There are millions of physical and chemical reactions that take place every day in our body. One of the main reactions in the body is known as metabolism.

Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical reactions which take place in the body of human beings. These reactions occur in the basic living units known as cells. Several enzymes are efficiently involved in these reactions.
 

Metabolism could be further divided into two categories:

• Catabolism: It is the breakdown of molecules to obtain energy in the body.
• Anabolism: It is the production of compounds which are required by the body.

Basic Units of metabolism:

The basic units of metabolism are:

• Amino acids which get derived from proteins
• Glucose which comes from carbohydrates
• Fatty acids and glycerol from fats

All these elements are useful in enzyme function in the body.

Major metabolic processes in the body:

• Digestion and assimilation of foods: When food gets ingested in the body, it undergoes some vital enzyme reactions. Due to this, it gets broken into simpler soluble substances, from which the nutrients get efficiently absorbed. This work is facilitated due to the presence and reactions of enzymes and is a major metabolic process.
• Blood Circulation: the nutrients that get collected in the human stomach are easily transported to the whole body by the blood. The nutrients float into the blood, and the rigorous circulation of this ‘life liquid’ in every part of the body could enhance the supply of nutrients.
• Elimination of wastes: There are various reactions in the body due to which the wastes get thrown out. These include defecation, urination, exhalation and sweating etc. When the food and other ingested items get broken in the body; a little portion of wastes is also produced. This produced waste could be removed by the organs such as kidneys, lungs, intestines and skin. 
• Regulation of body heat: The catabolic process in the metabolism, as stated above, is capable of generating considerable heat. This heat is effective in maintaining the temperature in the human body. 

In respect to this, our body has its methods of regulation of heat such as skin pores opening and closing, increase and decrease in the production of adrenalin enzyme, increased sweating, and dilation of blood vessels and accumulation of blood near the skin. 

Disorders in the body due to lack of metabolism:

• Obesity: This is characterized by a high enhance in body weight. One of the most prominent reasons for this is over-discharge of the enzyme from the thyroid gland. 
• Hypothyroidism: This occurs due to insufficient discharge of thyroid glands. 
• Dyslipidemia: It is the condition when bad cholesterol hovers in the body while the good one gets removed from it. 
• Galactosemia: The inability of a human body to digest milk and other dairy products. 

Foods that boost metabolism:
 

Various food products such as milk, eggs, yoghurt, nuts meat and green salads etc. are highly efficient in maintaining good metabolism in the body.
 

Apart from this various fruit juices such as Maqui Juice and Orange Juice to have a capability of boosting the metabolic activities in the body.