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).
Carbohydrates are a class of organic compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are most commonly grouped as simple and complex carbohydrates. Depending on your age, gender, and level of physical activity, carbohydrates should range from 45-65% of the total calories that you consume daily. For example, a 2,000 calorie diet should be comprised of 900-1300 calories. They are the body's master fuel for all metabolic processes. Carbohydrates are the single most important source of energy in the body. They also provide dietary fiber for regularity and heart health.
Carbohydrates are often viewed as the enemy to maintaining a healthy weight. The trick is to consume more whole grains and dairy, beans, fruits, and vegetables and to avoid highly refined foods like white bread, white rice, sugary cereals, white pasta, crackers, and donuts.
In later posts, we will explore how to successfully integrate carbohydrates into your diet to maximize energy, maintain weight, and to promote overall health.
Terms to Know:
1) simple carbohydrates- simple sugars that exist as either single sugar molecules or two single sugar molecules linked together; examples include sucrose, molasses, honey, maple syrup, and turbinado sugar.
2) complex carbohydrates- carbohydrates that are composed of two or more simple sugar molecules linked together; examples include whole wheat bread, whole grain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, quinoa, whole milk, beans, lentils, fruits, and vegetables.
It is likely that you have all seen the latest commercial that promotes high fructose corn syrup. It is sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association. Because Americans consume so many products that contain this processed sugar, the food industry has created its own marketing plan to counter the bad press it is presently receiving. Take a look:
(I am having a really hard time with this portrayal. One mother is aware enough to know that some bad things have been said about HFCS, but can't articulate it because she didn't research the facts for herself. She is easily defeated by the almost rehearsed response of the sister who is pouring some red punch from a jug that we know is worse than Kool-Aid. Sans the stereotypes, they represent the average American consumers: the uninformed and the ill-informed.)
"Its made from corn"- True. High Fructose Corn Syrup is made from corn syrup that has been highly processed to increase its fructose content then mixed with pure corn syrup, which is 100% glucose. The result is a cheap, widely available and utilized sweetener, so highly refined that saying it is 'made from corn' (in support of its safety) is like saying cocaine is made from a plant so its safe to snort up your nose.
"Doesn't have artificial ingredients"- True. HFCS doesn't have artificial ingredients, however, unless you're buying HFCS off the shelf in its 'raw' form, the products that contain it, most likely DO have artificial ingredients. This is just another attempt to use the emerging interest in 'natural' foods as a ploy to push harmful foods to increase profits. Just because actual HFCS doesn't have 'artificial' ingredients doesn't negate the fact that it is HIGHLY REFINED. "Like sugar, its fine in moderation"- Questionable. To say that HFCS is like sugar is hardly accurate- at least in the way we metabolize it. The term 'sugar' is used widely to refer to many varied forms of sugar cane, which is sucrose, a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose (the same components of HFCS). Our bodies have an innate mechanism that regulates the release of insulin to uptake the glucose and fructose from the bloodstream as enzymes break them down. However, in HFCS, these molecules are already 'broken down' (they're two separate 'monosaccharides' or single sugars), so our body's natural regulation mechanism is not triggered. Rather than absorbing and utilizing the excess fructose, our liver is forced to convert those molecules to fat and store them as such. This places a tremendous burden on the liver, our already overworked and often underpaid amazing organ working to detoxify our body every moment of our lives. Because HFCS is so sweet, the body registers that it has eaten, however, little of the actual 'fuel' the glucose and fructose is actually used at the cellular level, stimulating cravings for guess what.....more sugar!!
Organizations like the Corn Refiners Association is citing studies that were done on lean women only. What about its effect on a developing body and liver, such as in your child?"
"By now you’re probably familiar with the advertisements claiming that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is “no worse for you than sugar.” What gets me about this campaign, run by the Corn Refiners Association, is this: What decent food product has ever needed to spend up to $30 million to convince consumers it’s inherently safe to eat?"
"If you need to lose weight, or if you want to avoid diabetes and heart disease, fructose is one type of sugar you’ll want to avoid, particularly in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. Part of what makes HFCS such an unhealthy product is that it is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar.
According to Dr. Elizabeth Parks, associate professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and lead author of a recent study on fructose in the Journal of Nutrition:
"Our study shows for the first time the surprising speed with which humans make body fat from fructose. Once you start the process of fat synthesis from fructose, it's hard to slow it down. The bottom line of this study is that fructose very quickly gets made into fat in the body."
How does this happen?
Well, most fats are formed in your liver, and when sugar enters your liver, it decides whether to store it, burn it or turn it into fat. Fructose, however, bypasses this process and turns full speed ahead into fat.
"It's basically sneaking into the rock concert through the fence," Dr. Parks said in a previous interview with Science Daily. "It's a less-controlled movement of fructose through these pathways that causes it to contribute to greater triglyceride [i.e. fat] synthesis.”
Ironically, the very products that most people rely on to lose weight -- low-fat diet foods -- are often those that contain the most fructose! Even “natural” diet foods often contain fructose as a sweetener."
So, What Can We Do?
1) Educate yourself. Don't be the person who walks around quoting "what they say" about anything. Be informed and make better decisions for the good of your and your family's health.
2) Read the ingredients before you buy a product. Ingredients are listed in the order of highest to lowest percent content. If sugar is in the top 5, put it back on the shelf.
3) Consume more foods that don't have labels like organic fruits and vegetables. (The ingredient list for an apple would say "apple".)
4) Don't drink soda! The average can of soda contains about 40 grams of sugar (8 teaspoons) per serving. The American Medical Association recommends that we limit our daily sugar intake to less than 32 grams per day which is still 25.5 pounds per year!
5) Cook. If you prepare your own food, you will have a better idea of what is in it, right?
6) Use Natural Sweeteners. If it is in a bag or in a packet, leave it alone. Some better options include stevia, agave nectar, and locally-grown honey. Use them in moderation.
