Your Body's Inner Steam Engine

Growing health from the roots up often means growing it from the cellular level. Cells are the foundation of tissue, organs and body systems; you are healthy when your cells are thriving. One of the basic needs of your cells is energy. Cells that don't have sufficient energy don't function well, leading to malfunctions in your tissue organs and systems. One sign that your cells don't produce enough energy is fatigue, a common complaint amongst my clients. How do cells produce energy? The mitochondria are the steam engines of the cell which produces energy. Instead of wood or coal, you feed your mitochondria with nutrients, mainly pyruvate, which is an end product of carbohydrate and protein transformation. Like in a steam engine, the mitochondria provide the body with energy. The number of mitochondria in each cell is determined by how much energy the tissue or organ needs to function well. For example, the heart needs high energy because it constantly contracts and relaxes. Therefore, heart cells have a higher number of mitochondria than most, if not all, other organs. Like anybody who has ever started a fire, you know you need kindling — small, dried wooden sticks and paper. For the mitochondria to start the fire, it needs vitamins and minerals. Steam engines revolutionized how we traveled and manufactured goods in factories because they provided an efficient energy source, but all that doesn't come without some work. You need to clean the ashes frequently. The body, too, produces ashes; we call them free radicals. Free radicals reduce energy production efficiency and produce inflammation. What can go wrong? Several things can go wrong in your inner engine, from the wood to the kindling and even your inner thermostat. The Wood: For your inner engine, the mitochondria, to work well, you need enough nutrients to feed it. Nutrients come from the food you eat, and a nutrient-dense diet is essential for cell energy production. Even if you eat a nutrient-dense diet, it doesn't always mean all these nutrients get to your cells. For nutrients to be absorbed, you need enough stomach acid and a healthy gut. The Kindling: To start the fire, you need kindling. Your body can't produce sufficient energy if your diet doesn't include all these vitamins and minerals. Here is a list of vitamins and minerals needed for energy production and their food sources: Vitamin B1: pork, lentils, beans, eggs, whole grains Vitamin B2: beef, pork, chicken, dairy products, green leaves Vitamin B3: tuna, salmon, chicken, turkey, pork, beef, avocado Vitamin B5: avocado, beans, mushrooms, dairy products, organ meats Zinc: oysters, beef, chicken, pork, lamb, pumpkin seeds, spinach Magnesium: spinach, banana, avocado, legumes, salmon, brown rice Iron: spinach, chard, liver, seafood, chicken, lamb, beef, pork Copper: nuts and seeds, whole grains, leafy greens, organ meats The Ashes: Cleaning your cells from the free radicals is as important as cleaning the stove of a steam engine regularly. Foods that are antioxidants bind to the free radicals and help remove them from your body. Foods rich in antioxidants are sour foods such as berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries), grapes, apples, oranges and pomegranates. Veggies from the cruciferous botanical family, such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and kale, are high in antioxidants too. The Thermostat: Your thyroid gland manages how high your inner fire is. Hypothyroidism happens when your thermostat is too low; your body doesn't produce enough energy. You might feel fatigued, gain weight, have dry, brittle hair and nails, dry skin, and be sensitive to cold. In hyperthyroidism, your inner stove burns too high. It eats lots of wood (nutrients), meaning you lose weight and feel hot, restless and irritable. Many conditions can interfere with your body's inner engine function. However, you can support your body's energy production by providing your inner stove with a nutrient-dense diet, fostering a healthy digestive system and ensuring the body does a good job of removing free radicals. This article is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation.