Cholesterol Mythology

Continuing our series on why fat is healthy, let us turn our attention to what I consider the most commonly referenced myth regarding fat and health.

Myth #2: Eat vegetable oils, not saturated fat.

I hear this all the time, and it is unsettling that this myth still persists in the face of recent research and when compared to ancestral eating patterns. Let’s first take a look at why saturated fat need not be avoided, and then we will discuss why vegetable oils are some of the least healthy fats (outside of trans fats which I are usually manmade).

Saturated Fat and Cholesterol

If you have the time, the article below does a great job of discussing fat including the misconceptions about saturated fat. If you do not have the time, I have summarized what I feel are the take away points below.

http://www.menshealth.com/health/saturated-fat

First, there has been little research showing any link between saturated fat and heart disease, and new information is coming out that other factors such as triglyceride levels and lipoprotein type (not amount) are more important risk factors. The original studies showing that saturated fat and cholesterol relate to heart disease were based on correlative data with little actual research. 

Second, cholesterol needs to be better understood. Cholesterol is an important molecule in the body that is manufactured within the cells and is TRANSPORTED by lipoproteins (LDL, HDL, etc). Cholesterol is important for the synthesis of bile acids, steroid hormones, and vitamin D. It is also required for building and maintaining cell membranes. Lipoproteins, on the other hand, are transport molecules that move fat and cholesterol around the body. There are three main types of lipoproteins: VLDL, LDL, and HDL. VLDL is responsible for transporting triglycerides (fat). LDL is responsible for transporting cholesterol from the liver to the cells of the body. HDL is responsible for transporting cholesterol back from the cells to the liver (to be recycled). Studies are starting to find that when VLDL is high (high triglyceride levels), and HDL is low, LDL starts becoming small and dense. This increases the risk that these particles will get stuck in the arterial lining, leading to inflammation and plaque build-up. Studies are also starting to show that the ratio of HDL to LDL is more important than total cholesterol. How can you raise HDL? Eat more fat (saturated included), and exercise more.

Finally, triglyceride levels and small, dense LDL particles (the two things that are related to heart issues) are more associated with high-carb diets. Our bodies only need a limited amount of carbohydrate intake to function optimally, so any excess carbs will be turned to fat and stored for future use. Insulin plays a big role in this, which, as we talked about last time, is an important hormone in blood sugar regulation and fat storage. While the link between high-carb diets and high triglyceride levels has become more apparent, there have only been comparative studies on LDL particle size. Basically, we know that when you compare high-fat diets to high-carb diets, the high-fat diet will result in lower levels of small, dense particles. So it looks like higher-fat, with adequate saturated fat in the diet is the way to go to get your cholesterol in check!

Below I have posted a number of other links that will give you more information on these topics.

http://www.jlr.org/content/51/11/3324.abstract

http://www.ima.umn.edu/2004-2005/MM8.1-10.05/activities/Ross-David/ross2.pdf

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2008.00518.x/abstract;jsessionid=5DCDCF1883BEFCE1B0E4E191C12F68C4.d02t01

Vegetable Oils and Polyunsaturated Fats

If saturated fat is not bad for us (and is actually very important for optimal health), do we still need to have vegetable oils in our diet?? No! Not only do we not need vegetable oils, I will argue that they actually decrease our overall health.

Vegetable oils are predominantly polyunsaturated, meaning they have more than one double bond within the molecule. Why is this important? Because more double bonds = a less stable molecule. They breakdown easily, become rancid with little exposure to light or heat, and are much more likely to become toxic in our bodies. In other words, cooking with vegetable oils is definitely out, but even without heat, you are taking a risk. Many vegetable oils are rancid before they are even opened due to light contamination.

The second issue with veggie oils is that they have an unfavorable ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 has been getting press due to its heart-healthy properties, and one of the main health benefits is that it balances out the overwhelming quantity of omega-6 fats that most of us consume each day. Between the consumption of corn-fed animal products, vegetable oils, grains, nuts, beans, and dairy, the average American eats up to 20x MORE omega-6 than omega-3 when a healthy ratio would be closer to 1:1. While fish oil and other such omega-3 supplements can help, there is just no way to counteract such high quantities of omega-6. We need to decrease the amount of omega-6 intake, starting with eliminating vegetable oils.

Myth Debunked

So there you have it. Stop avoiding saturated fat and start replacing your high-carb/vegetable-oil-as-the-main-fat diets with more saturated fat (animal products) and fat in general. As you make this transition, one important thing to know is that there is a BIG difference between grass-fed/wild animal products (and the fat that comes with them) and corn-fed, farmed animal products. If you can afford to eat grass-fed/wild, go for it. If you cannot, stick with leaner meats as the toxins that these animals are exposed to will be stored in the fat. You can supplement your fat by using coconut oil/milk, butter (you can find grass-fed at Whole Foods), or by rendering your own fat (or you can easily buy some from the grass-fed beef stand at the farmer’s market). All of these are great for cooking as saturated fat tends to be the most stable when exposed to heat.

Next week, we will conclude this series with some of my thoughts on the psychology of fat and more strategies on how to best increase the fat in your diet.

Comments:

This is another great article, and I highly recommend reading the links included to get even more info on fat and health. There are two points that I would like to add, but all in all, this stuff hasn’t changed much.

The first is a new calculation you can use to determine if your LDL particles are large and fluffy (low-risk) or small and dense (high-risk). While you can pay extra to test your LDL partial size, a faster, cheaper way to find out is to look at your HDL to Triglyceride ratio. All you have to do is divide your total HDL into your total Triglyceride count, and you will instantly know your risk level. 2 or below = low risk, 2 to 3 = moderate risk, 3+ = high risk. So if your triglycerides are 150, and you HDL is 50, you are borderline for being at risk (150/50 = 3). If your triglycerides are 75, and you HDL is 75, you are in the clear!

The second point I would like to add, and really just reiterate from the last post, eating more fat does not mean eating tons of fat. It is about having a healthy balance of foods. If you are eating grass-fed/wild animal products and cooking with coconut oil, and eat a variety of foods (including avocados, olives, nuts/seeds) you are getting plenty of fat. I feel that this series comes off as saying go eat lots and lots of fat, when really you should just be focused on moderate amounts of quality fat while avoiding dangerous fats (veggie oils, trans fats).

That’s all for this week though, so enjoy your fats and optimize your health!

End the Low-Fat Madness!

Last year, I wrote a series of articles focused on debunking the myths surrounding dietary fat as it pertains to fat loss, cholesterol, and general health. I have been receiving a lot of questions about this topic lately and thought it might be time for a refresher. For the next three weeks, I will be re-posting my series with commentary based on current research and experiences. It's good to refresh sometimes, so here we go!

Fat Is Fuel Not Foe (Part 1)

Every day we are bombarded by marketing hype expressing how low-fat, low-calorie diets are the way to a healthier, leaner life. We are told to eat vegetable oils because saturated fat leads to heart disease. We are told that fat makes us fat, so limit it as much as possible. Just look at the old food pyramid, with fats & oils lumped together with sweets as the most limited food sources. Even in the new pyramid, there is a focus on limiting fat, and a recommendation to use soy, corn or canola oil if you must. Even with all of this focus on healthy eating, America sinks deeper and deeper into a world of disease, obesity, and medication. Maybe it is time that we question some of these long-standing “truths” about our nutrition. Over the next few weeks, we will explore some of the most common myths surrounding fat, and what you can do to start making healthier choices when it comes to your dietary fat.

Myth #1: Fat makes you fat.

This myth is linked to another myth that I have talked about before: that calories are all that matter when talking about weight. It is commonly thought (and taught) that if you eat less and move more, you will lose weight. Because fat has 9 calories per gram, it is often advised to just cut the fat as it will be the easiest way to remove calories. Even more common is replacing fat with carbohydrates. Carbs only have 4 calories per gram, so now you can get the same quantity of food (in grams) but with half the calories! Hurray!

Unfortunately, not all calories are created equal. Your weight and fat storage is going to depend MUCH more on how your body responds hormonally to a given food than to the amount of food you ingest. This is not new information either, though now the mechanics behind it are better known. In 1956, a study came out showing that while caloric restriction could lead to weight loss, there were strange results when the macronutrients were manipulated.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/28131415/Kekwick-Pawan-1956-Lancet

The researchers found a number of intriguing results. First, during a comparison of 1000 calorie diets, each comprised of 90% fat, protein, or carb, the results showed a significant difference in weight change based on food emphasis. The group consuming 90% fat lost the most weight with protein close behind, while the carb group actually GAINED weight.

Not only this, the researchers also found that when comparing a 2000 calorie diet that was balanced in its macronutrients to a 2600 calorie diet that was high in fat and protein, the higher calorie group lost more weight!

While this is just one study, it was one of the first to compare diets from the perspective of calories and macronutrient breakdown. As our understanding of hormones and their influence on fat storage and weight control continue to develop, these findings become less shocking. One of the most important hormones in regards to fat loss is insulin. It is very difficult to lose fat or weight when we have chronically high levels of insulin. Insulin is released in response to an increase in blood sugar (insulin signals cells to store sugar, therefore decreasing sugar in the blood), so the more carb-dense your diet, the more insulin you will produce. This is the underlying cause of type 2 diabetes. When blood sugar levels are chronically high, your cells eventually resist the message from insulin to open up and take in sugar. When this starts, your blood sugar increases even more because it has nowhere to go, and insulin production increases even more! So now you have a rapid increase in blood sugar and insulin, which can lead to an increased rate of fat storage. The only way to reverse this process is to cut the sugar (carbs), and allow your blood sugar to stabilize. Coincidentally (or maybe not so), the best way to keep your blood sugar stable is to have more fat in the diet!

So it seems that fat actually makes you skinny. This is not to say that carbs are not important, but there has to be a balance. If you are struggling with fat loss, take a look at how much sugar/artificial sweetener/starch you have in your diet and see if that would be a good place to start.

Commentary:

This information is all still pertinent, though there are some thoughts that I would like to emphasize. First, carbs are not evil, they are necessary. What we must remember, however, is that vegetables are still carbs, and a low-carb diet is not a no-carb diet. The reason "low-carb" can be so effective is because most people eat a significant amount of calories from starchy carbs. Besides the fact that cutting starch is an easy way to cut calories, it also helps with hormone regulation. Carbs beget carbs, so the more you eat, the more you want to eat, and the more your body stores.

This leads to my second point, calories do matter. They are not the end-all be-all, and they say nothing for hormonal balance or overall heath, but at the end of the day, you cannot eat endlessly and hope to lose weight. The reason protein, healthy fats, and lots of veggies can be a good base for a diet, however, is that you will feel fuller faster, and stay fuller longer. It acts as a natural calorie control.

The last point I would like to make is that eating more fat is relative. As we already mentioned, endless calories are not the way to lose weight, and endless fat is not either. Eating more “healthy fats” (coconut oil, grass-fed tallow, palm oil, olive oil, macadamia nut oil, etc.) than the low-fat craze has recommended is a good idea, but that doesn't mean you want to just load up. Use them as needed, and enjoy the flavor they add to your dishes. They are not to be feared!

Again, great info above and we would all do better to cut the immense amount of carbs in our diets and get back to eating a normal amount of fat.

8 Daily Habits to Help Lose That Gut!

We talk a lot about habits in our articles, how it’s important to do one thing at a time, and how success is found in the building of consistent routines. That’s all fine and good, but it doesn’t help much without some tangible actions to take! So today, let’s run through some daily habits that can help burn some fat while keeping you happy and healthy.

1) Eat eggs for breakfast. Forget the outdated cholesterol issue (read Fat is Fuel, Not Foe (Part 2) if you want to find out more on this), it’s time to get your protein in! Studies show that those people who get in a good portion of protein in the morning eat fewer calories the rest of the day.

2) Stand up. Find opportunities to stand up and move around throughout the day. Use a stand up desk if you can, or just find times to get up from your desk and walk around the office. Walk at lunch, walk to the water cooler, walk around your block, and stand up while talking on the phone. The more you are on your feet, the more your body will be working to keep you lean.

3) Stay positive. You actions are a direct representation of your mood, which is a reflection of your attitude. When we get down on ourselves, and think that we will never reach our goals, we end up creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Staying positive has the same effect, where we end up achieving more and feeling better simply due to our attitude.

4) Don’t eat in front of the TV. Studies show that when you eat in front of your TV, you are MUCH more likely to overeat. Mindless eating tends to lead to over-consumption, so eating in front of the TV, in the car, or while surfing the web are all counterproductive when you are trying to lose weight.

5) Weigh yourself each week. Now, you could take other measurements instead or in combination with weight, but the idea is to keep track. If you don’t know where you are, or where you are going, then you have no way to know if what you are doing is making a difference. Weight, measurements, photos, clothing size, whatever is most important to you!

6) Skip the juice and have the fruit. If you are a juice drinker, think about cutting out the concentrated sugar bomb and replacing it with a fiber-filled piece of fruit. You will get a lot more out of it with a fraction of the sugar.

7) Put your produce where you can see it. If you come home with your veggies and stuff them in the back of the bottom drawer, you are not likely to pull them back out. By keeping them on the top shelf or out in a bowl, you great increase your chances of consuming these food items.

8) Drink water when you are hungry. Many times when we feel hungry, we are actually just in need of water. Having a glass of water not only keeps you hydrated but also fills your stomach so you no longer have the urge to eat!

Take these habits and start implementing whichever most interests you. They each have great potential; it just comes back to that daily implementation of the habit.

Saved by the Light

As we all prepare to turn our clocks forward, it is a perfect time to starting thinking about all that we can gain from our extra hour of light. While the mornings will be darker for a while, this may be a perfect time to get started on a variety of after-work activities. Light tends to provide extra energy and motivation, so take advantage of this! While there are a lot of directions we could go with this, let’s look at just a few ways that you can use this time to help improve your overall health and start getting ready for the summer season.

The first things that could really make a difference in your overall well-being is getting into an exercise routine. In winter, it is always hard to stay on track, both with the holidays and the general dreariness of the weather (thought this year has not been too bad!). With the coming of spring, and summer only a few months away, it may be time to focus in and get focused on your exercise routine. Use that extra light to help keep you going after your workday has ended. Get to the gym, play a sport, go for a run or bike ride, or just walk around your neighborhood. Whatever movement you can fit in, go for it. There is no time like the present to start on a fitness program, and this extra sunlight is a perfect excuse to get started.

If this does not speak to you, let’s think about what else we can do to utilize this time. While exercise is important, we can also focus our attention on how we are nourishing ourselves. With the sun still out, you could come home from work, open the windows, and get going on preparing some meals. Cooking for yourself can make a huge difference in your overall health, but so often we default to what we can pick up on the way home. It’s funny how the sun being up later makes us feel that the day is not over. Use that time to get some cooking in and your body will thank you.

On a similar note, you could also spend your time working on growing your own food. There are many wonderful varieties of fruits and vegetables that come on during the summer and if you start now, you could have your own little garden ready to go in no time. You will, of course, have to work with the space you have, but even if you just grow one plant, the byproduct of your labor will truly be one of the healthiest foods you have ever eaten! There is nothing better than eating plants right off the vine, especially when it will be the most pure form of organic growing around.

One last option for using this time is to just get out in the sun. Most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D and while supplementing can help, there is no substitute for old-fashioned sunlight. Most of the winter, we barely get out in the sun, and when we do, we are covered from head to toe. That means that we are at our lowest levels of Vitamin D coming out of winter and need to build back up our supply. Now, with the sun still out after work, just walk outside when you get home and soak in the rays. Go for a walk with your arms and legs showing, or just hang out in the yard for a while. Whatever you do, this is really the first opportunity of the year to consistently get in your sun exposure.

While these options are all beneficial, in the end it comes down to what your goals are and where your motivation is coming from. Whether you’re getting ready for beach season, or just want to increase your energy, these tips will serve you well. If you have other goals, your actions may be different. Either way, the point is that extra sunlight provides an opportunity, and if you are prepared, you will not let it get away. So remember to turn those clocks forward, and wake up Sunday ready to hit the ground sunning! 

Go With Your Gut Feeling

Nausea, Heartburn, Indigestion, Upset Stomach, Diarrhea…this is the list of issues that a swig of Pepto-Bismol is said to relieve. Pepto isn’t the only over-the-counter drug to help us with our stomach issues, though. We have Alka-Seltzer, Tums, Maalox, and many more. Each of these has been created to help us get around the discomfort we seem to find ourselves in after eating. But what about eating should lead to discomfort?

The prevalence of gut and digestive issues is alarming, but most people fail to realize just how important gut health really is. We load up on junk food, wash down some Pepto and bam, we’re good to go. But Pepto and these other antacids are only treating a symptom, not the cause. This is like putting a t-shirt over the warning light in your car: it makes the light go away, but it doesn’t keep your engine from blowing up.

Your Digestion: The Gatekeeper

To address the issues of upset stomach, heartburn, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, etc., we must first understand the role of the digestive system. Our guts have the unique and vital role of allowing in the nutrients we need to survive, while blocking harmful substances.  When you stomach is not happy, it is not asking for you to ADD something on top to shut it up. It is telling you that what you just ate was not a good choice. It is telling you that something about your last meal was poisonous. It’s telling you that you need to change something about your diet or else things are going to start getting much worse. But what do we do? We ignore it, cover it up, and just keep going as if we know more than our bodies.

Unfortunately, after consistent exposure to toxins, your digestive system will start breaking down. It will react poorly to most meals, but will not give you a clear signs that it is failing. Other issues start popping up, though. Acne, allergies, arthritis, memory loss, hair loss, dry skin, bone de-mineralization, ear infections, and just getting the everyday cold more than you used to. You see, your body depends on a strong, decisive gut to prevent anything harmful from entering the body. But once it starts breaking down, the great wall that once protected us can no longer function. Toxins of all kinds can start making their way in, and this can manifest itself in very different ways in different people. The one commonality: poor diet.

It’s In the Food

Now here’s the hard part. What exactly is a poor diet? What was once bad for us is now good, and what was good before is now bad. There is no consistency in what our health care professionals tell us, so we are stuck.  While I cannot say that we know exactly what leads to digestive issues in all people, there are a few things that have been commonly shown to play a role in many of the health concerns listed above.

The foremost culprit of gut irritation is dairy. Most people have some level of sensitivity to milk and milk products, especially as they age. We have specific enzymes in our bodies when we are young that help us digest milk sugar (lactose), but as we age, we stop producing this enzyme. Add to this that casein, a type of protein in milk, is also difficult for us to digest, and you now have two major gut issues with dairy.

The second most common issue is gluten. This is a protein found in wheat and other cereal grains such as barley, and rye. Again, gluten can be very difficult to digest, therefore leading to irritation of the gut. While “gluten-free” is becoming a trend, we must also remember that gluten-free does not mean healthy. Besides the fact that these products are often loaded up with sugar, preservatives, and other undesirable ingredients, we must also recognize that other grains, such as corn, rice, oats, and millet actually have similar proteins to gluten. While these have not been as highly associated with health issues to date, there are still some people that have a hard time with even these.

The third group actually includes a number of items, but all for the same reason. Beans (especially soybeans), nuts, and seeds all have high concentrations of yet another irritating protein, lectin. In high quantities, these items can also become a problem. The good news is that if you find the sprouted versions of these items, you will have greatly decreased the lectin amount in each. Cooking can also help, but sprouting is really the best.

What To Do

As you can see, there are a number of food items that may cause issues. If you do have a concern about your diet having a negative effect on your gut health, don’t worry about cutting EVERYTHING OUT. The best way to determine what may or may not be an issue is to take out one thing at a time for 2-4 weeks, then reintroduce it. If you feel better after your time away from it, then just keep it out and try cutting out one more item. If you don’t feel any different, reintroduce the item in 2-4 weeks and see how you react. If you react poorly, keep it out of your diet and try the next item. As you see, our goal is to discover not only whether you feel better, but also if you react poorly once your body has had a break from constant exposure.

Through this method, many people have found relief from not only digestive issues, but also many of the other issues we discussed earlier. Auto-immune disorders, joint issues, inflammatory issues, and more can all be traced back to gut health. So, work on the cause, not the symptom, and see if you can start living in better health today!