FATS: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Fat free diets are the worst diets of all. Fats and oils provide essential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant protection. It is important to know which fats are good fats and which fats are bad.
Saturated Fats: These fats are not your friend and include vegetable fats such as Crisco, lard, animal fats and butter. Too much of these fats can cause heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and ovarian and breast cancer. This type of fat leads to inflammation which increases the aging process. Limit yourself to one serving a week of beef, veal, pork or lamb.
Polyunsaturated / Trans fats: Polyunsaturated fats are your best friend if they come from fish and your enemy if they come from vegeatble sources and include corn oil, safflower oil, and canola oil. When these fats are processed by chemically adding hydrogen to extend the shelf life foods that contain them, they produce solid trans fatty acids. These are the most damaging of all. Trans fats are produced commercially to turn vegetable oils in shortening and margarine. For all you BECEL lovers please do your research BUTTER is much better for you. Becel is your one way ticket to the doctor, unfortunately doctors are still telling their patients it is a healthy choice. Just because they added olive oil to the newest becel still does not make it healthy.
Polyunsaturated fats from fish: Salmon is the richest source of essential fatty acids and we have only begun to discover the powers of salmon. Be cautious though as to what type of salmon your are consuming, it must be wild not farmed. I also highly recommend taking a liquid fish oil supplement. The essential fatty acids found in salmon slow down the aging process both internally and externally. Polyunsaturated fatty acids play a crucial role in the bodily processes in which dietary fats are our major cellular energy source.
The essential fatty acids, like omega 3 and omega 6, offer a wide range of health benefits. They have heart protective effects and can lower blood pressure and decrease the chance of blood clots. Small amounts of fish in the diet can lower risk of colon, breast and prostate cancer. Doctors have found that the pain and inflammation of severe rheumatoid arthritis is reduced be omega 3′s.
Brain function is tied to our essential fatty acid intake. Deficiencies of DHA can lead to ADHD, increased aggression and a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s later in life. Low omega 3 intake has also been linked to psychological problems, including depression, bipolar disorders, post-par-tum depression, and suicidal tendencies.
We could all use some “Salmon Therapy” to keep us functionally optimally on a psychological, emotional and cognitive level. Let’s not forget the anti-aging beauty benefits as well. The only side effects associated with “Salmon Therapy” are younger, firmer skin, greater cognitive skills and the lifting of depression.
Special thanks to Dr. Perricone for sharing his incredible knowledge with all of us in his books. I encourage you to go pick up the Perricone Prescription. It is a breath of fresh air when you find a world renowned dermatologist who believes and understand the power of natural medicine.
