Mitochondrial Health Crisis
Is Modern Life Destroying Mitochondrial Health?
How to Reclaim Vitality by Returning to Ancestral Practices
Thousands of years ago, survival relied on movement, organic food, and exposure to the natural environment. Physical activity wasn’t just a choice. It was a necessity for almost everyone. There were no devices to track nutrient intake, and still the foods provided sufficient minerals and vitamins needed for energy and repair. Sunlight dictated sleep cycles, set metabolic rhythms, and directly influenced hormone function. This wasn’t a “healthy lifestyle”—it was just life.
Fast forward to today, and modern life has created an environment where we’re constantly battling against our biology. Chronic inactivity, ultra-processed foods, artificial lighting, and environmental toxins all contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction. But the good news is, we can reverse this trend by reclaiming mitochondrial health.
What Are Mitochondria? The Engines of Our Cells
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of nearly every cell in your body. Their job is to convert nutrients (like fat and glucose) and oxygen into usable energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Think of mitochondria as the engines that keep you running. Without them, energy production collapses, and your body can’t repair or defend itself properly.
However, mitochondria can’t function properly without hydration. Water inside your cells plays a crucial role in supporting energy production and keeping your mitochondria working efficiently:
Helps with cellular communication
Supports the electric charge across cell membranes
Aids in detoxification and nutrient absorption
Maintains mitochondrial function
In short: Mitochondria produce the energy (ATP), and water carries and facilitates that energy.
How Modern Life Sabotages Mitochondrial Health
1. Chronic Inactivity Weakens Metabolism
The society we live in today encourages limited movement and extended sitting. With our sedentary lifestyle, we’re not using our muscles efficiently. This is causing limited muscle engagement, and when muscles aren’t engaged properly, they weaken. This disruption in metabolic function results in poor blood sugar regulation, fatigue, and a sluggish metabolism.
The result? Over time, even small amounts of exertion feel exhausting, reinforcing a cycle of inactivity that further damages mitochondrial function.
2. Ultra-Processed Diets Fuel Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Ultra-processed food items loaded with refined sugars and industrial seed oils have taken the place of traditional diets focused on whole, nutrient-dense foods. These modern food choices don’t provide sustainable energy—they overwhelm your body with inflammatory compounds that harm mitochondria and disrupt hormone balance. This accelerates metabolic decline.
3. Lack of Sunlight Disrupts Circadian Rhythms
Your circadian cycles are very much regulated by natural sunshine, which influences sleep, hormones, and energy metabolism. Your sleep worsens, stress rises, and metabolism slows down if you do not get enough exposure to sunlight. Alternatively, too much artificial light from screens disturbs these natural cycles even more, which causes slow mornings and restless evenings.
4. Environmental Toxins Compound the Damage
Apart from inactivity and a bad diet, environmental pollutants, including pesticides, plastics, and seed oils, further compromise mitochondrial performance. These substances overload your body with oxidative stress and inflammation, which makes it harder for your body to generate clean energy and maintain metabolic stability.
The Consequences Are Impossible to Ignore
The strength and resilience that once defined human health have been taken over by chronic fatigue, metabolic dysfunction, and a rising dependency on medications. The farther we stray from the natural conditions our bodies were designed for, the harder it becomes to sustain long-term health.
The harsh reality is modern life is working against your biology. However, reclaiming mitochondrial health is not impossible. You can restore vitality and reverse the damaging effects of a toxic environment by returning to ancestral practices.
How to Reverse the Trend:
A Healthier Future Inspired by the Past
History clearly demonstrates that when people eat real food, stay active, and live in sync with nature, they remain healthier well into old age. Chronic disease doesn’t have to be a consequence of aging. In fact, it’s a consequence of modern lifestyle shifts. Traditional cultures offer us a blueprint for reversing modern health decline.
1. Mitochondrial Health Determines Longevity
Your mitochondria are at the heart of your body’s repair, defense, and energy production processes. When mitochondria are healthy, your body functions at its best. Hence, restoring mitochondrial health is essential to reversing metabolic dysfunction and unlocking long-term vitality.
2. Eliminating Toxic Inputs Supports Cellular Repair
Removing toxic substances from your environment (like industrial seed oils, processed foods, and environmental chemicals) can significantly improve mitochondrial efficiency. These poisons overload your system and cause oxidative stress and inflammation. Eliminating these inputs lets your mitochondria heal and operate as they should.
3. Sunlight and Natural Rhythms Restore Balance
Daily exposure to natural light is essential for regulating your circadian rhythms and supporting mitochondrial performance. Unlike artificial light, sunlight optimizes energy metabolism and reinforces your body’s internal clock, which helps improve sleep, mood, hormonal function and overall resilience.
4. Whole Foods Fuel Energy Production
Traditional diets focused on high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and whole foods support mitochondrial function. Real, whole meals offer the building blocks required to create cellular energy and stop metabolic harm resulting from contemporary diets heavy in ultra-processed foods.
5. Clean Water and Hydration Are Non-Negotiable
Your cells—and especially your mitochondria—depend on proper hydration to function at their best. Clean, mineral-rich water is essential for detoxification, nutrient absorption, and cellular energy production. Avoid tap water, which is often contaminated with heavy metals, fluoride, and endocrine disruptors. Traditional cultures drank from natural springs and wells—sources rich in minerals and free from modern pollutants. We can mirror that today by choosing purified water and supporting our bodies with a nutrient-dense, animal-based diet. For an extra boost, I add back essential minerals (use code: BAE20) to help the body thrive.
How to Detox from Modern Toxins—Without Overdoing It
The world we live in is getting incredibly toxic. Microplastics, glyphosate, and environmental pollutants infiltrate every corner of our lives, even if we try to choose organic foods and a cleaner lifestyle. And it's impossible to escape all of these toxins. However, there are certain steps that we can take to reduce our exposure and enhance natural detoxification without overloading our systems.
Here’s how I’m detoxing from the modern world—and how you can, too:
1. Avoid Processed Foods & Junk
Processed foods and industrial seed oils are terrible for mitochondrial health. You can stick to a whole, animal-based diet for clean and nutrient-dense fuel that supports mitochondrial function. Ultimately, it’s not just about perfection but consistently choosing real, whole foods.
2. Filter Your Water
Clean and filtered water is crucial for supporting cellular health. I use a quality reverse osmosis water filter to remove toxins as well as make sure that my diet is mineral-rich - just the kind of hydration my mitochondria need.
3. Exercise Regularly
Movement is one of the best ways to combat toxins. Regular exercise promotes circulation, supports mitochondrial function, and helps remove waste products from your cells. Even a daily walk can make a HUGE difference.
4. Embrace Nature
Since it’s nearly impossible to escape environmental toxins completely, I focus on minimizing exposure. Indoors, I run a Jaspr air purifier (code: ANIMALLBB) to keep the air clean. Get Outside as much as possible! I make it a priority to spend time in nature—soaking up the sun, grounding on the earth, and surrounding myself with trees. Camping and cooking outdoors aren’t just fun—they help me reconnect with the natural world, support detoxification, and ease stress in a way no supplement ever could.
5. Get Natural Sunlight
I seek natural light whenever possible, especially early in the morning. This helps me reset my circadian rhythm. Sunlight supports mitochondrial function and helps maintain healthy sleep cycles.
6. Block Blue Light
At night, I block blue light using red light bulbs, motion sensors, red light glasses, and screen-dimming apps to protect my sleep and hormonal health. This helps keep my circadian rhythm aligned and supports deep, restorative sleep. During the day, I wear glasses that filter harsh blue light and flicker from screens—and I make it a point to get outside, even on cloudy days, to soak up natural light through my eyes and skin. Your light environment matters more than you think.
I source my red lights from Bon Charge (use code: BAE 15)
Conclusion:
Reclaiming Mitochondrial Health for a Better Future
Modern life presents many challenges, but by returning to the practices that supported our ancestors—movement, whole foods, natural light, and minimizing toxin exposure—we can restore mitochondrial health and reclaim our vitality.
Don’t let the toxic environment dictate your health. Take control by embracing a lifestyle that honors the natural conditions your body thrives in. You deserve to feel energized, focused, and vibrant. It’s time to put your mitochondria back in charge of your health.
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