Eat Fat Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig

[Guest guest]

Eat Fat Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig

_http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/blog/articles/eat-fat-lose-fat-by-sally-fallo

n-and-mary-enig_

(http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/blog/articles/eat-fat-lose-fat-by-sally-fallon-\

and-mary-enig)

By _Lara Grinevitch_

(http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/blog/articles/author/lgrinevitch/)

 

A struggle with weight is such a common experience now that we forget that

it was not always like this. When you look at photographs from 50 years ago,

or even 30 years ago, something stands out: ordinary people were a healthy

body weight. Our grandmothers were not working out at the gym and counting

grams

of fat. Why was it so much easier for them?

Dr. Mary Enig, a nutritional biochemist, argues that we are now obese

because we stopped eating saturated fat. She makes these points:

We’ve always eaten saturated fat.

* People from every culture traditionally consumed lard, cultured

butter, cream, fish roe, eggs, organ meats, insects or coconut. There is no

evidence that ancient people were obese, or that they suffered from high rates

of

heart disease.

* Fat has concentrated nutrition, which has always been considered

important for child-bearing women and children. Even in western culture,

pregnant women were advised to eat calf liver three time per week.

* Fat soluble vitamins A and D are necessary for the absorption of

minerals, growth, brain, sexual development and reproduction.

The theory that saturated fat causes heart disease is a theory called the “

lipid hypothesisâ€.

* When the lipid hypothesis was introduced in 1956, cardiologist Dr.

Dudley White objected to the introduction of vegetable oils into the American

diet. He said that he had never seen a heart attack (MI) before people ate

refined vegetable oils. He said: “Back in the MI-free days, the fats were

butter and lard and I think that we would all benefit from the kind of diet

that

we had at a time when no one had ever heard the words ‘corn oilâ€.

* The “lipid hypothesis†was actively promoted by the American

edible-oil industry (soy and corn oil).

There are problems with refined vegetable oil.

* When vegetable oil is processed, it forms trans-fat, which causes

heart disease and hormone-imbalance.

* If eaten exclusively, omega 6 fatty acids (in vegetable oil) disrupt

metabolism because they replace saturated fat and omega 3 fatty acids.

Saturated fat is a natural part of our metabolism.

* Cells are composed of 50% saturated fat. This is necessary for

proper cell membrane function, including insulin response. (Omega 3 is also

important.)

* Medium-chain fatty acids (a type of saturated fat) increase

metabolic rate.

* Fat is necessary for hormone production.

* Omega 3 fatty acids are also very important: Omega 3 fatty acids are

founds in leafy greens, egg yolk, fish, and grass fed meat and dairy

products.

Dr. Enig is at the leading edge of an important trend in nutrition, which is

actually a return to the way people used to eat.

It will take a while to change the views of the medical establishment, but

cracks are starting to appear. In 2005, the Australian Heart Association

admitted that eggs are healthy. At a recent symposium on dietary fat, Dr.

Kritchevsky (an original supporter of the lipid hypothesis) observed that

low-fat

diets “do not affect overall cardiovascular disease mortality,†and that

“…as

new findings appear, it may be necessary to reevaluate our conclusions and

policies.â€

The strongest supporters of the lipid hypothesis are actually the

pharmaceutical companies eager to sell their cholesterol-lowering drugs. Eat

Fat, Lose

Fat cites mainstream research that questions the use of these popular drugs.

The book is exciting because it is common-sense.

The main problem with the book is that the references are omitted (although

they are available from her website).

It is definitely worth a read.

Sally and Mary’s book is highly recommended by the Nourished Community and

is available from their site: _EatFatLoseFat.com_

(http://www.eatfatlosefat.com/) _http://www.eatfatlosefat.com/_

(http://www.eatfatlosefat.com/)

About the Author...

Lara Grinevitch is a Canadian-trained Naturopath specialising in weight loss

and hormone issues. She runs a busy clinic in Sydney. Visit her website for

more informative health articles. _www.sensible-alternative.com.au_

(http://www.sensible-alternative.com.au/)