What causes a slow metabolism? how can i speed it up?

Often a bad diet: Eat foods that are nutrient dense (like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, low starch vegatables and water) avoid foods that are not nutrient dense (like starches and sugars, including fruit) nutrient dense foods will increase your basal metabolic rate. On the other hand, starches and sugars impair thyroid metabolism via affects on your liver (which helps activate thyroid hormone).