I have been pushing high fat intake for about six years. It took about a year before that of living the diet, to really get how effective it can be. Low caloric intake from all other sources. Reduce consumption of carbohydrate, and restrict calories other than that from healthy fat.
The result for me, was decreased cholesterol and triglycerides. Cool.
As I was discussing at dinner tonight, the reason why fat is a better as a fuel than protein and carbohydrate, is an external reason. Meaning, not because of something in the body. God made each gram of fat the equivalent of 9 calories of energy, and protein and carbohydrate is 4 per gram. Almost double the energy.
What is great about this, is that it is an efficient once your body knows how to burn it. Sadly, most who live the modern lifestyle have lost the ability to burn it. Fat is no longer utilized. Fat is stored, and stays stored. Lets fix it.
The need for fat goes beyond what any of the advertising of the last 40 years has focused on. Low fat, trans fat, unsaturated fat… these are words of a failed science, driven more by fear than understanding. Stay away from fat, simply because FAT is in the things we call problems. You know, if we feared the components of problems, as if they were the problem, in all areas. We would think cells are bad, because the makeup of cancer cells, are the makeup of cells. It isn’t the components, therefore, simply because you find fat in arterial plaques, doesn’t make it the reason for the plaque, just an unwitting participant.
Consider that every cell is surrounded by two layers of fat, and that all your hormones are made from fat, and that saturated fat is necessary for brain function, and that nuero transmitters require a fat… you need fat. Healthy fat.
And in all the years the medical community has target fat (cholesterol) with statin drugs (1987+), there has been NO DENT in heart disease. It simply doesn’t work to save lives.
The question then, will fat consumption save lives? This is a question that requires continued investigation, but it seems to be leaning more and more towards a yes. The increased utilization of saturated fat in the form of coconut oil has demonstrated many benefits (brain health, increased fat burning, assistance of assimilation and utilization of fat for energy, even immune system gains).
I would then have to argue that consumption of fat will surely save lives, and that the avoidance of it has destroyed many, and perhaps more so than we can even imagine. Like I said… fat is back. So go eat some. Start here:
coconut oil, almonds, cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, avocado, dairy from pasture raised cows
Be well and be blessed! – Dr. E