Mom's Challenge: Why Care about Mitochondria & the Microbiome?

And I need to know this why?

Mom recently surprised me with a question during one of our frequent debates about my changing habits. She wanted to know what mitochondria and the gut microbiome I had just mentioned, actually do for us.

What she was really asking was this:

Why should I care?

Will knowing this help me improve my daily choices?

I realized I didn’t have a short, clear answer to offer. My head filled with details and pathways, and I completely overcomplicated it.

This post is my second attempt - the short answer I wish I had that day.

The short answer

Mitochondria and the microbiome drive two systems that influence almost everything happening in our bodies and mind.

Mitochondria (MitoC) are our energy makers. Every cell, every neuron depends on them. When energy production drops, the brain, body, and emotional resilience start to suffer.

The microbiome is the community of trillions of microbes living mostly in our gut. It helps process food, regulate inflammation, support immunity, and influence metabolism, mood, and cognition.

In simple terms:

Mitochondria create the energy we run on

The microbiome determines how well we use what we take in

When these two systems work well, most other things work better.

Why this matters for daily life

Understanding this doesn’t mean obsessing over biology. It simply changes how I think about choices. Instead of asking: “Is this diet good?” or “Is this habit healthy?” ,

I now ask:

Does this support energy production?

Does this support my microbiome?

This shift makes decision-making surprisingly clear.

The big three supports

Right now, improving three lifestyle pillars matter most for me: sleep, nutrition, and movement - including when I do what I choose to do.

Sleep

Repair and Restore time. Supports energy (MitoC). Gives our gut bugs time to reset.

Good sleep also makes everything else more doable.

Nutrition

What we eat and when we eat both matter to MitoC and the gut microbiome.

Whole foods and simple timing habits support both systems.

Movement

Regular movement builds resilience through both, and energy through MitoC.

Recovery time matters - adaptation happens between efforts.

But… do we really need this biology lesson?

Understanding mitochondria and the microbiome doesn’t change everything I do, but it helps me focus on the small steps that matter most.

Build the foundation first, and the next steps become more doable and effective.

And while I’ll always say every positive step helps, knowing about these two systems does help me prioritize a few strategic choices - especially timing and exercise options!

Mom - if you’re reading this, my apologies. I wish I had found these words when you first asked.

Wishing you all a microbiome with lots of good guys and plenty of powerful mitochondria!

Janice