03/23/2026
Nourishing mitochondria and reducing inflammation with food sources is great for every body and especially important as we add on years. Yes, you can supplement, but food is always recognized by the body and the uptake is so much better than supplements. Sometimes - a good food sourced multi-vitamin/mineral is great insurance when required.
Boost NAD levels: NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme that’s vital for mitochondrial function and cellular repair. As you age, NAD levels naturally decline, but you can help replenish them with foods high in niacin, like chicken, tuna, and mushrooms.
Fuel up with CoQ10 and B vitamins: Coenzyme Q10 and B vitamins are essential for mitochondrial energy production. Add foods rich in CoQ10, like fatty fish and organ meats. I don't really eat a lot of organ meats - well none, actually - so I might consider a B supplement but I don't like them. Can't even stand the smell of them in a container. Find them upsetting to one's stomach. My best alternative is to eat pate (which I rarely do) or take a liver capsule - just liver in a capsule.
Add mitochondrial-supporting foods: Foods rich in polyphenols—like berries, green tea, and dark chocolate—contain antioxidants that protect mitochondria from damage. I Love all of these suggestions!
Vitamin D3: Aim for 5000 IUs/day.
Good sources are: Sunlight exposure, fatty fish, fortified dairy products, and egg yolks. Sunlight is best and at some times of the year - very difficult to access here.
Zinc: Aim for 15 to 30 mg/day.
Good food sources are: Meat, shellfish, legumes, seeds, nuts, and dairy.
Magnesium: Aim for 400-420 mg/day (men), 310-320 mg/day (women).
Good food sources are: Pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach, and dark chocolate.
Omega-3 fats: Aim for 500 mg to 1,000 mg of EPA/DHA. There is a raging controversy out there on taking fish oil and it is a big topic to enter into. Getting oil out of a fish is NOT like getting juice from an orange. Fish oil is heavily processed. Fish sources are scketchy. People tend to overuse Omega 3's and create an inbalance with Omega 6's and 9's. Walnuts and chia are good sources of omega 3's. Olive oil is good for 9's. And we do need some 6's too - so stick with nuts and seeds. There are some clean sources of algae oil/marine oil out there!
Salmon has always been a great source of many nutrients and it is getting more difficult to find wild cauught and the price can be prohibitive. ARGH!!!
Good food sources are: Salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
Bon Appetit
Oh - the monkeys remind us to watch the level of obtrusive noise and consider some silence in your day, don't stay under glaring blue light and screens 14 hours a day - take breaks from that, don't eat crappy food.