How quickly do you digest your food?
Do you prefer a vegetarian diet or a protein-based one? Do you find that meat just sits in your stomach or do you thrive on it?
Let me explain why:
According to the Oxford dictionary, the definition of ‘metabolism’ is as follows:
“The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life”
In other words, how quickly or slowly you digest your food. There are three basic types of metabolism, known as ‘metabolic type’: Fast, slow and balanced. There are many other types in between, but these are the main ones. Each of these types have certain foods which their bodies thrive on and others which cause problems (even if they are not obvious).
A fast oxidiser (we use oxygen to metabolise our food, hence the term) is someone who digests their food quickly. Because of this, a fast oxidiser needs food that will take a longer time to be digested. This includes good quality fat such as unpasteurised cheese and high density protein such as beef and lamb. Certain types of fish can also be consumed, but as a general rule, it ought to be eaten only rarely as it is not dense enough. There are also certain vegetables that a fast oxidiser can and cannot eat. For example green beans and cauliflower are good, but, ironically, broccoli and cabbage are not well tolerated by a fast oxidiser, even though they are part of the same brassica family as the cauliflower.
The fast oxidiser’s main diet should consist mainly of protein and fat with some vegetables and very few carbohydrates, if any, such as potatoes and pasta. This could be considered as a modified Atkins diet. In fact, carbohydrates should be considered a treat. Onion and garlic are also not tolerated, but, personally, as a fast oxidiser, I have never allowed that to stop me as they enhance meals so well! If a fast oxidiser just ate carbohydrates, they would find themselves constantly hungry. They would have one meal, say bread, porridge or fruit in the morning, and would feel hungry only an hour or so later because these foods are digested very quickly. They also turn straight to sugar in the body.
As much as a vegetarian diet may be morally right for a fast oxidiser, it is not physically right for their bodies. However, as long as their lack of high density meat is substituted with lots of good quality fat, they should fare reasonably well. A person’s body is very good at adapting, as well, so as long as good quality food is being supplied, it will be able to function well enough, but not necessarily optimally.
A slow oxidiser is someone who digests their food slowly. This means they cannot tolerate high density protein and do a lot better on fish and vegetables, including salads. A slow oxidiser’s diet should consist of all the opposite foods from that of a fast oxidiser. Carbohydrates are well tolerated by slow oxidisers and can be made a good part of the diet. A porridge would last well for a slow oxidiser and they would not feel hungry until lunch time. On the other hand, if a slow oxidiser ate something like lamb, they would find it would sit in their stomach for hours and feel most uncomfortable, so a vegetarian diet would be ideal for a slow oxidiser.
A balanced oxidiser is someone who digests their food neither quickly nor slowly. These people can eat almost anything with no adverse effects. They also tend to be more tolerant to gluten than most.
All of this is general and not specific. Every person is unique and has their own specific needs. There are some fast oxidisers who cannot tolerate certain meats for example, so do what feels right for you.
A very basic way of finding out whether you are a fast or slow type is to see how you react to sugar. A fast type would have a sharp increase in energy after consuming sugar, along with the classic sharp come down afterwards. A slow type would be able to sustain the increase in energy for a much longer period and would not have any side effects. Also, judge for yourself: how do you feel when you eat meat? Sated or uncomfortable?
To find out more specifically what metabolic type you are, please contact me for an appointment by emailing me at: contact@chiverstherapies.com
Happy eating!