Make Over Your Metabolism
Obesogen. It sounds like the name of an X-Men villain, but it's the word researchers at the University of California, Irvine, coined to refer to an environmental toxin like BPA that alters your metabolism, hunger hormones, and how your body stores fat. Although you can't escape obesogens altogether, you can minimize your exposure with these simple steps.
Eat organic. An Emory University study found that when kids ate organic food for just five days, certain pesticides in their bodies dropped to undetectable levels. The researchers say the impact can be substantial for adults too. It's especially important when eating produce that's most likely to be contaminated, such as apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, and spinach. Get the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list at ewg.org/foodnews.
Check your meds. Certain drugs have been linked to a sluggish metabolism. Talk to your physician about alternative medications if you have gained weight since starting an antidepressant, such as Paxil or Remeron, or any other prescription drug.
Originally published in FITNESS magazine, February 2014.
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