So much to do and not enough energy…. if this sounds familiar, keep reading. This article is dedicated to Jessie for Mother’s Day; she is very special to me and has tremendous energy at the incredible age of 98. Perhaps she will be the inspiration you need to start making choices to help you have more energy!
Jessie is currently my oldest patient. See the recent photo of Jessie with her daughter, Carol, in our May ad and you’ll see why she seems more like 98 years young. Although Jessie has advanced macular degeneration and hearing loss, Jessie has a great smile and a twinkle in her eyes.
Jessie makes the most of everything and loves life. This summer, she’s looking forward to spending time outside, going on boat rides, and attending neighborhood bonfires. Another highlight of her summer often includes vacationing on Lake Huron where she gets around on the back of an ATV!
Sometimes Jessie gets frustrated that she can’t see television or identify birds at her feeder, but she listens to books on tape and makes sure the birds have food. She often misses certain foods, especially sweets. But she is learning that sugar isn’t her friend. Besides, most commercially prepared foods don’t taste the way she remembers – not surprising because the ingredients are very different due to GMO’s, chemical excitotoxins, etc.
To stay healthy and continue doing what she loves, Jessie’s daily choices are important. Although she’s fortunate that her mitochondria (her energy producing cells) weren’t damaged early in life by our modern day toxins, it doesn’t mean Jessie is set for life. She must continue to eat and sleep well, exercise, get chiropractic adjustments, play, and stay positive to maintain her energy.
Jessie supports local farmers markets by buying organic vegetables and fruits, bringing back fond memories of gardening. I’ve heard stories about nieces and nephews who helped her weed her big garden when they were young. Without pesticides and fertilized with compost, Jessie’s garden was safe and healthy.
For extra nutrition, Jessie enjoys a blended drink made with raw milk, raw almonds, raw cocoa, hemp hearts, Chia seeds, coconut oil, wild/organic blueberries, Nutritional yeast, SP Complete (a whole food protein blend made with Brussels sprouts, kale, alfalfa, etc.) and Dream Protein, a Stevia-sweetened whey protein powder. Celtic sea salt helps maintain her sodium/potassium balance. Together, these foods contribute to Jessie’s energy.
To understand why nutrition is so important, let’s look at the science. Energy packets are produced by the mitochondria in the form of a chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) obtained through the breakdown products of foods. These special energy packets provide approximately 90% of our daily energy.
Mitochondria are a cell type known as a prokaryotic, which differ from the other cells in the body. Except for bacteria, all of the other cells in the body are eukaryotes. Mitochondria have their own DNA that is different from DNA in the rest of the body.
For optimal energy, we must avoid damaging the mitochondria. This isn’t easy because they’re easily damaged. Even the mitochondrial energy production process creates free radicals that may damage the mitochondria themselves. Food containing artificial sugars, altered grains, flavor-enhancing chemicals, and other toxins also damage mitochondria.
In addition to chemicals added to improve flavor and increase shelf life, others are added for the sole purpose of increasing profits. Commercial fruits and vegetables typically contain herbicides sprayed around plants to kill weeds, fungicides to kill fungus, and pesticides to kill bugs. Corporate farms use antibiotics and hormones to fatten livestock for market. This practice of using antibiotics on healthy animals creates highly resistant bacteria, leading to other problems for us.
Other toxins that destroy mitochondria and decrease energy include prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, beauty supplies, and fluorinated drinking water. Although not commonly known, mitochondrial DNA is damaged by fluoride. Since mitochondria are easily damaged, eating healthy foods and detoxifying the body to safely eliminate toxins is essential for maintaining energy in today’s world.
Damaging mitochondria is a serious matter. Many diseases stem from mutated mitochondrial DNA or decreased numbers of mitochondria. They include various forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, muscular dystrophy, and certain diseases of the eyes, ears, and heart. Every part of the body that requires energy to function depends upon healthy mitochondria for proper functioning.
I utilize specific muscle testing in my office to check the health of mitochondria. For optimal mitochondrial functioning, I find that supplementation is often needed. Two of the most important nutrients related to cellular energy production are Acetyl-L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid (Blaylock, Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients, pg. 226.) Other nutrients include manganese which helps convert food into energy, zinc, and organic copper. Copper and zinc work together to produce superoxide dismutase (SOD), a powerful antioxidant enzyme that helps protect the mitochondria. Vitamins B and E also aid energy production. Many other helpful nutrients will be reviewed at the workshop on May 20th.
Besides nutrition, detoxification is important to energy production. We utilize a complete Purification system along with the Erchonia Ion foot bath to ensure safe detoxification.
Low level light therapy (LLLT), a form of cold laser, has been found to enhance the work of the mitochondria. Very simply, it works by helping add electrons to the process of energy production. Increasing ATP production without adding free radicals, cold laser assists the body in healing.
One more thing – Mitochondrial DNA is inherited maternally. Your ability to be active is inherited from your mom. So remember to recognize the mothers and/or grandmothers in your life for the role they played in passing on their mitochondrial DNA!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Dr. William H. Karl, D.C.
