Unlocking Optimal Health: Nurturing Your Mitochondria

Understanding the Why: Exploring the Science Behind Optimal Health

For years, I studied the keto literature without understanding why it was so effective. Without the ‘why’, I didn’t act. But life has taught me a valuable lesson - understand the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ takes care of itself.

I have been reading longevity research for many years and have heard that caloric restriction is beneficial. As a very active person, I was sceptical about its impact on my energy levels. Now, I understand the ‘why’, and the ‘how’ has taken care of itself.

I used to believe that we needed to consume 2-3L of water a day. However, I came to question where that figure came from, as fluid needs vary a lot from person to person. Subsequently, I reduced my water consumption and my health improved.

I used to believe that we needed to consume copious amounts of fibre to be healthy. I have since realised this is not the full truth for everyone. I cut back on my fibre intake and my gut health improved.

I used to eat 3 meals a day until a dinner conversation made me question why we had to eat 3 meals a day. My research revealed this was largely a societal construct rather than a scientific one.

Experimental Dietary and Lifestyle Changes: A Personal Journey

As a result of my research, I adopted a low deuterium, high fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate, lower fibre and lower water diet. All my health indicators significantly improved within a 2-month period.

My diet and lifestyle changes included:

• Increasing sauna and deliberate cold exposure - one session each minimum per week up to 3 sessions of each per week.
• Increasing daily sun exposure particularly morning sun - up to 2 hours per day.
• Reducing dinner to a light and early meal.
• Reducing water from up to 2.5L per day to under 1L per day.
• Reducing fibre, starchy vegetable, and fruit intake.
• Significantly reducing carbohydrates (no grains) - to just nuts, seeds and yoghurt.
• Increasing fats consumption whilst protein remained constant.

Results: Transforming Health Indicators in Just Two Months

The results were astonishing:

• Weight dropped from 69.7kg to 66.6kg in just 1 week.
• Blood pressure dropped from 136:87 to 127:75 mmHg over a 2-month period.
• Resting heart rate dropped from 53 to 45 bpm in 1 week.
• Waist circumference decreased from 81 to 79 cm over a 2-month period.
• Total cholesterol dropped from 5.76 to 3.1 mmol/L over a 2-month period.
• Dietary changes resulted in no constipation even though fibre and water decreased significantly. Went from up to 4 bowel motions a day to 1 every second day.
• Experienced no signs of dehydration even though I was exercising up to 20,000 steps a day and using the sauna.

It’s worth being clear that these are my own results - one person, over two months, making several changes at once - not a controlled study. They show what worked for me, not what will happen for everyone. If you’d like to know which numbers are most worth tracking for your own health, see Healthspan after 40: which markers matter most.

Why It Works: The Facts Behind Mitochondria and Deuterium

Health implications of deuterium. Reducing deuterium rich foods such as fruits, grains, starchy vegetables, water. Deuterium is disruptive to mitochondria and hormonal function. Deliberate cold exposure helps deplete deuterium and improve mitochondria function. Saunas help eliminate deuterium through sweat. Increased fat consumption increases deuterium depleted metabolic water creation. Caloric restriction increases the body’s ability to use fat as energy, improves insulin sensitivity and lowers blood glucose.

A balanced note: the benefits of caloric restriction, time-restricted eating and regular movement are reasonably well supported. Deuterium depletion, however, is still an emerging area - much of the research so far is early-stage, and it hasn’t yet been shown in large human trials that lowering dietary deuterium improves health outcomes. I find the theory compelling, but it’s best treated as a promising idea rather than settled science.

How to reduce deuterium intake

Reducing deuterium intake can be achieved through several dietary and lifestyle changes:

1. Decrease the deuterium concentration of drinking water: The easiest way to influence the deuterium content of our body is to decrease the deuterium concentration of drinking water¹.
2. Consume deuterium-depleted foods: This can be complemented by consuming deuterium-depleted foods¹. Animal fats are low in deuterium and burning fat helps your mitochondria make deuterium depleted water¹.
3. Increase intake of fresh green vegetables: They are low in deuterium². Green plants deplete deuterium by shifting it to their sugar storage, therefore fruits, grains, as well as sweet and starchy root vegetables are high in deuterium³².
4. Replace grain and sugar-based snacks with nuts and nut-derived products: Nuts and nut-derived products won’t raise your deuterium levels².
5. Consume meat from grass-fed animals, wild-caught fish, and free-range poultry: These animals are naturally deuterium depleted because their primary food sources contain lower amounts of deuterium².
6. Increase your fat intake: Fat from plants and grass-fed animals is the most important deuterium depleted food source you can find². Adopting a diet high in fat like a natural paleo-ketogenic diet can help your body produce your own deuterium depleted water inside your cells².
7. Avoid high-deuterium foods: A diet high in sugar, starches, or processed foods can raise deuterium levels in your body³.

Deuterium depleted foods (low deuterium content)

Deuterium-depleted foods are typically those that are low in sugar and high in fat. Here are some examples:

1. Fresh green vegetables: Green plants deplete deuterium by shifting it to their sugar storage, therefore fruits, grains, as well as sweet and starchy root vegetables are high in deuterium¹.
2. Nuts and seeds: They are deuterium depleted because of their low sugar and high-fat content¹.
3. Grass-fed animals: Beef, pork, and lamb from grass-fed animals are naturally deuterium depleted because their primary food sources contain lower amounts of deuterium¹.
4. Wild caught fish and free-range poultry: These animals are naturally deuterium depleted because their primary food sources contain lower amounts of deuterium².
5. Fats from plants and grass-fed animals: Fat is the most important deuterium depleted food source you can find. Adopting a diet high in fat like a natural paleo-ketogenic diet can help your body produce your own deuterium depleted water inside your cells².

Remember, it’s always important to consult with a qualified health professional before making any significant changes to your diet or lifestyle - particularly cutting back on water or fibre, trying a very low carbohydrate diet, or adding sauna and cold exposure. This matters most if you have a medical condition (for example heart or kidney issues, or diabetes), take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a history of disordered eating.

Bringing It Together: What This Means for Your Health

In my experience, standard water recommendations are a rough guide rather than a rule, and your needs depend on your body, climate, activity and diet. Likewise, I found I didn’t need high fibre intakes once my diet was low in deuterium-rich foods, free of processed foods and rich in grass-fed fats - although for most people the broader research still supports fibre for gut and heart health, so any changes are best made gradually and with guidance. Eating 3 meals a day is a social habit that can lead to excessive calorie consumption. In my case, eating a high fat diet did not elevate blood lipids with a clean dietary intake free of processed foods and a supportive lifestyle - regular activity, good sleep, low stress - but it’s worth having your own bloods checked if you try it.

In conclusion, nurturing your mitochondria is a key part of optimal health. It’s not just about what you eat, but also about when you eat, how much you eat, and your lifestyle habits. By understanding the ‘why’, we can take control of our health and live a healthier, happier life. If you’d like to see how the fundamentals stack up against the latest trends, read Everyday habits that influence healthspan more than hype.

Get Personalised Support for Your Energy and Mitochondrial Health

Sauna, cold exposure, morning sun, meal timing and what’s on your plate can all shape how your mitochondria - and you - feel day to day. At me&my wellness, we help you work out which of these changes suit your body, health history and goals, and how to introduce them safely.

Curious whether a lower-carb, higher-fat approach or changes to your meal timing are right for you? Book a 15-minute FREE consultation and we’ll talk through where to start.