Author name: Rajat

Nobody warns you. You’re cruising along in your 30s, eating more or less what you always have, moving more or less the same amount. And then something shifts. The number on the scale climbs a little. Energy dips. Recovery takes longer. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you start questioning whether it’s time to start figuring out how to increase metabolism. Because the things that once worked flawlessly aren’t anymore.  We’ve all been there. At least most people, if not all. And the frustrating part isn’t that the answers don’t exist. They do, and the science behind them is solid. It’s that the internet is absolutely cluttered with bad advice dressed up as “wellness tips.”   So, here we cut through all the bad advice you’ve received about how to naturally increase metabolism.   What Even Is Metabolism? Why Does It Slow Down After A Certain Age?  To most people, metabolism means how fast they gain or lose weight. Well, that’s just the tip of it. Technically, metabolism is just any type of chemical reaction taking place in your body to keep systems functioning well and sustain life. All these processes need energy. Breathing. Digesting. Growing hair. Fidgeting in your chair. All of it burns energy.  Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the biggest chunk, about 60–75% of your daily calorie burn. That’s what your body uses just existing. Not exercising. Not even moving. Just… being. So, when you hear someone say they’ve got a slow metabolism, they’re just complaining about a low BMR. And yes, it can change as we grow older or undergo hormonal changes. Also, a change in your muscle mass can trigger a change in your BMR. It even affects how the different organs in your body receive oxygen. In fact, the last part is critical. Yet few people talk about.   Slowing down of metabolism can actually start way earlier than you can expect. Studies have indicated that your muscles, the most metabolically active tissue, start declining at 30 years at a rate of 3 to 8% per decade. As your muscle mass declines, so does your metabolism. Even when you’re at rest doing nothing, the number of calories your body burns reduces.   Hormonal changes further compound this, especially for women going through perimenopause and menopause. Metabolism doesn’t break; it just gets to a level where it needs more support.   The Connection Between Oxygen and Metabolism  Before getting into how to increase metabolism, let’s take an important nerdy detour. Just 60 seconds of high school biology. The mitochondria, the microscopic power plants in every cell, use oxygen to synthesize ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This is the universal currency of energy. That means, without oxygen, no ATP. And a slow ATP production means your metabolic rate also tanks. More like starting a campfire with wet wood. It just doesn’t work.   Here’s where carbon dioxide (CO2) enters the conversation. CO₂, believe it or not, helps your hemoglobin release oxygen to your tissues. It’s called the Bohr effect. When the CO2 level is not adequate, your body holds onto oxygen instead of releasing it for use where it’s needed. That happens because the brain hasn’t received a trigger that the oxygen level is low. That only happens when CO2 builds up.   This is the exact knowledge that wellness therapies like carboxytherapy tap into. By increasing microcirculation and tissue perfusion, CO₂ helps your cells actually use the oxygen you’re breathing. And better oxygen delivery means better energy production. Better energy production means a more efficient metabolism.  How To Increase Metabolism in 10 Natural Ways  You’ve now seen metabolism and oxygen intake go hand in hand. So, what can you do to increase your hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen and subsequently enhance metabolism? Here are 10 ways.   1. Build Muscle Like Your Metabolic Rate Depends on It   Yes, your metabolic rate depends on it, actually. And strength training is one of the best ways you can leverage towards building more muscle. Sadly, not many people are doing it consistently. At rest, a pound of muscle can burn about 6 calories a day. But fat only burns 2. The gap doesn’t sound enormous until you’re considering adding 10 pounds of lean mass over a year. Suddenly, your resting metabolism is meaningfully higher without any other changes.  Resistance training burns calories during the workout while also creating what is termed as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This is the afterburn effect, where your metabolism stays high for hours after you’re done training. A study has shown that EPOC from resistance training can last up to 38 hours after a workout in some people.   So, if you’re looking for how to increase metabolism after 40, you should start here. And this applies to both men and women. Resistance training two to three times per week. Gradually increase the weight or volume over time. This is non-negotiable if you’re keen on fighting the age-related muscle decline that’s dragging your metabolism down.  2. Don’t Skip Protein (Seriously)  Your body needs macronutrients for efficient function. However, protein is the one that does the majority of metabolic heavy lifting. First, it has the highest thermic effect of food (TEF). That’s the energy needed to digest and metabolize food. During digestion, your body burns about 20 to 30% protein calories, 5-10% for carbs, and 0-3% for fat. So, eating a high-protein workout is actually a mini workout.   Second, adequate protein preserves lean muscle mass, especially critical if you’re in a calorie deficit trying to lose weight. Cut calories without sufficient protein, and your body will happily cannibalize muscle for fuel, tanking your metabolism in the process. This is the part most crash diets completely ignore.  Aim for roughly 0.7–1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. That’s higher than most general guidelines suggest, but it’s where the research on muscle preservation lands. Eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken, lentils, cottage cheese — boring list, yes, but it works.  3. Protein Timing Actually Matters  We’ve talked about ensuring your diet has sufficient proteins if you’re to keep your metabolism high. But timing your protein is just as important. You should spread your protein evenly across different meals. Not loading up just at dinner or lunch. Doing this boosts synthesis more effectively.   What does spreading your protein through meals mean? Eggs at breakfast. Chicken or tofu at lunch. Beans or fish at dinner. And add a snack like Greek yogurt somewhere in between.   4. Sleep: The Underrated Metabolic Variable  When most people are looking for how to increase metabolism, sleep rarely comes to mind. Even if it does, it doesn’t get enough airtime. Sleep is when your body does its most intensive repair work. Secreting growth hormone, regulating hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin, and consolidating muscle protein synthesis from the day’s training. Cut sleep short and all of that gets disrupted.   Research found that people deprived of sleep lost significantly more lean mass and less fat when under a calorie-deficient diet. Lack of adequate sleep also causes higher cortisol levels, which promote the storage of fat and breakdown of muscle. These are two things you don’t want to deal with when trying to raise your metabolism.   Target at least 7 hours of sleep. Not five or six. And no, “I’ll catch up on Saturday” doesn’t cut it

How often do you stress about your body’s circulation? Rarely. Until your body actually starts acting weird. Your feet getting cold even though you’re under a blanket. Pins and needles in your hands after being seated for a while. Experiencing that sluggish feeling halfway through your Wednesday afternoon, where even ascending the stairs becomes oddly dramatic. Most people just brush it off as the side effects of aging, stress, or too much coffee.   At times, they’re right. But in most cases, it’s poor circulation lurking quietly in the background. And honestly, blood circulation matters more than most people think. If you’ve experienced any of those situations we’ve mentioned, the next thing you’d be asking is how to increase blood circulation.   First, Why Should You Even Care?  Blood circulation isn’t exactly dinner party conversation because every single cell in your system depends on it. Oxygen. Nutrients. Waste removal. Temperature regulation. Even your immune system’s ability to find an infection and deal with it. All of it rides on blood flow.  When circulation stalls? You feel it. Cold extremities. Brain fog. Leg cramps at 2 AM. Wounds that take forever to heal. And over time, poor circulation quietly raises your risk for blood clots, varicose veins, and even cardiovascular disease.  So yes. Your blood circulation is worth paying attention to because every single body function depends on it.   How To Increase Blood Circulation in 10 Natural Ways  Your circulatory system is more like an interstate highway system, but for nutrients, immune cells, hormones, and oxygen. When traffic is flowing smoothly, everything works and feels great. Energy levels. Your brain function. Muscle recovery, and even your skin tone.   And it turns out, you don’t even need a gym membership or a full drawer of supplements to get blood flowing to every part of your body. Some of the best methods are free.   1. The Walking Fix (Because Sitting Is Slowly Killing You)  How hard is it to run? For most people, it’s hard. But what about walking? That everyone can do. And it’s the least you need, actually. Here’s why walking works: your calves are basically a second heart. Whenever you take a step, these muscles squeeze the blood vessels in your legs, pushing blood upward against gravity. Stop moving, and blood pools in your lower legs like water in a gutter.  One study found that a steady walking pace can increase venous flow velocity by up to 300% compared to standing still. Yeah, you got that right. 300. The UK’s NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, but here’s a trick I learned: short 10-minute walks throughout the day actually work better for circulation than one long gym session. Your blood doesn’t care about your step count. It just wants consistent movement.  2. Swimming—The Cheat Code  If walking bores you to tears, try water. Swimming and water aerobics offer something land exercises can’t: hydrostatic pressure. How’s that? When swimming, water gently squeezes your legs in a similar manner to a built-in compression stocking. This, in turn, helps the veins to close properly and push blood back towards the heart. It has zero impact. Zero jarring. And honestly? Way more fun than a treadmill.  If you rely on movement to help with circulation, just know that not all are equal. Heavyweight lifting? Specifically, the Valsalva maneuver (holding your breath while straining)? That can temporarily block blood from returning to your heart and cause it to pool in your legs.  3. Working a Desk Job? Here’s Your 30-Second Fix  If you work at a desk job, you likely get seated for hours. Even longer than 3 hours. That’s bad news for your circulation.   The fix is almost insultingly simple: ankle pumps. Flex your feet up and down. Twenty times. That’s it. Every time you do this, you’re activating that calf muscle pump and interrupting the blood pooling that happens when you sit still too long.  Other seated moves that actually work:  Glute squeezes (weird but effective)  Marching in place while sitting  Ankle circles, starting with clockwise, then counterclockwise.   Do these every 30–60 minutes. Your veins will thank you.   4. Eat Beetroots More   Here’s where it gets interesting. You know how to improve blood circulation naturally without moving a muscle? Eat beets. An American Journal of Physiology study found that postmenopausal women who took nitrate-rich beetroot extract for 12 weeks experienced significant improvements in microvascular reactivity and femoral artery function.   The study further showed that those women had an increased serum level of angiogenic potential, which means that their blood became better at replacing vessels.   Why are beetroots so effective at enhancing blood circulation? Because they’re full of dietary nitrates. The body converts these to nitric oxide (NO), which is the master molecule of vasodilation. It instructs the blood vessels to widen and relax.   5. Your Love For Chocolate Pays  According to a study published in The Journal of Physiology, it was found that men who drank a high-flavanol cocoa drink before sitting for two hours maintained better flow in their arms and legs.   Like we already mentioned, nitric oxide is crucial in blood circulation. And flavanols do a great job in boosting NO production. They reduce oxidative stress. And they help blood vessels stay flexible instead of stiffening up during long periods of sitting.   Before you raid the candy aisle: dark chocolate only. Low sugar. And no, a Snickers doesn’t count.  6. Other Foods That Help With Blood Circulation  If you depend on vending machines and drive-thrus for your food, your circulation is likely not thrilled by it. You need to consider foods that actually support vascular health and circulation. Of course, they won’t do that in a magical detox-tea style, but in a measurable, biological way.   Consider leafy greens, organically grown kale, and spinach. These contain good amounts of nitrates that help regulate blood vessels. Garlic may also help with circulation by supporting the production of nitric oxide while keeping blood pressure in check.  Without forgetting omega-3 fatty acids. These are the likes of sardines, walnuts, salmon, and flaxseeds. They help reduce inflammation and support the overall health of your blood vessels.   7. Stay Hydrated. The Most Boring But Crucial  Wondering how to increase blood circulation without breaking a sweat? Just stay hydrated. Let’s put it bluntly. If your body is dehydrated, your blood becomes more like a sludge. It gets thicker, stickier, and harder to push through tiny capillaries.   When your blood plasma level drops due to dehydration, your heart has to put in more effort. Your blood pressure can fluctuate. And your risk of clotting goes up. One study on long-haul travel found that severe dehydration increased DVT risk by nearly five times.  How much water? Enough that your urine is pale yellow. Not clear (that’s overkill), not dark amber (that’s trouble). And don’t wait until you’re thirsty. By then, you’re already behind.   8. Compression Therapy—Not Just for Grandma  Compression socks have always been assumed to be for elderly travelers with sore feet. But they can be life-changing for anyone, especially if you take long flights. They work