over a period of time. In collecting the data you attain from this journal, you also monitor how you feel after consuming these foods and beverages giving a clearer perspective on which ones to weed out. Of course figuring out what is absent from those consumption habits is important as well.

ABC Metabolic test:

Another method is the ABC metabolism type test. Where you determine your own unique attributes such as appetite, cravings, weight gain and psychological disposition. You then choose from 3 different categories and pick one that best suits you.

Here is an overview of the ABC Metabolic Type categories and the corresponding dietary regimen for each one:

Type A:

• strong appetite
• craving for fatty and salty food
• fatigue and anxiety
• outgoing personality

Dietary Formula:

• 50% protein
• 30% fat
• 20% carbohydrate

Type B:

• Poor appetite
• Craving for sweets
• Sensitivity
• Well organized
• High stress levels
• Caffeine dependence
• Difficulty losing weight

Dietary Formula:

• 70% carbohydrate
• 20% protein
• 10% fat

Type C:

• Erratic appetite
• Crave sweet and savory foods
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Little trouble with weight control

Dietary Formula:

• 33% protein
• 33% fat
• 33% carbohydrate

Videos on knowing your metabolic type:

Dr. Kelley’s Metabolic self test:

Then there is another more involved version of metabolic type testing that examines many more variables. It was developed by Dr. William Kelley in the 1960’s and is published in a book titled Dr. Kelley’s Self Test for the Different Metabolic Types.

Essentially this book is a questionnaire and contains hundreds of health questions where you score the results yourself, find your specific metabolic type and adjust your diet accordingly. There are 12 different types in this test where you do the math and determine which type is yours. I have this book and it took me around 7 or 8 hours of my time over the course of a week to figure my type. I turned out to be a type 8. Which for me, means I can metabolize most anything rather easily. I only had to make a few minor dietary adjustments.

Simply put, fine tuning a diet that is specific to your individual genetic attributes is likely going to be beneficial to your well being as opposed to the one answer fits all approach that will work for some and afflict others with disease, weight problems, mental disorders and a myriad of other issues. Giving your cells the the proper “gene specific” nutrients to perform their proper functions makes perfect sense if your going to have optimum health.

Once that metabolic blueprint is found and you have implemented a genetically applicable diet you can:

• Prevent and reverse degenerative disease.
• Strengthen your immune system
• Achieve and maintain your ideal weight.
• Optimize physical energy and mental clarity.
• Stabilize moods.
• Increase athletic performance and endurance.

Hippocrates, who is known as the father of medicine, categorized patients according to there individual type. He said, “It’s more important to know what kind of patient has a disease than what kind of disease a patient has.”

Recources:

http://www.drkelley.info/the-books/dr-kelleys-self-test-for-the-different-metabolic-types/

https://www.healthstatus.com/health_blog/plan-for-weight-loss/metabolic-typing-diet-a-diet-unique-to-you/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/02/01/metabolic-typing-diet.aspx