The Aesthetics Advisor

Marketing geniuses have positioned soy as the wonder health alternative to virtually everything. In most supermarkets, you’ll find soy milk, soy protein, soybean oil, soy lecithin and even soy soap. Unfortunately, though, many forms of soy are not necessarily as healthy as food manufacturers would like you to believe. The problem is the soy you see in all these foods is not the traditionally grown crop of Japan. In fact, the majority of soy that you find in in grocery stores is actually genetically modified (GMO), produced in a different way and doesn’t yield the same nutritional benefits. However, when you ferment soybeans you have a completely different product that boasts an entirely separate set of nutrients, which is why when it comes to soy, the safest and best way to consume it is through fermented foods like miso, tempeh or natto. So what is natto, and how can it impact your health? Let’s dig in. What is Natto? Natto is a popular food in Japan, and is made by fermenting soybean...

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. ...