HEALTHY KIDS, HEALTHY FAMILIES PART II- FAT MATTERS

My kids are not "veggie freaks"...  just, FYI.

Before listening to Whitney Zaino teach on healthy living, I really hadn't been exposed to helpful information that seemed legit and "do-able" that would also benefit my entire family.  Because of this, I always bought things that were quick, easy, and cheap- like Pop-Tarts, Microwaveable Foods, Hot Dogs, Lunchables, and anything else that required minimal efforts.  I did just enough to get by, but never wanted to force them to eat veggies... because I didn't like veggies.

Until now.

I also learned, during the course of all of this re-training of my brain, that it's not all about eating veggies.  There are some other major players in the healthy living game.  Let's see what Whitney has to say about this stuff:

"What is best for you and your family to prevent and reverse disease and illness is to follow the Three Healthy Principles of Abundant Nutrition. They are broken down by food group: fats, protein, and carbohydrates. 

Fat

Healthy fats vs. damaged fats:

Eat more healthy fats: eliminate all damaged fats 

Protein

Naturally raised vs. unnaturally raised animals:

Go organic and natural for animals because these are at the top of the food chain 

Carbohydrates

Whole Carbohydrates vs. refined carbohydrates

Eat more vegetables-eliminate refined grains and sugars. 

Seriously, folks- it's really that simple... and that complicated.

Say wha???

I'll break down each of these three categories to help you try to understand:

1.  FAT.  Seriously.  You have to eat fat to lose fat.  But not only that, you have to eat fat (the right kind of fat) to function the way you were intended to.  See below from Whitney:

Fats

The number one missing ingredient in the standard North American diet is not a vitamin or mineral but good fat. Good fats are essential to brain development, cellular healing, anti-inflammation, absorbing vitamins, cushioning vital organs, increased awareness and learning abilities, increases heart health, focus and concentration.

FAT FACTS

• FACT:About 70% of your brain is fat.

•  
  • FACT:Fats play an important role in brain function, building cell membranes, clotting blood, absorbing vitamins, cushioning vital organs and protecting us from extreme temperatures.

• • FACT:Eating fat does not make you fat.

• • FACT:Americans eat more non-fat foods than people in any other country, yet our population is the fattest in the world.

• • FACT:From 1970-2000 grain and sugar consumption increased significantly, but not total fat consumption. However, during that period, the consumption of trans fats increased.

• • FACT:It is not the amount of fat that we eat that matters, but the type of fat.

• • FACT:Trans fats are the link to heart disease and cancer -- not saturated fats.

• • FACT:The good saturated fats are very healthy and can be consumed daily.

• • FACT:Coconut oil is loaded with saturated fat and is one of the healthiest foods on earth.

• • FACT:Grass-fed meat and free-range poultry have the good fats in the right ratios, unlike store bought meats.

• • FACT:About 70% of your brain is fat.

• • FACT:Fats play an important role in brain function, building cell membranes, clotting blood, absorbing vitamins, cushioning vital organs and protecting us from extreme temperatures.

• • FACT:Eating fat does not make you fat.

• • FACT:Americans eat more non-fat foods than people in any other country, yet our population is the fattest in the world.

• • FACT:From 1970-2000 grain and sugar consumption increased significantly, but not total fat consumption. However, during that period, the consumption of trans fats increased.

• • FACT:It is not the amount of fat that we eat that matters, but the type of fat.

• • FACT:Trans fats are the link to heart disease and cancer -- not saturated fats.

• • FACT:The good saturated fats are very healthy and can be consumed daily.

• • FACT:Coconut oil is loaded with saturated fat and is one of the healthiest foods on earth.

• • FACT:Grass-fed meat and free-range poultry have the good fats in the right ratios, unlike store bought meat

Healthy fats (undamaged saturated fat)make up 70% of your brain tissue. Coconut oil is high in saturated fat. “There are healthy saturated fats and there are damaged saturated fats. When animals are fed grain, their antioxidants are depleted and their fats become more susceptible to oxidation and damage. When coconut fat or even animal fat is consumed in its purest form, the saturated fat is protected from oxidation by abundant antioxidants and offers incredible health benefits. Coconut is converted into quick energy and less likely to be stored as fat or cause obesity. It supports the thyroid, heart, and immune system and is one of the healthiest foods in the world today.” Coconut is recommended for cooking, due to its sustainability in high heat. It is also a great substitution for butter.

You will want to eliminate all bad fats, such as hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils, trans fats, and rancid vegetables oils. They are linked to cellular congestion, cancer, heart disease and neuro-toxicity. We know now that all of these diseases can take years to develop and most of them begin in childhood.

 

Fats to eliminate on the Healthy Kids Plan

x Hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils

x Rancid Oils (corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil)

x Trans fats (margarine, synthetic butters, and shortening)

x Roasted nuts and seed butters

x Pasteurized and homogenized dairy products

So, did you get all of that?  Yeah...  it took me a bit as well.  Take your time and digest this.  Take notes if you need to, shoot me an e-mail.  I'll be happy to answer any questions that I can.   All I know is what I have experienced personally and what I have been taught.  And that's what I'm sharing here.  I hope you'll take some time to really let this sink in and re-evaluate the choices you're making regarding, no only what you feed yourself, but also what you feed your spouse and your children.  As you can see from the information above, it's not only about your weight.  The food you choose to consume plays an extremely vital role in either helping you to become, or preventing you from becoming the man or woman that God created you to be.  The food you choose to consume will also set the pattern for your kids and their kids and their kids to come.

You may never become a veggie freak.  Your kids may never become little veggie-freak-lets.  But you're reading this for a reason...  I hope that wherever you are on your journey towards health and wellness, that you will be blessed by the information you find here.

I'm in this with you.... and I'm not done yet!

The good news is, there is a ton more information where this came from.  Just keep reading.  Just keep reading.  Just keep reading, reading, reading...

(I may or may not have watching Finding Nemo this weekend... can you tell?)

Have a tremendous week, my friends!

Motivated this Monday,

The Fat Girl,
Slim