Fat really has gotten a bad rap as my mind suddenly jumps to a bacon wrap. Food is so much better with the flavor of fat. And fat is such an important aspect of our diets when choosing the right kind of fats and blaming it for excess weight failures is not appropriate. It is time we appreciate the gift that it is, thus Fat Appreciation Time!
Did you know your body has nearly 30 billion fat cells? Clearly with a number these high-fat cells must not be a mistake. Fat cells are normal to have in our body and definitely have a purpose such as keeping us healthy. They do a lot to protect our interior organs, kind of like padding. They are smart enough to store energy that you can use whenever you need it. They also know how to sense the temperature and help burn energy when you are cold. Probably one of the more significant things about fat cells is that they actually secrete hormones that tell your brain when you have plenty of energy reserves so your appetite will calm.
Your fat cell number is determined before birth and research shows that the living conditions of the fetus such as the mother’s diet or stress determine the number of fat cells you have for life. This is when your epigenetic markers (lifestyle factors) come into play and why I wrote a special blog stating that your excess weight may not actually be your fault. Your weight imbalances may have a lot to do with how your Mom was managing life during your pregnancy.
There are a few different fat cells; brown, beige and white. The brown and beige fat cells help burn fat as energy for warmth when you need it. These levels of energy decline with age and may be why aging leads to fat creep. White fat cells are stored as an oil drop within a cell. You don’t want a lot of these.
There are different types of fat cells; visceral fat vs. subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat surrounds the internal organs within the liver, kidneys, and intestines. They can have many inflammatory macrophage cells and lead to many health issues such as Type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and cardiovascular disease. This type of fat is very active through metabolism and there are many strategies to lose it. For more information on assisting with fat reduction, I recommend you check out my webinar on Natural and Permanent Weight Reduction Solutions. Subcutaneous fat is right under the skin and it is very hard to lose and very easy to gain. Vigorous exercise is the only reliable way to keep it in check.
Fat cells send and receive a lot of metabolic communication (hormones) as well. They literally have receptor sites for communicators such as insulin, thyroid stimulating hormone, estrogen, glucagon, vitamin D and a whole host of other hormones that determine hunger, appetite and whether or not you are satisfied.
Fat cells also have an immune system all their own. There are guardian immune cells that live in the fat and kill infectious cells that are too numerous to reduce inflammation in the body. When obesity is present, inflammation will be elevated. The fat cells collaborate with the immune cells to help with this imbalance.
The reduction of inflammation in the body is the key to obesity. When fat cells make anti-inflammatory chemicals versus fat cells that make inflammatory chemicals a body will have lean weight vs. obesity. When working through excess weight concerns, one should ask, “Is there anything or anyone I am trying to protect myself from either now or in the past when the excess weight started being noticeable?” This could play out in a number of possibilities such as stress, trauma, physical or even sexual abuse. And it may stem from one feeling unsafe whether from abuse, wartime, etc. Those traumas or unresolved “inflammatory” times of conflict are clues to excess weight as well. Fat serves a purpose even when the reason is to protect one from feeling unsafe. It serves a very important role in our world.
If you would like to learn whether or not stubborn fat you are trying to reduce is caused by other health concerns or you just need guidance, take our WICO test and learn more about how we assess this for you. You may also find other articles on weight reduction valuable such as Is Your Excess Weight Really Your Fault? Or search our site for the word FAT.
For more information on our complete weight reduction programs which address attitude, inch loss in minutes and meal planning made easy view our program segments.