
8 min read
Are your body's energy factories under-performing?
There are a multitude of reasons why so many people suffer from TATT - or feel ‘tired all the time‘.
If you‘re struggling to find enough time to sleep because you‘re flat out with work, or if your sleep is disrupted by ‘litluns‘, for example, the causes will be obvious.
Looking on the bright side, improving your life-work balance or waiting till your kids‘ sleep patterns have settled will sort you out.
But if you suffer insomnia, or sleep a full 7 or more hours and continue to feel exhausted, there‘s something else going on. How‘s your immune system?
Finding you have difficulty shaking off bugs, or do you suffer their consequences more than others you know who seem to have boundless energy?
All of these (and other) symptoms can point back to under-performance from the tiny energy-producing units (organelles) with which are cells are endowed, known as mitochondria.
If we don‘t have sufficient numbers of mitochondria, or they are small in volume, our capacity to produce energy is reduced - sometimes severely.
Mitochondria can get their energy from any of the three fuels we consume: carbohydrates, fats or protein.
These all get converted into our body‘s key fuel, ATP - which stands for adenosine triphosphate. Fat yields by far the most energy, that‘s why you‘ll see in the energy calculations on food labels that each gram of fat converts to 9 calories (kcal) or energy, as against 4 kcal for carbs and protein.
But to make our millions of little energy factories work properly, we also need a bunch of nutrient co-factors that we can only get from our diets.
That includes most of the B vitamins, vitamin C, the minerals magnesium, zinc, selenium, iodine, manganese, copper, calcium and iron - and coenzyme Q10.
Having enough of these nutrients in your body is a bit like putting fuel in the tank of your car. But you still need to make sure the motor works and that it‘s serviced properly for the car to run properly.
This is where things so often go awry in today‘s world, where daily living - and working - involves so much less in the way of regular physical activity compared with the environment in which we evolved.
Putting this into perspective, our genome has changed little over the last 20,000 years - and during most of this time our ancestors were physically very active for a much of the time.
Hunter-gatherer lifestyles that are the predominant ones that have shaped our genome actually revolved around cycles of intense physical activity linked to hunting and gathering, followed by periods of feeding and resting.
It couldn't be more of a contrast from our modern much more sedentary lifestyles, with refrigerators, supermarkets, corner stores and garages bursting with food, often very rich in simple carbs (refined grains, sugar) and processed fats.
Over the last decade or so we've learned a lot about what makes our mitochondria snap back into action, developing in both density and volume.
Here‘s a few pointers
Don‘t stay seated for more than an hour at a time
Regularly counteracting gravity, be it through going to make a cuppa for your colleagues or friends, bouncing on a rebounder, running up some stairs, or doing some press-ups, sit-ups or other body-weight exercises, should be built into your daily routine.
This is particularly important if your job is sedentary. Set a timer to remind yourself that your hour‘s up and it‘s time to stand up! You might also want to consider a standing desk.
Incorporate some high intensity interval training (HITT) into your week‘s activity
ideally around 3 times a week. How hard you push yourself during your intense phase that might last between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, is going to depend on your level of fitness and underlying health.
If you‘re unsure what‘s right for you, consult a personal trainer. Try your HIIT sessions in a fasted state, ideally after an overnight fast that‘s run for over 12 hours (yes, that might means doing your HIIT before breakfast, or even skipping breakfast).
Within 30 minutes or so of completing the session, you should indulge in 20 grams of high quality, highly digestible, hypoallergenic protein - and Nuzest‘s Clean Lean Protein is as good as it gets.
Have you tried intermittent fasting?
If you haven‘t, now‘s maybe the time - knowing it‘s what your mitochondria love! That could mean not eating more frequently that every 5 hours, giving up snacks between meals, eating just two meals rather than three meals a day - or doing the 5-2 diet, where two days a week you drastically restrict your food intake to around 500-600 kcal a day.
Include some longer bouts of endurance training into your weekly activity
That can be anything from longer walks, cycle rides, swimming, kayaking - take your pick.
These activities should ideally be 2 hours or more as during the first 90 minutes or so you‘ll just be burning stored carbohydrate in the form of glycogen in your muscles and liver. After this you start burning fat - your mitochondria‘s favourite and cleanest endurance fuel.
Your fat fuel can come both from your own body fat, and fats your consumed in your diet. These should all be healthy fats like hydroxytyrosol-rich, cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil, MCTs from coconut oil and Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils or algal sources.
Take it easy on Omega-6 rich polyunsaturated acids that are the predominant fats in most cheaper vegetable oils, over-consumption of which prevent our anti-inflammatory responses from working properly.
Make sure your body has all the cofactors your mitochondria need for making energy. The easiest way to do this is by taking a serve of Nuzest‘s Good Green Vitality each day - or even two half serves twice daily if you prefer.
We‘ve formulated this product especially for all 12 of your body systems - with your energy-yielding metabolism and protection from oxidative stress being key to helping your mitochondria work to their full potential - just as nature intended.
Read more:
Save yourself from being tired all the time...
Getting out and moving your body for those who just don't want to...
The effects of sleep deprivation on your health...
The information provided in this article is intended for educational purposes only and is general advice. It should not, nor is it intended to be, relied on as a substitute for individual medical advice or care. If the contents of this, or any other of the blogs in this series raises any concerns or questions regarding your health, please consult a qualified healthcare practitioner.
Related news
min read
Beyond Distractions: The Ultimate Guide to Focus and Concentration with Top Nutritional Tips
Boost your focus with 'Beyond Distractions' by Megan Jones. Discover effective concentration tips and nutritional advice for better cognitive health.
min read
Fuelling Resilience: Nourishing Your Body to Combat Stress + 10 Top Tips and 5 Top Nutrients to Help!
Boost resilience against stress with Megan Jones's insights on nourishing the body. Learn the top tips and essential nutrients, like magnesium and zinc, to combat stress effectively with Nuzest's Good Green Vitality
min read
An Introduction to Healthy Ageing – Our 4 Part Series and Must-See Articles
Unlock the art of healthy ageing with Megan Jones' blog series. Learn how diet, protein, and lifestyle impact longevity, and gain practical tips for vitality at every age. Dive into the science of nutrition for a life full of health and independence.
Unlock the art of healthy ageing with Megan Jones' blog series. Learn how diet, protein, and lifestyle impact longevity, and gain practical tips for vitality at every age. Dive into the science of nutrition for a life full of health and independence.
min read
The Lifelong Nutritional Journey: Nourishing Every Life Stage
Join Megan Jones as she delves into the critical role of nutrition from conception to our golden years. Discover how dietary choices shape our health and how Nuzest's Good Green Vitality can bridge nutritional gaps at every stage.
min read
Lifestyle as Medicine + top tips to help prevent lifestyle diseases and optimise your health!
Discover the deep connection between lifestyle and health. The World Health Organization emphasizes holistic well-being beyond just physical health. Learn how daily habits, from diet to sleep, impact our risk of chronic diseases and how modern insights align with ancient wisdom. Embrace a lifestyle that promotes longevity and well-being.
Discover the deep connection between lifestyle and health. The World Health Organization emphasizes holistic well-being beyond just physical health. Learn how daily habits, from diet to sleep, impact our risk of chronic diseases and how modern insights align with ancient wisdom. Embrace a lifestyle that promotes longevity and well-being.
min read
Mind The Nutritional Gap
Modern lifestyles lean towards processed foods, creating a nutritional gap despite available healthy options. This piece explores the reasons and emphasises supplements like Good Green Vitality as a potential remedy.
Modern lifestyles lean towards processed foods, creating a nutritional gap despite available healthy options. This piece explores the reasons and emphasises supplements like Good Green Vitality as a potential remedy.
min read
Navigating Healthy Ageing with the Power of Protein
As we age, it's inevitable that our bodies change. However, embracing proper nutrition and an active lifestyle can greatly influence the rate and manner of these changes. With the UN proclaiming 2021-2030 as the “UN Decade of Healthy Ageing”, it’s clear the spotlight is on the significance of healthy behaviours throughout life.
min read
Ageing Gracefully: Unveiling the Power of Immunity-Boosting Habits for Healthy Ageing
As we age, our immune response undergoes significant changes, closely linked to our nutritional intake. This article delves into how ageing affects immunity, emphasizing the role of a balanced diet, complemented by supplements like Good Green Vitality and Clean Lean Protein, in supporting a healthy ageing process.
As we age, our immune response undergoes significant changes, closely linked to our nutritional intake. This article delves into how ageing affects immunity, emphasizing the role of a balanced diet, complemented by supplements like Good Green Vitality and Clean Lean Protein, in supporting a healthy ageing process.
min read
An Introduction to Gut Health & Nutrition – 5 Must See Articles
Gut health significantly affects overall wellbeing, influencing brain function, immunity, and metabolism. A balanced gut microbiota, influenced by diet and environment, can potentially enhance health, aid digestion, and reduce allergies. The roles of probiotics and prebiotics in gut health are also discussed.
min read
Probiotics vs. Prebiotics
Unleash gut health with probiotics and prebiotics! Strengthen digestion, immunity, and overall well-being. Try Nuzest's Good Green Vitality for convenient support with 8 billion CFU of probiotics. Take charge now!
min read
The Link Between Gut Health & Allergies - Plus 5 Top Tips to Help
Discover the link between gut health and allergies, and how the gut microbiome influences the body's immune response to allergens. Learn how adopting a balanced diet with prebiotics and probiotics can support gut health, reducing the risk of allergic reactions. Explore solutions for allergy relief and fostering a healthier gut with Nuzest’s multi-nutrient formula, Good Green Vitality.
min read
The Gut Connection: How to Improve Your Digestion and Gut Health in 6 Steps
Discover the significance of gut health and its impact on digestion and overall well-being. Learn six practical steps, including maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated, managing stress, and using antibiotics wisely, to promote a healthy gut and enhance vitality.
min read
Does Gut Health Affect Your Immune System? | Do These 6 Things
The gut microbiome, which consists of trillions of bacteria in our digestive tract, plays a crucial role in supporting our immune system and overall health. Consuming probiotics and prebiotics, staying hydrated, managing stress, limiting processed foods, and engaging in outdoor activity and exercise are effective strategies to promote a healthy gut and enhance immunity.
min read
How To Build A Smoothie
Surely making a smoothie isn’t rocket science, right? You throw some stuff in a blender, blend it and voila you have a smoothie. Kinda, but also not. A well-crafted smoothie is a beautiful thing. Tasty and satisfyingly nourishing. Great fuel that’s easy to digest and keeps you going. So how do you build this beautiful thing you ask?