Have you ever been around a pre-menopausal woman on a low fat diet?  WATCH OUT!  Not only will she be on edge from hunger, but her hormones will be totally out of whack! In addition she will most likely overeat carbs due to her hunger, which will in turn spike insulin production and lead to excessive weigh gain.  Angry, overweight, and hormonal is no way to go through life!  Seriously – woman need fat to be healthy.

Fat is a woman’s friend, not foe!  Woman must obtain fat from their diets for proper hormone functioning, insulin regulation, cellular repair, radiant skin, hair and nails, as well as many more vital bodily functions.  Woman actually need more healthy fats like omega oils in essential fatty acids than men due to differences in percentage of body fat, distribution of body fat, and as mentioned hormone functioning.

Evolving wisdom and medical research now indicates that all of those years of the Low Fat Diet craze may have actually increased the amount of obesity in America.  Remember the days of the fat free snacking on brands such as Snack Wells?  Those fat free cookies we ate by the dozens were loaded with carbs, lacked fiber and spiked insulin response all leading to excessive weight gain.  When we eat carbs we must combine protein, fat and fiber to slow the absorption of sugar into the blood stream. Slowing down the rate of absorption of sugar into the bloodstream will in turn slow down the amount of insulin that is needed to process the sugar/carbs and reduce weight gain.  When the body cant keep up with the amount of insulin required to process sugar/carbs we become insulin resistant which leads to excess fat storage and ultimately diabetes.

Look to the slim and trim French.  They eat desserts that contain fat.  They eat cheese with their glass of wine.  These habits slow the spike of insulin.  What is also happening with the combination of fat with their carbs is they feel full faster and ultimately eat fewer calories.  Feeling satiated not only makes us happy humans but it keeps us from over eating the wrong foods.  Take the almond for example – in its raw state it contains the perfect combination of protein, fat and fiber.  Nature designed our foods with the perfect ratios.  We need to take our cues from nature and not follow the latest diet craze.

So many women perceive fat to be bad. In truth, fat is a women’s best friend. According to Claudia Pillow, PHD –

“Essential fatty acids (EFA) are vital to the proper functioning of the body, and are the major source of energy for the body when at rest and for mild intensity activities. Unlike carbohydrates, which stimulate insulin and fat production in the body, EFAs provides energy independent of insulin involvement. Eating good fats does not equate to getting fat but, eating too many carbs does.“

Dr. Pillow goes on to say that…

“Essential fatty acids (otherwise referred to as omega oils) are long chain fats synthesized by plants and fish but not by the human body and therefore a dietary requirement. Essential fatty acids play a vital role in the health of the membrane of every cell in our body. The benefits of omega oils include reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain skin ailments. Some research has even shown that omegas can boost the immune system and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease. Can the need for more fat and women’s fear of eating it partially explain why females have higher rates of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, celiac disease, even diabetes? Possibly. Do good fats have a protective aspect to them? Absolutely, research has shown time and again that eating omega oils helps reduce inflammation and lessen the symptoms of many autoimmune diseases. It is time that the medical and health community acknowledge the importance of fat in a healthy diet and leave low-fat diets as a thing of the past.”