Founder, Living
Valley Springs Health Retreat Since the second half of last century, dietary fats
have been charged with many crimes against humanity. For decades, poor old fats
have been blamed for atherosclerosis, heart disease, high blood pressure,
obesity, cancer, increased mortality and much more. The fat family has been
ostracised and condemned by the National Heart Foundation, nutritionists,
health journalists and doctors.
In fact, only
certain members of the fat family pose a threat to wellness and longevity. Most
fats are actually essential for optimal health. Cholesterol particularly, has
been maligned as public enemy number one, when in fact it is one of the most
important substances found in the human body. Through fear and misinformation
many people have avoided all fats, only to reap disastrous
consequences. The
Nathan Pritikin (no fat) diet, for example, produced many casualties presenting
with a wide range of physical and mental disorders.
It is true that
some fats cause disease. The consumption of transfats such as those found in
margarine has been associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease,
Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, liver dysfunction, infertility in women and
depression. Saturated fats, such as butter, have been blamed for many serious
conditions
without any conclusive evidence. France, for example, with a population of 62
million, boasts the highest consumption of saturated fat per capita in the
world. Yet, France has the lowest rates of heart attack, cardiovascular disease
and stroke. Obesity in France is a low 7% of population, and only 11% are
considered to be overweight.
In 1920, death
by heart attack in the USA was insignificant and only related to natural causes
in old people. Butter consumption in 1920 was 18 pounds per person per year. By
1960, it had plummeted to four pounds per person per year, while heart attacks
had become the cause of 37% of deaths. According to the Baptist Ladies Cookbooks
published in the USA during the late 1800s
and considered
to be the standard of American cuisine, the daily consumption of
saturated fat
per capita was huge. Yet, cardiovascular disease was insignificant,
and obesity was
almost unknown. In those days the people ate the fat on their
meat, the skin
on their chicken, several eggs per day and loads of natural butter.
The terms low
fat, fat-reduced, 99% fat free etc. were unheard of. In his book
The
Great Cholesterol Lie, renowned heart surgeon, Dr Dwight Lundell details
how we have
been blaming the wrong food group for our health problems.
If animal fats,
coconut oil, butter, cheese, cream and eggs are not the villains they
have been made
out to be, then what food group is really contributing to all the
inflammation,
obesity, heart disease and cancer? There are many non-food factors
including toxic
dentistry, environmental influences, lack of exercise, stress etc. But
the dietary
elements that threaten health and life itself are those found in sugarbased
foods and drinks,
processed carbohydrates and refined vegetable oils.
In spite of
their addictive nature, these foods can and should be dispensed with.
Once this is
done, the consumption of good fats should be significantly increased.
You should also
eat moderate amounts of protein and reduce carbohydrate intake.
As you do this
over several weeks, your prime energy source will change from
carbohydrate to
fats. Your metabolism will speed up, enabling you to effectively lose
weight and
sustain higher energy levels for longer periods. Good fats also support
healthy brain
function and decrease the risk of developing neurological diseases.
Animal fats
provide significant amounts of vitamins A, D, E and K, along with lecithin,
iodine,
selenium and a spectrum of health-promoting fatty acids. They satisfy the
appetite,
hydrate the system, bind up fat-soluble toxins and restore balance.
In her book The
Fat Revolution, Christine Cronau investigates the origin of the fat
myth,
condensing a mass of literature, reputable studies and medical research.
She proves
beyond any doubt that animal fats promote health and prolong
life. Many
civilisations for centuries enjoyed long, healthy lives while consuming
significant
amounts of saturated fat as part of a balanced diet. Yet today, in our
‘low fat’
society, our hospitals are full of people with lifestyle related diseases. If
we
want to promote
health and reduce the cost of medical services in this country,
the fat myth
must be busted and the fat family vindicated once and for all!
02 fitness 02 fitness 02
fitness 02 fitness 02 fitness 02 fitness by
Gary Martin ND. AFAIM.
.
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