by Tay Gabbidon | Mar 25, 2023 | Uncategorized
What is the Best Way to Boost Your Metabolism?
Having a fast metabolism means your body burns calories at a higher rate, making it easier to maintain or lose weight. While your metabolism can be somewhat determined by genetics, there are several things you can do to increase it.
Here Are 10 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism
1) Build Muscle:
Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning it burns more calories at rest. The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn even when you’re not exercising. Resistance training, such as weightlifting, is the best way to build muscle.
2) Drink Enough Water:
Drinking water can help you burn more calories. When you’re dehydrated, your metabolism slows down. Try to drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
3) Eat More Protein:
Protein requires more energy to digest than carbs or fat, meaning it burns more calories. Eating a high-protein diet can increase your metabolic rate and help you lose more weight. Protein is also needed to build muscle, and higher muscle mass leads to a higher metabolism as previously mentioned.
4) Eat Enough Calories:
Starving yourself can slow your metabolism down. Your body goes into “starvation mode,” conserving energy and burning fewer calories. Staying in a deficit that is more than 500kcal per day will make you produce reverse T3, which blocks the thyroid receptors from binding to real T3 (the active thyroid hormone). Make sure you’re eating enough calories to keep your metabolism running at a healthy rate.
5) Spice It Up:
Eating spicy foods, such as cayenne pepper or jalapeños, can temporarily increase your metabolism. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat, can boost your metabolic rate by up to 8%.
6) Drink Coffee, or Green Tea:
Coffee and green tea contains caffeine, which can boost your metabolic rate by up to 11%. However, drinking too much caffeine can have negative effects, so limit your intake to no more than three cups a day.
7) Get Enough Sleep:
Lack of sleep can slow down your metabolism. Aim for at least seven hours a night, and try to stick to a regular sleep schedule.
8) Do Cardio:
Cardiovascular exercise, such as running or cycling, can boost your metabolism for several hours after your workout. Aim for at least 30 minutes of cardio a day.
9) Stand Up:
Sitting for extended periods of time can slow your metabolism down. Try to stand up and move around for a few minutes every hour.
10) Get Some Sun:
Vitamin D deficiency can slow your metabolism down. Getting enough sun exposure, or taking a vitamin D supplement, can help boost your metabolism. In conclusion, while you can’t change your genetics, you can increase your metabolism through diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. Try out these tips to help boost your metabolism and maintain a healthy weight.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23858091/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258944/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7369170/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661116/
Like what you read? Here are some more articles to help on your weight loss journey:
Intermittent Fasting Guide: https://immortal-training.com/intermittent-fasting-24-hour-guide/
Five Main Causes of Belly Fat in Women: https://immortal-training.com/5-main-causes-of-belly-fat-in-women/
by Tay Gabbidon | Mar 15, 2023 | Blog, Nutrition, Science, Uncategorized
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CAUSES OF BELLY FAT IN WOMEN?
There are many causes for belly fat storage in women, but in this article we will focus on the five biggest, as they are completely different for women than they are for men.
In my experience and research, I have found that the most common problems that women face have to do with one, or more of the following:
- Thyroidal minerals
- Calories
- Protein
- Vitamin D, and/or
- Sleeping patterns
THYROID MINERALS
WHAT ROLE DOES THE THYROID PLAY IN BELLY FAT STORAGE FOR WOMEN?
Thyroid minerals seem to play a much bigger role in weight loss in women than it does for men. Studies show that one in ten men are affected by thyroid issues, compared to one in ten women. The American Thyroid Association estimates that five to eight women are affected by Hashimoto’s to every one man.
THYROID HORMONES
Our thyroids produce a hormone known as T4 (thyroxine), which gets converted into T3 (triiodothyronine). T3 is the active thyroid hormone that acts on the tissues & cells in our bodies to control metabolism. It does this by increasing oxygen in the mitochondria that causes thermogenesis (burning of fat). T3 also plays a vital role in metabolising glucose/carbohydrates.
The inability to produce adequate levels of T3 will make it difficult to efficiently burn glucose in the cell. Glucose eventually gets converted into fat in the liver through a process called de novo lipogenesis (storing of fat), and liver fat accumulates to… guess what… belly fat.
HOW TO HACK YOUR THYROID
Iodine is critical for creating thyroid hormone. In supplement form it is usually sold in the form of sea kelp, but seafood, and seaweed are the best food sources.
When the thyroid converts iodine it also creates hydrogen peroxide, which can can trigger symptoms in people with autoimmune conditions, such as Hashimoto’s. Selenium is a mineral that is needed for the conversion of T4 into T3 that also neutralises hydrogen peroxide, so it should be taken alongside iodine.
Zinc is another important thyroid mineral, which needed to trigger the thyroid hormone receptors in the hypothalamus gland of the brain.
LOW CALORIE DIETS
HOW DO LOW CALORIE DIETS CAUSE BELLY FAT IN WOMEN?
Studies show that women are more likely to go low-cal than men. Even though staying in a calorie deficit is important for weight loss dropping too many can be counterproductive.
When calories drop too low the body increases thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to make more thyroid, but instead of converting T4 to T3 it starts producing reverse T3. Reverse T3 blocks the thyroid receptors, so that normal T3 cannot bind. This makes a slow metabolism even slower.
To avoid creating too much reverse T3 you should keep your deficit within the 200-500kcal range, and go back to baseline every 4-5 days.
NOT GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN
Micronutrients are those that have calories, which means they give us energy. Besides carbohydrates, and fats, protein is one of the three macronutrients. Protein is needed to build and repair muscles & bones, and to make hormones & enzymes.
That means it can increase lean body mass (LBM). The more LBM the higher the basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of calories needed to maintain a person’s bodyweight. Our BMR is responsible for 60-70% of the calories we burn. Therefore, lean body mass is directly linked to metabolic health. The higher the lean body mass, the more calories burned at rest.
Protein also burns more calories during digestion than any other food, and is more satiating, which means you’re less likely to binge on crap food.
Women should consume 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of bodyweight per day, while men need 2 grams per kilo.
VITAMIN D
IS VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF BELLY FAT IN WOMEN?
Despite the name, Vitamin D is actually a hormone. It is the only hormone that our bodies can’t create on its own. Vitamin D must be consumed through food, or obtained through sunlight.
In a Study from the American Journal of Clinical Medicine, named Effects of Weight Loss on Serum Vitamin D in Menopausal Women, 439 women aged 50-75 took part in a year long trial. The women were split into four groups: 1) diet only; 2) exercise & diet; 3) exercise only, and; 4) a controlled group.
The study found that the women who lost 5-10% of their bodyweight had an increase in Vitamin D3, but when they lost 15% that number tripled. What does this mean?
Vitamin D is fat soluble, so it will be released during thermogenesis. When this happens, uncoupling protein-3 also gets released, which stops excess fat from getting into cells. Instead the fat gets burnt, or excreted. The conclusion suggests that metabolism of Vitamin D.
STRESS
HOW IS STRESS ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF BELLY FAT IN WOMEN?
A study published in the Journal of Brain & Behaviour found that women are two times more likely to suffer from anxiety & stress than men.
Stress can be caused by a lot of things, but the most common is a lack of sleep. With a lot of people, a lack of sleep also leads consuming too much caffeine during the day. Both of these issues can contribute to adrenal fatigue.
The adrenal glands sit jus above the kidneys. Stress causes adrenaline, and cortisol (stress hormone) to be released from the adrenal glands. There are four times more cortisol receptors in the abdominals compared to the rest of the body, so stress eating means that a considerable amount of that chocolate cake is going to be stored around the mid-section.
The remedy for this is to make sure you get 7-9 hours sleep per night, and to incorporate practices into your life that help reduce stress, such as meditation, yoga, nature walks, warm, candle-lit baths, etc.
REFERENCES:
Study – JAMA: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1103993
Study – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14592784/
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/94/1/95/4597994?login=false
Journal of Biological Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4966724/
Journal of Brain & Behaviour: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/brb3.497
by Tay Gabbidon | Mar 2, 2023 | Uncategorized
HOW DOES THE RULE OF ADAPTATION CAUSE MUSCLE GROWTH?
Did you know that our muscles don’t grow when we exercise? The truth is in fact the opposite. Exercise actually creates microtears that temporarily damage the muscles. Then, over the next few days, using the protein we consume from our diets, the body enables itself to overcome that stress by building the muscles back stronger. This is the rule of adaptation that causes muscle growth.
But thinking about it even deeper will conclude that this rule isn’t exclusive to the muscles. It is actually a universal law. There is no such thing as growth inside the comfort zone. Proof of this can be found all throughout nature.
The rule of adaptation has even been passed down through legend, and the Ancient Greek story of Milo is a perfect example of that. Milo trained by carrying a calf everyday from birth, so that his strength grew as it later became an ox. The legend says that he carried a fully grown ox on his shoulders at the Olympia stadium – a true exhibition of strength gained through adaptation.
To get the muscles to grow they need to be fatigued enough to become damaged. This is done best with progressive overloading.
WHAT IS PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD?
Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress placed on the body during exercise training, which causes the body to adapt to new stimuli. Meaning that you are working to, or close to muscle failure at some point during your workout. Thus causing adaptation through muscle repair the days thereafter.
WHAT IS MUSCLE FAILURE?
Muscle failure is when the neurological system can no longer produce enough force for a muscle to contract concentrically. Quite frankly, it is when a muscle stops working during an exercise.
WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO PROGRESSIVELY OVERLOAD THE MUSCLES?
In my experience I have learned that versatility is what sets resistance training apart from the rest. Aside from the hundreds of different exercises to choose from for each muscle group, changing the way you progressively overload the muscles the will also add more variety to your workouts.
Here are ways to use progressive overload in your workouts:
- Up the weight – by incrementally adding more resistance over time to put more demand on the muscle (best for increasing strength).
- Add more repetitions – by incrementally adding more repetitions to an exercise over time (best for endurance).
- Increase sets – when you feel your fitness has improved enough to add more volume.
- Frequency – how often you train. Muscle recovery should be taken into account when using this approach, as training too hard without allowing enough time for recovery will slow down your growth progress.
- Number of exercises – adding more movements.
- Rest periods – the longer you rest, the more strength you will be able to access.
- Intensity – using more explosiveness in your movements.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING MUSCLE GROWTH?
HYPERTROPHY
An increase in muscle size is called hypertrophy, which occurs because of an increase of cells inside the sarcomere (water) of the muscles. Said increase of muscle cells is referred to as hyperplasia, and it is stimulated by growth hormone.
TENDON STRENGTH
Training also increases strength in the tendons. Because tendons connect muscles to bone, it enables a contraction of the muscle that can pull the bone with more force. And since tendons are made from collagen, which is strong & elastic, they are able to stop the muscles from tearing as the fibres get thicker, and more dense.
MYOGLOBIN STORES
During muscle growth, there is also an increase in the stores of myoglobin, which is a protein similar to haemoglobin that carries oxygen in the blood from the respiratory organs to the rest of the body. Myoglobin is found in the muscle tissue, and its main job is to bind & store oxygen & iron in the muscle cells for production of energy (ATP). Doing too much cardio, or overtraining, can cause the muscles to breakdown. In which case you could find myoglobin in the blood stream, but it is not ideal.
MITOCHONDRIA
When muscles grow, there is also an increase in the number and size of mitochondria inside the cells. Mitochondria are organelles designed for cellular respiration. This is where ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is made, and why the mitochondria is known as the powerhouse of the cell.
GLYCOGEN & FAT
Glycogen is a form of glucose stored in the muscle that can be quickly broken down for energy. During training, we burn glycogen and fat as fuel, which forces the body to store more, so that it can deal with that stress again. Consuming carbohydrates and caffeine after training helps improve glycogen storage.
We also notice an increase in intramuscular triglycerides (fat that lives mostly in the blood). This allows for more fat to be oxidised in the muscle when glycogen is depleted.
MUSCULAR STRENGTH
The first six weeks of gains in muscle strength are typically down to the improvement of neurological pathways that come from training. The real strength gains come later by using progressive overload.
Use it, or lose it is the rule, so expect to lose 10% of your strength gains after eight weeks of no training, and up to 40% muscular endurance.
SIMILAR POSTS
Optimising Strength Training Around Your Menstrual Cycle: https://immortal-training.com/strength-training-and-dieting-throughout-your-menstrual-cycle/
Vegan Diet Deficiencies: https://immortal-training.com/strength-training-and-dieting-throughout-your-menstrual-cycle/
REFERENCES
The Adaptations to Strength Training: Morphological and Neurological Contributions to Increased Strength: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17241104/
Eccentric Verses Conventional Exercise Therapy in Patients with Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27351548/
Identifying the Structural Adaptations that Drive Mechanical Load-Induced Growthof Skeletal Muscle: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32660165/
The Effects of Resistance Training in Women on Dynamic Strength And Muscular Hypertrophy: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31820374/
by Tay Gabbidon | Dec 21, 2022 | Uncategorized
HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR DIET AND STRENGTH TRAINING AROUND YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE
You might feel as if you’re underperforming in the gym during certain times of the month. I’m here to tell you that it is not only normal, but also ideal to have this experience. It means you are a woman who is functioning within a healthy hormonal profile. To take it even further, I’m going to try and show you how to use your natural hormonal cycle to get great gains, and vary your styles of training in the gym, so that you don’t plateau, or get bored.
First, let’s break down the different stages of the typical stereotypical 28-day menstrual cycle.
WHAT ARE THE PHASES OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE?
The menstrual cycle can be broken down into two phases – the follicular and luteal phases.
- The FOLLICULAR PHASE begins at menstruation, and can be separated by two stages:
- Period – lasting anywhere from 3-8 days
- Proliferation stage – lasting up to 14 days, from the day your period ends to the beginning of ovulation
- The LUTEAL PHASE begins at ovulation and ends when your period starts
WHAT HAPPENS TO A WOMAN’S HORMONES DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE?
As you can see in the image below, the hormones oestrogen, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinising hormone (LH) experience transient-like effects throughout the menstrual cycle.
Even though it only increases slightly during ovulation, testosterone also plays a part (shown below).
During the follicular stage when your period begins, the pituitary gland in the brain releases follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), stimulating the ovaries to produce follicles that mature (now referred to as graafian follicles), ending in ovulation.
Oestrogen and luteinizing hormone rise to prepare for the release of the egg into the fallopian tubes as you enter the luteal phase.
LH and oestrogen levels then start to die down at the beginning of the luteal phase once the egg is released. This triggers a gradual spike in progesterone, helping the body prepare for fertilization by stimulating glandular, and blood vessel development.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR WOMEN TO BUILD STRENGTH DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE?
A 2016 study by Frisen et al., split women into two groups, having one group train legs during different weeks of their cycle. The study concluded that the group who did most of their training in the follicular phase gained the most lean body mass, even though both groups did the same amount of volume.
Another study from 2014, by Song et al., had women unilaterally train their legs using a single leg press, and a single leg body weight squat over the course of three menstrual cycles. They had one leg do eight workouts during the follicular phase, and two workouts in the luteal phase. Then the second leg did two workouts in the follicular phase, and two in the eight in the luteal. The results showed that the legs that did the most volume during the follicular phase gained more strength (measured by isometric force), and also had an increase in muscle cross sectional area than that in the luteal phase, even though total volume was matched
As you can probably gather from both of those studies, the follicular phase (beginning on the day your period ends, and ending when ovulation begins) is the best time to shift your focus towards gaining strength, building muscle, and hitting your personal bests in the gym. In the week leading up to your period, the more logical training routine should have more of a HIIT, light weights, or even yoga style focus, depending on the severity of your PMS and menstrual cramps. The main goals during this time should be to maintain your routine, and to keep stress as low as possible.
Here is the practical application that I give to my clients to outline how training to the menstrual cycle can be optimised:
WEEK 1 – EARLY FOLLICULAR PHASE
Heavy Strength Focus
4-8 rep range
WEEK 2 – LATE FOLLICULAR PHASE
Volume Based for Hypertrophy (Muscle Mass)
8-12 rep range
WEEK 3 – EARLY LUTEAL PHASE
Volume Based Hypertrophy (Muscle Mass)
8-12 rep range
WEEK 4 – LATE LUTEAL PHASE
Light Weights
12+ reps
HOW TO EAT DURING YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE
Tweaking your diet for strength training according to your menstrual cycle is going to help you get great results.
A 2020 metanalysis pulled data from 26 randomised controlled trials and found that RMR (resting metabolic rate) was greater in the luteal phase in comparison to the follicular. Several other studies were able to determine that this increase amounted to 89-279kcal per day. This tell us that the body is expending more energy for function ability during the luteal phase. The amount of calories differ from study to study, so nothing is concrete, but the common theme they all share is a recommendation of an individualised approach to nutrition for women. The recommendation makes sense if you consider the fact that women experience menstrual cycle side effects that can be very different to one another.
THE WEEK LEADING UP TO YOUR PERIOD
One of the things we should consider for a strength building diet worked around your menstrual cycle that also promotes fat loss, is refeeding days (sometimes referred to as cheat days). I am obviously not a woman, so I’ll never truly understand what women experience, but I know from the studies, and from being told by my clients and other women in my life, that the week leading up to your period can be the worst for bloating, cramps, backaches, and other symptoms. This would be the ideal time to schedule in your refeeding days. In my experience, women tend to get the best results for fat loss having one refeeding day per week, and then two, or three in a row during the last week of the luteal phase leading up to their period, but you should structure this to suit your own situation.
To curb cravings, adding things to your diet that promote gut health could be beneficial during the week leading up to your period. Fermented foods like kim chi, sauerkraut, and kefir help bacterial diversity thrive in the gut, while psyllium help with healthy, regular bowel movements, without increasing flatulence. Complex carbohydrates such as those found in fruits & vegetables are the best sources of fibre.
Flaxseed has been known to have hormonal-like effects that has been shown to ease menopausal symptoms in some studies, which is why I highly recommend using it as a go-to source of fibre for women.
Becoming aware of your cravings duriing this time of the month is your biggest tool for success. Allowing yourself to have a bit of comfort food will reduce the chances of binging too much, and free you from the guilt that comes with it.
DURING YOUR PERIOD
It is much more common for women to become anaemic than men, and this is mainly because of the loss of blood that happens every month. Iron is needed to produce red blood cells, and to transport oxygen around the body. Low iron levels will cause low energy, so this is a great time to up your iron intake. This means including lots of red meat and seafood in your diet. Vegetables also have iron, but because the absorption gets blocked by phytic acid humans can only absorb 1% of it from plants. If you are vegan, or vegetarian you could be making things more difficult for yourself than they should be, but you can get by with iron supplements.
Vitamin C is needed for the absorption of iron, so you should be taking it during the week of your period as well. FYI red vegetables are the best source of Vitamin C.
Eliminating, or at least decreasing your caffeine intake will also help maintain healthy iron levels, as the polyphenols in caffeine block the absorption of iron. It is also a vaso-constrictor, meaning that it constricts your arteries, which can make your period cramps even worse!
CONCLUSION FOR OPTIMISING STRENGTH TRAINING & DIET AROUND YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE
The main point I think we can take from all of this is that staying in tune with your body as a woman is key to your fitness success. Learning how to work your training, and eating habits around your menstrual cycle can be a total game changer.
Ride the wave, sister!
Tayvis Gabbidon
Personal Trainer & Nutritionist
References:
> Effects on power, strength and lean body mass of menstrual/oral contraceptive cycle based resistance training. Frisen et al., (2016): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26558833/
> Effects of follicular versus luteal phase-based strength training in young women. Sung et al., (2014): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4236309/
Other References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6710244/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378432010004148?via%3Dihub
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378432010004148?via%3Dihub
https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/the-menstrual-cycle-more-than-just-the-period
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-32647-0.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091302220300698
https://researchportal.northumbria.ac.uk/en/publications/invisible-sportswomen-the-sex-data-gap-in-sport-and-exercise-scie
https://www.nature.com/articles/0803699
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34648911/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7357764/pdf/pone.0236025.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6257992/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00737-020-01094-0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8296102/pdf/ijerph-18-06294.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006899310021372?via%3Dihub
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27634490/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3154522/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epub/10.1080/17461391.2021.1922508?needAccess=true
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7332750/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7916245/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-020-01319-3
https://www.thefoodmedic.co.uk/2021/12/working-with-your-menstrual-cycle/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S144024401930814X
https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2021/02000/Exercise_Induced_Muscle_Damage_During_the.35.aspx?context=FeaturedArticles&collectionId=1
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25243766/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27527001/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27385613/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2425954/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8306484/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19219847/
by Tay Gabbidon | Apr 26, 2022 | Uncategorized
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by Tay Gabbidon | Jan 10, 2022 | Blog, Nutrition, Uncategorized
If you want to trigger me, just say that saturated fat is unhealthy. I’m here to show you that it is not. In fact, including saturated fat in our diets is essential for maintaining an optimal biological state of well-being.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SATURATED FAT?
Saturated fat is needed for:
- Mental development – the brain is made up of mostly saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Bone development – saturated fats metabolise calcium.
- Cardiovascular function – the lungs are coated with fatty acids that are saturated.
- The nervous system – as in the brain the nervous system is largely made up of saturated fats.
- Hormonal support – saturated fats are the building blocks to making hormones such as testosterone, oestrogen, cortisol, etc.
According to the independent study, A Critical Review of Cardio Disease by Dr Walter Willet from Harvard School of Public Health, we can see that saturated fat is not linked to heart disease and protects against strokes. Daily nut consumption is associated with a 35% decrease in the risk of heart attacks. Consuming full fat dairy is associated with a 60% reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes, lowers high density cholesterol, triglyceride levels and inflammation markers. People that eat egg yolks can reduce the chance of becoming diabetic by 42%. I highly recommend reading Dr Willett’s book, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating if you want to gain more of an understanding of his research.
WHY IS SATURATED FAT SEEN AS UNHEALTHY?
You should never trust the science. Question it always. Lessons learned during the recent COVID pandemic have proven why this approach is most important. The same goes for the scientific understanding of saturated fat.
To understand the history, we must go back to the 1920s to spend time with Dr Charles Best & Dr Frederick Banting, two scientists who earned a Nobel Peace Prize for purifying insulin, making it available for pharmaceutical use. They also made some other interesting discoveries.
Drs Best & Banting were the first scientists to discover an accumulation of fat in and around the organs in diabetics. This discovery lead them to believe that dietary fat was the cause of type 2 diabetes. The development of the infamous food pyramid that was pushed onto the public was a direct result of this. It could be fair to say that certain powerful food corporations were able capitalise on these studies, but that’s a different conversation altogether!
Fortunately, technology has advanced a lot since the 1920s. The science that was missing from their research was the role of the liver. The liver plays a key role in fat metabolism. It is now known that the liver converts sugars into fat to be stored, either as subcutaneous – on the outside of the body – or visceral fat – in and around the organs. In fact, to put it quite simply, body fat is nothing more than stored sugar. Once there is no more room for it to be stored in the liver, the body is forced to store fat in the pancreas. When this happens, a person loses the ability to create insulin on their own. Welcome to type 2 diabetes.
Since the recommendation of ‘low fat’ diets by the bodies that govern food & drugs, we have noticed a 400%+ increase in heart disease, diabetes & obesity. Until the public is completely re-educated about nutrition this problem isn’t going to get better.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SATURATED FATS?
Palmitic acid is often considered an unhealthy saturated fat because people often associate it with palm oil, but you will find that the acid (not the oil product) is already a part of our biological make up. Here are the different types of saturated fatty acids and their benefits:
- Caprylic acid – found in coconut oil, dairy, breast milk, nuts. Great for the immune system, acne, and is anti-viral.
- Lauric acid – found in coconut oil, breast milk. Needed for the immune system and is anti-viral.
- Palmitic acid – abundant in fish, nuts, seeds, animal products. 50% of cell membrane is made up palmitic acid.
- Butyric acid – found in butter and vegetable sources. This is the main fatty acid that feeds cells in the colon.
WHICH FATS SHOULD I AVOID?
We can put lipids (fats) into three categories – saturated, unsaturated and trans.
Unsaturated fats – EPAs & DHAs – are the omegas. These often get promoted as ‘healthy fats’, but you should now understand that saturated fat is just as important.
Trans fats increase the risk of heart disease and other health problems. They are found in hydrogenated foods. This is when a hydrogen atom is introduced to an oil to solidify it, preventing it from going rank. Margarine often disguised as ‘spreadable butter’ is a form of trans fat. Trans fats can also be found in fast food, microwave meals and other processed foods. We should avoid these fats at all costs.
The rule that I follow says, if you can dig it from the ground, pick it from a tree or plant, or slaughter it and it’s still in its unaltered state then it is OK to eat. The most important part of that statement is that it is still in its unaltered state. Meaning unrefined and unprocessed.
References:
Nutritional Epidemiology, Dr Walter Willet
Dr Charles Best & Dr Frederick Banting:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Banting
Study comparing consumption of Saturated Fats vs Unsaturated Fats:
http://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i1246 Astrup, A., Dyerberg, J., Elwood, P., Hermansen, K., Hu, F.B., Jakobsen, M.U., …Willett, W.C. (2011). The role of reducing intakes of saturated fat in the prevention of cardiovascular disease: Where does the evidence stand in 2010? [PDF]. Am J Clin Nutr, 93(4): 684–8. doi: 10.3945/ ajcn.110.004622
For help with own nutrition go here:
https://immortal-training.com/book-a-consultation/
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