John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

The cells called Mitochondria are our internal engines that take the energy from food and finally change this into the form of energy our bodies need. At the end of the line is the production of our bodies' adenosine triphosphate – or ATP – which provides the energy that makes our bodies work.

Like any engine, mitochondria have significant weaknesses. Some diseases can damage delicate mitochondrial processes. For example, studies show chronic fatigue syndrome weakens the processes that make ATP which results in significantly less energy made than in healthy people.

Free radicals, especially nasty nitrogen radicals, can damage delicate cell structures causing less energy to be made. The result is always tiredness but other symptoms are determined by the type of active disease. For example, in multiple sclerosis mitochondrial changes occur which leads to nerve myelin damage.

The first step to helping cells to work properly is to boost vitamin D and increase anti-inflammatory Omega 3 oils. The next step is to cover off a base level of all micronutrients through a good diet and base supplements.

However, the most important component of nutritional therapy for fatigue and inflammatory problems is adding a cocktail of mitochondrial nutrients. These include Kaneka Q10 and various antioxidants such as resveratrol, grape seed extract, acetyl l-carnitine, N acetylcysteine, alpha lipoic acid and curcumin.

These help to increase energy output, support flagging energy processes and reduce free radical damage by actively targeting the free radicals that damage delicate energy systems. We then add a full B vitamin complex as these are needed in most of the steps to make energy.

A combination of a great diet and these beneficial supplements can make a real difference in life quality for those with these types of inflammatory problems. Give me a call or email john@abundant.co.nz If you need more information. Join my full weekly newsletter at www.abundant.co.nz

John Arts is a qualified nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health. Contact John on 0800 423 559. To read more go to www.sunlive.co.nz