Our civilization has come a long way over the centuries, so living in a well-developed society today means perceiving food as a source of pleasure, much more so than pure sustenance. We combine ingredients to satisfy our flavor preferences, forgetting that at the basis of it, food is our fuel – we need it for producing energy, both mental and physical.
Just like food is essential for balanced hormones, your choice of meals will define how energized or exhausted you’ll feel every day. In fact, we can carefully tailor our approach to eating to feed our mitochondria, the so-called engine of our cells, responsible for producing energy. Here’s how to eat to nourish your mitochondria and feel invigorated!
Fasting to boost energy production
Research has shown that regular fasting can have many astounding effects on the body, the mitochondria included! Opposite to popular belief, fasting helps your body elevate your energy levels by empowering mitochondrial biogenesis (the process your cells use to create new mitochondria).
There are many different ways to fast and reduce your caloric intake, if only temporarily, to help achieve the desired effect in your cells. Consult your doctor before choosing which fasting system will work for you, since you need to be mindful of your specific health needs and underlying conditions.
Curb stress and cortisol levels
Sleep deprivation, work-related burnout, or even situations such as the pandemic can all lead to chronic stress. Too much cortisol production and a number of other stress-related reactions in your body can all lead to damaging your mitochondria and making them less resistant to stress.
Restoring your energy often means addressing the stress itself, which will in turn help you repair your mitochondria. Whether you need to rethink your lifestyle choices or find more effective stress management methods (such as meditation, yoga, or therapy), getting to the bottom of the initial cause will help you boost natural energy production in your body.
Prevent and manage mitochondrial dysfunction
Different underlying medical conditions, immune system issues, or poor lifestyle choices can impede energy production and lead to mitochondrial dysfunction. While it’s vital that you find out the cause of this problem, you should also work on restoring your mitochondria’s natural properties.
- Adapt your diet with the help of a professional functional medicine expert who can guide you towards the best nutrition plan for your health.
- Add a supplement such as Mitocore, to leverage the ingredients (including green tea and broccoli seed extract) that enhance mitochondrial function.
- Make sure you sleep properly, with quality and quality in mind. Insomnia and poor sleep patterns can be extremely harmful for your cells.
Detox your body properly
When your diet is riddled with overly processed meals and ingredients (such as sugar, savory snacks, and fast-food meals), you’re most likely accumulating a tremendous amount of toxins and chemicals your body can barely filter. Add to that, exposure to environmental pollutants, those found in the air, soil, and water, can all be disruptive for your mitochondrial health.
- Eliminate processed, chemical-packed foods from your diet and replace them with local and seasonal foodsfilled with nutrients.
- Make sure you hydrate properly and eat plenty of antioxidants – water helps your body’s built-in detoxifying systems filter the chemical buildup, while antioxidants help repair the damage caused by oxidative stress and free radicals.
- Join a detox program that is designed to help your body detox in a healthy, controlled way, while protecting your immune system.
Your cells, and thus your mitochondria are sensitive to the food you eat, when you consume your meals, and how you balance your macronutrient and micronutrient intake. If you find yourself struggling with fatigue and low energy levels, get in touch with us and book a consultation to get started on a nutrition plan that will revive your energy production.
