We continue from last week’s Part 1 with Michael Glade and his insights into obesity as it relates to the inflammation process. A quick overview is two types of fat are present in the body: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the type found just underneath the skin, which may cause dimpling and cellulite. Visceral fat, on the other hand, is located in the abdomen and surrounding vital organs. It can infiltrate the liver and other organs, streak through your muscles and even strangle your heart; and turns out you can have it even if you appear to be thin. It is the latter, visceral, fat that is linked to many other diseases, everything from bad cholesterol and hypertension to diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Dr. Glade believes at the core of the problem is the issue of inflammation. Please refer to that article as we will continue here where we left off.
Break down of fatty acids in an abnormal fashion causes an inflammatory load which does unhealthy things to body tissue. If you expose cartilage, cancer, arthritic tissue to a specific signal of inflammation called alpha, they will always respond as if they are under attack. Chronically exposed poor dietary input can cause or predispose a downward spiral in the body upset. For example, the problem may be a missing array of essential fatty acids. Over nutrition seems to be a problem and not sufficient oils or anti-inflammatory products. If the body can stabilize with eating right, exercise, not smoking or drinking, then the body becomes more stable.
With a wound you would expect a short term inflammation situation which is a good thing. The brain is just like other tissue. We need to replace at least at the same pace as old stuff carrying off. The human brain also experiences changes related to inflammatory factors. The brain wants to heal with growth of new neurons, a normal response of learning that deals with activity where they grow and dispose of old stuff.
Conventional approaches to control of body fat includes weight loss and exercise. MRI can identify the infiltration of visceral fat around and in specific tissue, but Michael Glade suggests the use of a laboratory test called C Reactive Protein (CRP) to get some inkling that inflammation is present. There may be a balance between CRP and the oil EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid). Normal ranges are tested with a group of norms which may be difficult to identify. What is normal within a group since the control group could represent those in the elevated portion of the population? We just don’t know. (A test we may use is a genetic test which identifies inflammation from a hereditary factor, particularly when trying to decide if the influence may be environmental rather than hereditary.)
One of the markers for longevity is control of abdominal fat which is identified as the visceral load. An inflammation marker is a practical approach of getting the belly fat down. The dual nature of obesity is that if there is an imbalance in the body, then there is going to be an unintended consequence. The goal needs to be met to control and modify abdominal fat load.
A few of the suggestions he gives are as follows:
*Our food supplies have become disconnected from nature.
*Learned failure is when you change lifestyle and then over-exercise. If the patient losses 10 pounds but hurts and is fatigued from over exercising, they will have an excuse to not stay the course.
*When failure of weight loss occurred due to calorie restriction becoming very aggressive with omega 3 fats using 3-5 tablespoons of flax or fish oil would give good results. The body wouldn’t change weight but it would reshape.
*Efficiently operating digestive tract is important.
*Activity needs to be increased. Failures often are because activity isn’t high enough.
*Cause is heightened inflammation- imbalance can be tipped either way and neither may be the most beneficial.
*Anti-inflammatory medications often are mild poisons that push the body back into less inflammation-Dr. Glade questions if this is a good thing.
*Structural fats do very important replacement of fatty acid membranes.
* Use omega oils generally for inflammatory condition. These are not generally stored or used in the body as caloric intake as the fundamental function of fatty acids in many ways is to restore balance. They don’t suppress or stimulate inflammation. Balancing inflammation is what they do and are essentially not drug like, they don’t turn off signals.
*Suggested Ratio EPA:DHA EPA 3,000 mg of product 4,000 mg DHA to renormalize triglycerides in the system. This information is recognized by the drug industry.
Other products:
*Diet: avoid process starches and fatty acid meat and increase fruit and veggies.
* Development of brain is dependent upon DHA and is not found in most any place other than fish.
* Berries, diversifying your response system is appealing.Recommended are 10 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Salads are encouraged before meals.
* Starchy vegetables are off the menu.
*Manganese, selenium, and other trace minerals can only come from our soil. We are at a point of having to resort to food supplements. Even if the soil is fortified, the soil is exhausted. Consequently, trace mineral supplements are absolutely essential.
- Selenium 100 mcg-anti cancer effective-balance with iodine
– Chromium 1,000 mcg for sugar regulation of the body
*Boron 2 mg- places a role in digestion -good for inflammation in digestive tract and central nervous system
*Carnatine and acetyl-carnatine- heart and skeletal-less free-radical production
*Co-Q10 increases efficiency of fat burning and make systems more efficient-less free radical production resulting in feeling and moving better.
Calcium-drop dairy because it causes inflammation-calcium supplement, vitamin D- Take optimum dose over 5-6 times per day for absorption.
Dr. Glade notes slim people fidget 2-3 hours more times per day and are always moving.
