For years, doctors and health specialists have been telling people to avoid consuming too much fat, especially saturated fat. It was thought that eating foods high in saturated fat led to high cholesterol, obesity, and heart disease.
The Truth About Fat
Despite popular belief, new research finds that fat isn’t actually what makes you fat. Studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the British Journal of Medicine reveal what could be considered shocking news to many in the medical community. Lowering your intake of saturated fat does the opposite of what many healthcare professionals hope to achieve when telling patients to cut out the steak.
While it’s true that reducing saturated fat lowers cholesterol, what it’s lowering is the good cholesterol that your body needs in order to stay healthy. In fact, studies show that a majority of patients who suffer heart attacks have perfectly normal cholesterol levels.
The Real Culprit? Sugar!
Turns out, sugar is what actually causes obesity and heart disease. Consuming too much sugar increases your levels of bad cholesterol. And unfortunately, when people attempt to cut out or reduce their fat intake, they tend to eat more starches and sugars, which are the true culprits of weight and heart troubles.
Is There A Healthy Balance?
Instead of completely cutting fat out of your diet, enjoy quality, healthy fats. And remember to avoid foods with excessive starches and sugar. Consider these tips to improve your health and keep your waistline in check.
- Eat grass-fed, organic, or sustainably raised animal products.
- Include seeds in your diet, such as sesame, pumpkin, and chia.
- Enjoy plenty of fish rich in omega-3 — herring, sardines, and wild salmon, for example.
- Make avocados a regular part of your diet.
- Snack on nuts like almonds, walnuts and pecans.
In a nutshell (pun intended), enjoy plenty of healthy fats, avoid processed sugar and starch, and consume whole, fresh foods. Follow this advice and you’ll notice your waistline shrinking and your quality of life improving.
At Matrix Age Management, we understand the importance of taking care of all aspects of health — nutrition, fitness, supplementation, hormones, sleep, and stress. After a no-pressure consultation and a thorough evaluation, our experts design a plan specifically geared to meet your individual needs.
Whether you’re looking to lose weight, tone up, prevent or correct health conditions, or simply stay active for as long as possible, Matrix Age Management can help. Give us a call to learn more.
