Why Fats are Great – Guest Post by Greg Williams

Why Fats are Great – Guest Post by Greg Williams

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There seems to be a lot in the press recently about the benefits of a high fat diet, and it finally appears as if the mainstream media are catching up with what a number of knowledgeable health professionals have been saying for many years.

 

The fact that a Paleo style diet is often relatively high in fat and low in carb (though not necessarily) is one criticism often thrown at it. Fats have been made out to be the devil’s food for a long time now (largely based on some seriously flawed research) and the effects should not be underestimated. In fact, if you looked on a graph at how obesity levels have changed over the years, you will see the upward trend only began when the low fat guidelines were issued!

 

So why are fats so good? Well, where do I start!?…

 

1. Firstly, they are a precursor to Pregnenolone which is known as the master hormone and is crucial for the production of many other hormones in the body. DHEA and testosterone, for example, are influenced by fat intake (and these are crucial for energy, libido and feelings of well-being, in particular), as is cortisol (an anti-inflammatory which is again crucial for energy).

 

2. The right fats will lubricate our cells, allowing for improved nutrient uptake.

 

3. Fats are often nutrient dense (generally much more so than carbs) which simply means you are getting much more in the way of nutrients for the amount you are eating.

 

4. Fats helps our nervous system to function as it should

 

5. Fats help to improve the uptake of fat soluble vitamins. For example, vitamin D is really important for overall health, but it relies on fats for appropriate uptake in the body. Therefore, if our fats are too low we will struggle to appropriately absorb these important vitamins, and our health and energy levels will suffer as a result.

 

6. Fats are also much more satisfying than many other foods. For example, when you have a bowl of cereal (which is generally high carb) in the morning, you will often be hungry again a short time later, if not immediately. Fats (and protein to some extent) are MUCH more satisfying. Just think about some of the high carb / sugary foods you eat and how they make you feel afterwards. Are they satisfying? Ever eaten just one biscuit? Just one chocolate? Just one Pringle?! No…once you pop, you just can’t stop!

 

7. Lastly…but my no means least…they taste good!

 

I work with a number of IBD sufferers and will often find that a higher fat diet will work well for them in particular. This is for a number of reasons, including those mentioned above, but also that certain types of carbs (Polysaccharides and Disaccharides, in particular) can be problematic as they can fuel bad bacteria within the gut.

 

Imbalanced gut bacteria and bacterial overgrowth are huge problems for anyone with digestive problems so making sure you aren’t adding fuel to the fire can be an extremely beneficial step. However, at first we rarely need to worry about things as detailed as this – so long as someone’s carbohydrate intake is based on good quality unprocessed carbs supported by the Paleo diet – rather than the processed kind most people fill their faces with – then we often see great results.

 

I should add, as a final note, that just because I advocate people eat plenty of fats, it does not mean that I am anti-carb by any means. I will hardly ever recommend that someone removes carbs completely (or puts themselves into “Ketosis”). I have a great deal of carbs in my diet. The main purpose of this article is to stress that you shouldn’t be afraid of consuming fats as they are so important for your overall health.

 

Bio
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Greg is a leading IBD natural health specialist and digestive health expert. In particular, he works with sufferers of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis who need the right advice, support and guidance to be able to live life on their own terms, dramatically increase their energy levels, reduce their pain and feel amazing again. If you would like a free consultation with Greg to discuss how you can start turning your health around when living with IBD, then visit http://www.iamgregwilliams.com/consultibd

 

Greg Williams
www.IamGregWilliams.com

 

 

 

 

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