Change Your Oil
We all know what happens if you don’t change the oil in your car right? Or if you even choose the wrong oil? Choosing the wrong oil for your body has far more serious consequences than just replacing a car’s engine – oh yes.
So what is this ‘oil’ I am referring to that we put in our bodies? This oil is the fat we ingest. We must have fat to function – it is as important as any other major component of nutrition such as protein and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are. We need fat and… we cannot live without it.
Dr. Mark Hyman refers to a study conducted in 1999 of 605 people who had suffered and survived heart failure. Interestingly, the study shows the universal misinformation regarding fat.
This is an important study highlighting the importance of healthy fat in our diet: for 46 months, half of these participants (heart attack survivors) were told to eat a low fat diet while avoiding bad fats (trans/hydrogenated). The other half of the participants were told to eat a diet high in healthy fats (olive oil, fish oil, eggs etc). Which group do you think fared better? The low fat ones? The group told to eat a diet high in healthy fat had 50-70% fewer heart attacks while the lower fat group had to stop the study because too many people were dying of heart attacks!
Did you know that all fats are not created equal?
Food manufacturers would like you to believe that whatever fats they put in their products are just fine for you.. Some fats are healthy and some are not.
There are essentially four types of fats:
- Monounsaturated fats – Healthy
- Polyunsaturated fats (Omega-3 fat = Very healthy and Omega-6 fat = Bad in Excess)
- Saturated fats – Bad in excess
- Trans fats (man-made) – Highly Toxic
Man-made fats (trans fats/hydrogenated fat) were created in a laboratory so that products would last a very long time on the shelf. Crisco, for example, is a fake fat and lasts on the shelf for 30 years. This fat – Trans Fat – is not metabolized by the body in the same way natural, life-giving fats are. Most all fast foods contain this inflammatory artery-clogging type of fat. In fact, this fat is so toxic to the body that cities like New York City have banned fast food from using it. Opt instead for healthy fats such as omega 3 fats that are an essential fat, meaning, the only way to get this fat is from our diet. Unfortunately, the omega 6 fats (that are also essential) need to take a back seat to the omega 3 fats as most Western diets are tipped in favor of omega 6 fats. It is this imbalance that is creating low level inflammation – the core cause of most illness and disease.
Breaking news: Saturated fat is now known to be a healthy fat in moderation.
Here are the top 10 healthy fats to choose from:
- Oily fish such as wild salmon, sardines, fish oil supplements
- Walnuts
- Avocados
- Coconut Oil
- Spinach (Yes!)
- Flax oil/seeds
- Krill oil
- Olive Oil
- Macadamia Nut Oil
- Omega 3 eggs
Many people have repeatedly heard that coconut oil is very unhealthy due to the saturated fat it contains..not so! It is a myth. Here is Dr. Mercola explaining the health benefits (and there are many) of this important saturated fat:
Add a very healthy fat to every meal to help you create optimal health and watch your health soar!
To Your Health,
~Lori
© 2013 DLS HealthWorks, LLC.
Lori Shemek, PhD, Health and weight loss expert, is the best-selling author of Fire-Up Your Fat Burn!