Mitochondria 101

Mitochondria. Without mitochondria we would have NO energy in our cells. They are the powerhouse of the cells. They take in carbs and fats as fuel and they process the fuel into ATP which is energy for the cells to function. Our body is composed of cells, so if you have mitochondrial dysfunction, your whole body suffers. This is why mitochondria is so important. Mitochondrial dysfunction relates to all diseases, so aiming to improve the mitochondria is key.
Why do we experience fatigue? Our degree of fatigue is dependent on the bodies stress load and its ability to deal with it. Stressors such as toxins and pollution, emotional and psychological stress, poor diet choices and poor sleep all add to our total body stress load. The other factor is the bodies capability to deal with the various stressors. Two people can be dealt the same toxins or emotional stress, yet one will do better because his body is able to properly deal with it.
So, someone who is battling with constant fatigue, either has too large a stress load, a weakened body or a combination of the two. While it is important to lower your toxin intake and stress load, there is another component which should be emphasized and that is increasing the body’s capacity to deal with the stressors. Now the foundation of our bodies ability to power up and deal with various stressor lies in the mitochondria. Improving mitochondrial function is therefore a game changer.
To quote Dr Robert Naviaux MD, “Mitochondria lie at the hub of the wheel of metabolism. Because mitochondria are also the concertmasters of innate immunity and inflammation, it makes them uniquely positioned to help the cell decide whether to devote energy and resources to peacetime metabolism or cellular defense”.
This is critical for energy. The cells are either in cell defense mode or peacetime metabolism mode (where you feel energized).
Another important way to combat fatigue is by strengthening the mitochondria. Well, how do the mitochondria become weak in the first place? There can be many answers to this question, but I will focus on one that you can easily fix. What I am referring to is a lack of hormesis or mitochondrial stimulation. Without this stimulation the mitochondria will become weak. Fragile and weak mitochondria can’t properly deal with stress and you end up being constantly tired.
The way to give your mitochondria a tune up is by hormesis. This is where you are exposed to a mild or temporary stressor and thereby, they can deal better with bigger stressors. It is just like exercise and weight training, where you build up the muscles capacity to move, lift and endure. Here are a few forms of hormesis: Exercise, intermittent fasting, cold and hot exposure, hypoxia, uv light, infrared light and depriving oxygen.
Heat hormesis is one powerful tool. Using a sauna can be extremely effective in getting rid of fatigue. The heat stimulation has reduced fatigue, depression and brain fog to none or very low levels. Check Out Ours Here
Another form of hormesis is intermittent hypoxic training. This doesn’t cost any money. By using breathing techniques to induce low oxygen levels in the blood you can train the mitochondria to utilize oxygen more effectively. In Russia, intermittent hypoxic training has been extensively studied and utilized. It known more to athletes, but the truth is non-athletes can benefit from this just as much, if not more.
Here is one form of IHT. Exhale and hold breath out. Count how many paces you can go before you need to breathe. Go back to normal breathing and repeat.
There are may forms of hormesis out there and by incorporating more hormesis activities into your lifestyle you will build up your cellular engine and banish that dreadful fatigue from you.


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