Mitochondrial Health for Energy
A Passion for Functional Medicine, and for Energy
Nineteen years ago after cycling around the world, I noticed my skin and hair lost much of its usual glow. As a result, I began researching skin health. What I learned was that youthful, beautiful skin comes from the inside out. Likewise, it’s also why I say the most effective sunscreen comes from the inside. Thus began my passion for functional medicine – the answer to so many unanswered questions in the emergency room.
Six years after my ride around the world, I still had time and energy to hop on my bike, cycle 50 miles away to visit family, and bike another 50 miles back home, all in a day.
Then, I gave birth to my twin boys. To my surprise, my babies zapped me of my once abundant energy. Thus began an earnest endeavor to find and maintain the zest of life.
I enjoy focusing on the vitality of life throughout one’s entire life span, and want to share one important role in energy production in our bodies.
Mitochondria, Cellular Powerhouses
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells: they are the structures that take in nutrients, break them down, and create energy rich molecules. These tiny organelles in our cells create 90% of the energy we need for life and organ function. However, when mitochondria are damaged, they produce less energy and in turn adversely affect functioning of our bodies, particularly the heart, brain, muscles, and lungs.
Feed your Mitochondria
One of the tools I use is a lab test by NutrEval to discover how to properly feed your mitochondria. It is important to understand if your body is under attack from lack of sleep, mental stress, inflammatory cytokines (substances secreted by the immune system) from processed foods, or sensitivities to healthy foods, and/or environmental toxins.
What keeps mitochondria healthy?
When mitochondria sense threats (excessive stress or toxic environmental factors), they can enter into a defense mode instead of energy production mode. However, mitochondria use stressors to keep them big and strong (via mitochondrial hormesis – mitohormesis for short). For example, vigorous exercise, fasting, phytonutrients, temperature, and excitement are all positive stressors that can boost mitochondria strength.
Optimizing Mitochondrial Function
No matter what life has dealt, we want our mitochondria to function at their optimum. They are the powerhouse of the cells that propels the body. Without them, our bodies would not function. They produce the energy for the body in the form of a chemical called Adenosine Triphospate (ATP), which fuels muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and chemical synthesis.
Mitochondrial Loss with Aging
Healthy bodies recycle ATP every 10 seconds in normal function. As we age, we naturally lose mitochondrion and we feel this critical loss typically around age 40 and again at age 70. Because of this natural progression, it is crucial to keep the remaining “powerhouses” functioning maximally. My goal is to make sure our body’s mitochondria are bathed in all the micronutrients they need to run optimally.
What is it worth for you to have optimally functioning mitochondria and abundance of energy your entire life span?
I have a deep passion for mitochondria health: maximizing these power houses can propel our body, and give us energy and stamina. Schedule a consultation today to determine how we can optimize your mitochondrial function to regain energy levels and live your fullest life.
I spoke more about this at one of my monthly Facebook Live events and have reposted the video here:
Even more ways to bolster your mitochondria:
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2920932/
https://neurohacker.com/mitochondria-functions-for-healthy-aging-what-does-the-mitochondria-do
https://www.umdf.org/what-is-mitochondrial-disease/
http://drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/CFS_-_The_Central_Cause:_Mitochondrial_Failure
https://hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2014/238463
Robert Naviaux cell dangerous response reponse (CDR) is a hypothesis proposed by UC San Diego professor Robert Naviaux, MD, PhD, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23981537
Mitochondrion. 2014 May;16:7-17. doi: 10.1016/j.mito.2013.08.006. Epub 2013 Aug 24.
https://blog.daveasprey.com/hormesis-stress-benefits/
Anita Wang, MD, FACEP