Day 27: Macronutrients: Fats
DHA and EPA; Flax Seeds and Oils; Hemp Seeds and Oil; Chia Seeds; Fish and Fish Oil; Cholesterol and the Big Fat Lie; Leptins
Welcome to Day 27!
One question that arises with Juice Feasting is, “Where you are getting your fat?” One of your freshest fat sources is actually the greens that you are juicing. Leafy greens are about 7-10 percent fat. Also, you are deriving fat from the tablespoon of hemp oil you are eating each day (or a fish oil if you are not vegan), and there is some fat in bee pollen, if you are using that as part of your Juice Feast.
There are two main reasons that Juice Feasting as a Practice (while you are drinking just juices) is a low-fat approach.
The first reason has to do with weight loss and detoxification. On a low-fat approach for the duration of a Juice Feast, your body will go after fat stores on your body for energy… thus reducing fat. This is good for weight loss, but also for detoxification, as your body uses fat to store toxins (the 65,000 agro- and industrial chemicals we are exposed to…)
The second reason has to do with increasing your body’ sensitivity to insulin and thus reducing your average blood sugar. Insulin, like a FexEx delivery worker, delivers carbohydrate to your cells. But cells can become resistant to the insulin, and don’t want to take the carbohydrate. So the insulin keeps traveling around the blood with its package of carbohydrate. We call this high blood sugar, or diabetes.
We want your cells to be receptive to their FedEx delivery guys, or insulin. But excess fats – and rancid or bad fats – can create a resistance to the insulin, creating high blood sugar. This resistance is caused in part by too much fat in the cells themselves, called intramyocellular lipids, or fat in your cells. We want that fat out of there. Here is a diagram:
So a low-fat Juice Feasting protocol gets the intramyocellular lipds out of your cells and they in turn become receptive to their FedEx guys again (the insulin) and the packages (carbohydrates) are delivered to their destinations (the cells) and get out of your blood. This lowers your blood sugar, and is one of the main reasons that people with blood sugar metabolism issues do so well with a Juice Feast.
Finally, lower blood sugar means reduced inflammation in your whole body, but particularly your cardiovascular system, which reduces your chance of developing heart disease… but also alzheimer’s, dementia, arthritis… it’s good news all around.
Good Fat / Bad Fat
The hype and conflicting information about dietary fats that is out there can be very confusing. Organizations like the American Heart Association and the United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA)—who developed the Food Pyramid—recommend a “low-fat diet” to prevent such conditions as obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
There’s a problem with “fat-free” food labels. Major food manufacturers, in an attempt to profit from the “low-fat” message, have developed all kinds of “low-fat” and “fat-free” food alternatives. For most of these products, the fat is taken out and replaced with undesirable non-nutritive alternatives such as refined sugars, chemical “fat substitutes” like Olestra, and artificial sweeteners like aspartame, Splenda®, etc. And, our health is worse than ever. Conditions such as heart disease, stroke, obesity, and diabetes have been increasing dramatically, due in large part to the unhealthy ingredients that are not food, added to our food.
Despite common misconception, not all fats are bad. Fats in their whole form are excellent.
We need fats to run our immune system, create healthy skin, and build our brains, and even prevent issues such as postpartum depression.
“Good” fats are crucial for good health. The human body cannot survive without fat, since many body processes rely on fat. For instance, fat-soluble vitamins can only be distributed throughout the body by way of fat. It is true that there are some fats that are not good for you. Not surprising, these “bad” fats, also known as trans fats, primarily exist in heavily processed foods.
Food manufacturers are changing their tune. Have you noticed that food manufacturers are changing their labels? As the latest food marketing trend changes, “Fat-free” is being replaced with “No trans fats.” The truth of the matter is that living the “low-fat” or “fat-free” lifestyle is actually very damaging for your health. Understanding dietary fats and making good, natural choices are the only real ways to preserve your waistline, and protect yourself against chronic conditions.
A healthy balance is best. Each person’s protein, fat and, carbohydrate requirements are unique based on his or her individual biochemistry. On balance, however, our macronutrient intake should be about:
+ 50-70% of calories should come from carbohydrates.
+ 10-20% of calories should come from protein-rich sources.
+ 20-40% of calories should come from fat-rich sources.
+ Acceptable ranges for children are similar to those for adults, except that infants and younger children need a slightly higher proportion of fat. During childhood, the brain is the fastest-growing organ and it’s made up of 60% fat. A severe, low-fat diet may have long-term negative health implications.
What is interesting about these ratios is that they will change for you from season to season, biogregion to bioregion, and from decade to decade in your life. Colder seasons demand more fats, hotter climates demand more carbohydrates… later in life we do well with a lower-glycemic diet.
When it comes to fats, we want whole fats coming in, and in the context of a diet high in leafy greens (about 1-2 lbs per day), fresh vegetables and fruits.
We will return to this topic of dietary balance with The Four Means to Get Your Greens on Day 83.
Good, Beautiful, Whole Fats
Saturated Fats. Saturated fats differ from unsaturated fats because the molecules of saturated fat have only one single bond between carbon atoms. Our healthiest sources come from tropical plants, such as coconut oil. They tend to be solid or semi-solid at room temperature, and are stable so they do not easily become rancid. Coconut oil is about 300 times as resistant to rancidity as flax oil, meaning that coconut oil can sit in your cabinet, and flax oil needs refrigeration and a dark container, as it will photo-oxidize. Although they have received a bad rap, Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, PhD, of the Weston A. Price Foundation, have been leading the charge to systematically and scientifically reveal the importance of saturated fats. In a study entitled, “The Skinny on Fats,” they cite the following:
+ Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of the cell membranes. They give cells their necessary stiffness and integrity.
+ Saturated fats play a vital role in the health of bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of dietary fats should be saturated.
+ Saturated fats lower lipoprotein (a) – A substance in the blood that indicates proneness to heart disease.
+ Saturated fats protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins.
+ Saturated fats enhance the immune system.
+ Saturated fats are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids. Specifically, omega-3 essential fatty acids are better retained in the tissue when the diet is rich in saturated fats.
According to the USDA, any fat that that is solid at room temperature is considered harmful. This is not true, as we have learned from our study of coconut oil. Trans fats are different from saturated fats. Trans fats are processed oils that are hydrogenated so that they become solid, such as margarine, which is essentially like eating plastic since it does not melt at body temperature. The process of hydrogenating oils turns liquid oils into unhealthy solids. So eliminating the hydrogenated margarine from your diet is actually a far better option for you than avoiding the natural, healthy saturated fat like coconut oil. Even though butter is not the best fat choice, one particular study does illustrate the harmful effects of margarine clearly. It was revealed that men who ate butter ran half the risk of heart disease as those using margarine.4 There is more information on Trans Fats (like those found in margarine, french fries, and pastries) below.
Unsaturated Fats. Unlike the saturated fats that have a single bond between carbon atoms, unsaturated fats contain a double bond between carbon atoms. Studies have shown that unsaturated fats help decrease inflammation, reduce heart disease, reduce blood clotting (and/or thick blood), and help regulate blood pressure. Unsaturated fats also lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the good cholesterol (HDL). HDL is manufactured by the liver to repair blood vessels and help transport fat-soluble vitamins to the cells of the body.
There are two types of unsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats have two or more double bonds between carbon atoms, while monounsaturated fats have one double bond.
Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Great sources include flaxseed oil, hemp oil, pumpkin seed oil, and sesame oil.
Polyunsaturated fats are divided into two types: omega-6 and omega-3 oils. Americans consume far too many omega-6 essential fatty acids derived from polyunsaturated fats, and consume far too little omega-3 essential fatty acids derived from leafy greens, nuts, and seeds.
The omegas need to be in balance. The typical American diet has a 15:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, and for some it can be as high as 50:1. For ideal health, this ratio should actually be closer to 1:1. An inappropriate balance of these essential fatty acids contributes to the development of disease, while a proper balance helps maintain and even improve health. That’s why research is beginning to show that omega-6s and omega-3s only have a beneficial effect if you consume balanced amounts of both.6
Since the Western diet supplies plenty of omega-6, it’s usually not necessary to supplement those. On the other hand, supplementing your diet with omega-3 will help create the necessary healthy balance of these two essential fatty acids. High-quality flax oil, hemp oil, flax and hemp seeds, and leafy greens are your best sources.
Monounsaturated fats are the other type of unsaturated fats, and are also liquid at room temperature. They include olive and avocado. Olive oil is a mainstay of the Mediterranean diet (considered by many to be one of the healthiest known diets).
Processed, Nasty Fats
Trans Fats. Trans fatty acids are produced when vegetable oils are heated under pressure with hydrogen and a catalyst, in a process called hydrogenation. Therefore, these fats are often referred to as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
In the past few decades, many food manufacturers have added trans fats into processed foods to prolong their shelf life, and to replace the regular saturated fat that has wrongfully gotten a bad rap, thus making their products appear more healthy. Trans fats are commonly found in processed foods including commercially baked goods, icing, margarine, “snack” foods (potato chips, cookies, crackers, microwave popcorn), and fried foods like french fries and fried chicken.
The following list is a compilation of the adverse effects reported in humans and animals from the consumption of trans fatty acids. This information is based on decades of research done by Dr. Mary Enig and has been confirmed by others.
+ Trans fats lower “good” HDL cholesterol in a dose response manner (the higher the trans fat level in the diet, the lower the HDL cholesterol in the serum).
+ Trans fats raise the bad LDL cholesterol in a dose response manner.
+ Trans fats raise the atherogenic lipoprotein (a) in humans (increases blockages in the arteries).
+ Trans fats raise total serum cholesterol levels 20-30mg.
+ Trans fats lower the amount of cream (volume) in milk from lactating females in all species studied, including humans, thus lowering the overall quality available to the infant.
+ Trans fats increase blood insulin levels in humans in response to glucose load, increasing risk for diabetes.
+ Trans fats increase insulin resistance thus having an undesirable effect in diabetics.
+ Trans fats affect immune response by lowering efficiency of B cell response.
+ Trans fats decrease levels of testosterone in male animals, increase level of abnormal sperm, and interfere with gestation in females.
+ Trans fats cause alterations in cell membranes, including membrane fluidity.
+ Trans fats cause alterations in fat cell size, cell number, and fatty acid composition.
+ Trans fats escalate adverse effects of essential fatty acid deficiencies.
Unfortunately, many people do not fully comprehend the seriousness of trans fats. Institutions including the American Medical Association, American Heart Association, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rightly recommend a low intake of trans fats, and FDA labeling requirements to show the amount of trans fats will be fully in place by the year 2006.7,8,9
[You might like to read the article: How partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats destroy your health or by Mike Adams, or all of Mike’s articles on hydrogenated oils and fats]
Dietary Recommendations
+ When preparing cooked food, use a healthy saturated fat such as organic virgin coconut oil as a Vegan, and Raw Grass-Fed Butter or Ghee as a Non-Vegan
+ As a healthy snack alternative, choose sprouted nuts and seeds that are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids.
+ Incorporate organic raw hemp seeds into your favorite recipes, since it’s a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids and fiber.
+ Supplement your diet with mercury-free high-quality hemp seeds, which are a rich source of omega-3.
+ If you are using fish oil, use a pharmaceutical grade product made from small fish
+ Use avocado, sesame tahini, and hemp oil as health ingredients for salad dressings. Using avocados to make guacamole is our personal favorite.
Foods to AVOID:
+ Avoid “low-fat” or “fat-free” versions of all foods. They are all processed, pre-packaged, advertised, so-called foods that have no health benefits for you. Eat natural foods that don’t require tricky advertising.
+ Completely eliminate trans fats from your diet. Avoid margarine and other butter substitutes. Check food labels carefully before purchasing food items. If you see the words “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated”, then simply put the product back.
DHA: A Special (and Essential) Omega-3 Fat
This is an important nutrient created from Omega-3 fats that is often overlooked. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants. There is new clinical data available on this front regarding Vegan diets and DHA:
Numerous studies have shown that vegetarians consume far lower levels of long-chain omega-3 fats–not surprising considering their avoidance of meat and fish [Rosell MR, et al]. Studies of pregnant women show that, compared to omnivores, vegetarians have significantly lower levels of DHA in their breast milk, with vegans displaying the lowest levels of all. These negative fatty acid profiles are reflected in infants, with vegan newborns displaying significantly lower red blood cell levels of DHA. This is an ominous finding, given the critical role that omega-3 fats play in healthy immune function and cognitive development [Williams C] [O’Connor DL] [Helland IB] [Moriguchi T] [Dunstan JA]. (Fully cited in the DHA file for today)
DHA is also required for maintenance of normal brain function in adults.
The inclusion of plentiful DHA in the diet improves learning ability, whereas deficiencies of DHA are associated with deficits in learning. DHA is taken up by the brain in preference to other fatty acids. The turnover of DHA in the brain is very fast, more so than is generally realized.
The visual acuity of healthy, full-term, formula-fed infants is increased when their formula includes DHA. During the last 50 years, many infants have been fed formula diets lacking DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids. DHA deficiencies are associated with fetal alcohol syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria, unipolar depression, aggressive hostility, and adrenoleukodystrophy. Decreases in DHA in the brain are associated with cognitive decline during aging and with onset of sporadic Alzheimers disease.
You can get DHA from pharmaceutical-grade fish oil, and as a Vegan from products like Omega-Zen. Look ’em up, but don’t be without this valuable fat no matter where your Center of Gravity is on the Spectrum of Diet!
Under-Emphasizing and Over-Emphasizing Fats
From an Integral perspective, we find ourselves agreeing with many of the partial perspectives on fats from both the plant-based and Weston A. Price, paleo and whole foods advocates. We agree that:
Whole food fats are important.
Healing many western diseases does necessitate a mainly plant-based low-fat approach for the duration of the healing period.
Long-term we need adequate fats in our diets.
Animal fats do provide some beneficial omega-3 fats and even essential nutrients like Vitamin K2.
Hydrogenated vegetable oils, rancid vegetable oils, and overcooked fats such as trans-fats are a health menace.
The lipid hypothesis is wrong: cholesterol and fats from whole foods do not create heart disease
A high-carbohydrate diet of refined sugars creates inflammation which renders otherwise beneficial cholesterol harmful to the cardiovascular system.
Fats in the diet need to be complemented with a diet high in antioxidants to protect the cardiovascular system and the whole body
Some nutrition/dietary camps underemphasize fats, such as fruitarians (which we covered yesterday).Others recognize the importance of lowering fats for healing heart disease or diabetes (such as Caldwell Esselstyn, T. Colin Campbell, and many Vegan advocates) but see a low-fat Vegan approach as a life-long approach, and yet we find in light of research by the Weston A. Price Foundation and clinical data from indigenous cultures that low-fat approaches are not necessary or advisable long-term to maintain health.
Some nutrition/dietary camps, such as Weston A. Price, Sally Fallon, and the paleo community over-emphasize fats from animal products. In the presentation by Dr. Donald Miller at right, he sites the Maasai, the Inuit, the Rendille, and the Tokelau as being examples of high-saturated animal fat eating cultures with low heart disease and diabetes rates, and suggests we should eat that way too. But he forgets these cultures exercise a LOT – and a lot more than we do in western society. They also have not eaten a history of processed foods, and do not eat processed foods with those high-fat diets, hence a low rate of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. While his presentation skillfully illustrates that saturated fats do not necessarily create heart disease, you probably can’t take the fat intake of the Inuit and apply it to your desk job in Florida, New Jersey, Europe, or China. The weather is different, your dietary history is different, your current health is different, etc.
The bottom line: Whole food fats are crucially important: nuts, seeds, leafy greens, microalgaes, macroalgaes, hemp oil in dark bottles, grass-fed butter, ghee, and yes, animal fats from fish and grass-fed animals. Humanity has eaten it all. And from the Inuit in Alaska to the plains indians in North America to the Maasai in Africa, the Japanese, the Norweigans… everyone has accessed whole foods fats from everywhere in the environment we could find them. And we have created beautiful cultures and amazing bodies and brains.
Our health went south when over-processing of foods came into the picture. THAT is the cause of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, etc. Not the whole foods fats, not the amounts. The PROCESSING of foods (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins), and the eating of foods out of season or out of sync with our activity level, lifestyle, local culture, and more.
That is your Integral Perspective on Fats, and we look forward to a continuing discussion on this and more with you soon!
See you in The Green Room!!
Theme Music: “Grease” by The Bee Gees (Live in Las Vegas, 1997 - One Night Only)
Dr. Malcolm Kendrick: Cholesterol and Heart Disease. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick destroys the Lipid Hypothesis (cholesterol and fat causes heart disease) in 1 minute 17 seconds!
What if It’s All Been a Big Fat Lie: Interview with Gary Taubes. Internationally renowned natural health physician Dr. Joseph Mercola talks about fructose consumption and obesity with Gary Taubes.
DR. UDO ERASMUS INTERVIEW SERIES: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Part 1: Healthy Fats and Oils for Vegans and Vegetarians
Part 2: Omega 3, DHA, EPA in Vegan/Vegetarian Diet
Part 3: DHA Conversion; Diet and Lifestyle
Part 4: Fish Oils vs. Vegan DHA
Part 5: The Importance of the Omega 3:6 Ratio
Part 6: Fats in a Vegan / Vegetarian / Omnivorous Diet
Part 7: Dr. Erasmus Loves the Raw/Vegan Diet
Part 8: Fat in the Raw Food Diet?
Part 9: High-Fat vs. Low-Fat Raw Food Diet and Macronutrient Ratios
Part 10: The Most Important Nutrient in Life!
ACTOR JEREMY PIVEN QUITS BROADWAY, “EXTREME MERCURY TOXICITY”
Jeremy Piven will abruptly end his run in Broadway's "Speed-the-Plow," after missing Tuesday evening's performance and a Wednesday matinee.
Piven has informed the producers that he hasn't been feeling well and that the condition is attributable to a high mercury count.
Dr. Carlon Colker, a doctor who has been treating the SAG award nominee and Emmy award-winner, tells ET that Jeremy is disappointed that members of the production staff of 'Speed-the-Plow' and other members of the entertainment community have not rallied behind him during this health crisis.
The doctor says that Jeremy is suffering from extreme mercury toxicity. Colker tells ET that a major symptom of mercury poisoning is extreme fatigue. In addition, Jeremy began experiencing neuro-muscular dysfunction late last week, which led to extreme difficulty in lifting his arms and legs. Then, this past Sunday, he began feeling dizzy. Now, the doctors have ordered enforced rest. Jeremy spent three days in the hospital recently and the doctor tells us exclusively that he is no longer in New York.
Colker tells ET that Jeremy has been an avid sushi eater for many years, regularly eating sushi twice in one day. He notes that Jeremy has also taken certain Chinese herbs, and that, in combination with the frequent sushi consumption, could have led to these elevated mercury levels. He informs us that a test revealed that Jeremy had the highest level of mercury that he has ever seen, which amounts to six times a healthy amount of mercury, in his system.
“Enjoy Eating Saturated Fats.” with Dr. Donald W. Miller, professor of surgery, cardiothoracic division, Univ. Washington.
Dr. Donald W. Miller gives a nice presentation here. What he shows is that the assumption is wrong that saturated fat causes heart disease. HOWEVER, this is found in native cultures who have eaten this way for centuries and are VERY ACTIVE.
Saturated fats are great, even from animal products if carefully sourced, but in the context of a processed foods diet, a high sugar diet, or a sedentary lifestyle, saturated fats are still deadly. See our comments to the left on Over-emphasizing and Under-emphasizing fats!
Thank you! - David and Katrina Rainoshek
Statin Nation: Trailer. Is high cholesterol the main cause of heart disease? Are cholesterol-lowering drugs miracle drugs, nearly free of side-effects, that the majority of the adult population needs to take every day? This movie exposes the exaggerations and the grossly misleading marketing of daily medications to people who don’t need them. That is, most people who take cholesterol-lowering drugs without having heart disease.
That’s when the risk of bad side effects (that are silenced) usually outweighs the benefit. There’s another problem: total focus on cholesterol is profitable for the pharmaceutical industry, but it sucks energy from all other effective lifestyle changes to prevent heart disease. Real health is not to be found in a bottle of pills. The movie Statin Nation does a good job of providing information about the cholesterol cover-up.
FULL MOVIE: In the Media and Documentaries Section on Juice Feasting today! See below!
Big Ideas from "Fat for Fuel" by Dr. Joseph Mercola, M.D. Hope you enjoy! Dr. Mercola is a super-popular alternative health physician who runs the equally popular site Mercola.com. In this book, we get a look at his "Mitochondrial Metabolic Therapy" program. MMT for short.
Today’s Downloads
DHA (Special, Crucial OMEGA-3 FAT)
by David Rainoshek, M.A.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants. DHA is also required for maintenance of normal brain function in adults. The inclusion of plentiful DHA in the diet improves learning ability, whereas deficiencies of DHA are associated with deficits in learning. DHA is taken up by the brain in preference to other fatty acids.
The turnover of DHA in the brain is very fast, more so than is generally realized.
The visual acuity of healthy, full-term, formula-fed infants is increased when their formula includes DHA. During the last 50 years, many infants have been fed formula diets lacking DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids. DHA deficiencies are associated with foetal alcohol syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria, unipolar depression, aggressive hostility, and adrenoleukodystrophy.
Decreases in DHA in the brain are associated with cognitive decline during aging and with onset of sporadic Alzheimer disease. READ ON IN THE FILE!
The DHA Story: How Nature’s Super Nutrient Can Save Your life
by Robert Abel, Jr., M.D.
DHA is a biochemical sponge that can literally soak up the free radicals which are responsible for a host of degenerative diseases. And low levels of DHA have been implicated in ADD – attention deficit disorder – Alzheimer’s and depression. In fact, studies reveal that brains of Alzheimer’s patients have 30 percent less DHA than brains of comparably aged people who do not have the disease.
In The DHA Story: How Nature’s Super Nutrient Can Save Your Life, noted physician and author Robert Abel Jr., M.D., delivers the scientific evidence for the importance of this amazing nutrient.
EPA (Special, Crucial OMEGA-3 FAT)
by David Rainoshek, M.A.
Check it out: REDUCING INFLAMMATION – NOURISHING THE BRAIN – PREVENTING HEART DISEASE AND STROKE – TREATING DEPRESSION – BUILDING CELL MEMBRANES – HEALTHY BABIES and MOMS – LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE.
Sound good? Read on!
hemp seeds and hemp oil
by David Rainoshek, M.A.
This file will get your wheels spinning even more positively in the understanding of what a miracle hemp oil and hemp seeds are – for industry and health. More details to come on Day 55: Superfood: Hemp.
flax seeds and flax oil
by David Rainoshek, M.A.
FLAX IS RAPIDLY BECOMING A WONDER GRAIN OF HEALTH. Flax is a ‘miracle that science forgot’ for several’ generations. It has the potential to help heal and prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and many other degenerative conditions.
According to archaeological authorities on the subject, flax was already being cultivated in Babylon around 5000 BC. Flax seeds and seed pods, wall paintings depicting its cultivation, and cloth made of flax fiber were found in the oldest known Egyptian burial chambers from around 3000 BC. Late stone age archaeological digs in Switzerland dated 3000 to 4000 BC turned up flax seed and flax fiber cloth.
Mahatma Gandhi once observed: “Wherever flax seed becomes a regular food item among the people, there will be better health.”
cholesterol and the big fat lie
by David Rainoshek, M.A.
Cholesterol and Saturated Fats DO NOT CAUSE HEART DISEASE, Despite what the pharmaceutical companies will tell you (that want to sell cholesterol-lowering drugs) or the Plant-Based community will tell you (who would like you to stop eating animal products altogether). Reducing cholesterol and saturated fat foods from your diet can be important to heal ADVANCED HEART DISEASE, but the research shows that prior to that outcome, cholesterol and saturated fats are important for PREVENTING HEART DISEASE. Wow.
This information has come as a huge LEARNING EXPERIENCE in moving beyond a Raw/Live Vegan perspective into an Integrated Nutritional Perspective.
Cholesterol Is Absolutely Necessary!
Cholesterol is one of the most important substances in our bodies. Without it you would die.Cholesterol gives our cell membranes their necessary stiffness and stability. Without it, you would “melt down like the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz,” as Drs. Michael and Mary Eades say.
Cholesterol is used to make our hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol, aldosterone, and DHEA. Cholesterol is a precursor to corticosteroids, hormones used to deal with stress.
It is a precursor to vitamin D, which is needed for healthy bones. Sunlight on the skin interacts with cholesterol to produce vitamin D. If your cholesterol levels are too low, you risk the degenerative diseases that come with vitamin D deficiencies.
Cholesterol is needed in maintaining the health of the intestinal wall, which is replaced every four or five days. It prevents leaky gut syndrome and other intestinal disorders.
Cholesterol is needed to repair wear and tear on the skeleton and muscles, repair injured tissues, and renew hair, skin, and nails.
The brain is rich in cholesterol and needs cholesterol for serotonin receptors to function. Without sufficient cholesterol, people and animals become depressed. Low levels of cholesterol are linked to depression, suicide, homicide, and violence, because a serotonin deficiency is often behind all these conditions. Low cholesterol levels over time cause the brain to shrink and may eventually result in Alzheimer’s disease.
coconuts and coconut oil
by David Rainoshek, M.A.
This file goes into depth on the miracle of coconuts and coconut oil. This is my main file on Coconuts. The file below, “Young Coconuts,” specifically details why young coconuts shipped from Southeast Asia may be too processed for your health. But big Green Coconuts and raw virgin coconut oil are amazing.
REMEMBER: ALL THE COCONUT INFO IS ON DAY 18!!! So go there for the full download on everything dealing with coconuts as a miracle food and fat source!
Can Ketones Compensate for Deteriorating Blood Glucose During Aging? Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease
Brain glucose uptake is impaired in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A key question is whether cognitive decline can be delayed if this brain energy defect is at least partly corrected or bypassed early in the disease. The principal ketones (also called ketone bodies), -hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate, are the brain’s main physiological alternative fuel to glucose.
Three studies in mild-to-moderate AD have shown that, unlike with glucose, brain ketone uptake is not different from that in healthy age-matched controls. Published clinical trials demonstrate that increasing ketone availability to the brain via moderate nutritional ketosis has a modest beneficial effect on cognitive outcomes in mild-to-moderate AD and in mild cognitive impairment. Nutritional ketosis can be safely achieved by a high-fat ketogenic diet, by supplements providing 20–70 g/day of medium-chain triglycerides containing the eight- and ten-carbon fatty acids octanoate and decanoate, or by ketone esters.
Given the acute dependence of the brain on its energy supply, it seems reasonable that the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at AD mandates consideration of how the underlying problem of deteriorating brain fuel supply can be corrected or delayed.
leptins
by David Rainoshek, M.A.
This is some advanced information on fats. Leptin is a fascinating, powerful hormone that was only discovered in 1994. As such, the research into leptin’s regulatory role is in its relative infancy. Based on the thousands of leptin studies in the last decade-and-a-half, leptin seems to be a pretty central player in regulation of metabolism and aging. For more on leptins and how to regulate them in your body with diet and exercise, see today’s file!
fats and vegan live-food diets
by David Rainoshek, M.A.
This is a file won from years of dedication to eating a 100% plant-based diet on the part of many, many, many people. Susan Schenck of Beyond Broccoli and The Live Food Factor does a stellar job laying out why a plant-source only diet may not work well for many of our brains long-term. This is a must read, no matter where your Center of Gravity is on The Spectrum of Diet.
Online Articles
The Powerful Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Preventing Diseases of Inflammation: The Experts Speak by Mike Adams
What do the top authors, doctors and health experts have to say about the realtionship between omega-3 fatty acids and inflammation? I asked my Private Research Library that question recently and was overwhelmed with the remarkable wisdom it revealed.
Below, I share the top quotes from noted authors about omega-3 fatty acids and their relationship to inflammation (and the diseases of inflammation). It’s an astonishing tour through the highlights of how omega-3s affect the body’s response to inflammation, and you’ll learn important information about the role of inflammation in diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, eczema, asthma and many others.
Omega-3 supplements rapidly eliminate ADD, ADHD and bipolar disorder in children by Mike Adams
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have reported that omega-3 fatty acid is highly effective in treating children with ADD, ADHD and bipolar disorder. The study was reported in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology in February 2007. “Results from this prospective, open study…
EPA omega-3 oils protect the heart in people with high cholesterol by NaturalNews
Supplementing with an omega-3 fatty acid called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may lower the risk of non-fatal coronary events by 20 percent, according to a new Japanese study published in The Lancet. Researchers followed 18,645 Japanese high-cholesterol patients for four and a…
Omega-3 fatty acids boost bone density in men by NaturalNews
The presence of omega-3 fatty acids in young men is linked to “peak bone mass” or bone mineral density, according to a study published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study found that 22-year-old men with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids had the greatest bone density…
Omega-3s beat depression by Mike Adams
You’re probably already aware of the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular health, but did you know that omega-3s are also extremely beneficial for moods and cognitive function? In fact, there’s a tremendous amount of good evidence demonstrating that omega-3 fatty acids can help enhance brain function and prevent depression.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Prevent Heart Disease, Slow Aging and Delay Telomere Shortening by Melanie Grimes
Research has now shown that adding Omega-3 fatty acids to the diet can increase the survival rate of those with coronary heart disease. Omega-3s have also been shown to slow down the aging process. The marker used to determine these findings was a part of the DNA strand called telomeres. The research concluded that high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in the blood slowed the aging process by as much as five years.
Omega-3s – Fish Oils, Flaxseed Oil and Prostate Cancer – What do the Experts Say? by Mike Adams
Just how good are fish oils, flaxseed oils and other omega-3s at preventing prostate cancer? According to the experts quoted below, they may represent some of the most powerful anti-cancer nutrients available today!
Read this large collection of quotes on omega-3 oils and prostate cancer, and you’ll learn how boosting omega-3 intake while reducing omega-6 intake can help halt prostate cancer tumor growth and end the chronic tissue inflammation that ultimately contributes to prostate cancer.
UCLA study shows altering fatty acid levels in diet may reduce prostate cancer growth rate (press release) by NaturalNews
UCLA researchers found that altering the fatty acid ratio found in the typical Western diet to include more omega-3 fatty acids and decrease the amount of omega-6 fatty acids may reduce prostate cancer tumor growth rates and PSA levels. Published in the Aug. 1 issue of the journal Clinical Cancer…
New omega-3 rich superfood discovery (preview: it’s Chia) by Mike Adams
This is an exclusive story about one of the most exciting new superfoods you’ve probably never heard of. It is a selectively-bred superfood seed derived from chia. Chia is a well-known ancient grain or seed used by the Aztecs as a superfood source, and by itself it is very nutritional. It’s something…
Brain Health Dramatically Improved by Intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Fish Oils by Alexis Black
It’s no secret that long-term diet and nutrition choices have an effect on the way we look and feel; but new studies show that nutrition can also affect the way we think. As it turns out, there really is such a thing as “food for thought.”
It may seem strange that what we put in our stomachs can have such a powerful effect on what goes on in our minds, but research is increasingly showing that emotional, mental and psychiatric disorders like depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may more likely be the result of dietary deficiencies than genetic predispositions. The same is true of people who struggle with memory loss, have trouble learning new tasks, have Alzheimer’s disease or simply suffer from a lot of blue moods. The dietary deficiency that tends to frequently show up in these patients is a lack of omega-3 oils — abundant fatty acids found in…
Nutrition: Brainpower Tied to Omega-3 Levels by Nicholas Bakalar of the New York Times
Low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with smaller brain volume and poorer performance on tests of mental acuity, even in people without apparent dementia, according to a new study.
DHA as a Brain Food by Dr. Sears
Fats make up sixty percent of the brain and the nerves that run every system in the body. So, it stands to reason that the better the fat in the diet, the better the brain. So, with all the fat eaten by the average American, why don’t we have more geniuses in this country? The average American brain is getting enough fat, but it’s not getting the right kind of fat.
Great Books
By Udo Erasmus, PhD
Get the skinny on fats! “Fats that Heal-Fats that Kill” brings you the most current research on common and less well-known oils with therapeutic potential, including flaxseed oil, olive oil, fish oil, evening primrose oil and more. Author Udo Erasmus also exposes the manufacturing processes that turn healing fats into killing fats, explains the effects of these damaging fats on human health, and furnishes information that enables you to choose health-promoting oils. 456 pages.
By Mary Enig
Review by Stephen Byrnes: This book, written by one of the world’s leading lipid biochemists, is a much needed title in today’s “fat-phobic” world. Discarding politically correct notions that saturated fats are unhealthy, Dr. Mary Enig presents a thorough, in-depth, and understandable look at the world of lipids.
The publication of Know Your Fats is a rare treat: it is, to this reviewer’s knowledge, the ONLY book on fats and oils for the consumer and the professional written by a recognized authority in the field. Virtually all of the titles on fats and oils in print now are either too technical to be accessible by the layman, or are too error-laden to be worth the paper they are printed on.
Mary Enig made her mark in the nutritional world in 1978 when she and her colleagues at the University of Maryland published a now-famous paper in the American journal Federation Proceedings. The paper directly challenged government assertions that higher cancer rates were associated with animal fat consumption. Enig, et al, concluded that the data actually showed vegetable oils and trans-fatty acids to be the culprits in both cancer and heart disease–not naturally saturated fats that people have been eating for millennia. In the ensuing years, Enig and her colleagues focused their work on determining the trans-fatty acid content of various food items, as well as publishing research that clearly demonstrated TFA’s to be potent carcinogens, prime factors in heart disease, disruptors of immune function, and worse.
Enig’s book begins like any other on lipid biochemistry and discusses the nature of saturates, monounsaturates, polyunsaturates, and trans-fatty acids. Included also is a revealing discussion of cholesterol and its vital importance to the body. The first chapter also clearly discusses the molecular structure of different fatty acids (with diagrams) and presents the metabolic conversion products of each of the major fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, linolenic, and palmitoleic).
The physiology of fats and cholesterol is fully covered in chapter two. Almost half of this chapter is devoted to shattering popular myths about saturated fats and their roles as disease promoters. Not mincing any words, Enig methodically demonstrates the faulty data and reasoning behind the ideas that saturates either cause or contribute to heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, mental illness, obesity, and cerebrovascular disease. For example, after trashing the “data” that supposedly prove that beef and beef fat caused colon cancer, Enig flatly concludes: “And now, more than three (3) decades after the initial fraudulent report, the anti-animal fat hypothesis continues to lead the nutrition agenda. It was a false issue then, and it remains a false issue today.”
Subsequent chapters deal with fats historically used in Western diets; the fatty acid composition of various oils and fats such as coconut, butter, lard, and olive oil; and a succinct summary of “fat facts.” The book is rounded out by detailed appendices on definitions, fatty acids in a huge number of foods, and molecular compositions of major fatty acids.
What is most telling, however, is Enig’s insider take on the nutritional research world and the forces at play that manipulate the facts. Never one to shy away from controversy, Enig makes some pretty strong indictments of such organizations as the American Dietetics Association, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the American Heart Association, and the food industry in general. More shocking are her thoughts on research scientists:
“The common scenario is that of a highly intelligent person . . . who finds a research task that will lead to funding from the food and/or pharmaceutical industry or from the industry-controlled government agencies. If that research shows an adverse effect of any of the new foods studied, this is frequently ignored. . . . Of course, the research that is done by the industry-supported scientists is good basic research, and it usually is of great interest so as long as it supports the food industry or avoids a clash with the industry it is promoting. What seems so ironic, is that the very foods (saturated fats and cholesterol) that people are avoiding are the very foods that are healthful. When it comes to fat, this really has become the age of the flat earth.”
Hopefully, Know Your Fats will help make the earth round once more.
By Susan Schenck
Beyond Broccoli is authored by Susan Schenck, who herself was a raw vegan for six years, followed by a year of raw vegetarianism (raw dairy and eggs included). Her journey has culminated with the reintroduction of just a bit of raw and lightly cooked meat.
Going raw had originally proved to have so many benefits that Ms. Schenck had already penned the 2-time award-winning, and still relevant, book The Live Food Factor. But after a few years of veganism, she began to exhibit health concerns: deficiencies of vitamin B12, memory problems, muscle tissue loss, bloatedness, irritability, and cravings.
Her further research, spurred on by Dr. Stanley Bass, led her to conclude that it was a lack of vital nutrients found only in animal products that were causing the problems. Dr. Bass, with his more than 50 years of clinical experience in raw vegan and nonvegan diet counseling, contributed the foreword to the resulting Beyond Broccoli.
The book begins with the author’s story of why she resumed eating a bit of animal products and how she manages to stay mostly raw even so. It also includes a chapter on other vegans and vegetarians (some who eat raw, others who eat cooked) who made this decision for their own health reasons.
This book addresses the following issues: vegetarian myths; why human s brains have shrunk 11% in the last 11,000 years; the importance of animal foods in pregnant and lactating women; man’s dietary history of eating meat for 2.6 million years; how the vegan diet affects the brain and emotions; critical nutrients found only in meat, eggs, and dairy, as well as some found only in meat; the difficulty of getting enough healthful protein on a vegan diet, especially raw; the dangers of soy; the different metabolic types, which explain why some succeed on veg diets while others fail; the dangers of overeating animal protein; how to eat meat so that it is not dangerous; the benefits of eating raw or lightly cooked meat and how to do it safely and make it taste good; spiritual, moral, and environmental issues with meat eating; the importance of eating clean meat from compassionately raised animals; eating a high raw Paleo diet, which is what we evolved eating; the importance of eating raw; flaws in the China Study; the benefits of a low-glycemic diet; important foods if you choose to be a vegan or vegetarian; and more.
This book also addresses issues such as the fact that not everyone can efficiently convert plant nutrients to critical nutrients needed by the body: omega-3 fats into DHA and EPA needed by the brain; beta-carotene into true vitamin A; essential amino acids into nonessential ones; vitamin D2 into D3; and vitamin K1 into K2.
By Dr. Gabriel Cousens and Mark Mayell
A customized, drug-free program that attacks the biochemical roots of depression — with a 90% success rate
Not all depressions are alike. And despite the attention given to Prozac and other drugs, there quite literally is no magic pill. Instead, writes Dr. Gabriel Cousens, someone who suffers from depression needs a customized, individual program, one that attacks the personal, biochemical roots of the problem.
In Depression-Free for Life, Dr. Cousens shows how to heal depression safely by synergistically rebalancing what he calls “the natural drugs of the brain,” using a five-step program of mood-boosting substances, vitamin and mineral supplements, and a mood-enhancing diet and lifestyle. Grounded in cutting-edge science, yet accessible and safe, this book shows how to regain your optimism and energy through balancing your own biochemistry.
By Robert Abel
DHA is an essential building block of the membranes of brain cells and retinal photoreceptors. In fact, each and every cell membrane in the body gains strength and flexibility from this omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid. DHA has been shown to deactivate the enzymes that destroy cartilage and is therefore useful in protecting against arthritis.
In addition, it is a biochemical sponge that can literally soak up the free radicals which are responsible for a host of degenerative diseases. And low levels of DHA have been implicated in ADD – attention deficit disorder – Alzheimer’s and depression. In fact, studies reveal that brains of Alzheimer’s patients have 30 percent less DHA than brains of comparably aged people who do not have the disease.
In The DHA Story: How Nature’s Super Nutrient Can Save Your Life, noted physician and author Robert Abel Jr., M.D., delivers the scientific evidence for the importance of this amazing nutrient. In so doing, he takes the reader on a journey through time, back to discover the very base of the food chain…back to a time before synthetic chemicals and refined foods had interfered with the framework of living cells. You’ll learn how to use that framework to help you counteract the negative effects of refined sugar and flour, saturated fats and oils, artificial sweeteners and colorings, alcohol and pollutants. The DHA Story: How Nature’s Super Nutrient Can Save Your Life will help you increase your consumption of DHA to improve your vital functions and mental status.
Media, Films, & Documentaries
[Documentary] $tatin Nation
Big Fat Nutrition Policy - The Big Fat Surprise | Lecture Presentation |Nina Teicholz
Vegetable Oils: The Unknown Story | Nina Teicholz
Vegetable Oil: The Ugly Truth | Blaylock Health Channel | Dr. Russell Blaylock
Heart disease is currently the number one killer of men in the United States. On this week's episode, Dr. Russell Blaylock discusses how the increase of omega-6 fats in our diet, namely in the form of vegetable oil, has been a major contributor to this epidemic.
[Audio Talk/Interview] Udo Erasmus, PhD on Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
Audio Talk/Interview] David Wolfe and Dr. Dave Woynarowski on Essential Fats DHA and EPA
David Rainoshek, M.A. : This is a Post-Raw/Vegan conversation, and important to note that David Wolfe has shifted into a Post-Raw/Vegan perspective… quite a journey from his days of Nature’s First Law and his (necessary) fundamentalist expression of Raw/Live Vegan. Very important listening for a full-bodied perspective on the entire Spectrum of Diet.
[Audio Talk/Interview] David Wolfe on Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) Nutrition
Check out this audio interview and discover the following:
The powerful substance (Astaxanthin) that has been known to assist with macular degeneration and protective nourishment for the eyes.
Important and helpful tips on how to avoid being deceived by misleading labeling on products.
The primary deficiencies that vegans and vegetarians suffer from and how to easily correct this (and find out what happens if you don’t!).
The top four omega 3’s that are absolutely critical for experiencing optimal health and how to get them into your diet easily.
[Audio Interview] The Palm Oil Miracle with Bruce Fife on Underground Wellness
Bruce Fife, author of The Palm Oil Miracle, stops by UW Radio to discuss how palm oil can help protect against many common health problems. Topics will include how palm oil can help reverse heart disease and fight cancer, what makes palm oil one of the world’s healthiest oils, and why it is the perfect substitute for hydrogenated and trans-fat-laden vegetable oils for cooking.
I Am Active
Yoga Camp Day 27! With just a few more days of Yoga Camp it's time to approach the simple and challenging moments with gratitude today. Mind and body work together here as we work to both strengthen and soften. Strong foundations today along with the opportunity to cultivate heat, mindfully. I Am GRATEFUL.