My metabolism has really slowed down with age. This is a broken record, heard from just about everyone that comes in to see us for an initial consultation. A lot of people talk about their metabolism issues but they really do not understand what exactly makes up their metabolism. What is the metabolism? Well, the metabolic system is made up of many different components but one of the most important components of the metabolic system happen to be the mitochondria.

Mitochondria are called the power plants of cells. They convert nutrients we eat into energy which feeds and allows our cells to function. They are essential to our energy metabolism which means they play a crucial role in our ability to burn fat. For fat loss to occur, fatty acids must be moved from fat stores to the mitochondria and oxidized so they can be used for energy by our cells.

We have hundreds to thousands of mitochondria in each of our cells and we have trillions of cells in our body. Our body cannot function without mitochondria and cannot function properly without healthy mitochondria. Most people that come to see us about their weight issues have mitochondrial dysfunction. These are individuals that are unable to burn fat and are dealing with constant fatigue amongst other symptoms. The mitochondria become dysfunctional when they are not utilized properly for burning nutrients we consume. They are also very susceptible to damage by inflammation in the body.

If you want functional mitochondria, which ultimately will give you a healthy, functional metabolic system, you have to eat the right foods that allow proper support of the mitochondria. The modern American diet does not support the mitochondria but damages the mitochondria. Most consume too many carbohydrates which causes inflammation in the body. It takes multiple steps for the body to break down carbs before finally entering the mitochondria for energy conversion. This process causes a lot of oxidation and free radicals which inflame the body. As well, some of the carbs consumed can be metabolized without entering the mitochondria so they aren’t even part of the process of energy conversion. What we see is that a high carb diet causes damage to the mitochondria and causes inactivity of the mitochondria. A great recipe for a health disaster.

The mitochondria are absolutely built to convert fat into energy. Fat gets directly metabolized by the mitochondria. There are not multiple steps taking place for breaking fatty acids down before shuttled into the mitochondria. This means it’s a very efficient way of energy conversion and a lot less oxidation and free radicals being released by this burning process. Since fat is metabolized directly by the mitochondria, it not only activates the mitochondria but causes mitochondrial biogenesis (creation of new mitochondria). The more mitochondria, the better.

One of the greatest side effects of the Protein Pantry diet is the mass improvement in energy most of our dieters feel after a couple of weeks on the system. We massively reduce carbohydrate intake, increase certain fat consumption and the mitochondria respond to it. Our system turns people from fat storing machines to fat burning machines and totally changes the way they feel. We focus on the resolution of mitochondrial dysfunction because we understand this is the basis of health.

Source: Health Matrix; Dr. Gabriela Segura, Consultant Cardiologist

The Care and Feeding of Your Mitochondria; Pamela Weintraub