In this post I’m going to give you 3 strategies to help you Optimise your Mitochondria to Overcome Tiredness and Fatigue.
I’ve always had a very keen interest in Mitochondria, Mitochondrial function and Bioenergetics. This really started back in 1989 when I was studying for my MSc in Medical Biochemistry. And when I completed my dissertation, ‘Coenzyme Q10 in Bioenergetics and its therapeutic uses’.
CoQ10 also known as Ubiquinone is a fat soluble vitamin like substance that’s essential for cellular energy production. We’ve come a long way since then. Nowadays you can buy it in face creams, toothpaste and in capsule form. Many people taking Statins also use it because Statins block the production of CoQ10 which can lead to muscle cramp and low energy.
The Mitochondria are our cellular power houses and some cells have several thousands of them which produce 90% of our Energy in the form of ATP. Bioenergetics is the study of how cells transform energy by producing storing and using ATP. Research into our Mitochondria and Bioenergetics has really intensified over the last 10 years.
This is mainly because the humane genome project, (mapping our human genes), hasn’t really given us all the answers. There are now so many studies revealing the huge role Mitochondria play in everything from Resilience to Stress to Resistance to Disease.
In a previous blog post I talked about the importance of exercise and how High Intensity Interval training can help keep your mitochondria healthy. Here’s 3 more top strategies that will Optimise your Mitochondria for maximum cellular energy production. This will also help contribute to a long and healthy LIFE.
Strategy 1
The standard modern diet is usually high in calories and low in nutrients and very often poor in quality. Remove all processed foods especially high sugary foods from your diet and increase the good fats,
(You don’t have to go KETO, I’ll be discussing why Keto is not good for everyone in a later post),
see my book for more information, ‘How to Overcome Tiredness, Fatigue, Stress and Burnout and Boost your Energy for High Performance’
Mitochondria: Energy factories of the cells
Mitochondria can burn sugar or fat but prefer fat it’s cleaner and produces much more energy. 1 sugar, (actually glucose), molecule can yield between 2 and 36 molecules of ATP, but 1 molecule of fat, e.g a short chain fatty acid can yield 48 molecules of ATP. A long chain fatty acid can yield 147 molecules of ATP. As you probably know all factories produce waste which can be harmful. Using sugar to produce energy produces a lot of waste much more than burning fat for fuel. This leads to cellular damage by the waste products and an increase in inflammation which can sap your energy.
Strategy 2
Remove any foods from your diet that you are sensitive too or intolerant of. This is not always easy to identify and many people are unaware that drinking milk or eating bread is causing many of their symptoms. See my book for more details!!
Recent research over the last 2 years has shown that your gut Microbiome, the bacteria in your gut that support digestion and processing of your food, (and so much more), and your Mitochondria actually communicate. So when your gut is inflamed it needs more energy. Just remind your self how you feel when you have a virus or a bad cold!!!! I have helped so many clients recover from fatigue remarkably quickly by just modifying their diet and I’m NOT alone.
Strategy 3
SLEEP: Get the right amount for you and remove all blue light such as phones, Laptops etc 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. Blue light at night will inhibit the production of Melatonin.
Melatonin stabilises the Mitochondrial membrane, its an excellent antioxidant and helps protect your Mitochondria from damage. The cumulative effect of poor sleep hygiene results in less Melatonin and this means more damage to your Mitochondria and ultimately less Energy.
There is also a direct link between your gut and your brain. 90% of the fibers in the vagus nerve carry information from the gut to the brain so you also have to ‘fix your gut’ to support a good nights sleep.
If you want read more about this process I suggest Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson and
Why we Sleep by Mathew Walker.
These are two excellent books and are easy to read.
In my book I discuss all these Tips and much more and its based on my successful Coaching programme ‘Metabolic Conditioning’. Get your copy while its FREE.
If you want to know more about the latest Mitochondrial research listen to this podcast with Dr Ted Achacoso.