I have an old iPhone. (Yes, it still has a Home button!) It seems to charge just fine, but after a few hours, it's back in low power mode. No matter how often I plug it in, it loses charge quickly. The issue isn’t the charger; it's the battery's diminished capacity.
Our cells are like that, too. We "charge" our cellular batteries with food, connection, nature, rest, and sleep. Yet, despite all our efforts, we often feel like we’re running on low power.
Just like our phones, our cellular batteries need more than daily recharging; they sometimes need replacing with fresh, fully capable ones.
Inside almost every cell in your body, you have mitochondria. Think of them as tiny batteries that power your body and mind. These batteries use nutrients, water, and light to create energy, called ATP, which your body needs to function.
Energy production depends on many factors, like your diet and gut health, but it all comes together in the mitochondria. The energy they produce powers your brain, heart, lungs, and muscles, and supports the repair and maintenance of your body tissues. Keeping your mitochondria healthy is key to healthy aging.
Since mitochondria are present in nearly every cell of the body, low-powered mitochondria can lead to a variety of symptoms, including:
Tired, even after rest
Muscle weakness, pain and/or soreness
Brain fog
Stress & Mood issues
Exercise intolerance/slow recovery times
Heart palpitations
Weakened immune system
These serious body imbalances may be secretly stealing your energy
Sugar swings Glucose imbalances can be a major, yet often overlooked, factor in impaired mitochondrial function. Sharp fluctuations in blood sugar levels can harm mitochondria and hinder the body's ability to create fresh, fully-charged mitochondria. Over time, this can lead to a decrease in both the number and efficiency of mitochondria.
Toxic overload In our modern world, we're bombarded with chemicals from various sources like food, water, air, household products, and even medications and supplements. While our bodies are remarkable at handling these compounds, the sheer volume of exposure in today's world can sometimes overwhelm our detoxification systems. This overload can lead to the production of reactive compounds that harm mitochondria and hinder energy production.
Gut flora toxicity Did you know that your gut microbes might be affecting your mitochondria? When certain bacteria in your gut overgrow, they produce hydrogen sulfide gas, which can harm your mitochondria and hinder the growth of new ones. Additionally, an overgrowth of gram-negative bacteria, which can be worsened by a leaky gut, leads to the excessive release of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the bloodstream. These LPS trigger inflammation in the brain, ultimately suppressing mitochondrial energy production and causing cellular damage. This process has been strongly linked to anxiety and depression and can also impact issues such as fatigue, metabolism, memory, concentration, sleep, and appetite.
So if you feel like an old iPhone that can’t hold charge, (despite efforts with food, rest and sleep) the problem may lie in your cells - your mitochondria. When they're not working well, you can feel tired, weak, anxious and foggy.
Soak up some sun! Just like our plant friends, your mitochondria loves a sunny day! Spend some time outdoors to let your skin absorb sunlight, which fuels your mitochondria and amps up ATP production in your cells.
Dive into polyphenols of the season! Polyphenols are antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, and right now, the options are endless! Think blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and elderberries for a polyphenol boost. Plus, they're gentle on your glucose levels compared to other fruits. There are also plenty of polyphenol foods available year round: red onions, pomegranate, cranberries, burdock root, dandelion root, sweet potato and much more.
Fasting Fasting has multiple benefits to mitochondria. It helps to balance insulin and improve blood glucose control, it can improve gut flora balance and heal the gut lining and longer fasts can even help you regrow super-efficient mitochondria! No matter what type of fasting you're doing, it's important to be prepared and informed on safe and effective ways to approach it. Learn more about fasting here.
Your body has the remarkable capacity to repair and recover cellular energy!
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