Blog

Jan 16

First, the recap. We started the year like we often do, talking about steps we could take in order to make it a stronger and happier one. We discussed the results of a survey of thousands of individuals across 29 countries, which revealed 3 health tactics that were cited most often as a possible direction for setting a few New Year's resolutions. 2 of the 3 were fairly tried and true: MOVE more, as measured by exercise minutes, and ENDURE better (that is, distress less). However, the third, "incorporate more home cooking", struck a different chord because it has the potential to unlock many other healthy doors along the way, including literally growing health in the garden. Then, last week, we folded in the idea that energy, and the body's ability to efficiently use it, may be the most important door of them all to unlock this year. 

Whether we buy it or grow it, the full physiological benefit of a home-cooked meal lies in our body's ability to transform the stored energy in the food into a usable form AND transport it from cell to cell in a well-regulated way. Energy flowing too easily acts like a leaky bucket, and we drain quickly, while the opposite, too much resistance, is like a log jam where it builds up but never quite gets where we want it to be. We gave an example of how the sensation of fatigue, an early energy management warning sign associated with health decline and even death after the age of 50, when it becomes excessive or persistent, isn't always low energy reserves (running on empty) but also potentially energy stagnation (the log jam).

The idea can help us understand why yet another large study showed that inadequate time to RECOVER was a highly significant predictor of life expectancy. Cellular energy systems can't perform as well when sleep quality is lower, so this finding probably shouldn't surprise us. Using data from every county in the US in order to smooth out differences in risk from town to town, short sleep, defined as less than 7 hours, was a stronger predictor of early death than all but 2 risk factors considered. Only smoking and obesity, both of which are linked to smoldering low-grade inflammation, which is in itself an energy-intensive scenario, had a greater impact. It may also help to explain the global doubling of cancer cases from 1990 to 2023 and the grim forecast released last week of a continued surge over the next 25 years. As we are learning, a hallmark of cancer is the change it makes to the energy transformation and communication apparatus, commonly known as the Warburg effect. There is even a theory, published last week by a team from Italy, that suggests the negative impacts on the same energy apparatus may be the bridge between emotional distress and poorer physical health. Common roots indeed.

So what's the action? Where do we start if we want to lower our risk by investing in our own energy apparatus?

We'll cover that in our final segment next week.

Until then, have a great weekend, 

Mike E.