That's Fit

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

From an early age, we're told that fat is bad for us. We count it, avoid it, cut it from our recipes and diets. We stay away from things that are deep-fried or covered in cream, just in an effort to lower our fat consumption. We're drawn to flashy labels that say 'low fat!' and 'fat free!' And why? We're told it's the enemy, causing a myriad of problems like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

But if you've been reading That's Fit for a while, you know it's not the enemy at all. In fact, it's an essential part of your diet.

Life Fit Chat with That's Fit Life Fit Expert Laura Lewis brings conversation provoking tidbits to your table, served up with a touch of spice! Byte-sized information that pack some punch, brought to you every Wednesday and Thursday!
If you are one who still thinks losing weight is all about eating a "no fat, low fat diet," then it's time to get up to speed. You need to eat fat -- good fat -- every day. I came across a great article in Wired magazine that was published a few years ago that makes a great point about WHY fat is essential!

If you don't eat fat, your liver isn't happy. You need to give it fat, eaten by YOU, so it is able to efficiently do its job which, includes telling the body to burn stored "older" fat on the body. Including good fats in your diet on a daily basis, such as ground flax seeds on your oatmeal or salads, fatty fish, delicious extra virgin olive oil, almonds and even real butter (make it organic), helps your body to mobilize stored fats. Gotta love that!

A balanced diet, that includes a variety of nuts and seeds, fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein, a moderate amount of good fat as well as whole grains is what your body needs in order to be optimally healthy. What about supplements? Personally, I must admit, I do have an arsenal of supplements I take every day. I eat well but not THAT well! But I really find it makes a difference, especially in the area of ingesting good fat via flax and fish oil supplements on a daily basis! With my Scottish-Irish American heritage, genetically I am prone to need more essential fats than others in my diet. By the way, did you know fair-skinned red heads especially need to pay attention to this. Two out of three of my kids are red heads ... believe me, I KNOW! One symptom of needing more essential fat in your diet can be as simple as dry skin! If I miss my essential fats for a few days, then it shows up as dry skin as a reminder. It's that simple.

Of all the choices out there, Tuna is largely regarded to be the smart one. Why? Well, for starters, it's fish, which means that it's naturally lower in fat than other meats and it has essential fatty acids. And one of America's favourite ways to eat tuna (particularly for those of you who are turned off by seafood) is in a sandwich form--think either a tuna salad sandwich or one of my favourite, a tuna melt.

But here's something to ponder? Is tuna with mayo and cheese still just as healthy as fish on its own? That's a no-brainer: absolutely not! Still, how many calories can a bit of mayo add? What do you think? Does a tuna melt pack a calorie punch or is it a good way to get your protein in?

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Flax is an ancient crop (it was used as a food source in 3000 BC!) but there's nothing outdated about it's benefits. Perhaps you've heard of the many, many benefits of flax? If not, well, I'll tell you right now: It's really good for you.

How good? Here's just a short list of ailments it can help ward off: Cholesterol, cancer, constipation, diabetes, heart disease, menopause, inflammation and depression. And it's no surprise -- Flax contains all-important omega-3 fatty acids, as well as a special thing called lignans. Lignans act like antioxidants and have anti-tumor properties. And that's not all: Flax has fiber, which, in addition to helping you lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease, helps keep you ... well, regular.

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

We know that you know it -- cold water, fatty fish that is wild caught is good for you. And the king of all those fish is wild caught, Alaskan salmon.

Studies show that only one or two portions a week have benefits for your heart health, cholesterol and blood pressure. Salmon can even reduce your risk of strokes, prostate cancer and macular degeneration.

And did you know that salmon is brain food? The omega-3 fats increase brain function and can protect against Alzheimer's. Add to that the anti-inflammatory properties of salmon and you've got yourself one awesome Super Food.

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Yes, I am a Foodie, yes I eat healthily and yes, I love writing about it! But do you know what is the most interesting part about writing this feature? The variety of Super Foods. You really do need to eat a balanced diet, not just blueberries all day long (a Super Food high in antioxidants). I guess it was fun just to notice validation for eating lots of different healthy foods.

But I digress . . .

The walnut, our Super Food for the week. What makes them super is the amount of essential fatty acids per serving. You get more bang for your buck, in a nutshell, pun intended.

I am a fan of using olive oil as my preferred cooking oil for just about everything, from stir-fry to that occasional "toasted" wheat bread and turkey sandwich. Olive oil is a great source of Omega-3 "healthy" and fatty oils (a reason a I use it), and new research shows that a diet rich in these kinds of oils can be just as good as a standard low-fat diet suggested for those who have had heart attacks.

The study found that people on either diet had one-third the risk of suffering another heart attack, a stroke, death or other heart problem compared with heart patients eating in the usual (read: bad) way.

There are ways to prepare and cook very healthy meals that have great taste once you've researched what to do -- and if you've had a heart attack, eating right (without losing taste) is probably a top priority.

When dieting, you may be depriving your skin of the nutrients it needs to replenish itself. As natural oil production decreases, your skin is less able to protect against evaporation. If you're not careful, you might end up with dry, scaly skin as you drop those pounds.

If you are cutting back on what you eat, it's important to remember not to cut out essential fatty acids, also know as EFAs. These help the body in creating new cells, or repairing those that have been damaged. Even in the harshest conditions, EFAs have worked to protect against dry skin.

Once you're giving your skin the nutrients it needs, try a shielding lotion -- usually recommended by your dermatologist -- to add an extra layer of protection against the daily grind.

I'm a big believer in taking a daily dose of Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EFAs) every day to complement my diet as a very important complementary supplement to things I already eat and nutrition I process. Since there are so many varieties -- all with different qualities, efficacies, fillers and prices -- the choice to choose one is not that easy.

But, once you find the right one, it's great to know that high blood levels of the EFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may protect against the development of dementia and perhaps Alzheimer's disease.

There are many proven health benefits of consuming "healthy" fats like EFAs, and here's yet another excellent reason to do just that in my opinion. What brand do you take?

Mercury, PCBs, dioxins . . . are these pollutants enough to deter you from eating the very fish that they contaminate?

On the one hand, we need omega-3 fats to fight heart disease, and fish is hands-down the best source for these fats. But do we want to pollute our bodies with the same contaminates that pollute the fish we eat, potentially exposing ourselves to health problems while we are trying to combat others?

Recent reports say that eating fish in moderation is the best thing we can do, and to eat a variety of different types of fish. The fatty fishes, like salmon, are best, and also smaller fish with short life spans (they tend to accumulate less toxins).