Big fat liar

Yesterday I was reminded of one great big reason I cringe when I hear someone who claims to be educated in human nutrition call fat bad in someones diet. It's a hallmark of a very bad education, and these pronouncements discredit anything else they have to say on the subject. Fat is one of the primary needs in the human body after all. Without fat, a few very important vitamins will not make it from the food on your plate to the organs in your body they are meant to nourish, and problems occur. To say that "a high fat diet is bad" is like gifting a person with a steering wheel and tires, but without the engine, driveshaft, axle and so forth and expect them to drive cross country. Don't take my word for it- here are some facts:

"Fat is one of the 3 nutrients (along with protein and carbohydrates)
that supply calories to the body. Fat provides 9 calories per gram,
more than twice the number provided by carbohydrates or protein.

Fat is essential for the proper functioning of the body. Fats provide
essential fatty acids, which are not made by the body and must be obtained
from food. The essential fatty acids are linoleic and linolenic acid. They
are important for controlling inflammation, blood clotting, and brain development.

Fat serves as the storage substance for the body's extra calories. It fills
the fat cells (adipose tissue) that help insulate the body. Fats are also an
important energy source. When the body has used up the calories from
carbohydrates, which occurs after the first 20 minutes of exercise, it begins
to depend on the calories from fat.

Healthy skin and hair are maintained by fat. Fat helps the body absorb and move
the vitamins A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream."

So in short, a diet low in fat will make your brain shrink and get less supple, make you feel freezing, make your joints swell, arteries stiffen and eventually rupture and then you will most likely bleed to death because your blood cannot clot and stop the damage. All this to be bikini ready by summer ??? Gee- count me in !

"Vitamin A, also called retinol, helps your eyes adjust to light changes when you
come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist.
Vitamin A mostly comes from animal foods, but some plant-based foods supply beta-carotene,
which your body then converts into Vitamin A. It also has antioxidant properties that
neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage."

Top sources of vitamin A include:

* Beef liver
* Egg yolk
* Cheddar cheese
* Fortified milk"

So, when Ms Knowital RD tells me to give up beef liver, egg yolks , cheddar and milk because it is bad for my health, I will know that my dry cracking skin, cronic dry eyes, perpetual sinus infections from dried out nasal passages, rectal bleeding from anal fissures, vaginal dryness and vision problems are "all good signs" of my progress.

"Vitamin D is a steroid vitamin, a group of fat-soluble prohormones, which encourages
the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous.
* It is crucial for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, which have various functions, especially the maintenance of healthy bones.
* It is an immune system regulator.
* It may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, say scientists from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Children's Hospital Boston.
* It may reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is much
less common the nearer you get to the tropics, where there is much more sunlight, according
to Dennis Bourdette, chairman of the Department of Neurology and director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center at Oregon Health and Science University, USA.
* Vitamin D may have a key role in helping the brain to keep working well in later life,
according to a study of 3000 European men between the ages of 40 and 79.
* Vitamin D is probably linked to maintaining a healthy body weight, according to research
carried out at the Medical College of Georgia, USA.
* It can reduce the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms, and also the likelihood of
hospitalizations due to asthma, researchers from Harvard Medical School found after monitoring
616 children in Costa Rica.
* It has been shown to reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in women.
* A form of vitamin D could be one of our body's main protections against damage from low
levels of radiation, say radiological experts from the New York City Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene.
* Various studies have shown that people with adequate levels of vitamin D have a significantly
lower risk of developing cancer, compared to people with lower levels. Vitamin D deficiency was found to be prevalent in cancer patients regardless of nutritional status, in a study carried out by Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Natural Sources include oily fish, eggs, liver cheese and sunlight"

Hmm, so now you are telling me that not only will the above problems will happen but further good things like Rheumatoid arthritis , several types of cancer and Multiple Sclerosis may be mine soon as well ??? What a deal ! Your weight loss ideas are appearing better and better !

"Vitamin E, also known as tocopherol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is an essential nutrient for
humans. It is believed that vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that protects cell membranes and
other fat-soluble parts of the body, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from damage.It also appears to protect the body against cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer and has demonstrated immune-enhancing effects.

Natural sources include almonds, avacados, asparagus, whole eggs, hazlenuts ,mangoes, olive oil,peanuts, soybeans, spinach,sweet potatoes, tomatoes,turnip greens, walnuts and wheat germ"

So, if I include tossing nuts and avocadoes because they are high fat and fat is the enemy, I can increase my risk of bad cholesterol , cancer and cardiovascular disease ??? Boy, your ideas are sounding better and better by the moment !

"Vitamin K is commonly known to aid in blood clotting. When the body is injured, vitamin K initiates the process of healing by slowing and stopping the bleeding.Recent studies have suggested that vitamin K can help prevent or treat osteoporosis and the loss of bone density. If you have a family history of osteoporosis, it is important to make sure you maintain healthy levels of vitamin K.

Natural sources include many dried green herbs like basil, spinach , chard and collards."

Well you advocate eating a lot of these. But if I do not have adequate fat in my diet, how exactly do the nutrients get from my plate to the systems they are meant to nourish ? Isn't that a little like writing a check for a bill but never putting it in the mailbox ???