*Re-Post* What Is "False" Fat?

According to Dr. Susan Lark on www.drlark.com, chemical imbalances are the root cause of weight gain in women over 40. These imbalances include a sluggish metabolism which accompanies aging, food allergies that trigger an inflammatory response, and mood swings that intensify food cravings. "False fat" is the accumulation of inflammatory fluids in body tissue caused by food allergies. Where excess fat is stored when we either eat too many calories or can't burn those calories efficiently, "false fat" is due to the accumulation of excess fluids, which we experience as bloating and swelling. It is, therefore, critical that allergens be identified and eliminated from the diet. Failure to do so will cause weight gain and undue stress on the vital organs.

So, what causes "false fat"?

The inflammatory response is caused by damage to the digestive tract, allergic reactions, processed dairy, red meat, and poultry skin. The two most common allergic responses come from consumption of wheat (gluten) and pasteurized dairy.

What kinds of foods remove inflammation from the body?

Increasing consumption of omega-3 essential fatty acids like those found in cold water fish and flaxseed is a great place to start. Natural anti-inflammatories like bromelain are found in fresh pineapple. Onions and apples contain another called quercetin.

What should my diet consist of going forward?

Consult with your doctor to identify your specific food allergies and eliminate them from your diet. Caloric intake and adequate proportions of vitamins and minerals should be determined by your overall health condition, activity levels, weight loss/gain goals, age, and gender. In general, you may utilize the food pyramid at www.mypyramid.gov to ensure a balanced diet. Opt for more fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, beans, raw milk, and whole grains (if you tolerate them). Avoid refined sugar and flour products. Be sure to drink plenty of water (1/2 your body weight in ounces).

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What's Eating You? Day 8 Weight Management: Putting It All Together

There are many different approaches to managing weight. Some people use exercise, some people diet, and others use some combination of the two. If you simply eat enough food to fuel your level of physical activity, maintaining your weight should be fairly easy, right? Well, your weight is often a direct reflection of your health condition. It is just as important to eat the right types of foods as well as the right amounts of food. You have to eat for your health as opposed to eating for taste or comfort.

The average adult may consume anywhere from 1200-2000 calories per day. The great majority of those calories should come from unprocessed foods like lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, raw dairy, and healthy fats. Water consumption should be about 12 glasses of water per day.

Physical activity helps to tone the body from the inside out. While muscle size and bone density may increase as a result of exercise, the cardiovascular system is tuned up as well. Vitamins and minerals are more efficiently metabolized and delivered to needed parts of the body because of improved circulation.

In addition to dedicated exercise 3-4 days per week for at least 30 minutes per session, it is important to maintain an active lifestyle. Daily chores, playing with the children, hiking, raking leaves, or washing the car are all great ways to stay active.

In summary, weight management is successfully achieved by eating the right foods, eating the right amounts of them, and staying active.

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What's Eating You? Day 7 Dietary Supplements: Are They Good or Bad?

There has been much debate about the necessity and safety of taking dietary supplements. The FDA doesn't regulate them, so professionals in traditional medicine don't recommend taking them over the counter. But, there are strong arguments in favor of them because of declining food quality. For any number of reasons, one may experience periods in his/her life where the body is deficient of certain vitamins and minerals. Age is certainly a factor as every stage of development has different requirements. Pregnant women may need iron and folic acid. Vegetarians may lack protein. High-performance athletes may require potassium or calcium. Those with chronic illnesses may require a variety of vitamins and minerals. So should supplements be taken daily? If so, what kinds and how much?

Many people make the mistake of treating symptoms as singular occurances as opposed to part of the whole body. Before taking a dietary supplement, see your doctor for a complete physical and nutritional panel which will identify any health problems and nutritional deficiencies. Make changes in your diet to replenish what is lacking. If supplementation is recommended to you, be sure to select whole food supplements and follow the dosage guidelines. Toxicity will result if excess amounts of a supplement are consumed. Therefore, adjust your diet first and then be careful to monitor the kinds and amounts of any supplements you take.

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What's Eating You? Day 6 Water: The Life Sustainer

Proper hydration is critical for sustaining life. Since the human body loses water daily through urination, defecation, expired breath, sweating, and evaporation, it is very important to monitor fluid intake. The average adult requires 96 ounces (3 quarts) of water per day at a minimum. Level of physical activity, diet, climate, and health condition may require the body to increase or decrease fluid intake. Drinking adequate amounts of water has the following positive effects on the body:

• Endocrine gland function increases
• Fluid retention is alleviated
• Liver function improves
• A higher percentage of body fat is used for energy resulting in weight loss
• Natural thirst returns
• Appetite decreases
• Metabolic functions improve
• Nutrients are well distributed throughout the body
• Body temperature regulation improves
• Blood volume is maintained

Any of the following factors may lead to dehydration:

• Inadequate fluid intake
• Exercise in hot/humid climates
• Consuming beverages high in caffeine content
• Excessive protein intake
• Alcohol consumption
• Consuming excess sodium
• Use of laxatives/diuretics
• Prolonged physical activity without fluid replacement

Read more about hydration in chapter 6 of Making the Fast!

Dehydration has the following adverse effects on the body:

• Decreased blood volume
• Increased heart rate
• Decreased performance
• Sodium retention
• Decreased blood pressure
• Decreased cardiac output
• Decreased sweat rate
• Decreased blood flow to skin
• Increased core temperature
• Increased perceived exertion (feeling the need to put forth more effort when performing the same activities)
• Water retention
• Increased use of energy stored in muscles

In addition to maintaining proper water intake, consuming foods with high water content will help to prevent dehydration from occurring. These foods include fruits, vegetables, milk, fresh juices, soups, smoothies, and shakes. Foods and beverages to be avoided include caffeine, green tea, excess protein, excess sodium, alcohol, diuretics, laxatives, and soda. Exercise in cooler temperatures and be sure to drink 16-24 ounces for every pound lost during exercise.

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This Week on "What's Eating You?"

Our nutrition series continues this week with a look at the importance of hydration, the pros and cons of dietary supplements, and weight management. Here is the lineup:

Monday, February 20, 2012 Water: The Life Sustainer

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 Dietary Supplements: Are They Good or Bad?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Weight Management: Putting It All Together

Thursday, February 23, 2012 What Does Being Overweight Say About Your Health?

Friday, February 24, 2012 What Is "False Fat"?

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What's Eating You? Day 5: Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins are organic substances found in foods that are essential for growth and development of the human body. They are classified as water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and can easily be transported through the bloodstream. The B vitamins, vitamin C, and choline fall into this category. Since the body stores very little of these vitamins in the body, they must be consumed regularly. Fat-soluble vitamins, however, do not dissolve easily in water and require fat for absorption in the intestines as well as for transport through the bloodstream. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are stored in bodyfat, the liver, and in other organs of the body in smaller amounts. Consuming excess amounts of fat-soluble vitamins, especially through vitamin supplements, can lead to a toxic build-up in the body.

Minerals are inorganic elements which contain no calories, are required by the body in small amounts, and are essential to a variety of system functions. They are classified as major minerals and trace minerals. If the body requires more than 100 milligrams per day, it is considered a major mineral. Conversely, a trace mineral is required in amounts less than 100 milligrams per day. Examples of major minerals include: calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium, and sulfur. Trace minerals include: iron, zinc, chromium, fluoride, copper, manganese, iodine, molybdenum, and selenium. Minerals are stored in the body. Excess mineral supplementation may lead to toxic levels in the body.

The human body cannot survive without vitamins and minerals. Depending on one's age, gender, health condition, and level of physical activity, the required amounts of each will vary. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies will lead to rapidly declining health. Therefore, a healthy, well-rounded diet is a must for optimal health.

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What's Eating You? Day 4: Fats~ The Protectors

Fats are molecules otherwise known as lipids. Lipids are defined as, "...organic, carbon-containing compounds that are hydrophobic (water-insoluble), lipophilic (fat-soluble), and have a physical characteristic of feeling greasy to the touch." (Fink, Burgoon, Mikesky 2009) Fats fall into one of three major categories: triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols. Triglycerides are the most commonly found fats in the body, foods, and drinks. Phospholipids are found in animals and plants with a molecular structure which makes them both fat and water-soluble. The third class of lipids, sterols, are the smallest percentage of fats. The best-known sterol is cholesterol which is produced by the human body in the liver. While consuming fats has been attributed to a myriad of health problems, they are still a necessary part of the daily diet. The key is to choose the right kinds from the best sources in the right portions.

Fats perform many critical functions in the body:

• They provide 60-80% of the body's energy needs at rest.
• Fats are an abundant energy reserve.
• They protect and insulate vital organs.
• Fats provide proper cell structure, especially in nerve and brain tissue.
• Fats help produce vitamin D in the body.
• Fats form steroid hormones.
• They carry vitamins A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream. 
• Fats enhance the flavor and add satiety to meals.

Foods that contain fats include oils, grains, meat, dairy, beans, certain vegetables (like avocados and olives), nuts, and seeds. Generally speaking, fruits and vegetables contain minimal to no fat. Some of the foods with the highest cholesterol (fat) content are whole milk, cheddar cheese, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and butter and whole eggs (which contains the highest amount of cholesterol).

The guidelines for fat consumption vary, but recommendations range from 20-35% of the daily caloric intake. If you consume 2,000 calories per day, fats should be 400-700 of those calories. It is thought best to aim at the lower end of this spectrum and to choose non-animal based sources for optimal heart health.

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What's Eating You? Day 3: Protein: The Building Block

Protein is a macronutrient that is made of of amino acids. An amino acid is a molecule that serves as the building block of proteins. Each amino acid is comprised of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms. There are 20 amino acids that the human body uses. Nine of them are considered essential amino acids because the body cannot produce them, and must therefore be included in the diet. The remaining eleven amino acids are considered nonessential because they are produced by the human body.

There is critical role played by protein in virtually every major bodily system. It provides structure to muscle and tissues, it regulates cell functions, it helps to maintain fluid and acid-base balance, it assists with circulation, and it is a backup source of energy in the absence of carbohydrates. Protein enables proper functioning of the nervous system and the immune system.

Protein is found in a variety of foods. These foods are classified as complete and incomplete proteins. Complete proteins supply the body with all of the essential amino acids in very high amounts. Incomplete proteins must be combined with other protein-containing foods to meet daily dietary needs. Generally speaking, complete proteins are animal-based foods like meat and dairy while incomplete proteins are plant-based like fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans/legumes.

Of the total calories consumed daily, 12-20% should be protein. For example, if 2,000 calories are consumed, 240-400 calories should contain protein. Because complete proteins contain animal fat which could elevate cholesterol levels in the body, it is wise to look to plant-based proteins. Here are some examples of foods which are high in protein: navy beans, lentils, black beans, brown rice, quinoa, spinach, sunflower seeds, and broccoli.

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Nutrition Series: "What's Eating You?" Is Coming Soon!

One of the most popular New Year's resolutions is to lose weight. There has been no shortage of ads promoting weight loss since the beginning of the year. The choices are endless and may be overwhelming. Before you invest in prepackaged meals, start counting points, or join extreme bootcamps, turn your attention to nutrition.

Barring any medical issues, weight gain is tied directly to what you eat and your level of physical activity. And if you are consuming the wrong foods at the wrong proportions, your health and fitness attempts will be futile.

Starting on February 13, 2012, we will be launching our Nutrition Series: "What's Eating You?". We are looking for medical, nutrition, and fitness pros to contribute their expertise to this effort. Bloggers and authors are welcome! Contributors will be allowed to promote their websites, blogs, and books in exchange for their articles. Find our Guest Blogger Guidelines HERE.

If you are seeking an interview regarding your published book and/or professional services, find our guidelines HERE.

We also want to hear from our readers! What questions would you like answered about your nutrition and weight loss efforts? Submit your questions HERE.

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