The Aesthetics Advisor

STORY AT-A-GLANCE Cortisol is primarily a rescue hormone. It's a glucocorticoid, so it increases your glucose level by shredding your muscle protein to produce glucose. Cortisol also accelerates the aging process and is implicated in most chronic diseases. It also uses your brain tissue to use amino acids to make glucose which contributes to brain atrophy and subsequent depression Your mitochondria can only burn one fuel at a time — either fat or glucose — and there’s a stealth switch that controls which of these fuels your mitochondria will burn. This switch is known as the Randle cycle Ideally, you want to metabolize (burn) glucose in your mitochondria, as this only generates 0.1% reactive oxygen species (ROS). This route also generates energy most efficiently, creating 36 to 38 adenosine triphosphates (ATP) for every molecule of glucose that is metabolized. For this to occur, you need to consume less than 30% of your calories as fat When you consume significantly more than 30% f...

Mitochondria, are the structures inside of your cells that produce about 90% of the energy generated in your body. (1) This energy is necessary for cellular regeneration and detoxification, as well as muscle contraction and each biochemical cascade that occurs. In short, your cells require energy to function, and healthy mitochondria are critical to that energy supply. Mitochondria also play an important role in apoptosis, or programmed cell death, ensuring that malfunctioning cells die and are cleared from your system. In short, mitochondria are key to health and disease prevention. Without mitochondrial health, your well-being and longevity may suffer. Top Rated Supplements to Support Your Mitochondrial Health There are many strategies to optimize mitochondrial function. Eating right, timing your meals and exercising are among them. However, there are also mitochondria boosting supplements you can use strategically to support your mitochondria. Top options include the following. 1. ...

Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks the best diet plans . This year marks the seventh consecutive year that the Mediterranean diet has been ranked the best diet overall. The Mediterranean diet is a healthy departure from our typical modern diet. Ranked at No. 2 is the DASH diet. The DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a flexible, balanced and heart-healthy eating plan promoted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to do exactly that: to stop (or prevent) hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure. The DASH diet is also one of U.S. News & World Report's Best Diets of 2024. Ranked at No. 3 is the MIND diet. The MIND diet, which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, takes two proven diets – DASH and Mediterranean – and zeroes in on the foods that improve brain health to potentially lower your risk of mental decline. Daily Mediterranean Diet Composition The typical diet includes: Ca...