FAT - YOU NEED IT!

I'm still annoyed. Everytime I walk into a chemist there's a massive point of sale display for Alli, and I'm sure the dreaded pills are selling like hot cakes. One of the assistants in my local chemist told me she'd taken it, and made the mistake of eating a slice of pizza (well there you go, if you eat pizza you are asking for trouble aren't you whether you take Alli or not?!!!!!) and within seconds she'd had an accident down below.Sorry, but the whole thing really makes me feel ill.

So, todays blog is all about fat - one of the major macro nutrients and therefore something that we can't actually live without. Suggest again you really don't take Alli and send fat through your body at a hundred miles an hour - let your body do what it needs to do with it, just make sure you eat the right kind.

Why do we need fat? Lots of reasons, all important to varying degrees - here's a very simple basic list :

To make hormones

For energy (we store it for use when we need it)

For insulation, to keep warm

It gives us shape (whether we like it or not!)

It cushions the skin (be a bit painful otherwise)

It's a necessary part of every cell membrane

It helps nerve endings fire, so we can talk, walk, run, speak etc.

It promotes healthy skin, nails and hair

It helps transport fat soluble vitamins around the body from food - A, D, E and K

And lots more besides, so as you can see to take a pill that's going to pass fat straight through your body is depriving it of a very necessary, fundamental substance so please, please don't do it. There are far simpler, safer ways to release fat if you are overweight, none of which are quick fixes but I'll hold your hand all the way and we'll do it together. You just have to be in the right mindset; so, so determined.

Types of fats can be confusing but basically the ones to avoid eating totally are the hydrogenated, trans fats that your body doesn't know what to do with and so stores as a toxin. These fats are mainly found in processed CRAP foods so are relatively easy to keep out of the diet if you only buy wholesome fresh foods to prepare yourself. Actually, alot of the supermarkets are now guaranteeing that their own label products don't contain these 'nasties' but it's still worth going down the 'prepare yourself' route at least 80 per cent of the time just to be on the safe side.

Also, avoid low fat products - they've been 'tampered' with to remove the fat making them more processed and other things may have been added to increase the taste. Better going for full fat but less of it (depending on your metabolic type - contact me for details).

The best fats to include in your diet are poly and mono unsaturates. Polyunsaturates are the omegas - 3s and 6s. Omega 6s are common in our diets as they're used in lots of processed foods - found particulalry in vegeatable oils. Omega 3s we generally need to eat more of, and they can be found in oily fish, green leafy vegetables, linseeds and kidney beans. They help reduce inflammation, keep arteries flexible and are vital for brain function.
Too many omega 6s can promote inflammation - the equivalent of two tablesspoons of oil a day is sufficient in an adult diet.

Monounsaturates are found in oilve oil, and nuts particularly hazelnuts, pecans, macadamias, and avacadoes (my favourite food of all time)and amongst other things help with cholesterol.

Saturated fats, if good quality, organic and therefore naturally raised are absolutely fine to eat and are in fact necessary for insulating organs, forming sex hormones etc. Grass fed beef is a great source of saturated fat, as is one of the most versatile of foods - the coconut (see earlier blog for health benefits and they are many).

Unfortunately we tend to eat too much by way of processed foods ; meat pies, cakes and biscuits - all those visits to Greggs and Ainsleys at lunchtime may be quick and tasty,but you're doing yourself no favours. Too many of these bad saturates can clog up your arteries and increase the risk of heart diesase and strokes, and being overweight just is not where we want to be. It puts pressure on the joints, your organs, causes diabetes and allsorts of other diseases, AND puts a major strain on the NHS (and the government will never sort this because of the mutli national companies selling CRAP foods bringing in so much money to the country).

So there you have it. Fat is a good thing. Low fat diets are generally not unless medically supervised, so the Alli thing, just leave it well alone........please.

Today's Tip : (not done one of these for a while) think about what you're putting inside you. Respect your body and allow it to do its work efficiently and effectively by not feeding it CRAP.