Healthy Fats

By mold recovery 4/09/2012 , , , , 12 comments
A recent 60 Minutes segment explored the toxicity of sugar. The interviews were compelling and the research convincing. An interesting link was made between high sugar intake and reduced fats in our diet. The pediatric endocrinologist made the point that food without fat "tastes like cardboard."

Must we avoid butter? What about lard or eggs? Dr. Weston Price studied 10 people groups isolated from the "modern diet" in the 1930s and found that the healthiest people with little to no tooth decay included animal fat as part of their diet. His book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration details his research, which has never been disputed. The Weston A. Price Foundation website is a contemporary representation of his work.

In Month Three of the momsAWARE Natural Year Challenge: Food Edition, we tackle the subject of healthy fats and oils. The following video looks at common misconceptions and explores ways to incorporate healthy fats into your daily diet.

12 comments :

  1. AnonymousApril 9, 2012 at 2:40 PM

    Andrea,

    I just finished viewing your video and I have a question. How does using saturated fats in place of mono/poly unsaturated fats affect cholesterol? I had learned in my biology course that unsaturated fats were better from a cholesterol standpoint due to the way that they bond, preventing as much cholesterol build-up in the arteries. I would like to move to the unsaturated fats seeing as you mentioned that they were the most helpful in your recovery and I am desperate to gain some progress in recovery. Thank you for any thoughts you can share!

    Also, are there any particular brands of coconut and palm oil that you recommend? I have Spectrum organic refined coconut oil, but I've heard unrefined is preferred.

    Thank you for this valuable post!
    ma

    ReplyDelete
  2. mold recoveryApril 9, 2012 at 4:56 PM

    certainly don't understand everything involved... but here is how I think of it:
    The body is like a well oiled machine. If it's not well oiled it's not going to work well. Saturated fats are the perfect oil because they are stable and natural...every cell in our body has cholesterol. Cholesterol is essential for proper functioning of our brain, it helps make hormones, it helps make Vit D...bile salts are made from cholestrol. Breastmilk has cholesterol. The cholesterol (including HDL and LDL) in natural fats "match" ours in a sense...they help everything run smoothly. When vegetable oils (factory-made oils) and sugar enter the picture...disruption occurs...signals don't get sent and received..and things get "stuck" in important channels like arteries. Here is what the author of Deep Nutrition says,
    " . . if your diet is high in vegetable oil, then the fallen lipoprotein particles are useless debris, polluting every avenue, side street and back alley of your circulatory system."
    I love the Palm oil offered by Wilderness Family Naturals. You're right ...unrefined is preferable. Nutiva offers a nice coconut oil as well Tropical Traditions...my favorite is Wilderness.


    Here is a good article on the truths and myths about cholesterol:
    http://www.westonaprice.org/cardiovascular-disease/myths-a-truths-about-ch

    ReplyDelete
  3. mold recoveryApril 11, 2012 at 10:12 AM

    ma,
    Here is an excellent article written by a heart surgeon who clarifies the real cause of heart disease. In this article he states.."Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers."

    http://www.laleva.org/eng/2012/03/world_renown_heart_surgeon_speaks_out_on_what_really_causes_heart_disease.html#.T3xco27U7DM.facebook

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 11, 2012 at 1:29 PM

    Andrea, you probably know of it already but another good source on cholesterol is The Cholesterol Hoax by Sherry Rogers. Her books are all good for people dealing with toxic exposures. She has read a lot of original research in toxicology and applies it to we who have chemical sensitivity. She's an M.D. who "gets it"!
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousApril 12, 2012 at 7:46 AM

    I have a question about clarified butter mentioned in the video.
    Would it be considered as a dairy free product since the milk solids are removed from it ? Is it the same as Ghee ? I am searching for good butter that is dairy free.
    Thanks, Aban

    ReplyDelete
  6. mold recoveryApril 12, 2012 at 8:15 AM

    Yes, clarified butter is the same as ghee. It is recommended by Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride as an excellent fat. Milk fat contains virtually no milk proteins or lactose. Those with a severe dairy allergy may not tolerate ghee....however, many in our family are lactose intolerant and do great with ghee.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousApril 12, 2012 at 4:16 PM

    Andrea,

    Thank you for your reply with the info on cholesterol and on saturated vs. mono/poly-unsaturated fats. The information you linked on cholesterol is very informative - I have so many questions now! These articles are completely opposite of all I've heard for years.

    Also, are coconut or palm oils high in omega-3 vs. omega-6? I'd like to keep targeting the inflammation issues I'm having in my body.

    Thanks again,
    ma


    p.s. Karen mentioned Sherry Rogers' books - Do you have any experience with her work? I've read her book No More Heartburn, but have no idea how accurate it is. Just wondering if you or anyone else had thoughts on her works.

    ReplyDelete
  8. mold recoveryApril 12, 2012 at 7:30 PM

    Coconut oil offers medium chain fatty acids. According to this article by Livestrong:

    "You may have heard that coconut oil is high in saturated fats, artery clogging and dangerous. The truth is, the medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) found in coconut oil are rare in nature and highly health beneficial. MCFA are digested by the body in a different way than the common long chain fatty acids (LCFA) found in most other foods. MCFA are quickly digested, producing energy instead of body fat and arterial plaque like LCFA. About 50 percent of the MFCA in coconut oil is lauric acid, which strengthens the immune system and is also found in human breast milk. Caprylic acid and capric acid are also present, contributing to coconut oil's antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/85285-coconut-oil-omega3/#ixzz1rspw9Pi0

    Egg yolks, wild caught salmon and Flax seed oil offer the omega 3s from what I understand.

    I studied this for more than a year before I was able to embrace the truth about fats...you're smart to ask questions.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousApril 14, 2012 at 12:46 PM

    Andrea,

    You mention X Factor and Cod Liver Oil as your only supplements?

    First, how do you get your children to take these? My children would (as a form of torture they would endure for me) but I feel with all the supplements they already take, its added torture. So I went with a K complex by Life Extension and a fish oil capsule (concerned about rancidity), which just adds to their pill intake. Is there a way to make either of these more tolerable or to hide them in something?

    At what point do you feel supplements are not longer needed, if ever? (vitamins, minerals, etc) We have organic acids tests pointing to certain deficiencies and a pyroluria diagnosis which requires extra zinc, b6, and some extra minerals (not sure why) as well as omega 6 (not clear on this one either and think this could be met with healthy fats).

    We are also not doing well (it is taking so long) with the transition to healthier eating. No gluten for years. I am slowly getting healthy fats in (my daughter experiences nausea with them, especially coconut oil and its such a quick reaction that I don't think its die off?). My son, I think it may more be a matter of taste and what he is used to.

    I have so many questions but I'll leave it with this third one about how to transition to a healthier diet. I am also reading Deep Nutrition and have read and tried many diets for myself including GAPS (made it 4 months before I just couldnt take it anymore.. alot of this due to the fact I am so non funcational that I can't experiment much, even chopping veges can wear me out). I have figured out coping techniques such as using a crockpot for bone broth and using ground meats cooked when I feel more functional and freezing. Purchasing even precooked grassfed meats from Wellness.

    We are at the stage where we limit sugars (kids acutally count sugar grams for alloted junk food). We are adding in healthier fats (one way this is working is grassfed butter on rice cakes). I have a eeling that sugar cravings might be habitual but also could be related to healthy fats they eat or don't at this point.

    We are going with the Jaminets' thoughts on "Safe Starches" because it allows some flexibility and because I am not convinced they are wrong about the need for carbs. I could try bone broth in recipes. (i forget!) Thinking about organ meats added to a meatloaf. Even jsut slicing liverworst and frying it in tallow? I am limited with the coconut oil because of how esp my daughter reacts to it. Both of my children cannot tolerate the taste of ghee. We are starting milk kefir (whole organic milk is all I can get where we are presently living (still evacuated from mold house and to move back to our home base this summer, different house, where there are more resources). I am adding grassfed butter and tallow to foods I cook. My daughter cannot tolerate eggs without getting nauseated and my son does not like them.

    Any hints, tips, thoughts appreciated. If eggs were more tolerated as well as the coconut oil, I thinkthis might be a little easier.

    Thank you,

    Robin

    ReplyDelete
  10. mold recoveryApril 14, 2012 at 1:31 PM

    Robin,
    It sounds like you're doing great. Unfortunately there are no "rewards" at this point for doing the hard work to recover health following such a "hit". My thought is to continue to trust your instincts ..and try those things you listed little by little. You'll know when/how to introduce coconut oil...it's very strong...and some of us can't tolerate it. I find the expeller pressed from Wilderness Family Naturals tolerable because it's a bit refined and not as strong. I'm sorry that I neglected to mention in the video that they do take fulvic ionic minerals from Optimally Organic...I make capsules with the dessicated liver from Radiant Life..and I trust Green Pastures capsules of the fish oil/butter oil....I keep them in the fridge. I have many days where I'm sure I'm not doing enough...but then I remember that we're all doing the best we can...and that it's a long long journey no matter what.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousApril 18, 2012 at 12:09 PM

    Hi Andrea, do you eat mayonnaise? Do you make it yourselves (My guess would be yes;) I buy organic safflower oil mayo, seems best choice, but do you have a recipe?

    Thanks, for your organization. So many of us do not have the organization to organize our thoughts, houses, cooking. You give us hope and info. Karen

    ReplyDelete
  12. mold recoveryApril 18, 2012 at 12:25 PM

    Thank you for the encouragement, Karen. One option for mayonnaise is to use True Natural Taste's dijon mustard. It is completely natural and a perfect substitute in my opinion. Here is the recipe I use when I feel like making it:
    1 whole egg at room temp.
    1 egg yolk room temp.
    1 tsp Dijon mustard
    1.5 tbls fresh lemon juice
    3/4 c. oil blend of coconut oil, sesame oil, and olive oil. (equal parts...can use only olive oil)
    Combine everything but oil in food processor. Blend 30 secs. add oil blend slowly ...drop by drop. I actually use a stick blender rather than the food processor. I life the blender up slowly after adding the oil slowly. Add salt, pepper, paprika to taste. *One tip is to add a tablespoon of homemade whey and then ferment on counter for 7 hours...this will extend the shelf life in the fridge. My family loves this recipe!

    ReplyDelete