Dieting? No way, Jose!

      I recently decided to go on a health food craze, in attempt to limit the harsh chemicals processed foods put in our bodies. I'm not exactly pinning for weight loss dieting, but more of giving my body the things it needs. Hearth disease is a top 5 death cause in women, so taking care of my body has been important to me. I read many forums, blogs, and doctors articles, prepping myself for what exactly I should look for in food, and drew a few, very misunderstood conclusions.
     Our society puts a high importance on being beautiful, leaving no room for "fat".When women diet then, they often look for foods with no, or extremely low, fat contents. This is a problem for many reasons.
      First, your body requires high amounts of fat. We're talking a need for fat in EVERYTHING it does, daily. Cell structure, energy, protein processing, mitosis- all of this requires lipid (fat molecule) compounds. Limiting the amount of fat you eat is asking to get "fatter". Fats alone do nothing to your body. It is when you eat high amounts of sugar with fat- which then activates the fat negatively- that causes you to gain weight. SO by all means, you could eat a steak that was half fat and be perfectly within your healthy zone. Turn around and eat a piece of cake after, and your asking for problems.
      Second, in order to actually be top shape healthy, women require a body fat content of 24%. I was actually confused about this because men require about half that, so I asked my grandmother (who happens to be a women's health nurse at Kaiser). She confirmed this, even adding extra, unexpected information. If women don't remain within the 24 percentile zone, they will not have a menstrual cycle.
      If you are familiar with gymnastics or ballet, this is probably an idea you have become desensitized to. Girls in gymnastics tend to never get their periods, until they quit. This is not only bad for your body, but dangerous. It can cause heart problems, infertility, and a stunted hormonal system.
      The key then is to actually have a HIGH FAT diet with LOW SUGARS. The same goes for men, i'm just a little less educated on men's bodies. I know that it's not as hard for men, because staying at about 14 percent body fat is not too difficult of a feat. (Their bodies do a muscle conversion process with fat that women's bodies have no need for. I do know it can cause unbalanced testosterone, I just can't say why.)
      Next time someone tells you it's healthier to eat an egg white omelet, stop. Keep the yokes in it, add ham, cheese and vegetables, and trade orange juice for unsweetened tea or coffee. Not only is this HEALTHIER for you, but you'll be more full and actually feel better the rest of the day.