The Mitochondriac Manifesto by Randy the Mito Man

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The Mitochondriac Manifesto: How Nature Nurtures the Body, and Technology Torments It
By Randy the Mito Man
Self-published (TheMitoMan.com)

It’s time to stop treating our health like a hobby. For decades, people have read “top ten” lists of things to do to nurture health or they have followed their favorite guru for supplement suggestions or exercises to fit into their daily routine. But that’s not good enough anymore. So says “Randy the Mito Man,” the author of The Mitochondriac Manifesto.

I see his point. In the United States, over 40 percent of the population has one or more “incurable” health conditions, and the numbers are growing ever higher. Go to any elementary school playground, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a single healthy child. Conditions that plague children vary from poor eyesight to asthma, ADHD, autism and Tourette syndrome. Parents are suffering, too—from conditions like anxiety, allergies, fatigue and gut dysbiosis.

The Weston A. Price Foundation, of course, is doing its best to reverse the trend and restore people to the optimal health that is their birth­right. WAPF focuses on food, farming and the healing arts. When I began reading this mani­festo, I thought at first that it fell into the “heal­ing arts” category, but upon further reflection, I realized that it falls neatly into the other two categories because it shines a spotlight on what nourishes us best and the role that the environ­ment plays in our health and vitality.

The book makes a strong case for

mito­chondria are little “battery packs” that power up our cells  and are the foundation for a vibrant, healthy life how to get these e

As Randy puts it, plants are constantly “plugged in” to these energy sources—their roots gather electrons from the soil, and their leaves gather photons from the sun. This is why they don’t need food or to store fat like humans do. They are perfectly nourished by their sur­roundings.

We have a lot in common with plants and animals in our need for nourishment from the environment, but there is one problem: our contemporary way of life steals electrons from us. Electrons are the currency or conveyance of the nourishment around us. One of Dr. Price’s central observations was how the “displacing foods of modern commerce” were replacing nourishing foodstuffs with artificial ones that disrupt our bodies’ optimal function. In a similar way, our physical comfort and technological conveniences interfere with electrons’ mis­sion and the mitochondria’s role—leading to persistent inflammation, oxidative damage and premature aging.

To avoid this fate, the book recommends that we do all that we can to shore up mito­chondrial health. Randy offers many specifics, punctuated by detailed scientific explanations and graphics, presenting a clear-cut path to rejuvenate the mitochondria. For example, he emphasizes reconnecting with nature and re­ducing stress levels; lowering exposure to non-native electromagnetic frequencies (nnEMFs), including cutting out blue light, dirty electricity and excessive radiation; seeking out high-quality water (making sure it’s unfluoridated and low in deuterium); eating in-season fruits and vegeta­bles (which will provide the body with the right plant-captured light); and avoiding processed foods, refined carbohydrates and rancid seed oils. He also recommends getting more full-spectrum sun (noting that infrared and ultraviolet light make more ATP and activate regeneration programs in the body) and advocates more cold exposure (cold strengthens mitochondrial func­tion). Avoiding mitochondrial toxins (such as statins, antibiotics and cigarette smoke) is also advisable. Some individuals may wish to take supplements such as D-ribose and CoQ10 that help the mitochondria make more ATP.

When it comes to water, Randy the Mito Man describes water as a conduit of good health. It literally supports the body’s biochemistry. Dehydration leads to back pain, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure and more. This section of the book breaks down the importance of good, clean water (that is structured properly) to sup­port the absorption of water by our cells, even citing the work of Dr. Gerald Pollack and his “fourth phase of water.”

On the topic of food, many of the recom­mendations align with those of WAPF. There is a particular emphasis on including more fish and seafood in the diet, given that DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is the only substance that converts light into DC electricity and back again. We need DHA to maintain energy in the cells and optimal competency of the organs. Sleep disturbances, infertility and some illnesses (including eczema and allergies) stem in part from DHA deficiencies. Raising our DC electric­ity with DHA, getting more sun and reducing nnEMF exposure have the potential to alleviate such conditions altogether.

Dr. Jack Kruse is cited throughout the book, and the food section is no exception. Both Randy and Kruse recommend eating in-season fruits and vegetables, and plenty of protein and fats. Dr. Kruse’s “food pyramid” has at its base shell­fish, followed by crustaceans and fish. Organ meats of pasture-raised animals are next, and pastured animals themselves. Pastured eggs are also in the pyramid, with nuts and seeds placed at the top (the least plentiful in the diet).

While this pyramid is a vast improvement over the USDA’s recommendations, it departs from WAPF’s dietary guidelines on the topic of grains. For the Mito Man and Kruse, all grains are verboten. Nonetheless, I like how the Mito Man gives specifics not only about what to eat but how. Herein lies one of my favorite aspects of the book. It is very practical.

The Mitochondriac Manifesto also offers “sun secrets” for getting the most out of sunlight, “biohacks” for getting more infrared light into your home to avoid the disrupting effects of blue light and more. Overall, this book inspired me to keep up what I’m doing for mitochondrial health, such as taking morning “shiver walks,” using a cold plunge tub and sweating in a sauna. Read it, and you just may end up in this healthy, happy camp as well.

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Winter 2021

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