I recently had the pleasure of hosting my in-laws-to-be for a humble Sunday night dinner. I say “humble” only because I don’t have as much time, these days, to curate and prepare the from-scratch, carefully-thought-out feast I normally would like to. But since our guests were primarily vegetarian, I lovingly soaked some rice and lentils for a simple herby sauté, which I used as stuffing for some roasted local squash. Garden greens on the side.

The next time I saw him, my fiancé’s father remarked how much energy he felt the food had given him, both the night of our dinner and after he’d enjoyed the leftovers the next day; How he felt lighter, clearer headed, and even more creative and optimistic after the meal. “I don’t know what you did,” he told me delightedly, “but I swear that food was infused with life itself.”

Hearing this brought me more joy and fulfillment than I could put into words. The Ayurvedic concept of Prana (“life force energy”) was what his words initially conjured up in my mind; If you’d like to learn more about cooking to optimize Prana, check out my previous blog post.

But there is also newer research gaining prevalence that’s backed by Western science as well, demonstrating the myriad of ways in which eating and living by certain principles has a measurable effect on cellular energy levels.

It’s no secret that we are facing a Human Energy Crisis of unprecedented proportion.

The C.D.C. reports that 3 million Americans are currently struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome. Where the majority of people once sought help from their G.P. for weight management, research now shows that most doctor’s visits are currently allocated to treating cases of low energy, and/or unexplained fatigue.

We’ve all heard the saying “health is wealth”; if we don’t have our health, we have nothing. And, as the World Health Organization so succinctly states: “energy and health are inextricably linked”. Anyone who has experienced prolonged periods of unexplained physical and/or mental fatigue knows that energy is freedom. Having healthy energy levels can mean the difference between getting through the day and enjoying it. And life is too short not to enjoy every day to the fullest.

But where, exactly, does our energy come from?

We can’t have a conversation about energy without first talking about metabolic health. There is a common misconception that “metabolism” refers predominantly to how easily we are able to manage our weight. But, in fact, the most basic definition of metabolism is how efficiently our cells convert energy potential from food into usable fuel for our mitochondria.

The mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells, and since our cells are the building blocks for our entire being, this essentially means that they are the powerhouses of our minds and bodies. This is because, when they receive what they need to function optimally, they produce a substance called adenosine triphosphate (or A.T.P.), which is used throughout the body as our primary chemical energy source.

But in order to function well enough to produce sufficient A.T.P., mitochondria need 2 things: proper nourishment, and protection from oxidative stress, both of which are becoming harder to come by in our modern world.

For this reason…

Mitochondrial disfunction is widely recognized in the literature as the primary cause of the current Human Energy Crisis.

When our cells malfunction, it causes widespread inflammation in the body. And inflammation, as we’ve heard time and time again, is the root cause of all disease.

What causes mitochondrial disfunction?

Mitochondrial disfunction happens when our cells do not get their basic needs met. The prevalence of ultra-processed food, toxic exposure, and increased mental/emotional stress in Western society is unprecedented in the history of human evolution. To put it simply: our cells are not built to thrive in our current environment. This has led to them being simultaneously overwhelmed and undernourished, both of which negatively impact their ability to produce energy.

The good news is that providing our cells with nourishment and protection is something over which we have more control than one might think.

Regulating our circadian rhythm, maintaining blood sugar balance, prioritizing healthy sleep habits, avoiding exposure to blue light, environmental toxins and endocrine disruptors to the best of our ability, and getting enough daily movement are all practices that have been shown to improve cellular function.

But food is perhaps the biggest lever we can pull in terms of our metabolic health and genetic expression.

Food is 100% of what we’re built and rebuilt out of. During pregnancy for instance, babies are essentially 3D-printed from food inside the mother’s body. As the Taoist teaching says, “The body is a process, not an entity”. Because we are constantly oscillating between states of catabolism (breaking down) and anabolism (rebuilding), our capacity for improving our metabolic health is virtually limitless (yes, even as we age).

And it’s the quality of the foods we consume which determines the structure and functional efficiency of our cells.

Moving away from ultra-processed food-like substances and incorporating more fresh whole foods provides our cells with more bio-available nutrients (aka more usable fuel) and facilitates better chemical messaging. If we can get good at reading labels, and avoid ingredients such as added sugars, refined grains, and processed/industrial seed oils, we’ll already be taking great strides toward eliminating our cells’ least efficient fuel sources.

When it comes to choosing what to eat, there are 5 key things that our cells need more than anything else: fiber, high-quality (bio-available) protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and antioxidants.

Simply choosing a few of our favourite whole foods from each of these categories and getting intentional about incorporating them on a daily basis can make a world of difference when it comes to optimizing energy levels and, when it comes right down to it, living our best life.

Did you know saffron-based pigments have been found in 50,000-year-old paintings in Northwest Iran? Saffron conjures ideas of romance, royalty, and delicacy wherever it appears. But saffron is treasured for more than its colour and art of cultivation (it takes approximately 75,000 saffron flowers to produce one pound of saffron stigma); First cultivated in late Bronze Age Crete, it also appears as an important medicinal herb in many ancient texts, including Ayurveda, Unani, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

More recent research has explored the ways in which saffron’s golden hue is thought to bring a sunny disposition to those who take it therapeutically, particularly during the dreary winter months.

Standardized saffron extract was shown to improve symptoms of depression in healthy adults by decreasing negative moods and symptoms related to stress, as well as improving sleep quality, according to a study published in the journal, Complimentary Therapies in Medicine. Several other studies support this, suggesting saffron may offer help for those suffering from clinical depression or who simply need support during a temporary time of stress, such as during Winter, when low Vitamin D levels and restricted time outdoors can cause many of us to feel more unbalanced.  

While more research is certainly needed, other studies have yielded similar results comparing saffron to the drug fluoxetine, of which Prozac is a common brand name. In a meta-analysis of eight studies comparing the efficacy of saffron to fluoxetine, published in the journal, Psychology Research and Behavior Management, researchers concluded that saffron improved the symptoms of depressed study participants as effectively as Prozac, and with fewer risks and side effects.

How does it work?

Researchers found that saffron may work in multiple ways to boost mood and lessen the symptoms of depression: Not only does it appear to help balance neurotransmitters (the body’s chemical messengers created by nerve cells); it also exerts a neuroprotective effect, which protects nerve cells from injury and degradation. Saffron may also have a balancing effect on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a complex feedback system involving a family of hormonal glands that regulate the body’s response to stress.

While 28 mg of standardized saffron extract (available at your local health food store) is what’s recommended to achieve clinical results, raw saffron threads are a perfect addition to your Winter recipes as well, adding a beautiful golden colour and depth of flavour to curries, soups, stews, warm drinks, and more.

My Ayurvedic Sleep Tonic uses a combination of saffron and ashwaghanda in a rich and sweet bedtime tonic that helps to calm the nervous system and improve our capacity for a good night’s sleep, which we all know is essential for feeling our best as we greet the coming day.

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of your favourite plant milk
• 1 pitted date
• ½ Tbsp ghee (or coconut oil, if vegan)
• ½ Tbsp raw honey
• Pinch of ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp ashwaghanda powder (available at your local health food store)
• 2-3 saffron threads
• Dash of cinnamon

In a small saucepan, gently heat the milk and the date until hot but not boiling, stirring to prevent scorching.

Add milk and date to a blender with the remaining ingredients, except for the cinnamon. Blend until smooth and frothy.

Pour into a mug, top with cinnamon, and enjoy before bed.

*Important Note: This content is for information purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. If you’re feeling depressed or suicidal, it’s important to reach out to a doctor, therapist, spiritual consultant, friend or loved one for support. And as with the treatment of any health condition, always consult your healthcare practitioner prior to incorporating herbs or supplements as a remedy. If you do choose to use saffron, always be sure to purchase a reputable brand, such as Genuine Health or AOR, to ensure you’re getting real, pure saffron.

“The problem with nutrient-by-nutrient nutrition science is that it takes the nutrient out of the context of food, the food out of the context of diet and the diet out of the context of lifestyle.”

– Marion Nestle, New York University Nutritionist

Like most topics in today’s hyper-polarized Western society, supplements have been added the list of contentious lifestyle dilemmas that are always just a little bit inflammatory to bring up at a dinner party.

Not unlike politics, religion, food and fitness, beliefs regarding supplements are generally divided into two camps (or “dogmas”, if you will): those who unequivocally believe that everyone should be taking them, and those who believe that we don’t, in fact, need them at all – that they are a waste of money at best, and dangerous at worst.

So, which is it? Well, you know what they say: There are three sides to every story: his side, her side, and the truth. As with most things, the “truth” when it comes to supplements is intricately nuanced, and not so black-and-white as we’d like to think. Let’s take a deeper dive into some of the ideas surrounding supplements:

We should all be getting our nutrition from whole foods.

This is true. If we lived in a world where we all grew our own food from organic, heirloom seeds in nutrient-rich soil, if the air and the water were clean, if there was no such thing as industrial mono-cropping, genetic modification, high-stress lifestyles or environmental pollutants, just eating real whole foods would provide all of the nutrients we need to survive and thrive. The reality, however, is that we don’t have the privilege of eating the way our ancestors did. As a result of modern food production practices, the average essential mineral content in a selection of common vegetables has declined by as much as 59% since 1940, and we’d have to eat 8 oranges to derive the same amount of Vitamin A as our grandparents would have gotten from one. Given this research, we may be well-advised to consider taking a high-quality multivitamin and mineral supplement.

Supplements are unregulated, and often contaminated with heavy metals and other dangerous toxins.

This should not be true. If you purchase your supplements from a reputable health food store or a licensed practitioner, you can be confident that the products you’re getting have been approved by Health Canada, and third-party tested for safety and efficacy. If you’re unsure, look for an NPN (Natural Product Number – a numerical code assigned to products approved to be marketed under the Natural Health Products regulations in Canada), or ask the retailer if their products are TRU-I.D.-certified. Although supplements are required by law to be licensed by the Natural and NPN-prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD) prior to hitting the market, this does not mean that there aren’t unregulated products out there. Just as with drugs and some food products, it is always possible to get your hands on falsified or contaminated supplements, especially if you are ordering online and/or internationally. So spend your money wisely.

Supplements are natural, and therefore 100% safe.

This is untrue. There are many different categories of supplements (vitamins, minerals, herbs, meal replacements, homeopathics, electrolytes, collagen… The list goes on). Although some have very high thresholds for what’s considered a safe upper-limit dosage (Vitamin C and B vitamins are good examples), you need to be more careful with things like herbs, blood-thinning agents like curcumin, sleep and mental-health aids, fat-soluble vitamins, and certain minerals such as iron). Some supplements also contraindicate specific health conditions, prescription medications, or each other, or can mask important diagnoses. Taking too many supplements can also overtax the liver and compromise absorb-ability, so it’s important to keep your regimen selective and personalized. Just as with medications, you should always speak with a licensed health care provider before taking a new supplement. Although some M.D.’s go the extra mile to seek specialized training in the field of natural products, you’d probably be better-off asking the advice of a Functional Medicine or Naturopathic doctor, or even a pharmacist.

Taking supplements can make up for a bad diet.

This is untrue. There is a common saying in the holistic health space: “You can’t out-supplement a bad diet”. Although some supplements are useful for filling in the gaps, bringing nutrient levels up enough to prevent deficiency, they do not provide everything we need to thrive. Furthermore, if we are subsisting on a Standard American Diet high in refined sugars, ultra-processed carbohydrates, inflammatory Omega-6 fats, chemical preservatives and other additives, taking a standardized turmeric capsule, for instance, will do little to treat the inflammation you’re likely to suffer from. Although it’s not always possible to get everything we need from diet alone, food is a far more powerful tool than supplements when it comes to preventing and treating chronic disease states.

By taking a supplement, you can target a specific health complaint the same way you can by taking a pharmaceutical.

This is not always true. Because most supplements are natural compounds created by nature and not by human design, they usually have a wide range of benefits. Magnesium, for example, is essential for over 800 functions in the body. It helps with sleep, stress, muscle cramping, headaches, and many other things. And depending on the form of magnesium you take, you can use it to help treat a variety of conditions, from constipation to fibromyalgia. And because of its innate natural intelligence and synergy, the body is likely to put certain supplements to use where they’re most needed; You may take collagen in the hopes that it will prevent wrinkles, for instance, but if you have a knee injury, or intestinal permeability, your body is far more likely to send those peptides to work on those areas first, the way an E.R. doctor performs triage.

Supplements are a relatively new concept to humans; therefore we don’t know the long-term effects.

This is only somewhat true. Although Nutritionism (the science of isolating and studying individual nutrients) was first introduced less than a century ago with the discovery of Vitamin C, some categories of supplements – such as herbs and mushrooms – have a far longer track record of medicinal use in human history. The ancient health schools of Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine date back to at least 3000 B.C., and although we may not have the double-blind clinical trials (yet) to prove the safety and efficacy of chaga, for example, or ashwagandha, over 5000 years of successful practice is tough to argue with. It’s also worthwhile to note that most modern pharmaceuticals are far newer introductions to human biochemistry (many of which also have unknown long-term effects), and the safety studies (when they are performed) are far from perfect.

So, as we can see…

The world of supplements is rife with gray area. There is no one answer in terms of “for or against”. Supplements, when sourced and used appropriately, can be a very useful tool when it comes to supporting and improving our overall health, but they can also pose some risk, just like food or medications. And just like food and medications, there is still much to be learned in terms of the science. We don’t yet know what we don’t know.

As with every other controversial subject, context matters. Perhaps more-so than anything else, quality and sourcing also matter. It’s not possible to group all supplements together under one umbrella, as there are countless different types, manufacturers, formulations, and treatment protocols.  

If you’re concerned about the safety or validity of your supplements, I’d encourage you to ask yourself a few simple questions: Was this substance created by human or natural design (did it come from a whole-food source)? Is it a licensed NPN and/or TRU-I.D. certified? Does it have science or, at the very least, a long history of proven use to back it up? Is it serving a specific purpose in my regimen that I can’t get some other way? And, perhaps most importantly, have I gone through the appropriate health channels and consulted licensed practitioners in deciding whether this product is necessary and helpful for me and my unique needs?