Metabolism FAQ’s
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ATP is our cellular energy, that fuels all cell functions.
It’s made from carbs, fat, and protein in the mitochondria. Making it requires oxygen, nutrients, and a healthy metabolism.
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the sum of all biochemical processes in the body that convert food and stored energy into cellular energy, ATP, to sustain life.
It includes two main components:
Catabolism: The breakdown of molecules (like fats, carbs, and proteins) to release ATP.
Anabolism: The building and repair of cells, tissues, and molecules using that ATP.
When catabolism produces enough ATP, your body can recover, repair, and make hormones efficiently.
But if ATP is low, anabolic processes slow down—leading to poor repair, low hormone production, and common health issues. -
Small organelles within cells responsible for producing the majority of the cell’s energy, ATP
Healthy mitochondria generate more ATP, which enhance performance and tissue repair.
Unhealthy mitochondria produce less ATP, that weakens cell functions and lead to degeneration in the long run.
Mitochondria are highly dynamic, with their efficiency deeply influenced by how you eat, sleep, move, think, and feel.
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the study of how energy flows through living systems, particularly how cells produce, store, and utilize energy at the molecular level.
It focuses on the biochemical and physiological processes that convert food and oxygen into cellular energy, ATP, and how disruptions in this process affect metabolism, health, and disease.
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Fatigue, low mood, excess weight, cravings, digestive issues, poor sleep, trouble gaining muscle, hormonal imbalances, skin problems, PMS, PCOS, painful periods, anxiety, PTSD, headache, joint pain, inflammation, sick all the time.
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Bioavailability is the degree to which a nutrient is absorbed and used by the body.
Animal based food is generally high, plant based food is generally low.
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PUFA stands for polyunsaturated fatty acids, a type of fat found in foods like seeds, seed oils, margarine, nuts, and fatty fish.
In excess—especially the vegetarian omega-6 PUFA called Linoleic Acid—disrupt metabolism by integrating into our cell membranes, where they are highly prone to oxidation, leading to oxidative stress, promoting inflammation and cellular damage.
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an imbalance between free radicals (unstable molecules) and antioxidants in the body, which can damage cells, proteins, and DNA.
It triggers inflammation and health issues.
Problems with nutrition research…
Nutrition science is full of contradictions—one study calls a food healthy, another says it’s harmful.
The problem isn’t just conflicting data, but how these studies are designed.
Most research focuses on short-term effects, ignoring overall diet, lifestyle, and the fact that many people in Western societies are metabolically compromised, making the test results less reliable. These results don’t reflect how a healthy, fully functional metabolism would react to certain foods or nutrients.
Adding any nutrients to a poor diet may show short-term benefits, but what if those "healthy" choices come with long-term downsides?
And what if there are more optimal sources to get those same nutrients?
Health Authority Guidelines vs. Metabolism
Health guidelines aim to prevent deficiencies, but when it comes to optimizing human health and metabolism, they seem to somehow get distracted by environmental goals and industry interests…
Those “healthy staples” might not be as beneficial as we been led to believe. Rather than emphasizing nutrient-dense foods with high bioavailability, guidelines often downplay fresh, animal foods in favor of what's cheaper and easier to mass-produce.
Are you fueling your body - or big industry pockets?
Big, fat lies
Did you know that cholesterol is absolutely crucial for the production of all essential hormones, maintaining cell membrane integrity, and synthesizing vitamin D?
And that the conversion rate of plant-sourced omega-3s from nuts into the usable form your body actually needs is incredibly low—around just 5-10%?
Years of misleading marketing has turned healthy animal fats like butter into villains, while pushing plant fats, processed margarine, and low-fat options that actually harm our bodies.
Fats are super important for our metabolism, but the type we consume can either support or disrupt it.
Healthy on the Outside, Harmful on the Inside
Think you're making the "healthy" choice with oat milk, protein bars, or vegan alternatives? What if I told you these products—often marketed as clean and nutritious—are actually ultra-processed and potentially doing more harm than good?
The production process alters the original food's structure, making it less beneficial or even harmful to human metabolism. Even with clean labels, chemicals like solvents and preservatives used in processing can be disruptive.
So how did we end up here?
Ultra-processed foods are cheaper and easier to produce and store than fresh, whole foods. By marketing these products as healthy, companies can appeal to a broad range of customers, convincing them that they're making a better choice—when in reality, these choices come at the cost of our metabolism.
3 simple hacks for better metabolism
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1. Ditch seed oils
Avoid seed oils like sunflower, canola, margarine and any processed food containing them (it’s harder than you think - they sneak their ways into everything!)
Use butter, tallow, coconut oil or olive oil instead.
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2. Swap shelf food for fresh food
Change processed carbohydrates like bread, wheat, oats, grains for fresh fruit and root vegetables.
Watch out for long best before dates and ingredient lists.
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3. Include animals, nose-to-tail
Muscle meat, collagenous cuts, skin, marrow, organs, milk, eggs and broth from bones – broad spectrum of bioavailable nutrients and the most reliable way to meet your nutritional needs.
Looking for something special?
Hormones 101
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Hormones 101 *
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The engines of your metabolism. Drive ATP production, regulate temperature, digestion, and mood. Low thyroid = low energy and sluggish everything.
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Your stress hormone. Helpful in emergencies, but chronic high levels break down tissue, slow thyroid, and block healing. Lower it with carbs, rest, and safety signals.
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Not really the female hormone made out to be. In excess (very often, both in men and women!), it slows the thyroid, promotes fat storage, and can increase inflammation. Needs to be balanced with progesterone and properly cleared by liver and gut.
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The calming, anti-stress hormone. Supports thyroid, protects against inflammation, stabilizes mood, and balances estrogen. Often low with stress and low nutrient levels. You want more of this!
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Builds muscle, boosts energy, and sharpens focus. Both women and men need it. Depends on enough protein, calories, zinc, and cholesterol. Low levels can cause low libido. Definetly not the vibe your after.
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Often misunderstood. While it’s known as the “feel good” chemical, excess serotonin can actually slow metabolism, suppress thyroid, and increase inflammation. Balanced serotonin is good—but more isn’t always better. Sunlight, carbs, and thyroid support help regulate it naturally.
Metabolism runs on hormones, and hormones are built from the nutrients we eat—powered by the energy (ATP) our cells produce. When energy or raw materials are lacking, hormone balance gets disrupted. And they’re not just about reproduction— they regulate everything from mood to digestion to immune function.