What's The Worst Thing You Can Eat?
Out of all the food choices available what’s the 1 thing you can stay away from that will have the greatest impact on your overall health?
There’s one ingredient that’s lurking in most things sold to us as “food”. Dr. Cate Shanahan says this food is the same as consuming radiation due to the widespread destruction it causes.
When you eat this PHOOD (my word for fake food - it gets a fake F) this is what happens inside your body:
It damages your DNA
It can make your arteries stiffer for the next 24 hours
It increases your risk of developing cancer
It increases your risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), heart disease, and sudden cardiac death
They break your mitochondria setting you up for type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease
They play a role in ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)
They play a role in the development of asthma
They hinder brain function, development, and play a role in Schizophrenia
They play a role in the development of Crohn’s Disease
They promote gut inflammation and microbiome imbalances
They increase your chance of developing heart failure
They also give you cholesterol numbers your doctor won’t like (low HDL and high LDL)
They make you more likely to develop macular degeneration
They help you lose muscle mass (a predictor of longevity)
They can play a role in pregnancy complications
If you don’t have enough stomach acid this could be the reason
They’re the reason you can’t ever seem to lose the last 10-15 pounds
They also make you more prone to sunburn
AND
It takes 5 years to get it out of your system because it becomes embedded in your cells
So, when someone comes to me complaining about X, Y, or Z my first question is:
”What Are You Eating?”
Most doctors still tell people food won’t affect their health issue and given the list above can you see why that’s BS? AND this is just one of the sketchy ingredients they’re feeding us. We haven’t even gotten to the ingredients banned in Europe that are in our food.
Why do I talk about food so often? Everyone I’ve helped has made significant improvements in whatever health struggle they were previously dealing with. It doesn’t matter what health struggle you think you’re permanently destined to manage; your body’s default program is to heal itself.
You break a bone or cut your skin, your body heals itself. The same is true on the inside. Your only job is to create the space for that to happen.
The way to do that? Stop putting things in and on your body that not only hinder that process they’re also causing the issues you currently have.
So what is this one ingredient I beg everyone to stop eating?
Omega 6, linoleic rich, polyunsaturated fats.
While the body does need Omega 6 fats the ideal Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio is 1:1 or 2:1. If you’re eating the modern diet and not paying attention your ratio could be as high as 30:1.
How often to you take an anti-inflammatory? What if you could quit taking it because you stopped eating pro-inflammatory seed oils?
When I began my paleo journey in 2014 I stopped taking anti-inflammatories because they aren’t good for your digestive tract. Trying to improve autoimmune symptoms via gut health I haven’t taken them in 8 years. (Other than when I had COVID. I reluctantly took aspirin to minimize any potential blood clotting.)
It’s not that I haven’t been hurt since 2014. Heck, I broke my tailbone 4-5 years ago and I’ve banged up my toes more than a few times in Taekwondo class. Yes they hurt, but not enough to feel like I needed a pain reliever.
Every disease with a name that ends in -itis is rooted in inflammation. Today’s spectrum of chronic diseases are rooted in inflammation. Why are these oils so bad? It comes down to their structure.
Saturated fats are called saturated because they’re saturated with hydrogen (H) atoms.
Molecules are lazy in that they don’t want to expend any more energy than necessary. When a fat molecule is saturated with hydrogen it maintains a linear shape because the presence of the hydrogen molecules keep everything energetically balanced in that state.
When we begin removing hydrogen atoms (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats) you’ll notice how a double bond = appears in the molecule. Since the hydrogen atoms aren’t evenly dispersed on both sides of the carbon chain it allows the chain to bend.
Why does this matter? It makes the bent molecule prone to oxidation. You take in oxygen with every breath and the “hole” that occurs due to the bending allows the two to react.
You’ve heard of anti-oxidants? Oxidation has the opposite effect. Rather than promoting health it destroys it. Hence the term inflamm-aging.
Unfortunately these oils aren’t limited to the cooking oils you see above. You’ll also find them in restaurant foods and the majority of packaged foods. This is how something can be labeled paleo, keto, gluten free, natural, organic, etc and still be unhealthy. Somehow sunflower and safflower oil get a pass and are used in “healthy” products even though they’re polyunsaturated fats (aka vegetable oils).
Monounsaturated Fats:
Avocado & Olive Oil
These fats are often touted as healthy; they’re encouraged on a Mediterranean diet, but some doctors I follow are beginning to speak against them. I suspect due to the double bond in their structure.
Both of these oils have been called into question for their purity. Many brands have been found diluted with unhealthy polyunsaturated fats. Make sure you know what you’re buying.
Chosen foods and Primal Kitchen are two avocado oil brands I trust.
For Olive Oil I buy California Olive Ranch. You definitely want oil from the US and first cold press.
My Favorite Fats Are Saturated
Tallow & Butter -
Tallow is beef fat. Why is it special? It’s rich in stearic acid. What’s the big deal? Stearic acid reverses the mitochondrial damage created by linoleic acid (polyunsaturated fats).
Grass Fed Butter (Kerrygold or Kirkland - it should be dark yellow) is rich in vitamin K2 which is essential for strong bones.
BUT they’re saturated? And? Saturated fat raises your good HDL cholesterol and HDL clears problematic VLDL from the blood. When you really get into it you’ll learn that cholesterol isn’t the problem. Inflammation is the problem. If inflammation isn’t present then cholesterol doesn’t get stuck on the arterial wall.
So, heart healthy margarine is exactly the opposite. It might lower your LDL but it increases your risk of heart disease… A little business deal went down in the early 1900’s between the American Heart Association and Procter and Gamble. We’ll give you $$$ if you promote our new product: Crisco. And that’s part of how we got here.
Plus, when you eat animal fats, from animals eating their native diet (likely not grain fed), you also get fat soluble vitamins: A, E, D, and K.
Fats and Oils to Avoid:
Polyunsaturated Vegetables Oils:
Corn
Soy
Canola
Sunflower
Safflower
Cottonseed
Rapeseed
They can be found in:
Most Deep Fryers
Restaurant cooking oils
Margarine & Cooking sprays
Condiments: Mayonaise, pasta sauce, salad dressing,
Frozen meals & frozen flavored vegetables
Chips, cookies, crackers, bread, - most packaged foods
Roasted nuts & some dried fruit
Coffee creamers
Nut butters
This is why I suspect every dietary approach tells people to avoid processed food and fast food.
How do you avoid them? It’s possible. I do it. You simply have to know where to look and what the alternatives are.
Start by reading ingredients in your kitchen. See how often you spy one of the polyunsaturated fats listed above. If you’re not already paying attention you’re likely eating this stuff in every bite you take.
In the 8 week Simply Sapien coaching program this is one of the things I suggest you cut out on day 1.
I know most people aren’t looking to make a significant lifestyle change during the holidays so the next 8 week session begins January 6th.
It’s a group coaching program limited to 15 spots. Working together in a group it takes the burden off of feeling alone. You’ll learn from one another, share struggles and triumphs, and if you choose possibly a friend or two.
The program is hosted on an app so each day you’ll get reminders in your pocket to help keep you focused. You’ll get a few suggestions of things to prioritize for the day. It’s full of education, e-books, and videos.
Each week I’ll host a live video Q&A session where I’ll answer your previously submitted anonymous questions.
Since you’re one of my Substack subscribers I’m giving you a $200 discount if you join the program before December 30th.
Did you know there are multiple subscription options?
