Fats Can Be Good For You

     If you go to a health food store, you might notice many healthy versions of crackers, cookies, or chips that now say right on the front of the package “No Hydrogenated Oils”. Hydrogenation is a process that makes oil unable to be digested by the body - ever. Dr. Andrew Weil of “Spontaneous Healing” came out against eating foods with hydrogenated oils a few years ago and that really helped to get the message out. He, like many other natural health professionals, sees the connection with toxins in the body getting “trapped” by the hydrogenated oil (that can never be broken down by the body) and therefore eventually developing into tumors… or if that’s not bad enough Cellulite. Seriously though, you have to pay attention to labels and be aware that the food industry is even using different names to throw you off, it may be listed in the ingredients as: Partially (or fully) Hydrogenated Oils that are both harmful. There are other saturated fats that are also unhealthy and are therefore best avoided. There is a lot of controversy about “Fractionated Palm Kernel Oils” that claims to be a less harmful method of stabilizing the oil than hydrogenation. Palm Kernel Oil is a saturated fat and so it still is not a healthy fat. However the "fractionated" process is still causing some to say avoid it and others to say it is no worse than any other saturated fat. The thing is, in most processed foods if usually is combined with other toxin producing preservatives, colorings (blue is the worse), and artificial flavors, along with a lot of other really hard to pronounce words. (My rule is if you have a hard time pronouncing it, it may be something you want to avoid.) Udo Erasmus of the book “Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill” went through a very complex explanation of what fats can hurt us– and ones that we all need. The Author has created a line of food-based supplements and Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil Blend is a balanced, convenient way to get everything we need from oils. I take his oil combo daily and I highly recommend it as well for those I’ve worked with doing nutritional counseling - simply because it’s a variety of oils (always better than just one source) and it tastes the best.

     In addition, a variety of cold press oils are very important to Hormonal balance because it is what the body uses to create hormones. (For more information on hormonal balances, check out “The Swartzbein Principal” by a leading authority on metabolic healing and founder of the Endocrinology Institute in Santa Barbara. Dr. Diana Swartzbein, M.D. specializes in metabolism, diabetes, osteoporosis, menopause, and thyroid conditions. In her book she says that many of us do our best to be on low fat diets, yet we may have also taken out the good oils and that’s one of the main causes of a lot of people's, and especially women’s, health problems today. Of course, we all know that eating fried foods are very fattening and need to be avoided for a variety of health risks - however, many of us don’t know that hydrogenated oils can be even worse. To leave you with a bottom line: steam or bake instead of eating fried foods and don’t eat foods with Hydrogenated oils ever (there are more & more alternatives to the same products) and take a daily combo of cold pressed oil (about a tablespoon - see how it feels) as an important part of maintaining a healthy immune systems and hormonal balance.

     You can use Ghee, which is actually healing (as long as the butter is organic) instead of butter and it's fun and easy to make. Simply take your organic butter and place it on the lowest flame in a pot on the stove. Let all the butter melt and you will see the crusty yellow fat rise. Once it has melted and simmers for 12 minutes turn off the flame. Let it sit for a few minutes to cool and then scrap off the fat and throw it away - be grateful it's not going in your arteries or on your hips. Put the oil that remains in a ceramic container (careful not to let the remains that settle at the bottom in you container - it should be completely clear.) Now you have ghee and once it's in the fridge and hardens you can use it just like butter. If you like it soft, you can leave it out and it will stay soft and last longer than butter, yet will eventually go bad so it's best to keep it in the fridge if you don't use it up right away. It's wonderful in baking and all other uses you would use butter for. It's simply a better butter.

     Raw Organic Almond Butter is also a wonderfully healthy addition to baking, soups, and all kinds of recipes. Edgar Cayce said to eat 3 almonds a day for optimum health. Perhaps it was for the oils and the Laetrile that is has. Almonds also have the highest protein of all the nuts. Always the best key to health advice is moderation. If you have a little of something it will not be that harmful for you, especially if you don't do it that often. And if you use huge amounts of Organic Ghee it will still be better than butter but it can produce the effect of eating too much oil in the body. Balance is what we are seeking and moderation is the best way to listen to the bodies needs and give it what it asks for in the highest quality available.

     Also, you just may find health bars with Hydrogenated Oils (partially) or the more common Palm Kernel Oil (Fractionated) in it. Just because it says it’s healthy, it doesn't mean it is. So the most important point I'm making is to read all labels and through knowing what's important to avoid - you can make the best choices for yourself and your family. There’s a lot of confusion and complication out there and my goal is to simplify the needed information and make it fun.

Read about Young Coconuts: A Fountain Of Youth