METABOLISM - CONVERTING Depression to ENERGY If you are depressed or just not moving around the effect is the same, you not burning up calories to produce endorphins--the happy stuff in your brain. Brain injury slows your metabolism and if you don’t move around you are penalizing yourself two times--double indemnity. Stated simply, metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy. During this biochemical process, calories — from carbohydrates, fats and proteins — are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function. The number of calories your body burns each day is called your total energy expenditure. The following three factors make up your total energy usage: 1.Basic needs--Even when your body is at rest, it requires energy for the basics, such as fuel for organs, breathing, circulating blood, adjusting hormone levels, plus growing and repairing cells. Calories expended to cover these basic functions are your basal metabolic rate. Typically, a person’s basal metabolic rate is the largest portion of energy use, representing two-thirds to three-quarters of the calories used each day. Energy needs for these basic functions stay fairly consistent and aren’t easily changed. 2.Food processing--Digesting, absorbing, transporting and storing the food you consume also takes calories. This accounts for about 10 percent of the calories used each day. For the most part, your body’s energy requirement to process food stays relatively steady and isn’t easily changed. 3.Physical activity--such as playing tennis, walking to the store, chasing after the dog and any other movement — accounts for the remainder of calories used. You control the number of calories burned depending on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities. It’s not uncommon for low energy or excess weight to be related to a low metabolism, but most people who are struggling with this don’t understand the it’s relevant to the calories burned & the calories burned will depend on the energy you have and the energy you have will depend on the proper food you eat as well as the endorphins created will give you more energy & more energy gives you a better outlook (less depression). Now that’s a mouthful. If you are depressed or just not moving around the effect is the same, you not burning up calories to produce endorphins--the happy stuff in your brain. Brain injury slows your metabolism and if you don’t move around you are penalizing yourself two times--double indemnity. ##