Why is fat so hard to control and so detrimental to the body?

While on an annual respite in Washington State, I had the honor of attending an unplanned lecture from a local veterinarian.  Dr. Charles had just returned from a conference on canine health and was pumped to share what he had heard.  He sat me down and shared how “fat” was being reclassified in veterinary medicine as an organ of the body.  Now for many years our human health has been learning from animal medicine, so I found this information works well for people as well as their pets.

Fat is now being looked at as an organ.  It is no longer being thought of as “excess” tissue.  Research in the UK has show fat plays a very important role in protection of the organs and bones. It also regulates many hormones, the immune system and reproductive organs. 

The most important hormone produced by fat is thought to be “Leptin.”  Leptin is a communication hormone from the fat to the brain.  It communicates how the body energy levels are doing.  The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry state:  “Fat is an organ.  You should probably think of it as a little like the liver.” We are truly just learning about fat and its role in the body. 

If you look at contemporary society, you find that thin is the goal for almost all women.  The ultra sleek forms of models appear on runways all over the world, in pageants and in magazines.  Yet the rest of us are constantly fighting the battle of the bulge.   Since the 1980’s obesity has become a huge epidemic and the World Health Organization has now classed it as one of the four major diseases of the 21st century, along with AIDS, cancer and heart disease. 

Fat, even if it is an organ, needs to be healthy and properly maintained just like other organs of the body. This means well-balanced diets low in fat, good exercise programs for strength and toning, mental and physical stress reduction, good cortisol and insulin protocols and time for spiritual connection. This breaks down into the following picture:

  • Balanced diets rich in live whole foods in proportion to your size and desired weight.

  • If you are at a good weight for yourself, your daily calories should equal 12 times
    your weight to maintain your current or ideal weight. If you are overweight, you
    will need to eat 10 times your weight in calories to lose extra weight. 
    (Of course you are working with all the attached principles.)

  • Physical exercise like walking, yoga, running, gardening, biking, swimming for at
    least 30 to 60 minutes daily

  • Quiet time for mental relaxation and stress reduction to include reading, meditation,
    artistic projects, spiritual work, prayer and music

  • Fueling the body with frequent smaller meals every 2 ½ hours to reduce stress on
    insulin levels

Remember, once fat cells are formed, they are with you.  They will tempt you to crave fat fueling foods.  Only you can say no!  Life should be about BALANCE IN ALL THINGS!  Be blessed!

— Joan    © 2007  Joan Goodman

Joan Goodman, CTN, MH
1950 Eldridge Parkway, Suite #5101
Houston, TX  77077

281-493-9473 

All articles are copyrighted by Joan Goodman. They may only be reprinted with her express permission.

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