The story continues...
Mark and I then spent the next few years trying to eat unprocessed foods. That is to say we tried to make everything we could from scratch. But it was hard to say the least and I felt like we were missing big pieces of the puzzle. It was as if the book The Makers Diet gave us great introductory information but not enough to sustain us on this lifestyle.
Then one day Mark came home for work with a recommendation from one of his veterinarians. She (the vet) told him about a cookbook that she thought I would love called Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (click title for link). Sally Fallon? Hm, I have heard that name before but where? I finally realized that the few recipes that are included in the book, The Makers Diet came from someone named Sally Fallon.
I ordered the book immediately as I was immediately in need of reinforcements.
It must be said that this is beyond just being a cookbook. Compiled within these pages lies the best conglomerate I've seen of basic nutrition for the novice and not so novice health-seeker. But since we are on a kick about fat, let's see what "old Sally" as we call her in our house, has to say about fat.
Is saturated fat and cholesterol causing the heart disease epidemic in America?
1. Heart disease now causes 40% of deaths in America yet cholesterol consumption in the last 80 years has only increased 1%. However, the consumption of vegetable oils in the form of margarine, shortening, and refined oils has increased 400%.
2. Several studies aiming to prove a low fat and low cholesterol diet will decrease your chances in heart disease often show an increase in mortality in from cancer, stroke, violence, and suicide.
3. Eskimos live off of fat from land and marine animals and are virtually disease free as long as they live on their native diet and not a modern one.
4. Several Mediterranean cultures have low rates of heart disease in spite of the fact that 70% of their caloric intake comes from fat (mostly from goat, lamb, sausage, and cheese).
5. A study in Soviet Georgia revealed that those that ate the fattiest meat lived the longest.
6. Japanese who are known for averaging the longest life span do not eat a low fat diet. It is true that they do not consume dairy. However they do consume animal fats from eggs, pork, chicken, organ meats, beef, and seafood. The do not consume large amounts of vegetable oils, white flour, and processed foods. The Swiss live almost as long as the Japanese and they have the fattiest diet in the world. Fondue anyone?
7. And now to my favorite, the French. Butter, cream, eggs, cheese, foie gras, and pates are a standard. And yet they have 1/2 the rate of heart disease as the US. Now that just makes me mad that they are eating much better food and are healthier. Meanwhile we eat slop, pretend we are craving it and that it's a treat, then die from it! Why do Americans suffer through low quality fast food?
8. Several government and public health agencies also claim that animal fat is linked with not only heart disease but cancer as well. The University of Maryland analyzed the data these agencies used to back these claims and the university found that vegetable fats, not animal fats, correlated with the high rates of cancer.
I could go on but you get the idea.
The truth is, people have eaten animal fats for thousands of years. Once upon a time we died from infection instead of heart disease and diabetes (lifestyle diseases). Now that we are able to prevent and treat infections we should be much healthier but we are not. In fact you may think because people are living longer that we are in better health. Once again, the disappointing truth is we are able to keep unhealthy people alive longer with medications. Living longer in this case is not indicative of good health.
With the onset of the low fat diet another culprit came into our food supply, an unnatural dramatic increase in vegetable oils never before ingested by mankind at such a rate. Throw margarine and hydrogenated oils into the mix and you have a deadly concoction. Thus we began to eat man-made foods instead of God-made foods. Food scientists mutilated tasteful and nourishing whole foods until it fit this new mold of low fat without ever thinking of the repercussions.
Once again mankind's arrogance screws up God's plan. What made us think we could improve upon the food God put on this planet for us? We are human and by definition we make mistakes. It is actually impossible for us to be perfect. From that realization the motto for our household was born, "We will eat food in it's natural state as God made it. We will also eat a food if it is close to the state that God made it in as long as it is prepared in a way that people have eaten it for thousands of years." This is the motto we live by MOST of the time. After all, we too are only human.
If you would like a list of the studies I sited I would be more than happy to provide them to you with a dozen more added. If you are looking for more information consider purchasing the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. The Makers Diet by Jordan Rubin is an informative and interesting read as well. Both are available on amazon.com
