Getting enough fat?
About 30 to 40 years ago the medical world started discovering that the body deposited fat, in the form of cholesterol, in the arteries of their patients who were having health challenges. They assumed that this fat was deposited there because there was too much of it in their bodies. This was the beginning of fat getting a bad name. Add to this the fact that the word “fat” has a negative connotation, because it is a word we use to describe someone who has excess body weight, and fat never had a chance.
Was the medical world on the right track with the fat in the arteries? Is the excess body weight that so many people carry around actually from eating too much fat? Has fat gotten a bad wrap?
As well intentioned as the medical world was when they waged war on dietary fat, thinking it was the driving factor in heart disease, we now know that they were wrong. The reason that the body deposits fat in the form of cholesterol in the lining of the arteries is because your body is trying to protect you from inflammation. Inflammation is the real cause of heart disease. So if your body uses cholesterol to protect you from inflammation, and the doctor gives you a statin to take cholesterol from your body, doesn’t that seem like it would leave your body pretty vulnerable to that inflammation?
But dietary fat is used for many more things that just protecting you from inflammation. Your brain is made of mostly fat. From minor symptoms like brain fog to severe diseases like dementia, you will be amazed how much better your brain works on a higher fat diet. Fat is also the preferred fuel source for your body, and excess fat that we may carry around is actually from eating excess processed sugar and starches. If you convert your body to fat burning by eating good (healthy) fat, you can start to get rid of things like afternoon fatigue, extra weight, and food cravings. Further, fat, specifically cholesterol, is what your body uses to make hormones. If you have any type of hormone issue, from thyroid issues to low testosterone, it could be that you aren’t getting enough fat in your diet.
So how can we get good fats in our diet? They key is finding good healthy fats, and yes that does include saturated fats. Some sources of healthy fats are avocados, raw nuts, pastured eggs, grass fed butter and meats, coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil. Incorporating significant amounts of these fats can have a profound impact on your health.