Consistently making informed choices of what we eat and drink can reduce our blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. To achieve this, The Combe Grove Food Ethos recommends a focus on real food that is low in carbohydrates and rich in protein and natural fats. Nutrition is the tap root, the most vital within metabolic health.

How – and how often – do we move our bodies? Physical activity plays a key role in the management of metabolic health by improving insulin sensitivity, lowering inflammation and reducing the accumulation of fat in the abdominal cavity. Furthermore, it aids flexibility, coordination, increases the speed of the metabolism, helps us manage stress and support healthy sleep.

How much sleep do we get, and of what quality? Lack of, and disrupted sleep, has been linked to poor metabolic health both directly, by causing an increase in insulin resistance, and indirectly by increasing the likelihood of unhelpful lifestyle choices such as sedentary behaviour and poor diet. Sleep allows your body to rest and restore.

How do we think and what impact does this have on our mental health and wellbeing? The way that we think can have a significant impact on the way we feel and the actions we take. Your mindset and your beliefs can have an influence on your food choices, how much you move your body and your quality of sleep.

How do we interact with nature and the world around us? The way that we interact with our environment can have a profound effect on how we experience the world, with implications for stress management, mood and contentment.  A lack of balance in this area can lead to increased stress and inflammation within the body which may aggravate insulin resistance and worsen metabolic health.