welcome to my blog! this page is all about self improvement! i post about academics, fitness, fashion, reading, etc., all things that are important to my self improvement journey.
I'm an 20 year old university student, currently in my 3rd year of a biochem adjacent program.
My masterlist:
Fitness:
🪼Workout tips for beginners
🪼An incomplete guide to different workout styles
🪼Tips to complete a morning workout
🪼Workout recovery tips
🪼 A beginner's guide to long distance running
Reading:
🪼Short book recs for hot girls
🪼More book recs for hot girls
🪼Developing your own reading taste
🪼 Recent reads 15/08/2023
🪼 Recent reads 03/10/2023
🪼 Summer book recs
🪼 Classic lit recs for hot girls
Lifestyle:
🪼Getting back on track
🪼 Healthy additions to your diet
Studying:
🪼School essentials
🪼Study smarter, not harder
🪼 Miscellaneous study tips
Beauty:
🪼 Gym hairstyles for long hair
🪼 Skincare for my girlies with acne
My journal:
🪼Sunday aspirations
🪼Academic related goals for the summer
Fashion:
🪼 A hot girl's guide to fashion and style pt.1 pt.2
In 2025, I feel like I really perfected my haircare routine; my hair is be the prettiest and healthiest its ever been. Since its the beginning of 2026, I want to share my routine in case it might be useful to anyone on their haircare journey <3
I have fine, long, straight hair, good hair density and I struggle with dry scalp/dandruff. Some of these tips are going to be specific for my hair type, while others may be more general. Keep in mind that there are so many different types of hair and all of them have their own beauty. What works for me may not work for you and that's totally normal! if you want more specific tips for your hair type, I recommend finding tips from someone with similar hair to yours. Take what suits you and leave the rest!
Your best hair starts in the shower
Shampoo
I have two main concerns when it comes to shampoo. The first is that since I have fine, straight hair, my scalp becomes oily relatively quickly and its very noticeable. I wash my hair every second day in the evening (I just prefer to shower at night). My shampoo needs to be able to thoroughly cleanse my scalp, while also not drying it out. This is probably the only product of my routine I'm still actively searching for, so if you have recommendations please lmk! The second concern is dryness/dandruff. I always double cleanse my hair, the first wash is to remove the oil/buildup in my scalp, and the second wash I think of as "treatment", letting the shampoo do what it says on the bottle. The best shampoo I have found if you have dandruff is a medicated shampoo. I personally use Nizoral, which is a shampoo containing ketaconazole (anti-fungal agent). I leave in in for 3-5 minutes as my second shampoo once a week. I found this helped me get rid of the worst of my dandruff.
2. Conditionner
When it comes to conditioners, my hair is not super picky. I've recently been using the Shiseido Fino repair hair mask and I've really enjoyed it, but I've also used a lot of others conditioners that work as well. For me, the key is to wring the water out of my hair before applying, finger comb it into my ends (not into the scalp though) and leave it in for a couple of minutes while I do other things in the shower. Then, I just make sure its fully rinsed out before I get out.
3. Cold water rinse
I feel like this step is optional and I may just be deluding myself, but it feels like my hair is nicer when I finish off my shower with a cold water rinse. It helps to make sure I really have no product left in my hair and I feel like it feels nicer once its dried.
After shower hair care
Detangle
Since my hair is fine, it is prone to breakage when it's wet. This means I don't use my regular hair brush on wet hair. Instead, I use a wide tooth comb to detangle my hair once I get out of the shower. I also make sure not to pull excessively if there are any knots. I try to be as gentle as I can to make sure I don't get much breakage.
2. Leave in treatment/hair oil
Once my hair is detangled I used two products together to give me smooth and perfectly straight hair. I use the Olaplex n.6 and n.7, which are a leave in styling cream and a hair oil. These products are a little bit pricier, but I'm sure there are more affordable alternatives out there. I really see a difference after using these products, they help my hair shine, reduce any frizz and keep my hair hydrated. These are the products that worked for me, but the key is finding products that work with your hair type, and that takes some trial and error.
Everyday haircare
Sleep
I've found that sleeping with a satin pillowcase has really helped with frizz. If there's one tip in here that I feel is for everyone, it's sleeping on satin pillowcases or with a satin bonnet. Also I never sleep with wet hair. I used to do this and it made my hair frizzy and my dandruff worse.
2. Claw clips
I rarely put my hair up using a hair tie, unless i'm working out. Hair ties cause breakage in my hair, so using them regularly would not be great. Instead, I either use hair ties that are made specifically not to break hair and tie my hair very loosely, or more often I use claw clips. This was a game changer, since I need my hair out of my face because of work.
3. Styling
As I mentioned, I have naturally straight hair. If I let my hair air dry fully and brush it in the morning, I don't need to do any styling and I can go out with my natural hair. This means that I don't use heat in my hair very often, so I don't have heat damage. If my hair does look bad for some reason, I usually either put it in a claw clip, or I braid it back. I think the key here is to know your hair type and have go to hairstyles that dont damage your hair. If I was putting my hair in a slick back every day, I would most likely have crazy breakage and my scalp would be very angry at me. I find that with my hair type, french/dutch braids are a great hairstyle when my hair is misbehaving since it is relatively easy for me to do and it protects my hair from damage.
4. Ace your basics
Your hair will always look its healthiest when you feel your healthiest. Get 7-8hrs of sleep every night, eat a wide variety of foods containing all the macro and micro nutrients you need and eat enough food to keep you feeling energized and good! your basics are incredibly important for everything in your life, and that's true about your hair too <3
﹒ 𐙚 ˚ ﹒⟢
and that's pretty much my entire haircare routine! I hope there's something here that can help you on your own haircare journey <3 if you have any tips that you've found super helpful, or products you'd like to share, please feel free to comment!!
hello lovelies! I haven't been posting in a while since I've been overwhelmed with school as well as things going on in my personal life. I wanted to post some updates, since I'm really excited about some things that have happened.
first, I'll be finishing up my bachelor's degree in april, so I've been working hard at school. I'm doing a research project in organic chemistry to get my honour's, so I've been swamped with classes and lab work!
second, I've been lucky enough to find a supervisor for my master's program! I will be starting my master's in chemistry next September and I am beyond excited. starting my master's also means moving out and living on my own for the first time, so I will do my best to prepare for that in the upcoming months!
third, I've been in a very school focused season, and with the way things are going, I will be until the end of April. that being said, I do want to restart prioritizing my physical health, so I'll be working on that this december, as we head into 2026!
how are you doing? what type of season are you in right now?
as always, my inbox is open and I'm sending nothing but good vibes your way ❄️
I recently redownloaded instagram to communicate with friends better and found myself freaking out over my screen time… all to find out my time limit is 15 minutes and I haven’t gone over.
I feel like there’s a lesson there if you look for it.
waking up at 6am, cozy and casual outfits, early mornings in class, long days in the lab, warm coffee in the morning and hot tea at night, beautiful orange, yellow and red trees in front of a crystal blue sky, late night study sessions with friends, reading anytime and anywhere, rainy days spent lazing inside
october will be a month of hard work and peace of mind 🫧
the school year is creeping up slowly but surely. to make sure I hit the ground running, here are a few things I always do before school starts again.
Make a class schedule
The first thing I do when I sign up for my classes is put everything into my phone calendar. Having the details for every class is a major help, especially during the first few weeks of class. Also, if you're working alongside school like I am, this is perfect to help figure out your availability ahead of time to give your supervisor a heads up.
2. Make a calendar of assignment due dates and midterm dates
Having a calendar already ready of all your due dates at the beginning of the school year makes sure you can stay on top of all your work, so you never miss a deadline. Having your mid-terms also written is very helpful to make sure you can start studying early. If you get your finals dates in the beginning of the semester, take note of those too!
3. Organise your note taking/assignment medium
If you use physical methods to write notes and/or submit assignments, then make sure you set up and organise a system that works for you. Wether that be different notebooks for every subject, or one notebook for everything, make sure you know where everything goes before the semester starts. If you're using a digital workspace, set it up beforehand so you are organized and ready to go! I personally take digital notes, so this is my method. I set up a folder for the year im in, then I set up subfolders in the year for the fall and winter semesters. From there, I add my classes in the proper folders depending on when I'm taking them. This organisation method makes my life easier during the school year. If you use your computer for assignments and such, go through your old folders/documents and see if there's anything you can delete so that your digital workspace can be less cluttered.
4. Declutter your space
Nothing is worse than feeling overwhelmed in your own space. Before every school year, I always declutter my room. Go through every drawer, cabinet and pile of stuff and get rid of things you don't need, or that don't serve you. Make sure to go through your closet and donate pieces that you don't wear, go through your cosmetics and throw out anything expired or that you don't use, go through your pencil case and throw out any stationery that no longer works. This saves you energy during the school year so you won't have to do these things.
5. Get your sleep schedule right
I'm a really big believer in having a consistent sleep schedule. I'm personally a big fan of a 21:00-6:00 sleeping window, so before school starts I'm already adjusting to this. Getting your body ready for that switch in schedule from the sometimes chaotic sleep schedule of the summer to the strict sleep schedule of the school years makes it a lot easier for me during the school year!
6. Set up a weekly schedule
What are things your want to get done every week while you're in school? For example, I want to work out minimum 3x per week, do my laundry 1x a week and meal prep 1x a week. From there, I look at my schedule and figure out when I can do these things. Having a schedule already set and ready takes away the choice fatigue and makes sure you hit your goals consistently.
7. Set your goals for the school year
Everyone is going to have different goals, and that's ok. Comparison is the thief of joy and this goes both ways. Don't compare yourself when others are doing better than you, but don't fall into the trap of comparing yourself when you're the one doing better. Goals are extremely individual. I also want to encourage you to set up reasonable goals. I think especially in the 'self improvement' space, it sometimes seems like the only success is perfection, and while I'm sure some people are capable of maintaining insane averages, I don't think it's healthy for everyone to chase those. I'll take myself as an example; as a fourth year bachelor's student in medicinal chemsitry, I aim to finish all my classes with a minimum of 80%. Could I aim for 95% in all my classes? Probably, but in my opinion it wouldn't be healthy for me to do that. I take some very challenging classes, I'm working on a research project in the lab and I also have a part time job. Yes, my grades are important, so I put in effort but school is not the only important thing for me. Since this will most likely be my last year at home, I want to spend time with my friends and family while also maintaining and average that would make me competitive in master's applications. All that to say, you don't have to aim for a perfect average. Aim for something that reflects your priorities and your capabilities. You also need to be ready to put in the work to achieving your goal, because nothing feels worse than falling short. You can't aim for high grades if you are not ready and willing to work your ass off.
🏙️
that's it lovelies! with the school year starting soon, I want to wish you all the best. study hard, spend time with your friends and family and take care of yourself. i'm rooting for every last one of you :)
I haven't done one of these in a while since I wasn't reading much during the last school year, but I'm so excited to get back into reading again!
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
I did it. This book is just over a thousand pages, and it took me over a year to read it but I actually really enjoyed it! This book is a sci-fi novel with a really interesting plot that I don't want to try describing. It was really a trippy book, and I liked the vagueness of it and the mysteries of the story.
Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda
This was a poetry collection that was focused mainly on love. There were a lot of themes of nature as well. I had an edition with an english translation on one page and the original spanish on the facing page. I think because I was using this mainly as spanish practice I didn't fully enjoy or understand the poems themselves. I don't read much poetry so it was a nice change of pace
On Earth we're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
10/10 no notes. This book is written as a letter to the narrator's mother who cannot read. Ocean Vuong is a poet, and you can really tell by the prose of the book and it adds a lot to the story in my opinion. This book had be crying on public transportation tbh.
Emma by Jane Austen
Don't even play with me. This story is about a rich young woman named Emma. The book is written in three parts, and the first two parts were enjoyable and funny but the book really got me in part three. Once I started part three I could not put the book down and it had my jaw dropping. This book would totally have me running over to my neighbour's house to ask if they had read this book yet in the 1800s.
The Book Censor's Library by Bothayna Al-Essa
I see the vision for this book, but it personally didn't do it for me. It is set in a dystopian world where any form of creativity is forbidden and reading is a crime. It wasn't a bad book in itself, I just don't think it was for me.
the beginning of august means back to school season! i’m going into my fourth (and final) year of my bachelor’s degree so it’s a very exciting time for me! i’ll be posting more about studying/school, and i’d be happy to give advice or answer any questions you have, my inbox is always open.
We often hear that the food we eat turns into energy, but how exactly? Once the body's absorbed nurtients, what are they converted into to produce enough energy for us to survive? In this part of my guide we'll be looking at how our bodies can produce energy from food with or without oxygen.
In this series, I will be covering what was seen in my intermediate metabolism class at university. Since I want this to be accessible to everyone, some things written here will be oversimplified, so if you're looking for a rigorous academic explanation of the entirety of the human metabolism, this is not the place. Nothing in this post is medical/health/nutrition advice. This information is just for your understanding and entertainment. If you notice any mistakes in the information of this post, please feel free to correct me.
You can find part 1 here and part 2 here
What type of energy does our body use?
The body's source of energy is ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This molecules contains three phosphates (a phosphate is a group of atoms containing one phosphorous atom and 3/4 oxygen atoms), and the molecular bonds that hold the phosphates to the molecule contain a lot of energy. So, when the body needs energy, it'll break one of the phosphate bonds and release a phosphate. This is how energy is produced.
How does food become energy (ATP)?
You might have heard this before: "No energy is destroyed or created, it is only transferred or converted from one form to another". This is the first law of thermodynamics and exactly what happens in our bodies. Fundamentally, everything you consumes is made of molecules. There is energy stored in those molecules (specifically in the bonds between atoms in those molecules). What happens in your body is the transfer of the energy in the molecules you consume to ATP (a molecule you can then directly use for energy).
So, what processes lead to the production of energy from food?
Multiple processes in the human body can lead to the production of ATP. For example, glycolysis, which we covered in part 2, does produce some ATP. However, the pathway that produces the bulk of ATP is called cellular respiration. This process includes glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, the Krebs (or citric acid) cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.
Who are the main players in cellular respiration?
There are a couple of important molecules involved in cellular respiration. The first is glucose, which is the starting point for glycolysis, and pyruvate, the end product of glycolysis. There is also acetyl-CoA, why is the starting point for the Krebs cycle. These molecules are all substrates (aka molecules consumed) of cellular respiration. There are also other very important player in cellular respiration, which are electron transporters.
What is an electron, and why is it important in cellular respiration?
Very loosely, electrons are little particles that are a part of atoms. Electrons carry a negative charge. These become important in the last step of cellular respiration, which is oxidative phosphorylation. The electron transporters take electrons during the different chemical reactions of cellular respiration and bring them to the place where oxidative phosphorylation takes place. There, the electrons are released from the electron transporters and they are used to make ATP.
We already know how glycolysis works, now what is the second step of cellular respiration?
The second step of cellular respiration is pyruvate oxidation. This step is very short. In this step, pyruvate (the product of glycolysis) is transformed into acetyl-CoA, which is the substrate for the Krebs cycle.
What is the Krebs cycle?
The Krebs cycle is the main producer of electron transporters in cellular respiration. It also produces some ATP. This cycle has many steps, but its main goal is to provide electrons to the electron transporting molecules. This is also the part of cellular respiration where carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced.
Where does the Krebs cycle take place?
The Krebs cycle takes place in the mitochondrial matrix, which is important for the next step of cellular respiration, which is oxidative phosphorylation
What does oxidative phosphorylation mean?
These words might seem a little bit unfamiliar if you haven't done any chemistry, but its pretty simple. To oxidate something means that you take away electrons from it. Phosphorylation is the addition of a phosphate group (1 phosphate atom and 3/4 oxygen atoms) to a molecule. So oxidative phosphorylation means the addition of a phosphate group to a molecule while taking electrons away from that molecule. (If this is unclear, that's alright its not super important)
So what is the role of oxidative phosphorylation?
I said earlier that the Krebs cycle's main goal is to generate electron transporters. The electron transporters and then sent to oxidative phosphorylation. This is why the Krebs cycle is done in the matrix, since the protein for oxidative phosphorylation are found in the membrane of the mitochondrial matrix. Oxidative phosphorylation is where your body produces the most ATP. Long story short, the electrons gathered by the electron transporters go through a series of proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation and these electrons, in combination with oxygen produce ATP and water. This is the step of cellular respiration that requires oxygen to function. If there is no oxygen this pathway does not proceed.
If there is no oxygen in a cell, does that mean the cell dies?
Not necessarily. For some, like cardiac cells, if there is no oxygen and the cells cannot complete cellular respiration it will die. In other cases through, like your skeletal muscle cells (ex. your biceps), cells can continue to function with no oxygen.
How are some cells able to survivre without oxygen?
No cell can survive indefinitely without oxygen. Skeletal muscle cells can survive for 60-90 minutes under oxygen deprivation. However, when you're doing intense exercice and you use up all your ATP stores and your oxygen supply to skeletal muscles is low they can still work. This is due to a process called homolactic fermentation
What is homolactic fermentation?
This is the process of turning glucose into lactic acid. It goes through glycolysis and skips over pyruvate oxidation, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.
Why is homolactic fermentation used when there is no oxygen in cells?
For glycolysis to proceed, there needs to be electron transporters available. If an electron transporter already has electrons in it, it cannot take other electrons, so these need to be regenerated after every use. This is what oxidative phosphorylation does. So, in the absence of oxygen, when the body cannot go through that process, it regenerates the electron transporters by producing lactic acid. This allows for some production of ATP using glycolysis.
How do cells decide if they do homolactic fermentation or cellular respiration?
Regulation of metabolic pathways is a topic that is very complicated and varies a lot based on the cellular conditions. To briefly sum up how the cellular respiration vs. homolactic fermentation is regulated, it depends on the presence of oxygen. If oxygen is present in sufficient quantities, cellular respiration will proceed. If there is not enough oxygen, homolactic fermentation will proceed. Another factor is wether a cell can even engage in homolactic fermentation. For example, your brain cells cannot while your skeletal muscular cells can.
𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊
I hope you enjoyed this installment of an incomplete guide to human metabolism! In the next part of this series, we'll be discussing glycogen; how is it made and how are glycogen stores used when we need them?
If you have any question at all, please feel free to ask <3
I don't remember exactly where I heard this for the first time, but the more I think about it the more I believe that its true. I think a good question to ask yourself is if the community you are a part of/want to be a part of is worth the inconvenience.
I'm a strong believer that the right community uplifts all its members. being part of a community like that is worth the minor inconveniences that come with it, for example having to attend events even if you're tired. if the community is not a good one though, the inconvenience will not be worth it.
In another vein, I think this statement also reminds me of something important. you can't always follow what you want to do in a certain instant, you sometimes have to do something you don't want to because it'll be good for you long term.
It takes work to find a good community, but once you have it is such a blessing. for me, community is hugely important. it gives me a network of people to rely on, and in turn who can rely on me. it has also allowed me to learn from all types of different people, who comes from different countries, with different jobs and different backgrounds.
It doesn't matter what the community is; a gym, a bookclub or religious circle. find a community that fulfills you and makes you happy, even if it causes some inconveniences sometimes.
so yeah, if the community is right, the inconvenience is worth it.
when life feels chaotic or you don’t feel like yourself go back to basics: sleep 8hrs, eat whole foods, break a sweat, talk to your loved ones and drink some water.
once that’s settled you’ll feel better and you’ll be able to build off of that. sometimes you need to strip things back to be able to plan your way forward.
sugar and carbs. we hear about them all the time, but what are they really and what does your body do with them? in this part of my human metabolism guide, we will look at two opposing metabolic processes that deal with blood sugar levels.
In this series, I will be covering what was seen in my intermediate metabolism class at university. Since I want this to be accessible to everyone, some things written here will be oversimplified, so if you're looking for a rigorous academic explanation of the entirety of the human metabolism, this is not the place. Nothing in this post is medical/health/nutrition advice. This information is just for your understanding and entertainment. If you notice any mistakes in the information of this post, please feel free to correct me.
You can find part 1 here
To start, what is a carb?
To keep it simple, carb is short for carbohydrate. That term actually describes a wide range of molecules like fiber (cellulose, ex. the stiff stuff in celery), starches (ex. potato starch) and sugars (ex. fructose). Sugars are the building blocks of all other carbs. For example, lactose (found in milk) is made up of two sugars (glucose and galactose) whereas cellulose is made up of a long chain of glucose. It's the quantity and the arrangement of the building blocks (sugars) that matter. Here we can introduce a bit more of a complicated term. A monosaccharide refers to a molecule with a single sugar unit, like glucose. A disaccharide is used for a molecules with two sugar units, like lactose. Polysaccharide refers to a molecule with more than two sugar units.
What carb is the most important for the human body?
During digestions, complex carbs (disaccharides and polysaccharides) need to be broken down into their smallest units (monosaccharides) to be absorbed into the body. Your body is only able to absorb carbs under monosaccharide form. The most important of these monosaccharides is glucose. While some other monosaccharides can be absorbed, glucose is the main sugar absorbed.
What happens to glucose once it is absorbed?
Glucose is absorbed and makes its way into the blood, where it can then enter cells. Once inside cells, glucose metabolism can start. The first pathway we will cover is glycolysis.
What is glycolysis?
Glycolysis is the degredation of glucose into 2 new molecules called pyruvates. This reaction creates energy through the production of ATP. The pyruvates can then enter multiple different pathways, that we’ll cover later on in this series. This process occurs in cell's cytoplasm.
Does glycolysis happen the same way in all cells?
The process of glycolysis is the same in all cells, but some cells are more dependent on glycolysis for energy than others. For example, cells in your brain can only rely on glucose (and ketones, we’ll cover that later) for energy. Other cells can also use fatty acids as an energy source. So not all cells are equal when it comes to their glucose needs.
If some cells rely almost exclusively on glucose for energy, how does the body make sure glucose is always available?
After a meal, when you’ve just had carbs, there will be a good amount of glucose in your blood. But if you’ve been fasting for 24hrs, your blood sugar will not be zero. This is because of the opposite process of glycolysis called neoglucogenesis. This process is the synthesis of glucose from pyruvate (remember this is the product of glycolysis). Since this process is the opposite of glycolysis, neoglucogenesis consumes ATP (energy). This process occurs in the cell's cytoplasm.
Can neoglucogenesis happen in all cells?
No, neoglucogenesis is not possible in all cells. It is only possible in two organs: the liver and the kidneys. The liver is, however, the main producer of glucose.
Why can the liver cells do neoglucogenesis while other cells can’t?
The liver has an enzyme that other cells don’t. An enzyme is a type of protein that helps a reaction along. This enzyme that is present in the liver but not in all cells helps the final reaction of neoglucogenesis. Without it, pyruvate cannot become glucose. So, the liver is the principal organ for the control of glucose levels in the blood. Think of it as the body's "glucostat".
How can the liver control blood sugar levels?
The liver is able to regulate its uptake in glucose depending on blood sugar levels. Right after a meal, when your blood glucose is highest, the liver is able to absorb more glucose to get your blood sugar levels under control. When you're blood sugar is low, the liver will take up less glucose to leave it for other cells. This modulation of the level of glucose uptake is unique to liver cells. Most other cell's glucose consumption is independent of blood sugar levels. So, the liver controls your blood sugar levels by absorbing more or less glucose depending on blood glucose levels. The liver is also able to synthesize glucose when blood glucose levels are low. If blood glucose levels are low, the liver will greatly reduce glycolysis (the degredation of glucose into pyruvates to produce energy) and augment the rate of neoglucogenesis (glucose synthesis from pyruvates) so it can deliver glucose into circulation and provide glucose to other cells. The reverse is also true. If glucose levels are high, the liver will reduce the rate of neoglucogenesis and up the rate of glycolysis.
How are the glycolysis and neoglucogenesis pathways regulated in the body?
Since glycolysis and neoglucogenesis are two opposing pathways, the body wouldn't want to decompose glucose into pyruvates just to resynthesize it into glucose, since this would cost energy. This is called a futile cycle. So, glycolysis and neoglucogenesis need to be regulated so they don't happen at the same time. There are multiple different regulation systems for each pathway but we'll only go over one mode of regulation, and that is hormonal regulation.
How are glycolysis and neoglucogenesis regulated by hormones?
The hormones we'll be talking about are insulin and glucagon. Insulin is secreted when blood glucose levels are high, to promote the absorption of glucose by cells. It also activates an enzyme (protein that helps reactions along) that promotes glycolysis. When insulin levels are high, glycolysis increases. The same enzyme also inhibits neoglucogenesis. This prevents a futile cycle. When blood glucose levels are low, glucagon is released. Glucagon inactivates an enzyme of glycolysis, which inhibits that pathway. Glucagon also activates an enzymes which promotes neoglucogenesis. Again, we are avoiding a futile cycle.
So, through glycolysis (the degredation of glucose) and neoglucogenesis (the synthesis of glucose), the liver is able to control blood sugar levels in the body.
𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊
I hope you enjoyed this instalment of my incomplete guide to human metabolism! in the next part, we'll be talking about cellular respiration and homolactic fermentation. This part of the guide will all about how your cells produce energy when they have oxygen, versus when they don't! This is especially important when you're exercising :)
If you have any question at all, please feel free to ask <3
Let's talk about metabolism! It's one of those words that is thrown around pretty often, especially in the health/wellness space, so let's get our facts straight!
In this series, I will be covering what was seen in my intermediate metabolism class at university. Since I want this to be accessible to everyone, some things written here will be oversimplified, so if you're looking for a rigorous academic explanation of the entirety of the human metabolism, this is not the place. Nothing in this post is medical/health/nutrition advice. This information is just for your understanding and entertainment. If you notice any mistakes in the information of this post, please feel free to correct me.
What really is your metabolism?
Your metabolism is the totality of the biochemical reactions that occur in your body to keep you alive. This includes the creation and degradation of certain molecules. Your metabolism both requires and produces energy. Let's take your heart for example. Your heart needs to constantly have enough energy to keep beating. To produce that energy, your heart will use (for example) glucose and oxygen. We'll talk more about how the body does this later in this series!
What are the different reactions this series will cover?
This series will cover three main topics: the metabolism of glucose (sugar), fatty acids and amino acids. As I go through these topics, you'll find that they are all connected.
How are metabolic rections connected to each other?
All of the reactions of your metabolism take place in the human body. The same way an egg can be baked into a cake or meatloaf, the same molecule present in the body can become multiple things.
Where in the body do these metabolic reactions take place?
Some metabolic reactions are specific to certain organs, we'll cover that is this series. However, all metabolic reaction occur in your cells.
What are cells?
Cells are the smallest unit of life. Your body is composed entirely of cells. You have different types of cells in different tissues. These cells have what are called organelles. You can think of them as the organs of the cell; they serve different functions.
What are some important organelles in metabolism?
There's two main organelles that are implicated in metabolism that we'll talk about, the first is the cytosol, which is essentially the soup in which all the other organelles are. The second is the mitochondria which is (say it with me), they powerhouse of the cell. You can probably tell that the mitochondria is important for the production of energy!
What is energy in the human body?
The main form (not the only form but the most important one) is ATP. ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate, which is a molecule. When you "break" this molecule it releases energy. When your muscle contracts during exercise, you are breaking bonds in ATP molecules to produce the energy needed for that contraction. If your body uses ATP for energy, then your body also has to be able to synthesize ATP. Your metabolism is responsible for all this!
This is a little intro to the series, if you have any questions please let me know and I'll do my best to answer them!
hey girlies! since I just took a class on human metabolism, I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a little breakdown of what I learned! my goal would be to make it easy to understand, so that you'll be able to read it regardless of how much science you know!
do you want to see a post covering the metabolism of sugars, fats and amino acids (proteins)?
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