Many years back, Dr. Terry Wahls, who suffered/suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), posted a Ted Talk Video entitled Minding Your Mitochondria. In my opinion, to those “in” the nutrition circles, she helped stir the pot for increased vegetable consumption and Paleo-like diets not only for health, but for “healing”, aka curing MS. Here’s the talk if you want to check it out: MINDING YOUR MITOCHONDRIA.
Your mitochondria are the little powerhouses inside your cells. Why they matter to us as fitness enthusiasts is that they are key in generating energy for muscle contraction and movement. They’re also the source of improving your strength, fitness and work capacity – what we’re all about. Wikipedia defines them as: “the powerhouse of the cell” because they generate most of the cell’s supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy.[3]. And lastly but not last in importance, they’re important for health, especially as we age. And if you’re reading this, you’re probably “old-er”😂. This is another statement where it’s true across all age categories: teenagers to the elderly. We need our mitochondria, and we need them to be healthy, in order to not only be functional and active, but to help ward off disease. Numerous studies show that even in the elderly, exercise helps to benefit and repopulate muscle mitochondria, which in turns helps to reverse insulin resistance, diabetes and overweight/obesity.
So we have the exercise part down, right? We train! But if we’re not feeding our mitchondria and keeping THEM healthy, we’re at risk, right?
Another guru worth following in the nutrition and health/performance field (who we like and respect not only because she’s brilliant, but because to date, she’s still not “selling” anything!) is Dr. Rhonda Patrick. Ed and I heard her speak years back adn still follow her to date. We find her both current and relative to our “field” of work, study and passion: CrossFit,Health and Wellness. She’s recently posted a few short and brief videos related to mitochondria and exercise, and of course diet. So the next time you have about 10 minutes (as you’re perusing this), take a listen:
MAXIMIZING YOUR MITOCHONDRIA WITH MAGNESIUM, and
THREE MECHANISMS FOR MAGNESIUM DEFICIENTY
I don’t like to talk about nutrients in isolation. Food exists not in isolation of the nutrients it contains, but rather in concert with multiple macro-and micro-nutrients, fiber and moisture…it’s elements are designed to work together, to work in concert in our diets and our bodies. Supplementing should be last stitch effort most of the time. But this is a good argument for making a small change, and seeing how it affects your performance, your body and your health. AND, increasing foods in your diet that are naturally high in magnesium.
In a nutshell, your mitochondria are responsible for a good chunk of your performance. They require magnesium to complete their jobs. The majority of Americans’ diets are low in magnesium, not just low based on the minimum levels, but very low based on optimal levels.
Magnesium is high in dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds. I’m not sure it’s just in our house or not, but I find many men are resistant to eating dark leafy greens. We have to hide them in Chili and other recipes with a lot of ingredients to trick them to eat them! Just a suggestion :).
Rhonda recently posted a recipe for her “Micronutrient Smoothie”, ripe with leafy greens. There was enough fruit in it that it didn’t taste like a shake of bitter leafy greens and yet not so much that you get a huge bolus of fructose! Ed even tolerated a few sips of it! The recipe and link are below. Might be worth a try, and see if you notice a difference in your performance, if you’re into smoothies.
RHONDA’S MICRONUTRIENT POWER SMOOTHIE #2
I like to think…nothing ventured, nothing gained! Try something new,..and start minding your mitochondria – through your diet, and your training.