PART SIX - ENERGY

What is it that as we age we lose energy? Kids can play forever, adults find themselves petering out earlier. The “Mighty Chondria”. Picture the superhero with the cape. The one part of the cell, the “mitochondria” is responsible for cellular energy. How do we support our inner superhero????

How to avoid chronic fatigue? Nutrients for mitochondrial protection? Calorie restriction? Fasting? Autophagy? Mitophagy? English please!!!

The mitochondria is an organelle INSIDE the cell that is responsible for getting the broken down contents of food - glucose (carbs), amino acids (proteins), and fatty acids (fats) - and combining them with oxygen to produce energy and waste products. Hence, you now know what anaerobic metabolism is.

Alteration in the mitochondrial function typically underlies many of the chronic health problems associated with pain and fatigue.

Bioenergetics is the processes in the body responsible for keeping our physiological energy flowing. As we age, this diminishes. Mitochondrial bioenergetics is regulated by inherited genes but mostly by lifestyle. Our surroundings, what we eat, how and how much we exercise all influence our energy level and aging processes. The use of oxygen in this process can also create oxidative stress (think of something rusting) and that can accelerate aging process and organ deterioration.

Simple solution according to research: People who do not smoke, whose diet is plant-based, who consume minimal sugar and saturated fat, drink plenty of clean water, and who exercise regularly can reduce their incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue, autoimmune arthritis, and other chronic health conditions. In addition, they can reduce their biological age. Think of the "Blue Zoners".

In addition, if we allow ourselves to be super stressed all the time, the stress hormone adrenaline can cause the mitochondria to commit suicide. Finding "me" time in a day for relaxation is a very important daily ritual!

The role of autophagy and mitophagy - the recycling processes of your cell and mitochondria - is also regulated by foods and exercise along with “calorie restriction” or “fasting”.

Mitophagy is key in keeping the cell healthy. It promotes turnover of mitochondria and prevents accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria which can lead to cellular degeneration. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcsm.12611

Great article / Cell function below:

https://askthescientists.com/autophagy-mitophagy-cellular-damage-control/?id=13299749&source=copiedlink

CREATE ENERGY - Support yourself!

Get phytonutrients in your body every day - resveratrol from grape skins and peanuts; epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from green tea, curcumin from turmeric, isohumulones from hops, quercetin from buckwheat, watercress, and dill. (Blueberries/blackberries also).

Get omega-3 fatty acids - salmon, tuna, flax and chia seed.

Eat plant-based foods to get your vitamins and minerals - bright colored foods, whole foods, NOT processed foods in bags, cans, or boxes. (With the exception of legumes/beans - these can be found whole in bags and cans and boxes).

Specific antioxidants such as vitamin E, selenium, vitamin C, coenzyme Q-10, alpha lipoic acid, and N-acetylcysteine can PROTECT against mitochondrial damage.

Get involved in HIIT classes, yoga classes, and cross training. Be mindful of not training TOO HARD, as that can damage mitochondria and your energy levels.

Supplementation may play a role in support but should not be considered as a CURE.

USP formulation and a synergistic combination of vits/minerals/phytonutrients is key: look at this example of a formula that meets these criteria:

https://askthescientists.com/qa/cellsentials/?id=13299749&source=copiedlink

Checking in with your Energy - AKA your “Mighty Chondria”

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you routinely feel a fatigue you can’t explain or justify?
2. Are eight hours of sleep not enough for you?
3. Do you get muscle pain after even moderate exercise or activity?
4. Do you often have a sense of brain fog?
5. Can you walk a flight of stairs comfortably without excessive winding feeling?
6. Is your overall energy low or you lack ambition?
7. Is it difficult for you to tolerate disturbances around you that you used to be able to ignore or manage?
8. Do you avoid undertaking an activity that incorporates exercise because you know you won’t feel good afterward?
9. Do you feel you just don’t have the energy to cope with daily living?
10. Do you frequently get headaches for unknown reasons?
11. Have your senses of smell and taste gotten worse?
12. Are you forgetting things you shouldn’t be forgetting?
13. Do you feel older than your age?
14. Does a regular cold wipe you out for prolonged period of time?

Reference: “The Disease Delusion” by Dr. Jeffrey S. Bland

Don't’ be afraid to MEET the Mighty Chondria!

Everyone has a superhero self, you just have to nurture that part!

Please, if you answered yes to several of the above questions, talk to your health care provider and engage in a plan to investigate your findings.

Superheros engage in solutions!

Part 7 coming soon - You have the tools to address your health - Stay tuned!