The Metabolic Advantage
Carrie Louise Daenell, ND LiveWell Center
It is ironic (and not in a good way) that just when we hit that place in our lives where we are in a position to really take advantage of our experience in life and work – our bodies start to change, our memory isn’t what it used to be and we don’t feel like we have quite the cognitive command that we used to have. At the same time, fatigue sets in with less provocation and though we are more tired more often, we don’t sleep a well as we used to and that just starts to feel like a self-feeding down-ward spiral.
Now, if our plan at this point were to retire to a rocking chair I suppose this set of circumstances wouldn’t feel like such a hassle. But who do you know, these days, that makes THAT plan for their 50’s and beyond? I can’t think of anyone, personally.
What’s more – most of us would like to think of ourselves as “still in the game”!
There is so much more than “nothing” we can do about the quality of this time in our lives!
I think of it as fueling the Metabolic Advantage. I use targeted nutrients that cater to known aspects of our biochemistry to rebuild it, in some cases, re-fuel it in others, and re-balance it in still other ways. Like fine-tuning a fine racing machine. Who wouldn’t want that?
We can literally rebuild certain cellular organelles, called “mitochondria”. Why do want to do that? They serve as the “powerhouse” of the cell and they build cellular energy. We can provide the pathways inside that organelle with plenty of the specific “nutritional co-factors” so that it runs optimally building all of the cellular energy possible for each organelle… and we can also provide the actual building blocks for that molecule called “cellular energy” itself. In this way – we can build back our systems to a younger more vital state.
All of this will not stay as long or deliver as strongly, however, if we don’t sleep. Sleep is like air, food and water. Contrary to the notions of my parents’ generation, it is not only what “lazy” people do and to your body’s ability to stay young and perform well… it is simply not negotiable.
So this is another important arena to balance. I say “balance” because it can be as much about creating less of one thing, as it is about creating more of another.
We want less stress-hormone dumping for good sleep. We also want less stress hormone dumping for reduced belly fat and for preventing heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. There is no easy way to say this: Stress hormone is like borrowing from tomorrow to give you today. It should be used judiciously and rarely and NOT as a way of life. Breaking this pattern can be done and the body can be reprogrammed. Of course, without a fresh supply of real cellular energy on the heels of this correction – someone “living” on stress hormone might feel pretty wiped out without it. The different areas of work really go hand in hand.
Balance can also be supported by creating more of certain brain chemicals and more alpha brain wave activity. We are less and less good at this work as we age. Why? Less nutritional “building blocks” at our disposal. The good news is that these building blocks are, literally, nutritional – and they can be replenished in a targeted and specific manner.
It is like evening up the odds on a sound investment in yourself, instead of playing Russian Roulette with your body over time. It is simply the smarter way to go forward.
This is what I do, every day in my practice, and I love it – talk about passion-filled work! And yes, I walk my own talk on this material and bring all of those advantages to my work table to deliver for my patients and fully intend to keep doing so for a very long time to come. If you want to pursue a higher level of wellness and ability in your health, don’t hesitate to reach out and begin moving forward now.