When people think of dieting, they tend to focus on weight loss. But according to a new study, the worst kind of fat you can have in your body is visceral fat which is located deep within our abdominal cavity and surrounds organs like the liver and pancreas. The study found that those with high levels of this type of fat were at risk for major health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke or cancer. Perhaps you’ve heard of the Mediterranean diet? Sure, it’s popular among celebrities and wellness enthusiasts alike. Yet, what you may not know is that the Mediterranean diet also happens to be one of the most highly researched diets for maintaining a healthy body. Sedentary lifestyle, along with unhealthy eating habits and the boom of junk foods in our daily food consumption, are the major causes for this increasing fat phenomenon. The very worst kind of fat that your body can store is visceral fat. Excess storage of visceral fat can, therefore, have potentially dangerous consequences. It is broadly known that visceral fat is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat is located between the skin and outer abdominal wall. This is the fat that is most visible to us when we look in the mirror. Visceral fat can affect your overall health more than subcutaneous fat. In particular, it increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and stroke. With increasing health concerns about the dangers of obesity and metabolic syndrome, it is important to know that there are diets that can help you reduce visceral fat more effectively than others. Researchers found that both low-carb and low-fat diets appear to have similar effects on body weight. However, a Mediterranean diet (rich in fiber and unsaturated fats) showed greatest efficacy in reducing the visceral fat build-up in the liver, heart and pancreas. Researchers have also indicated that the hepatic fat or liver fat is a much better predictor of long-term health than just a reduction in total visceral fat. So, healthy nutrition, along with consistent moderate weight loss, has a much more dramatic impact on levels of harmful body fat related to diabetes, heart disease and cardiovascular disease than we previously thought. The Mediterranean diet has a good balance of heart healthy foods. It uses whole foods, is easy to follow, delicious and is a healthy diet option. Eating more fish, vegetables, olive oil and nuts lowers your risk of heart problems such as stroke and heart disease. It is also a diet rich in essential Omega 3 fatty acids which has a powerful health benefit for your body and the brain. Essential fatty acids are obtained from fatty fish, seeds, olives and plants. Our bodies don’t produce it so getting it from the diet is very important. Omegas-3 fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory properties Inflammation causes us to bloat and store fat, and usually occurs when the body is under stress from toxins and disease. Thinking of changing your diet for the better and lose weight in the best possible way, give the Mediterranean diet a go. If you are stuck and need someone to guide you through it, drop us an email: reliablehealthcoaching@gmail.com or book a FREE online consultation session by clicking on the link below.
References:
New diet study using MRI to map internal fat conducted by Ben-Gurion U researchers Reducing hepatic (liver) fat combined with weight loss decreases obesity health risks AMERICAN ASSOCIATES, BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV, NEWS RELEASE 13-JUN-2019 https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/543244
The Most Effective Diet For Reducing The Worst Kind Of Fat Robert Glatter, MD, Jun 17, 2019 https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2019/06/17/the-most-effective-diet-for-reducing-the-worst-kind-of-fat/?sh=b97266111ef5
