phat (f t) adj. Slang phatoter, phatotest Excellent; first-rate: phat fashion; a phat rapper.
Want to increase your overall health and energy level? Interested in preventing heart disease, cancer, depression, and Alzheimer’s? Or perhaps you’d like to treat rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, or Raynaud’s disease?
If you answered yes to any of these, then get fat!
No, I don’t mean “get fat” as in “get bigger!” I mean stop thinking that all fat is bad for you, and start including healthy “phat” fats in your diet!
Healthy fats, more commonly called “omega-3s,” are essential fats – “essential” means that, unlike many other fats, your body cannot create omega-3s. In other words, you have to eat them if you want to be healthy!
Excellent Fats?
So what makes these omega-3 fats so phat? Read on!
- Omega-3 fats actually give you energy! Yes it’s true – they help produce energy from food sources and move it throughout your systems.
- They govern proper brain development and your overall mental state.
- These essential fats help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your cells, a critical process indeed!
- Omega-3s shorten the time tired muscles need to recover from exercise.
- They help your body create hormones.
Need more? Omega-3s have been found to:
- Help create smooth, velvety skin (who doesn’t want that?!);
- Increase stamina and vitality;
- Speed up the healing process;
- Increase feelings of calmness;
- Decrease inflammation; and
- Decrease blood pressure.
And if you’re still not convinced, omega-3s also:
- Decrease pain and swelling associated with arthritis;
- Reverse PMS and decrease water retention;
- Kill malaria (you never know when you are going to take a trip to the Congo!) and
- Treat bacterial infections.
Where O’ Where Can I Find This Wonderful Fat?Hopefully one or more of these benefits have convinced you to get fat. So where can one find these awesome omega-3s? Here are just a few excellent sources:
- Flax seeds
- Walnuts
- Chinook Salmon and Halibut
- Scallops and Shrimp
- Brussels Sprouts
- Tofu
- Summer and Winter Squashes
- Soybeans
- Collard Greens
- Kale
With A Little Help from My FriendsAlthough omega 3s truly are amazing, they do need some help in performing all these incredible feats. To get the most from your omega 3s, be sure to eat foods that are also rich in vitamins E, C, B3, B6, and beta carotene, as well as magnesium and zinc. Best bets? Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are the way to go!
One More Thing – Omega-3 Has a Cousin
The other essential fat your body needs is omega-6, commonly found in meats and vegetable oils. Most Americans have a lot of omega-6 and just a little omega-3 in their bodies. The important thing is to have both in your diet. Once you’ve caught up on your omega-3s (the quickest way is to take 1 to 3 teaspoons of fish or flaxseed oil daily for several months), balance your intake of high omega- 6 and omega-3 containing foods accordingly and supplement as needed. For most people, this means increasing intake of omega-3 on a regular basis.
So what are you waiting for? Get fat!
Julia Kalish is a Certified Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher in Herndon, VA. She is the owner of Double Dog Yoga in Herndon, which specializes in beginner-level vinyasa yoga instruction in both small groups and one-on-one. Double Dog also offers classes for the experienced yoga practitioner at their Herndon location. To contact Julia, email her at julia@doubledogyoga.com, or visit her website at [http://www.doubledogyoga.com] The content of this article may be used without special permission; provided it is used for nonprofit purposes and full attribution and contact information for Julia Kalish is given. For other purposes, contact Julia Kalish at julia@doubledogyoga.com
