You've got goals and a to-do list that belongs in a Dr. Suess book but fatigue and brain fog is getting in the way. You're staring at the computer, but you might as well be staring off into space because concentration is so difficult. It might even feel like you're treading through mud. Wishing you could take a nap and knowing that things have to get done, what can you do to feel more energized?
Did you know your body turns your nutrition into fuel and that your cells take that fuel and turns it into a powerful energy producing substance called "adenosine triphosphate" or ATP. ATP is the main energy source for your cell. Every cell in your body takes that fuel and allows the cell to function optimally. Bottom line is that happy cells equals a more energized, productive, and happier you.
Where is ATP?
Think of your cells as a factory and in each factory there are rooms that have different functions. Each room will represent an organelle which is a subcellular structure that has a specific job. Like a factory full of specialized rooms, every cell in your body comprises of organelles. One of those organelles, or room in this example, is the "mitochondria." It is in the mitochondria that ATP is produced.
What's the goal?
When you are fatigued, you want to find ways to have more energy. One way to approach boosting energy is by supporting the health and function of the mitochondria. Why? Supporting your mitochondria will help your body be more efficient in making ATP from your nutrition. More ATP and better efficiency means that you can optimize energy production from the food that you eat.
How do I optimize Mitochondrial Function?
Nutrition:
You can think from the highest to start which is what you eat. The primary source of fuel to build ATP is glucose. So, what you eat matters!
Fasting for too long or going 100% carbohydrate free deprives your body of glucose. Yes, the Standard American Diet is far too heavy in sugar, white bread, and white flour which drives up glucose way too high causing diabetes, but you can flip that coin over and deprive yourself of glucose completely and stress the body out, too.
The key is to be mindful about your fasting and balance your complex carbohydrates with vegetables, protien, healthy fats, and exercise. *pay attention to the fact I just said "complex carbohydrates" and not "white bread, flour, or sugar." You see, those complex carbohydrates provide more than just glucose. They are packed with nutrients you're going to need for the next step in this story.
BioChemistry 101
Now that you're body has converted your food into glucose, it now has to be delivered to the cell and pass through a barrier. This requires an intricate relationship with your pancreas and insulin. But once glucose enters into the cell, it then goes through a complicated process called, "glycolysis." Glyco = "glucose" and "Lysis" = to split apart.
During glycolysis, the glucose is split into a micronutrient called pyruvate. This nutrient then goes into yet another process called, Citric Acid Cycle or The Krebbs Cycle. Then FINALLY it enters into the mitochondria to produce ATP.
Phew! All that for 2 molecules of ATP!!
Makes you wonder how in the world we make enough energy, but that is the God within us.
The point I want to make here is that any supplement on the market that supports your mitochondria is providing nutrients for each of these steps. Also, remember what I said about complex carbohydrates? Complex carbs provide those nutrients, too! When you eat colorful fruits and vegetables, they provide the antioxidants needed to protect your cells as well. Let's dive into that a little more....
Micronutrients the Support Mitochondrial Health:
CoQ10 is the most common supplement for cell energy because its the primary nutrient used in ATP production. One might also say that it's a powderful anti-oxidant, too.
The thing is, the mitochondria gets damaged from environmental toxins, infections, issues in people's DNA, and poor lifestyle choices. So you want to think about anti-oxidants to help protect from cellular damage.
All the steps I've previously mentioned in the nutrition and biochemistry sections matter. They require their own set of micronutrients to optimally function.
All in all, if your standard B-Vitamin and go-to Adrenal support aren't giving you the boost that you need, you might think about supporting your mitochondria next. It is the powerhouse of every cell in your body. Why not give it the boost that it needs?
Need to explore your fatigue further?
Check out this 5-Day Daily Energy exploration. Each day you will be given an easy task to start observing what is draining your energy and what is boosting it.
You can explore that here: 5-Minute-Daily-Exercises
You can also schedule a complimentary discovery call with Dr. Lexi to explore your fatigue on a more personalized and customized level.
Energetically,
Dr. Lexi