Weight Loss Tips: Reduce “Bad” Fat Intake

What Are Bad Fats?
Saturated Fats: Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol).
Trans Fats aka Hydrogenated Oils: Trans fats raise LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and lower HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).

Where Are Bad Fats Found?
Fatty Red Meat, Poultry, Pork (focus on eating lean cuts of meat) Skin of poultry and pork High-Fat Dairy products (20% or more fat per serving) such as cheese. Vegetable oil Palm oil Palm kernel oil Margarine Butter Lard Shortening Ghee Cakes & cookies baked in the above Fried foods (including fish and vegetables).

REDUCE “BAD” FAT INTAKE WITH THESE TIPS

1. Before cooking, always remove visible fat from meat including the skins and avoid deep-frying.
2. Try out un-fried recipes or steam, stir-fry, broil or grill meat and poultry instead. I highly recommend the George Forman indoor grill.
3. Avoid soups and stews and gravy cooked with high fat meats or poultry and/or skins on.
4. High fat red meats look marbled because the white marbling is the fat distribution through the meat. The less white marbling through the meat means the fat content is lower. Trim fat from the edges of the cut.
5. Buy low fat dairy products like reduced fat milk and yogurt products or replace with soy, rice, almond, or hemp milk products.
6. To fry choose safflower oil, sunflower oil, soy oil or canola oil as these oils have higher smoke point. It is best not to fry with olive oil as its smoke point is only about 190C/375F.
7. Confused about the difference between HDL and LDL cholesterol levels? Try to remember HDL=HEALTHY and we want to keep LDL LOW

Regular cardiovascular exercise is key to burning fat. Cardio exercise creates heat to melt fat. Think of what happens when you cook a fatty piece of meat, all that congealed fat within the muscle, melts off. 

The American Heart Association recommends cardiovascular exercise 4 times a week for 40 minutes (non-stop).  Make sure to meet your target heart rate. Check out this link to find yours.

Some people have chronic pain syndromes which preclude them from the usual cardio exercises such as elliptical machines or aerobic classes. Start by walking five minutes a day, even if you walk inside your home. Slowly build your energy and strength. Consult with an exercise expert such as your doctor, physical therapist or fitness trainer to help design an exercise routine to fit your needs. Be careful not to overdo it and cause more pain which can lead to a set back. Take it one step at a time.

Over-eating fatty, greasy, fried and oily foods can lead to indigestion.

If this happens to you then avoid ingesting alcohol, greasy, fried, oily and hard to digest foods. In general, avoid overeating because consistent over-eating leads to becoming overweight. If you have indigestion, only eat easy to digest plain food, such as sweet potato or chicken noodle soups or slow-cooked oats until the food stagnation passes. Eat papaya, or pineapple to aid digestion and/or take digestive enzymes with meals. Drink ginger and lemon tea or orange peel tea to settle nausea. If there you have constipation, eat an apple or drink aloe vera juice. After eating, take a 20 minute leisurely walk which will move stagnation and aid digestion. Always wait at least 30 minutes to lie down after eating.

Chinese Medicine Has A Say About Fats:

Dairy and fatty meats or foods containing high levels of saturated fats (all the fats in the AVOID column if the chart) could be classified according to Chinese medicine as foods which are damp, cold, or that which create damp heat. These foods can stagnate the free flow of qi movement throughout the body. There is a saying in Chinese Medicine: Where there is pain there is no free flow. Where there is free flow there is no pain. Stagnation could cause pain. The dampness may block the channels along which the qi and blood are supposed to move freely. If you are having pain in your body- headaches, menstrual or back pain etc., try eliminating or reducing fatty.  Foods which produce damp heat such as greasy, oily and fried foods tend to stagnate the Liver qi. This could lead to acid reflux, stomach ulcers, constipation, irritability, and even make one easy to anger.  

Find a Chinese Medical Practitioner Near You at  http://www.tcmdirectory.com

Modern nutritional research shows that overeating foods containing saturated fats, like those found in high fat meats and high fat dairy, contributes to high cholesterol and that many patients with high cholesterol also have high blood pressure. Both high cholesterol and high blood pressure are comorbidity factors of over weight and obesity. The single Chinese herbs Shan Zha (Fructus Crataegi) and Ji Nei Jin (Gigeriae galli Endothelium Corneum) treat food stagnation due to overeating rich foods, meat, fats and dairy. Both of these herbs have been found to lower cholesterol levels, and Shan Zha has been shown to lower blood pressure. We also use Ji Nei Jin to treat kidney and gall stones. Modern research confirms that gall stones are often related to overeating saturated fats and/or a history of obesity and that kidney stones are often related to gout. According to Chinese medicine, high blood pressure, stone conditions and gout are often classified as liver gallbladder damp heat conditions. We also find that eating rich foods can cause or aggravate liver gallbladder damp heat conditions. Therefore, it is wise for patients with this pattern to avoid foods high in saturated fats to heal the liver gallbladder imbalance, clear heat and consequentially lower LDL cholesterol.

In conclusion, there are many compelling reasons to change your sources of dietary fats such as healthier cardio-vascular health and weight lose.

For more information about food, diet, healthy weight loss and acupuncture weight loss read:

Chinese Medicine & Healthy Weight Management An Integrated Evidence-Based Approach
by Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac.

Article written by: Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac., Author of Chinese Medicine & Healthy Weight Management