How to Access More Energy, Resilience and Adaptability

Posted on by colinchenery

Optimising energy in our body is important for health of mind and body, in adding life to our days as well as days to our life. Current and recent research discussed here seems to be moving into more alignment with traditional and holistic approaches to healing and medicine. Also, some key aspects to health are becoming more clearly the leverage points to focus our efforts on for optimum health.

Mitochondria and micro-biome (our bodies micro-organisms) are two of these key aspects to total health throughout life. They are both impacted by our outer environment and inner environment which includes lifestyle, diet, our mental states and levels of stress. In this article we take a look at new insights and practical things we can do for mitochondrial health and functioning.

Mitochondria are more than just the power plants for all of the cells in our body. They are key players in a busy two-way exchange of information with each other, other organelles, other cells and a multitude of regulating systems throughout the body. There are thousands in each cell. They have evolved from bacteria and have many similar types of behaviour, including their life cycle dynamics, reproduction and migration based on demand for their functionality and the suitability of their micro-environments.

Maintaining youthful energy, appearance and body function is very much reliant on these little cellular power houses. In their role as energy producers they utilise electrons from oxygen we breathe with nutrients we consume to generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which is the chemical and electro-charged packets of energy our cells use to remain animated, alive and do pretty much anything. The liver, kidneys, heart and brain have some of the highest concentrations of mitochondria in the body. We want an abundance of mitochondria that are healthy and efficient for every function of our body to be operating well, including our metabolism, immunity, heart and brain health along with our body’s ability to keep adapting to stressors and rebuild itself continually.

Ageing

Mitochondria have a lot to do with your biological age which can be radically different to your chronological age. Biomarkers for biological age also include telomere length (ends of DNA strands), cholesterol LDL, glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Mitochondrial functioning has much to do with cognitive and other brain functioning as much as every other active process in the body including all metabolic and neural processes. Maintaining high functioning and numbers of mitochondria ensures ample energy for body functioning, dealing with oxidative stress, immunity and keeping cell life cycles (cell death and cell reproduction) up with the body’s wear and tear from ageing and stressors.

A Systematic View – Stress and Mitochondria

In recent decades, biology and epigenetic (the study of organism changes in relation to modifications of genetic expression) research is looking at the body and the living environment as interrelated and interdependent communities on a cellular level. Stressors and health conditions are relative to adaptability and interactions between systems rather than just two isolated players being a single stressor and the effected organs. Stressors don’t cause disease, but our response to stressors on every level, including our psychology, can set up systemic changes that can lead to disease.

Mitochondria are important players in most of the systems in the body. In terms of energy they are integral aspects of heat, ATP production, membrane potential of cells and are substrates for epigenetic modifications. Research at the Philadelphia Hospital, has been developing understanding of a relationship between mutation variations of mitochondria in response to mental and environmental stressors with body and brain illnesses.

In terms of the highly complex bio-chemical and bio-electrical information highways of the body, mitochondria also play key roles in responding to and impacting circulation, activation and cross-over of information between hormones, DNA, epigenomes (compounds that tell genes what to do) and proteins which include cellular memories of past exposure to physical and psychological, real or imagined stressors. These are at the heart of our adaptation to internal and external stress (Picard, McEwan, et al., 2018). Stress adaptation requires energy whether it is to adapt to physical, emotional or mental stressors. In a recent article ‘An energetic view of stress: Focus on mitochondria’, Picard and McEwan comment that all energetic functions including neural pathways of the brain require mitochondrial energy which comes with a collaborative and two-way functional level of communication.

Gene expression, cell division, growth, death and regulation can be presumed to be coupled with mitochondrial metabolic signals. It’s all about communication and working together as a complex community as well has health and functioning of separate parts. Mitochondria are in the centre of the coupling of the energetic environment with cellular behaviour through a multifaceted set of mechanisms and pathways. These include epigenetic modifications at a cellular level and production of stress hormones as part of the body’s adaption to changes in conditions.

In the absence of real stress, these stress hormones can ‘dysregulate metabolism’ which is associated with conditions like insulin resistance and pre-diabetic states, weight gain due to metabolic disruption from high levels of insulin and leptin-hormones. This is why purely mental stress, especially if its chronic, can contribute and create havoc and chronic health conditions over time.

Mitochondria and glucocorticoids are an example of chaotic loops we can get into. Glucocorticoids are powerful hormones with many roles including how we use sugar and fat and curb inflammation. In a reciprocal sense mitochondria are not only the source of systemic signalling molecules like glucocorticoids but are also affected by them. Therefore, certain degenerative cycles can develop as well as healthy functional ones. Leaving out much of the scientific detail, mitochondrial energetics may be tied in with functional or dysfunctional epigenetic regulation of the brain, food and energy seeking behaviours, along with psychological states such as depression and complex social behaviours.

Systemic and environmental factors in relation to gene expression and cellular function is a more recent specialised field. This research is pioneering stuff, the latest paper only out a month ago. It is shedding new views on the relationship of mitochondria and stress, exploring the mechanisms of a highly complex interaction of systems that ties stress and mitochondrial disease in a viscous circle that unchecked is related to inflammatory, metabolic, and neuroendocrine conditions that we are seeing more and more in the modern world. These insights are shedding new light on stress influences with cancer and metastasis; diabetes; neurogenerative disorders as well as cell ageing and age related physical and cognitive decline. The implication is understanding and scientifically refining holistic approaches to disease including consideration of mitochondrial function.

As a final note, it is interesting that females and males have qualitatively different mitochondria. Mitochondria inheritance in both sexes is from the mother’s lineage only, but there is gender variance because sex hormones also regulate mitochondria throughout life from conception. Picard and McEwin conclude that studies must differentiate and include both sexes based on the sex differences in mitochondria, stress physiology and disease risk.

Key aspects to healthy functioning mitochondria are:

  • Lifestyle, mental and physical health
  • A healthy diet, predominantly plant-based, which includes Intermittent Fasting
  • Exercise and exposure to acute temperature changes
  • Supplementation if needed

Fasting

Brief intermittent fasting and caloric restriction can help activate mitochondria, because during fasting the body relies on lipids and stored fats for energy, and this is the role of your mitochondria. Twelve hours plus of no food intake between dinner and breakfast can be sufficient to trigger many healthy responses to fasting. However, if fasting also includes some daily activity time, so energy levels need boosting by demand in activity, then NAD+ levels will increase to assist production of ATP in the mitochondria. Stimulation of NAD+ is also good for the many anti-ageing and metabolic functions it is crucial including improving mitochondrial functioning (Houtkooper, Auwerx, 2012). Thus a weekly, fortnightly or monthly day time or even 36 hour plus Fast, can be great to boost health and years to your life as well as dealing with any unhealthy fat.

Also during fasting, autophagy (cellular death) increases as the body goes into clearing out damaged cells and consuming those for added energy, so that dysfunctional mitochondria are reduced and mitochondrial synthesis is stimulated.

Exercise

Exercise has similar benefits to fasting, in terms of energy demand activating and improving mitochondrial function. In addition, exercise increases the need for oxygen throughout the body and provides it through the heavy breathing of high intensity exercise, increasing the number and functioning of mitochondria in muscles and metabolically related organs (Menshikova, Ritov, et al., 2006).

Cold

Acute cold temperatures seem do do a lot of good things for the nervous system and cells. Tests on mice shows a profound effect on mitochondrial generation and numbers by increasing a protein for mitochondrial synthesis (Chung, Park, Lim, 2017). While we may not want to do it, another study showed prolonged cold produced significant benefits in smooth and skeletal muscles and vital organs. Nonetheless, this shows acute and prolonged adaptation to changes in temperature is good for our mitochondria. So end a shower with a burst of cold. Don’t loose the ability to enjoy an invigorating dive into a cold ocean or river and bracing yourself against a brisk wind! Maintaining resilience and robustness from exposure to natures elements is inherent in our evolution and hard wiring.

Diet

Key principles for a mitochondrial friendly diet is to:

Stay Away from Sugars, Processed Foods and don’t over do some grains: simple sugars lack nutrients and are absorbed too rapidly for mitochondria to burn them up efficiently causing increased fat and free radical damage. Highly processed sugars, such as white sugar, simple processed carbs and sweet soda’s, are treated as toxins in the body. Some grains turn to simple sugars quickly also, depending on your constitution, so be careful of overdoing grains. Get fibre and carbs through a range of foods – vary root vegetables through the week, include a variation of grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes.

Eating the rainbow: a broad range of colours each day means a broad range of phytonutrients for your cells and information exchange with your bacteria. Leafy greens and sulphur-rich veggies like cauliflower, cabbage, kale and spinach help your body produce glutathione which is a key nutrient in anti-oxidation which involves the mitochondria and directly affects cellular heath.

Fatty acids: Omega-3 (in coloured fish, and a broad range of plant based oils) provide more efficient energy production by mitochondria with less free radical by-products than fuelling them with high amounts of carbohydrates. Fatty Acids like Omega-3 are also important in reducing chronic inflammation in the body.

Balance is needed in any diet and many experts suggest the Mediterranean diet as a good guide. Carbohydrates like pasta and root vegetables (not over-cooked) are balanced with plenty of vegetables, small sides of meat for meat eaters (traditionally small serves of white meats or seafood), quality olive oil, avocado and oils from various nuts. Not too many rich dressings and sauces. High sources of Omega-3 are seafood such as wild salmon, sardine and mackerel. In meats, high cuts of grass fed beef have Omega-3. Nuts (walnuts, cashews and brazil nuts) and seeds like flax (fresh flax as it goes rancid quickly, especially once its grounded or extracted) and also chia seeds are excellent. Also high on the list include mustard oil, deep green seaweeds as well as wild rice. Mung beans are the best of the beans. Vegetables like leafy greens, winter squashes, the cabbage family (especially cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts) are excellent for Omega-3. Omega-3 containing fruits include most berries, mangoes, and Honeydew melons.

Supplementation

Diet is king as natural fresh foods contain countless combinations of micro- and macro-nutrients and important genetic information for our cells – especially our mitochondria and micro-biome.

Here are eight key supplements that have stood out in my research, that can assist mitochondrial function as a back up to dietary sources:

  1. BioPQQ (Polyquinoline Quinone) Human trials show some indications this can promote mitochondrial biogenesis (creation of new mitochondria).
  2. Magnesium This is an important mineral for mitochondria as well as for repairing damage to DNA and other aspects of longevity. Studies suggest 70-80% of people in developed western countries may be low in Magnesium. A quality supplement that includes quality natural nutrients to assist in its absorption is best. Eat plenty of deep green plant foods and berries.
  3. B-Vitamins (including riboflavin, thiamine and B6) The whole Vitamin B family are co-factors for mitochondrial efficiency and functioning (especially nicotinamide in the B-3 family) and so are also linked to healthy ageing. Some studies suggest that as we get older our cells don’t absorb certain B vitamins as well as they used to, so Vit-B supplementation may be more valuable as we get older.
  4. Nitric Oxides These are also linked to mitochondrial health as well as cardiovascular health, and certain amino’s like L-Arginine and L-Citrulline can help increase Nitric Oxide production in the body.
  5. Alpha Lipoic Acid ALA supports the functioning and healthy life cycle of mitochondria.
  6. CoQ10 (or ubiquinol – it’s active extraction) is suggested in some studies to support mitochondrial respiration and metabolic regulation in addition to supporting liver, heart and cardio-vascular health. It is fat soluble so take with healthy oils like coconut, sesame, olive or avocado. According to Dr.Mercola foods rich in C0Q10 include grass fed beef, sesame seeds, Herring, Broccoli, organic pastured chicken and cauliflower.
  7. L-Carnitine shuttles fatty acids to the mitochondria assisting with fat burning and mitochondrial functioning.
  8. Omega-3 Fatty Acids supplements that are algae plant based can be helpful, especially where some food sources are limited. Fish Oil capsules are best used if you have a diagnosed deficiency because they can be too rich for some people, then act as immunity suppressants. Freshness needs to be checked for all oil supplements, even opening capsules before ingesting to check they are not rancid from months at room temperature is recommended.

Important Tips on Vagal Toning for Complete Health

Posted on by colinchenery

Much about good health and a healthy long life is now being linked to the ‘tone’ of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Because the sympathetic nervous system which invokes ‘flight or fight’ response is also commonly over-activated in stressful and fast paced living, it is more important than ever to tone the parasympathetic system for mind and body, in addition to high activity exercise.

Toning the parasympathetic system assists in repair and rebuilding to all cells and tissues in the body, quicker recovery and shifts into relaxation, lowering blood pressure, and helping recovery from adrenal fatigue. Having both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems toned and balanced is important for mitochondrial functioning, lowering inflammation, regulating hunger and hormonal balance and boosting immunity.

The importance of regulation and health of microbiome in the body is tied in with the parasympathetic system health. Much is now being found out about the critical role bacteria plays for health regulation in the body and immunity. Consider the mass of our bacteria is greater than our own body cells, and our body cells contain 3000 genes while there are 2.2 million genes in the DNA of our bacteria with a cross-over of information between our body and brain and these critical bacteria. Microbiome, along with mitochondrial functioning will be covered in another article, but these are now considered two key factors in energy production, disease prevention, brain health and long term anti-ageing for healthy longevity and are also linked up with the tone and functioning of the vagus nerve.

The Vagus Nerve

A key component to the parasympathetic system that is now taking centre stage amongst many practitioners of health and healthy lifestyles is the vagus nerve. This is a two-way highway of energy and information between body and brain. Taking its name from the latin word for “wandering”, it is the tenth and biggest cranial nerve extending directly from the medulla (brain stem) to most of the body. It affects facial muscles and eyes when we relax and smile, connecting to our digestive system from our throat to all digestive organs, and connects with our heart and lungs. It’s connection to the digestive organs of the liver and kidneys mean it is not only impacting our digestion and metabolism but also detoxification and elimination of waste and by-products of what we eat, breath and put our bodies through with stress and over – or under-activity. A toned nervous system supports stability in mood, memory, and overall brain health. So there are many systems of rejuvenation and body functioning that the vagus nerve impacts, to indicate it is a key factor in a holistic approach to health.

Here are some conditions and health factors that are associated with the level of tone of the vagus nerve:

  • the bodies inflammatory response: many chronic as well as acute conditions are now understood to be associated with inflammation
  • Repair and cell growth of brain cells and assisting in memory
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Immunity including the level of T-cell and killer cell response to disease and body repair
  • Various addictions and compulsive disorders
  • Mental health disorders
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Vagal tone can be indicated through the many bodily systems it affects and is generally measured directly through combined testing of heart and breathing rates, as well as heart rate variability (HRV) which is associated with the adaptability of your body to changes in external and internal conditions. HRV and vagal tone are closely correlated to one another – if one is functioning highly, then so is the other.

Vagal Toning

How do you ensure that you have good vagal toning? The same key factors recognised for vagal toning match most of the key factors recognised for acquiring and maintaining good health and healthy longevity! Here they are:

  1. Cold Exposure

    Acute cold exposure is shown by many researchers to activate the vagus nerve. It is a key factor to the Wim Hof Method which uses exposure to cold and breathing techniques for activating health and vitality. Just using ice cold water on the face is enough, or incorporating a brief cold shower into your usual shower routine. Within two weeks or less, most people notice a decline in the deep inhale or breath hold reaction to sudden cold, and notice a more relaxed response to the sudden exposure to cold. This indicates neural adaptation and vagal toning.

    Vagus nerve stimulation increases parasympathetic activity throughout the body and stimulates digestion and metabolism. Our bodies evolved to rely on such stimulation and environmental stressors like cold, which we now lack in the modern world of controlled environments. It only takes a little to strengthen and activate important functions of resilience towards these stressors which in turn enhances our resilience to stressors in general.

  2. Deep Slow Breathing

    The direct correlation between breath and heart rate (as well as HRV) and the vagus nerve that modulate or regulates them, means conscious breathing is also a quick, powerful and easy way to activate the vagus nerve. Research shows benefits to blood pressure and hypertension with breathing exercises alone. High breathing rates activate the sympathetic nervous system while slow deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system and so helps autonomic functions like the respiratory and cardio-vascular systems to go into repair and recovery.

The most basic exercise is to do 1-3 minutes of inhaling for a count of four, holding for a count of four, exhaling for a count of four, then waiting for another count of four before repeating. Doing this when your getting stressed at home or office, car or shopping mall will help brain function, effectiveness and comfortability go up and stress levels go down by releasing calming chemicals to feed your brain rather than stress chemicals to your muscles.

  1. Synchronised Movement and Breath like Yoga, Tai Chi and Xigong

    Just like what is said above, breathing itself activates the vagus nerve. Breathing associated with movement that stretches fascial tissue, muscles and joints while opening up energy channels have been found to be very effective in producing calming neurotransmitters like GABA in the brain and body. The traditional forms of yoga that incorporate activity with regular intermittent relaxation in poses like ‘sivasana’ can produce deeper and deeper levels of relaxation and endocrine production for relaxation and mood elevation. Also, particularly activating for the vagus nerve are relaxed movements with deep breathing that are expanding the thoracic (chest) region, inversions (legs up against a wall, various head stands, hand stands and shoulder stands) as well as sustained twisting postures with spine straight and chest out.

    In addition to those who have discovered the great benefits of yoga and Tai Chi, these types of activities are being used more and more by high performance athletes to assist in recovery and improved resilience to ongoing physical demands while the same holds true for resilience, good health and mood elevation throughout the challenges of life.

  2. Meditation and Conscious Presence

    After nearly fifty years of scientific studies, vast amounts of research has now been done on various types of meditation and the many benefits. In addition to increased vagal tone, positive emotions and thinking, and feelings of goodwill, studies done in schools and universities also show increases in concentration and brain functioning, and decreases in mental disorders and violent interactions.

    Meditation as well as general practice of conscious presence trains the mind to function effectively at brain frequencies that reduce sympathetic ‘fight or flight’ stress responses and increases vagal modulation. Greater insight, creativity, calm awareness, appreciation and mood elevation are among the many other benefits are confirmed in studies. So is the ability to respond and act in situations with less or little stress and adrenaline involved through this type of mind training.

  3. Exercise or High Intensity Activity

Exercise also has many studies showing it to be an effective way to increase the brains growth hormone, stimulate human growth hormone production during deep sleep, increase important receptor sites for mitochondrial functioning in and on cells, and help reverse cognitive decline and other aspects of ageing.

Exercise as a great stimulator of the vagus nerve may explain some of these benefits.

Walking, weight bearing exercise and high intensity training are all good. Weight bearing is especially good for reversing decline in bone and muscle density and decline of certain hormone levels in the body associated with ageing. So is interval training, in addition to being a very time effective way to build fitness. For interval training, try 10-30 minutes of walking, jogging or cycling 3-4 times a week, with periodic 1-2 minute bursts at maximum pace during each session.

  1. Probiotics and Dietary Factors

    There are many new studies in the last ten years indicating strong associations between brain function and immunity as well as vagal tone with microbiome (micro-organisms in the body) – especially bacteria in the gut.

    In addition, dietary factors like essential fatty acids (fats the body can’t make itself like Omega-3 and -6) are critical for cellular integrity, brain and mental health and nerve function. This includes vagal tone, which may be also why dietary fatty acids can help reduce heart rate and increase heart rate variability. A great source of these are in certain fish oils (organically farmed or wild-caught salmon are an example or Australian northern river fish like Barramundi are rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 oils).

    Zinc is also a key dietary mineral for vagus nerve stimulation and preventing or improving various certain brain function disorders, mental health and anxiety. Good food sources include oysters, pumpkin seeds, cashews, mushrooms, spinach and grass-fed beef for meat eaters.

  2. Intermittent Fasting

Many health benefits are being documented and studied now on fasting, with more attention lately on short-term intermittent fasting. This also is being shown to help improve brain function and growth hormones, mitochondrial function, brain ‘fog’ and cognitive issues. Fasting and caloric restriction is also being associated with increased HRV again indicating vagal tone improvement.

The ideal is to not eat at least two hours before bed, which also improves sleep patterns. Best results are if most days, people can have a 12 to 16 hour window of not eating between dinner and breakfast. Immunity increases, detoxification and cellular cleansing (cellular death – apoptosis- and cellular reproduction cycles) are also stimulated. The 16 hour window of fasting (with an 8 hour window of healthy eating) is a great way to sustainably lose weight. The 12 hour fasting window is great for general health and weight maintenance (helping to keep down accumulation of unhealthy fat). Once every week, fortnight or month also try a 36 hour fast by only having fluids during one day to reset the body, stimulate many healing processes, increase resilience to disease, environmental and other stressors.

  1. The Power of the Voice

    Vagus nerve expert, Dr. Stephen Porges established Polyvagal Theory. He talks about the hard wiring in our evolution towards flight-or-fight stimulation including response to social communication which encompasses verbal and body language, vocal tone and non-verbal cues.

    A soothing voice for adults and children in gentle, slow and rhythmic tones coaxes the brain into a relaxed state faster and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, including the vagal nerve. This is true whether you are the speaker or listener. While the voice is powerful and effective for adults, it is great for young children for whom a modulated and calm voice is powerful for vagal and parasympathetic development and toning during years where much neural programming or conditioning is happening. It is powerful also for babies (especially combined with skin-to-skin contact) and can be utilised regularly and daily in combination with other approaches mentioned in this article.

    Singing, humming, chanting and even gargling all stimulate the vagus nerve which connects to the vocal chords and muscles in the throat. These all are shown to also increase the hallmark sign of vagal toning which is increase of heart rate variability.

  2. Social Lifestyle and Laughter

    Quite a few studies on social factors have linked healthy, active and supportive social life with healthy longevity as well as recovery from illness or trauma. In addition, laughter has been shown to be strongly related to good health as well as healing and recovery. Both socialising and laughter reduce cortisol and other stress related hormones, stimulate the vagus nerve and HRV while improving mood and happy hormone production. Unfortunately for some, excessive or heavy alcohol consumption is somewhat counter effective, so moderating consumption while having as much fun and shared frivolity is great for one and all!

  3. Acupuncture and Massage

Both acupuncture and massage stimulate the vagus nerve, increasing its activity and tone. Specific points and areas like the sole of the foot (reflexology), auricular (ear) acupuncture, points along the side of the neck (near the carotid artery) are especially good for this. They are also effective spots to assist people coming off anti-depressants and other psychiatric medication, assist people with neurodegenerative diseases, as well as general stress related issues.

In closing …. my intention is not to write a scientific paper here. There are many references related to these ten points above which be can provided for specific points on request. Many supporting studies can be found through a simple online search on any term or specific topic. Much is common sense and there’s enough information here to help you take control of stress levels and steer your way into better mind and body health. Having all points above as part of your lifestyle will help disease prevention, increased resilience, promote total health while increasing enjoyment and quality of life.