Today is the fourth part of a guest blog series from Eric Talmant.  In case you missed them, check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Building Vibrant Health: Part 4

By: Eric Talmant

There are several options for getting started with Bill Wolcott’s Metabolic Typing®.  The first option, what I would refer to as the “Entry Level” option, is to buy The Metabolic Typing® Diet. This involves taking the self-test, which allows the reader to identify his or her general Metabolic Type® category and follow the appropriate Metabolic Type® dietary recommendations. It also provides additional self-tests to further customize the diet.

The advantage to this option is that it involves a minor financial commitment, and it is certainly much better for you in terms of following a diet plan rather than just arbitrarily eating ‘healthy foods’.  I feel so strongly about this that I believe there really is no reason every single person should not know their general Metabolic Type®.  Once you know your general type, it is very much like turning on a flashlight in a dark room.  Since you know what foods you should generally be eating to push body chemistry in the proper direction, you can actually begin to build health.  The very first thing you will notice is improvement in energy levels; followed shortly by the disappearance of food cravings. For a cost of probably $10 or less for a used copy, it just does not make any sense to me NOT to at least take this basic first step.

The second option is to take the Advanced Metabolic Typing® Test from a certified Metabolic Typing® advisor.  You are certainly welcome to take the test from me, or if you feel more comfortable working with a local Metabolic Typing® advisor, then visit this link for a list of advisors in your area.

The Metabolic Typing® Test offered by Certified Metabolic Typing® Advisors is the most specific test you can take to determine your Metabolic Type®.

The HealthExcel System of Metabolic Typing® analyzes 11 Fundamental Homeostatic Controls (FHC) to determine and define one’s Metabolic Type®. These FHCs are:

1. Autonomic Nervous System (NeuroEndocrine-Sympathetic/Balanced/Parasympathetic)
2. CarboOxidative (Fast/Slow/Mixed Oxidation)
3. Steroidal Hormone Balance (Pregnenolone/DHEA/Androgens/Estrogens/Progesterone/Cortisol)
4. Neurotransmitter Balance (Excitatory/Inhibitory)
5. LipoOxidative (Anabolic/Catabolic)
6. Electrolyte (Stress/Insufficiency)
7. Acid/Alkaline (6 different kinds of imbalances)
8. Endocrine Type
9. Blood Type
10. Constitutional Type
11. Prostaglandin Balance

The Metabolic Typing® Test is the most accurate method of determining Metabolic Types® available in the world today. It is the result of an evolutionary process spanning nearly 30 years, and is based on the input of thousands of practitioners around the world and hundreds of thousands of users.

This online test contains a series of questions about physical traits, diet-related traits, and psychological traits that will identify your dominance and sub-dominance, as well as your endocrine type. There are 9 possible Metabolic Type® combinations involving the pairing of the Autonomic and Oxidative systems. Within each type, one Fundamental Homeostatic Control will be dominant and dictates how nutrients behave in your body.

Knowing your dominance and sub-dominance will guide you in choosing the best foods for your type. The endocrine system plays a role in shaping external physical features and therefore should be considered as you select the best foods for you from the approved food list. Consulting with your Certified Metabolic Typing® Advisor will help you fine-tune your meals for optimal health.

(Example of Part of one Metabolic Type’s® Food List that you would get with the Advanced Test)

If you do not have access to a computer, the test can be mailed to you and returned to your advisor for data entry.

Services with the Metabolic Typing® Test often include:

• The most specific, up-to-date color coded diet plan that Metabolic Typing® has for each type, that clearly shows which foods are ideal, neutral, least desirable, and to be avoided for your particular Metabolic Type®,
• 40 additional documents covering lifestyle recommendations,
• Individual supplement recommendations,
• The article “Using Your Diet Plan”,
• Many more documents on how to integrate the Metabolic Typing® lifestyle into your own,
• Sample menus for your type

These resources are extremely helpful in putting you on the right path to a Metabolic Typing® lifestyle. Consultation sessions are also available with the Metabolic Typing® Program, so contact you advisor to find out their rates.  In my practice, I have found that it is not uncommon for someone to take the test and put all of the pieces together for a relatively inexpensive initial investment (on my site this whole package is only $50).  However, when it comes to fine tuning one’s diet and supplements, a Metabolic Typing® advisor sometimes can make all of the difference.  Try the program out for yourself at first and see how comfortable you are with the whole thing. Then, decide whether working with an advisor would be right for you.

Finally, if you would like to really get serious about building and maintaining vibrant health, then most Metabolic Typing ® advisors offer what can be referred to as a “Comprehensive” Metabolic Typing® program.  Comprised of the Metabolic Typing^® Program, in addition to the Signet MRT food sensitivity blood test, the BioHealth 205 saliva functional adrenal stress profile, the BioHealth 101 urine metabolic assessment profile, a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis from Trace Elements, Inc. and if necessary Neurotransmitter testing for the brain.   This program analyzes all 11 Fundamental Homeostatic Controls and makes appropriate the Metabolic Type^® diet, Metabolic Type^® supplementation and detoxification, exercise, and lifestyle recommendations.

The Comprehensive Metabolic Typing^® Program is designed as a complete lifestyle and advanced health-building program. It is intended as an “optimum health-building program” to help your body rebuild and regain its health, if you’ve lost it, or maximize your potential and keep your good health, if you already have it.

The program typically includes the following components:

• Metabolic Typing^® Test
• Signet MRT food sensitivity blood test
• BioHealth 205 saliva functional adrenal stress profile
• BioHealth 101 urine metabolic assessment profile
• Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis from Trace Elements, Inc.
• All lab fees for the MRT, 205, 101, and HTMA
• Neurotransmitter testing for the brain (if necessary)
• Analysis and interpretation of all test results
• Customized food list
• 2 months of email and telephonic MTA support

This is absolutely the most individualized and advanced program for building health that caters to your unique biochemistry that you will find anywhere.

Now that you all have a basic understanding of the three main options for getting started in the Metabolic Typing® lifestyle, I encourage you to go out and do some more research on your own and perhaps contact a local advisor.  Begin by asking questions about their services. Then, describe to them where you currently are with your health and diet including your level of commitment.  Your advisor will be able to recommend the best options for you.

In Part 5, I will discuss some of the tests mentioned in the Comprehensive Metabolic Typing® program, describe what each one “does”, and discuss why they are important pieces in the puzzle of building and maintaining vibrant health.

About the Author

Eric Talmant is a top lightweight powerlifter and has a “passion for all things nutrition.” A 1996 graduate of the University of Evansville, Eric is a certified Metabolic Typing® advisor. Talmant is certified to offer the Advanced Metabolic Typing® Test as well as order blood work (the Signet MRT Test, U.S. BioTek ELISA IgG allergy test, the High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein heart health test); as well as the BioHealth Diagnostics Adrenal and Hormone saliva test Profiles.

Eric has competed in the ADFPA, NASA, AAPF, APF, APA, the WPO, and the Raw Unity Meet.  He holds the APF Florida state men’s open equipped squat record of 678 pounds. He has been ranked in the top in the 75K class among all raw lifters in the United States for the past two years and he was a top equipped lifter in the two years before that.

His best equipped lifts are a 683 pound squat, 391 pound bench press, and a 650 pound deadlift in the 75K weight class. His best raw lifts to date are 485 pound squat without knee wraps, 290 pound bench press, and 635 pound deadlift.

He is also the founder and contest director of the Raw Unity Meet, which experienced great success in 2008 and 2009.

Talmant brings a unique skill set and 16 years of nutritional experience to his sponsors BMF Sports, Ultra Life, Inc., Critical Bench, and Titan Support Systems.  He lives in rural Spring Hill, Florida, and can be reached through his web site at www.EricTalmant.com.