Even after 20 years of studying I am so excited to follow new research and continue to stay on top of all nutrition topics out there. I am currently enrolled in a class by Dr. William Li that covers one of his books, Eat to Beat Disease. The topic of Nutrition and Health is getting more exciting as we speak. Let me share a great introductory article from Dr. Mark Hyman of Dr. William Li and his new research published in his book: Eat to Beat Your Diet.

 

Excess belly fat, or visceral fat around the organs, is the number-one cause of aging. It drives inflammation, increases the risk of blood clots, changes your hormones and brain chemistry, and more. It’s a recipe for disaster in the body. Not only does belly fat surround the organs, but it’s an organ of its own that can produce dangerous inflammatory cytokines that may lead to a cytokine storm.

Dr. William Li is an internationally renowned physician, scientist, and author of the New York Times bestseller Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. His groundbreaking research has led to the development of more than 30 new medical treatments that impact care for more than 70 diseases, including diabetes, blindness, heart disease, and obesity. His newest book, Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer, was just released.

He shares his research about the top misconceptions people have about fat and metabolism. For instance, conventional wisdom says that some people are “doomed to get fat” because they were born with a genetically slow metabolism, so nothing can be done about it. Another popular belief is that as you reach middle age, your metabolism slows down, making it hard to lose weight. It turns out that every human is born with the exact same metabolism, and it’s hardwired to operate in only four patterns over the course of your life. It is not a slow metabolism that causes you to gain body fat; rather, it is your body fat that slows your metabolism.

There are different types of fat and they serve different purposes in our bodies. When we activate brown fat, for example, we speed up our metabolic processes, and there are certain bioactives in foods that can nudge this pathway in the right direction. This means you can control your metabolism by shedding fat. Not only can weight loss help restore a slowed metabolism, you can also fire up your metabolism by activating brown fat.

Dr. Li also introduces us to his “MediterAsian” way of eating in his book, which draws inspiration from Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. Not only are the food traditions of these regions rightfully celebrated as delicious and healthy, but they also incorporate ingredients that activate our body’s metabolism and help fight body fat.

Foods that feed and heal your metabolism can help you beat obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and a host of other chronic illnesses while simultaneously strengthening your health defenses. The present state of your metabolism is not your fate. You can optimize your metabolism by activating and burning body fat as the means to get to your next level of health.(Mark Hyman, MD)

 

 

The surprising new science of metabolism, body fat, and health
How your metabolism really works (spoiler alert: it is hard wired and we are all born with the exact same metabolism).

Why you need to optimize your metabolism for good health (it’s connected to your health defenses: angiogenesis, regeneration, gut microbiome, DNA protection, immunity) and vice versa.

Myths about body fat
Fat is actually an organ that is crucial for your health. It needs a blood supply, forms from stem cells, impacts your gut health, and protects your immune system. It’s time to rethink fat.

Find out what is good fat and bad fat
Good fat, or brown fat, helps your metabolism, while excess bad fat is a mortal danger to health and causes chronic diseases, even in people who are slender.

How to use food to recruit good fat to burn away bad fat
Remarkable bioactives are in many foods that can heal and activate your metabolism by fighting excess body fat. Learn how losing even a little body fat helps you gain a lot of health.

Eat the Mediterasian Way that allows you to fuel your metabolism while experiencing the pleasure of delicious food.