Fat is NOT the bad guy.

Ok, I know you just threw down your carrot sticks in rebellion – but listen for just a minute. We have made a big mistake in this country and that mistake is at the root of many health issues I see in my clinic every day: we have demonized fat to horrifying effect.

Nowhere have we been more misled about food than about fats. In the late 1970s, it became very popular to demonize fat in this country, especially saturated fats. Fat was blamed for causing everything from high cholesterol to diabetes, plus heart disease and obesity.

It was and still is presented as the evil cause of all of our health problems. Low fat became the craze. Everything became low fat.

The problem with low fat food, besides lacking essential naturally occurring nutrients, is that it is tasteless and leaves you wanting. To counter this, food manufacturers added in – you guessed it, sugar – and so, in my opinion, began the downfall of American health.

Obesity has been linked to many, many health problems, and ever since low fat diets started being recommended, the obesity rates in this country have soared. So have diabetes, autoimmune disease, Alzheimer’s, ADD, ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

Healthy fat is what helps a diabetic balance their blood sugar. Healthy fat is what helps obese people lose weight. Every autoimmune case I help requires healthy fats. The brain itself is made mostly of fats. How could low fat intake not play a role in a degenerating brain?

Fats support healthy brain function, healthy balanced hormones, promote good skin quality, help your body heal, and promote an overall sense of well-being. Fats are also amazing at balancing blood sugar because they enter the bloodstream slowly, which means they don’t cause the rapid rise in blood sugar that processed carbohydrates do.

But you do not have to believe me. All you have to do is stop eating toxic fats found in fried food, hydrogenated oils, and processed oils, and add in healthy fats every day and see for yourself how you feel.

Here are my top tips for including fats in your diet:

1. Make sure you are eating a variety of fat, and not eating too many fats high in Omega 6 & 9 versus Omega 3. Omega 6 & 9 fats are found in avocado, olive oil, and sesame oil, and other vegetable oils and nuts. Omega 3s are found in fish such as salmon and sardines, raw dairy, pasture-raised eggs, meat from grass-fed, free-range animals, walnut oil, chia seeds & coconut oil to name a few.

2. Try this salad dressing full of healthy fats: Combine ⅓ coconut oil, ⅓ sesame oil, and ⅓ olive oil (all organic and cold-pressed of course!) and it will give you a balanced Omega 3, 6 & 9 blend…plus it’s pretty delicious.

3. Eat walnuts! They are a great source of Omega 3s. This includes walnut oil as well.

Remember ~ fats are not the enemy! Healthy fats are essential for your well-being, so be sure you are including them in your diet.