Living Magazine 2022 - Fall/Winter

A Conversation about Metabolic Health with Drs. Brannick Riggs and Greg Woodfill

Dr. Brannick Riggs is a board-certified family practitioner who’s also the vice president of education at dōTERRA. When he’s not working, Dr. Riggs enjoys spending time with his wife, Juli, and their five children in the great outdoors of the Wasatch Front.

Dr. Greg Woodfill is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist currently living in Wilmington, North Carolina, with his wife, Ashley, and their four children. Dr. Woodfill and Ashley cofounded East Coast Oils (ECO), where they study safe and effective essential oil usage.

What’s Metabolic Health?

You make daily choices that expose your body to various substances—usually by eating, breathing, or absorbing them through your skin. These substances are metabolized into your body.

The adage “you are what you eat” could actually be better stated “you are what you metabolize.” Strong metabolic health positively affects every life-giving function in the body. Weak metabolic health leads to poor well-being and early aging.

Several bodily characteristics can give you a general idea of your metabolic health, like energy levels, shortness of breath, heart rate, skin problems, digestive issues, and brain fog. You can also acquire specific tests from your healthcare provider to make sure your pulse, blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and C-reactive proteins are all within healthy ranges.

Dr. Riggs suggests looking at your weight to evaluate your metabolic health. He says, “If you have a BMI greater than 25, you likely have challenges with metabolic health.”

Why Is Metabolic Health Important?

Dr. Riggs continues, “Metabolic health is a serious concern. In the US, nearly 75 percent of the population is either overweight or obese. Sadly, this number has only increased during the recent worldwide pandemic. When stressed, we often turn to foods high in carbohydrates and decrease the time we spend exercising. This combination sets us up for poor metabolic health.