Metabolic Typing Explains Why Different People Need Different Diets

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 by: Alex Howard
Tags: metabolic typing, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) Ever wonder why the diet and supplements your friend is taking works wonders for him/her, but not for you? Ever wonder which experts are right: those who promote high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate diets or those who promote high carbohydrate, low fat diets? Ever wonder how one bestselling book says one thing about nutrition, and the other best seller says just the opposite? The reason comes from the fact that everyone has a different metabolic type.

There's no doubt these days that nutritional advice can seem like a minefield of contradictions and opposing truths to anyone who cares to read even a little on the subject. How can this be? The reason is actually very obvious, but perhaps the answer isn't as appealing or as marketable as being able to say, "Hey! Listen to me, I've found the IDEAL diet. Just eat x, y and z."

The truth is that everyone is biochemically different. Just as we have unique fingerprints, our bodies function best on different mixtures of fat, carbohydrates and proteins. What works for one person, may not help a second and can actually make a third worse! Many of the bestselling books are full of stories and testimonials of people who found the diet that worked for them. You don't get to hear about the other 30-50% who never benefited, or even felt worse on the diet. So how do you work out what the right mix of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is for you? You can work out which diet is best for you by establishing your "metabolic type".

There are a few basic nutritional guidelines that everyone needs to follow if they want to enjoy optimum health. These include:
*Plenty of living raw foods (fruit and vegetables)
*Low grains, sugar, refined and high glycaemic carbohydrates of all types
*Good quality protein from animal, fish or vegetarian sources
*A good proportion of unsaturated fat versus saturated fat
However, what differs between people is the proportion of proteins and fats versus carbohydrates that they need for a balanced diet.

There are broadly three "Metabolic Types":
- Fast Oxidizers or "Protein Types"
- Slow Oxidizers or "Carb Types"
- Balanced Types

Fast Oxidizers
Fast Oxidizers tend to fare better on higher protein and fat diets. They tend to need protein at every meal. They also need to eat three meals per day, and would get jittery, depressed, faint or irritable if they missed a meal. Protein Types are carnivorous and tend to cope badly on grains. Typically, the worst meal for them is a large plate of pasta and tomato sauce; they would feel hungry immediately after eating this kind of meal! Personality-wise, Fast Oxidizers tend to be fast thinkers, often busy or driven people (high achievers). They tend to be quite stressed a great deal of the time.

Slow Oxidizers
Slow oxidizers tend to fare better on lower levels of protein and fat. Excessive protein and fat at a meal can make them feel tired and lethargic. They are better at becoming vegetarians if they so choose, but also do well on lighter meat and fish, for example chicken and white fish. They can eat many more grains than fast oxidizers. Slow oxidizers can miss a meal and not notice it at all; they can forget to eat, which would be unthinkable to Fast Oxidizers. Personality-wise Slow Oxidizers tend to be easygoing, fairly laid back people, who are less stressed than Protein Types. They have a tendency to suffer from low energy, lethargy and occasional depression or apathy.

Balanced Types
The balanced type can eat the most variety of food because they do well on higher protein and fat meals, as well as the lower fat and protein ones. Basically what they eat doesn't make too much difference to how they feel. They are classic omnivores, able to eat from a whole range of foods. They can miss a meal, but will feel it more that slow oxidizers. Personality-wise, balanced types are happy relaxed balanced people.

www.metabolictyping.com
www.mayoclinic.com/health/lactose-intoleranc...
altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/MetabolicType.htm

About the author

Alex Howard is author of "WHY ME? My Journey from M.E. to Health and Happiness" and founder of The Optimum Health Clinic, an award winning clinic specialising in M.E./C.F.S./Fibromyalgia based in Harley Street Clinic, London, UK. The clinic has treated over 5,000 patients with M.E./Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia in over twenty-five countries around the world, and is currently running a two year clinical trial in conjunction with two top universities. A free information pack, including a 75 documentary about the clinic and its work, can be ordered from www.FreedomFromME.co.uk