But what if you cannot exercise due to injury, disability or a medical condition? 

You may be able to still help yourself by taking two nutrients to provide some of the above benefits. One is coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and the other is grape seed extract (GSE). While neither replaces all of the benefits you glean from repetitive or aerobic exercise, here’s what they can do. 

Inside every cell are powerhouse mitochondria which are responsible for keeping cells alive and your body supplied with the energy it needs to function. When you are low in energy, your body prompts the mitochondria to “make more”. Since exercise requires energy, , your body simply makes more mitochondria to keep up with the energy supply and demand. Thus exercising creates more energy even if it requires more energy. 

What happens when you don’t exercise? 

Several studies point out that sedentary adults have lower levels of antioxidants, and higher levels of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is associated with free radicals and cellular damage. Aging adults also have the risk of sarcopenia or “muscle wasting”, especially if they do not exercise. 

Taken as a supplement, CoQ10 can boost mitochondrial energy, and offer antioxidant protection against free radicals. CoQ10 supports the heart which has the most CoQ10, in the body for its 24/7 energy needs. As an extra heart bonus, CoQ10 helps reduce cholesterol and protect blood vessels, too. Increased circulation means optimal nutrients and oxygen delivery to every cell in your body for optimum health. 

Grape seed extract is a bioflavonoid from grape seeds and standardized to a specific polyphenol content (the higher the percent, the more strength it is). GSE, like other bioflavonoids, works well with anticodons to boost their activity. One of GSE’s claims to fame is its ability to increase nitric oxide in a good way to improve circulation in sedentary adults. GSE also offers anti-inflammatory, defense against muscle wasting antioxidant protection for oxidative stress and helps with cholesterol control , to name a few. The full benefits are explained in the article Grape Seed Extract, the Power within the Grape in the TyH Health Library.  

Now the bad news. 

CoQ10 appears to be low in most disorders, including fibromyalgia and some 90 different disorders, which affects body tissues and function. One particularly vulnerable area is the mitochondria. Fibromyalgia has a known mitochondrial dysfunction with associated low energy. Fibromyalgia people in general are also sedentary as it “hurts to move”. Most try to stay as active as possible to maintain a ”normal” quality of life. 

While these two nutrients are not “magic bullets” you can take to avoid exercise, they are helpful if you can’t exercise. Taking them daily will add extra antioxidant protection, improved circulation for nutrient and oxygen delivery and protection against muscle wasting. In addition, both CoQ!0 and GSE taken as supplements have an impeccable safety record and can be taken together. 

Pour yourself a glass of water. Open your two nutrient bottles of TyH’s CoQ10 and Grape Seed 250 and place one of each nutrient in your palm. Raise your hand to your mouth and insert the nutrients. Drink the full glass of water. Repeat 1-2 times per day as needed.. Good job! Now repeat tomorrow and every day after that and enjoy your benefits!