Feeling Good: It's All About Energy
Remember high school chemistry? The first law of thermodynamics goes something like, "Energy can be neither created nor destroyed, but it can be transformed from one form to another." How does the energy from a granola bar (calories) transform into a great workout? The answer is at the cellular level and lies in your mitochondria, the powerhouses in almost every cell of the body. They take the broken-down carbohydrate, fat, and protein molecules from a granola bar and transform them into 38 molecules of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). When the bonds that hold the ATP molecule together are created or broken, energy results in the form of work and heat.
When your body is moving, it is transforming the stored (potential) energy of ATP into kinetic energy. It's a perfect system, as the ratio of input to output approaches 1:1; that is, you eat as many calories as you spend in energy. Energy is available for all body and brain functions like growth, memory, repair, digestion, playing, thinking, working, processing emotions, and much more.
Typically, having energy "feels good," and lack of energy, or energy poverty, indicates an imbalance. In fact, feeling tired is one of the main complaints at doctor visits.1 Blood tests usually come back normal, and then it becomes a discussion about stressful lifestyle habits: poor sleep hygiene, being overcommitted or overworked, emotional distress, dehydration, and some chronic illnesses. It is a good idea to see your health care professional if fatigue is present for more than a couple of weeks, and you have already made changes such as rest, reducing stress, eating healthy, and staying hydrated.
Be an advocate for your health by being proactive with your potential and kinetic energy. Make your inputs equal to your outputs, resulting in a ratio of 1:1. Consider these lifestyle choices, which help optimize energy at the cellular level:
- Rest. No alcohol before bed, stick with the same bedtime and wake time, listen to your body's clock, sleep in dark and silence, and avoid screens (TV, phone, computer, etc.) before bed. Avoid caffeine after noon. Better sleep and less stress may help with a smooth-operating energy system.
- Exercise. Move your body on a regular basis to help sustain strength, endurance, and balance. Read the Adult Physical Activity Guidelines at Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html for more details.
- Eat right. Put a stop to empty calories and fast foods. Make real food at home to enjoy wholesome, unprocessed foods with vitamins and minerals like magnesium, zinc, B-complex, and other nutrients. This minimizes chemical intake from processed foods, helps with portion control, and may lead to an overall decrease in total calories.
- Drink water. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water not tea, coffee, energy drinks; just water per day. Water is needed for many metabolic processes, including detoxifying and keeping muscles hydrated for energy demand.
- Manage weight. Minimize the potential energy stored as fat.
- Manage stress. This may include keeping a positive mental state, executing good time management, learning to say no to overcommitment, maintaining healthy relationships, and practicing daily mindfulness.
- Quit smoking. Tobacco causes damage to your DNA. Get support. Talk with your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy. Work with your body to inhale clean air.
- Adhere to medication protocols. Medication guidance, like taking medication with a full glass of water and with or without food, in addition to directions pertaining to other substances (like iron or calcium), makes a BIG difference in the efficacy of a medication.
- See your doctor. Struggling with conditions such as anemia, hypothyroidism, depression, diabetes, or sleep apnea requires an individual's attention guided by a health care professional.
Be the best you can be by managing your energy system. Pay attention to what, how much, and when you eat, exercise, and sleep. Healthy choices and how you fit in time to de-stress can transform energy. Energy moves you from thinking to acting, and to realizing your potential.
Reference
- Esposito, L. (2014, May 29). Link opens in a new windowThe most common patient complaints [Slide 7]. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from U.S. News: Link opens in a new windowhttps://health.usnews.com
Workplace Options Wellness Team & Schuette, B. (Ed.). (Revised 2024). Feeling good: It's all about energy. News to Live Well (Quarter 2 ed.). Raleigh, NC: Author.