Kay Leaman, Health Architect
There are four main things that help the body to store fat. The more we abuse them, the more the body responds in kind.
There is a plethora of ads aimed to help us rid ourselves of belly fat creating a billion dollar industry. These ‘diets’ bring success for the first six months or so, and then slowly the fat begins to return and the cycle continues.
We know that it’s lifestyle vs. diet that can remove the unwanted fat for the long term. Adequate water intake, quality sleep, managing stress, exercise and diet (calories in — calories out) should be our goal. However, understanding what causes the fat to accumulate is a critical component to achieving greater success.
The food we eat is either used as energy or stored as fat. When you get up in the morning, how do you feel? Do you feel refreshed and ready to go or sluggish and dragging? This is our first clue that something is ‘off.’
#1 Food Preservatives
Preservatives are used to extend shelf life. Some of these are more toxic than others. They also make food more difficult to digest. These preservatives can lead to gas, bloating, heartburn, slow metabolism, fatigue, sluggishness, brain fog and a decreased sex drive.
One of the most disrupting is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The process in producing this chemical is important in understanding it. Because consumers have become aware of the dangers, companies have spent millions in order to ‘rename it’ so the consumer can remain unaware. There are even products that state they are high fructose corn syrup free when the label states otherwise and the fine line between these is legal!
Some of the new names being used are: maize syrup, glucose syrup, tapioca syrup, fruit fructose, crystalline fruit, HFCS, esoglucose, corn syrup and dahlia syrup.
The body needs energy to survive. Our energy is stored in the mitochondria of the cell. There are 50 to 2,000 mitochondria in every cell. Within these cells, sugar is converted into glucose and O2. This is turned into ATP and CO2. The preservatives in foods prevent them from being properly digested, which means the calories are not able to be converted to energy; less energy for our brains, muscles, etc. When this process continues, the body goes into starvation mode. This teaches the body to take these calories and store them as fat. The body learns to survive by what we feed it.
Utilizing digestive enzymes can aid the body in better digestion. They can reduce gastric and bowel symptoms and increase the body’s ability to covert food to energy rather than fat. By combining digestive enzymes with foods that contain less preservatives, we can aid our bodies to better utilize what we eat.
#2 Bad Gut Bacteria
There are 50-100 trillion bacteria in our gut with over 5,000 species. Our guts are biodiverse and contain both good and bad bacteria.
The roles of this microbiome: to break down undigested food (carbohydrates), production and absorption of vitamins B’s and K, processing of bile and sterols, strengthens the immune system, defends against infection from bad bacteria, effects brain neurotransmitters (thinking, mood, autism), production of serotonin (low levels can cause depression and anxiety), and hormones that direct fat metabolism and storage.
The effects of when our gut bacteria are out of whack (more bad than good) can be obesity, bowel disease, cancer, brain issues, diabetes, liver disease, immune system issues as well as effects on the skin.
Disruption of this system includes high glycemic foods, chemicals (preservatives and additives), pesticides, fake sugar, toxic metals, antibiotics used in food, irritating and spicy herbs and condiments, parasite tainted food, allergies to food, lack of vitamins and minerals, stress (cortisol), poor general health, and certain medications such as steroids and NSAIDS. Signs of this disruption are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gas,
bloating, cramping, constipation, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, food sensitivities, drowsiness or fatigue after meals, depression, frequent illness (colds and flu), forgetfulness, sluggish thinking, weight gain and difficulty losing weight (excess body fat).
When there is an overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeast in the gut, sugars are broken down incorrectly and the signals for fat metabolism and storage are disrupted.
Add a probiotic every other day or daily to your diet. Science has shown that we don’t need to replace all the bacteria. The two most important bacteria that can survive the harsh stomach environment are lactobacillus, rhammosus GG, LGG and bifodobacterium BB-12. These can also be stored at room temperature, making it easy to travel with or take to work.
These are the first two out of four things that allow body fat to accumulate. In the January issue, we will discuss Part II.
Have a fabulous Christmas season! Here’s to health!
HealthyDay HealthyLife, succeed.hdhl@gmail.com
