Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1522027
Page 32 | Abby's Magazine | instagram.com/abbyshealthfood When working out, blood flow is very important for both muscle building and fat loss. It's how the nutrients, water and oxygen needed for energy creation and muscle creation flow to our cells. If our blood flow is lower, our cells do not get these nutrients or oxygen fast enough and our energy levels go down during high intensity workouts. And it slows recovery. Achieving healthy blood flow then is important for maximum results and maximum overall health. In an earlier article we covered the truth about cholesterol and blood flow (www.BodyHealth. com) covers the cholesterol hypothesis — and it is only that, a hypothesis (a proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation). This hypothesis states that higher levels of cholesterol, particularly LDL Cholesterol, are associated with lowered heart health and blood flow. And that to prevent this we must lower our cholesterol intake and lower our liver's ability to produce cholesterol. The thing is, there is no evidence to support the hypothesis. In fact, the only studies we have on the matter not only refute it, but actually show that more often than not, the situation is the opposite. Heart health among those 60 and above actually lowers as cholesterol is lowered, and raises as cholesterol levels are raised. And, in a study of 12.8 million adults, it was found that those with the healthiest hearts and highest potential of survival, had cholesterol levels in the 200 to 240 levels, levels that have been considered very high. In reality, cholesterol is necessary for our cells to operate and produce energy, and for the creation of key hormones. But, while the idea that consuming cholesterol causes trouble with blood flow may be a myth, the trouble itself can be quite real. And the actual cause of it also affects our ability to build muscle, lose fat, keep high energy levels and overall health, keep our hormones in balance, and slow aging. So, let's see what's actually happening here and how we can help to raise our overall blood flow for healthy cells and a healthy heart, increase our ability build muscle, and raise our overall levels of energy and health. OXYGENATING OUR CELLS: MUSCLE BUILDING & ENERGY LEVELS We know we need oxygen to survive. But more specifically, our cells need oxygen to survive. After about 5 minutes of low or no oxygen, cells begin to die. This is because of something called ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the energy, or "food", our cells live on. ATP is made within the cell by combining oxygen with glucose (sugar), or ketones (from fat), or amino acids (from protein). ATP is made by tiny organelles within the cell called mitochondria. There are about 1000-2500 mitochondria in each cell. They take the oxygen and food source and produce ATP which the cell then uses as energy to fuel itself. And, as the cells are always working, they need a constant source of ATP to carry on. So, if we remove oxygen, they can't make ATP, don't have the fuel they need to work, and they die. Or, if our oxygen levels are low, they produce less ATP, and have less energy. And, so, as our bodies are nothing but cells, we have less energy. But we also have less ability to repair cells or build new ones. Your cells need energy to do this, and if energy levels are low, they conserve it for the most necessary of actions. Cell turn-over rates decline. Cell replication, which is obviously needed for muscle building and replacing of old cells, declines. So, it becomes harder to build new muscle, our energy levels drop and, as our cells are not being replaced as often, we "age" as there are fewer new cells, even for our skin. Obviously amino acids, fats and other nutrients are needed to produce new cells as well, but this point of oxygen is key, because it will slow things down faster than anything else. And when working out or exercising, they need even more energy. More work is being given to them, our muscles are contracting faster and working harder. They need more ATP and more oxygen to do this. So, our breathing increases, to bring in more oxygen, and our heart rate increases to push oxygenated red blood cells through our bodies to the cells, where the oxygen is removed. And this is where blood pressure comes in. BLOOD FLOW, OXYGEN & FEELING OUT OF BREATH When our cells need more oxygen to produce ATP, our breathing and heart rate increase, oxygen is transported to our cells by red blood cells, and they make ATP. But these red blood cells have an exact size. They're about 6-8 microns in diameter (a micron is 1/1000th of a millimeter). By David Minkoff BLOOD FLOW FOR MUSCLE, FAT LOSS & OVERALL HEALTH