How was that for a HOOK? Yet, I’m not trying to lure you in with arbitrary and groundless thinking. Fat tissue actually has a message for each of us, and if I was into playing the odds, I’d bet against the thoughts that just came to your mind. The message is powerful and my goal is to reframe our beliefs around fat.

Throughout history, man has followed extreme behaviors as a way of controling the appearance of his body. As far back as the 11th century, it is believed that William the Conqueror gained so much weight he could no longer ride upon his horse, and went on a liquid diet that consisted primarily of alcohol in order to shed the unwanted pounds. After achieving his goal, climbed back up on his horse and subsequently died from injuries sustained from a nasty fall. Over time, there have been a number of additional so-called liquid diets, many of them with a focus on alcohol as well. Of course we’ve seen our fair share of contemporary cleanses or even such suggestions as the Chewing Diet in the 1960’s where a person was supposed to chew each bite until it turned to liquid, thereby slowing down the intake of food. What about the other various get slim quick ideas, such as drinking olive oil an hour before eating? Or even the keto diet…

When my mother was 3 months pregnant with me, she was placed on a diet of celery, carrots and crackers for the remainder of the pregnancy. Imagine the stress and number of adaptations my body had to undergo in order to survive?! I was a heavy child, weighing 87 pounds at the age of 7, and only getting larger from there. At 15, I developed a passion for competitive swimming. Spending my summer in a swimsuit, by the time I got around to wearing my fall clothes, they fell off. I lost a dramatic amount of weight between workouts and small meals. This change gave me hope! I would no longer be teased for being fat … if only I could figure out how to keep the weight off.

Growing up, there were high carb / low fat diets, sugar free / low fat diets, calorie counting, and more. The types of recommended diets continue to rise. My diet of choice was low fat because I was a product of the fat is bad era. which was easily backed by the negative attention I was receiving. Then again, the excuse doesn’t matter, the goal / my goal was to pressure my body into remaining thin.

In searching the internet for cultural beliefs on the topic of weight, the predominant focus is on obesity with perspectives ranging from acceptance to accusatory and judgmental. Very little is said about about any concerns on being thin. In my experience, I believe this is due to a wide-spread concept that thin bodies are healthier bodies. So, let’s just throw all the cards on the table.

When we see a larger body, what comes to mind? I’ve heard people I know quietly criticize the heavier person for being lazy and indulgent … ???? I have started more debates on that very statement because I saw and see something very different. My stand is it is a systemic issue. I’ve had a physician get seriously pissed at me because she was considered obese in her younger years, yet because she successfully shed the unwanted, she was convinced that carrying excess fat had nothing to do with a health issue. Her thought was that it’s related to poor behaviors. While I can and did celebrate her accomplishment as well as agree that many people, large and small, have questionable eating habits, I am confident storing excess fat is a systemic dilemma that underscores an altered mindset and behaviors.. Not to mention, this doctor never shared with me how she actually achieved her weight loss, so her secret says she did what she could to limit her intake of something, albeit carbs, fats, sugars, gluten, solid foods, calories, and / or ……

On the other hand, it’s rare to hear someone comment about the size of a thin person. I’m not saying they don’t, it’s just not as common. I, myself, have been bullied for being too thin, online, on the street and in my own family. Yes, I went from one extreme to another and gradually slipped into disordered eating as my way of regulating the size of my body. I could never maintain a normal weight eating a regular diet. Born a vegan, I did begin eating animal products for a while as my mother wished me to, which did nothing but round out my shape. I can’t help but think such an extreme dietary beginning had some die-hard influence on my epigenome.

As a teenager, I was learning through the media and my study of diets that the problem leading to weight issues was food related SO, I did as was suggested and eliminated the problem food and voila! Success!

Clearly, humans have issues, from our bodies to our minds. Although I’m not certain, I suspect this may be due to the fact that we don’t know how to relate to either one . My belief is when we truly understand what each one is and how they work, we’d be more inclined to appreciate both rather than judge or live in fear. From where I stand, this dis-eased way of thinking has plagued us for centuries. Lack of understanding triggers fear and our first reaction when afraid is to assume control …. of something. Yet, all of this pressure distresses both the mind and body, and as I’ve said in other posts, degenerative dis-ease, including weight issues is not hereditary. It’s the beliefs and behaviors that are passed on from generation to generation that lead to degeneration.

Fat tissue, also known as adipose tissue, is essentially the largest endocrine organ in every human body which is recognized as an active tissue for cellular reactions and metabolic homeostasis, according to the Encyclopedia for Endocrine Diseases, 2nd edition (2019). Making it so much more than an inert tissue for energy storage.

Quite frankly, after attending the program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I began to view the human body in very different ways which is how I concluded that obesity is a systemic dis-order. I also realized that one diet could not work for everyone. Another thought was contemporary diets are no different than the ones throughout history as they continue to be used to control symptoms and shape. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel good, pretending to be the authority on how to manage a specific symptom is not only incomplete, it lacks insight.

Every concern we have with our body is, in fact, a symptom of something deeper going on. These sensations are prompted by neurochemicals that are communicating a need for deeper attention. While I firmly believe our intentions are for the good, they are underserving our needs.

Before going further, thin bodies are not necessarily healthier. Nor are they home to only muscle and little to no fat. I do realize there are exceptions. Yet, there are plenty of skinny fat people in the world. Quite frankly, I had never heard this term until I tuned into an original episode of Oprah, one day with Cameron Diaz as a guest (this was YEARS ago . I believe in 2004). During the interview, she was quite happy to be thin; although, she openly stated that she was not in shape … she was, what they call, skinny fat.

What this means is a person is carrying more fat than muscle. Occasionally, this is related to a person not working out with weights because they don’t like going to the gym. So they follow a rigid diet to achieve or maintain a thin look. Yet, they are not aware of the potential ill effects. On the other hand, I have noticed a few people in the gym, primarily women, that lift right along with the men with extraordinary upper bodies while carrying excess fat on their bottoms and thighs at the same time. This to me is an example of skinny fat.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts and videos, when the stress system is activated (and it is a scientifically recognized system), the neurochemistry changes along with both the digestive and lymph systems as they stagnate.. As this goes on, the body no longer fully breaks down carbohydrates (more specifically, glucose), protein and fats which means their metabolites are not being assimilated for further use by the cells. This activation is not meant to be a 24/7 ordeal. However, it is a chronic challenge given the emotional and environmental climate. What’s worse, malnutrition is a growing concern in the U.S. regardless of the demographics.. Ongoing systemic distress interferes with the body’s ability to utilize the macronutrients. And when we choose to follow a restrictive diet for one reason or another (which is usually well intentioned), we’re limiting and stressing the body even further.

For this reason, fat accumulation has less to do with a poor diet and more to do with the inefficient use of nutrients. With the uptake of macronutrients being significantly reduced, a strict diet and systemic distress, the altered chemical state has different co-factor requirements. Therefore, when we megadose on micronutrients, it stands to reason we’re only feeding the current situation, not reversing it. The fix lies in addressing the root of the issue, not stressing it further.

Last week, I was asked to consider writing a book regarding my spin on nutrition with the blood type diet in mind. As I looked into each blood type, I discovered something pretty damn amazing! The variations are an evolutionary form of protection. Mind blown!

A types, for example, have the A antigen and antibodies against the B antigen. The opposite is true for B types.

Just to be clear, an antigen is a toxin or other foreign substance, made up of protein, which induces an immune response in the body, prompting the production of antibodies. This means in addition to the stress system, our immune system is also on alert and protecting us which is why eating according to our blood type could be helpful, but then again, not so much. Why? Because the body is not breaking down protein into particles small enough to be assimilated and fully used by the cells. Therefore, larger protein particles are identified and attacked as the system does not know the difference between an unusable protein and a microbe and that’s why we have blood types. They are our initial protection against the environment. So, in this sense, protein is the enemy, which includes gluten and casein.

Another common theory is carbohydrates are the bad guys, which aren’t the easiest to eliminate unless you consume only meat and animal byproducts. Yet again, why would you given the fact that the body is already attacking itself due to underutilized proteins. Of course you could consume amino acid supplements, but this response, again, does not resolve the reason for an armor of hyper-protection.

Think about this for a minute. The body is always protecting us AND developed these mechanisms without any human intervention …

So if carbs are bad, and protein is upsetting the immune system, the only thing left to do is eat fat. However, there are even arguments against eating fats from seeds which takes us back to living off of bacon drippings, lard, duck fat and, and, and ….. I can’t. Oh sure, eating only fat promises to fire up the body and burn off the excess fat but what about the sugars and proteins? (by the way, even avocados have carbs .. just in case this particular fatty food came to mind)

Sugars and fats are required for neurological and endocrine function. Proteins are used in enzymatic processes which is how every cell in the body functions. Of course, there are micronutrients to consider as well, which we can get from supplements for sure. Yet, optimal function comes from the synergy of components found within whole foods.

As this post gets longer, allow me to bottom line this. Food is not the enemy. Nor is the body. The enemy exists within our mind as well as the environment.

Here are a few facts:

1. Both natural and manmade lipophilic chemicals are a part of our world. Lipophilic means they are drawn to fatty substances. This includes essential oils, medications, and many other substances made by man. Because the body is being inundated, it is unable to flush them efficiently from the system, so, a lot of the components get stored. And what better place to do that than in the fat tissue?

2. The more emotionally concerned, guarded and charged we are, the greater the systemic distress, slowing down the metabolism and assimilation of micronutrients and further activating the immune system. Did somebody mention inflammation?

3. Multivitamin / multimineral supplements are both water soluble and fat soluble. The water soluble nutrients are used until the body is full, after which, they are eliminated. Fat soluble nutrients, on the other hand, get used and once system requirements are complete, the rest are stored … where? You guessed it, fat tissue.

This is not only awe-inspiring, it gives us the opportunity to actually care for our body, rather than attempt to control something that pretty much already has things under control. Unfortunately, we’re not seeing it that way and are being led to believe we know better. May I remind you that nature prompted the initiation of blood types, not man.

So, what do we do?

Well, according to Robb Wolf, a former research biochemist, he speaks about metabolic flexibility after studying the diets of several indigenous cultures around the world. There are differences between each one with at least one, living predominantly on carbohydrates. The commonality was none of them experienced degenerative disease. They’re known to live healthy lives and generally pass on with age related issues without living a life riddled with chronic health conditions. He goes on to point out that in, I believe, the Inuit community, they consume mostly fatty flesh. However, their epigenomes adapt and alter genetic expression in order to protect their systems from over-producing ketones. How cool is this?? Again, another example of what the body does to keep us alive. Mind you, I didn’t say optimally well, I said alive. This is what I believe my system as a developing fetus.

Another important fact is the body has thresholds and epigenetically maintains certain processes which are only reversible once the pressure is removed, so to speak. This is why high fat and / or high protein diets are effective. They effectively override the hysteresis of a high carb diet. However, the challenge with this is that it could take YEARS to undo. So, I ask, how sustainable is rigid eating, really? From my experience, it’s not. The individual that brought up the blood type diet with me has attempted a number of restrictive diets. His claim is they weren’t effective enough. My theory? Dieting is quite similar to budgeting your money. We stick to it for so long before a reason prompts us to break the budget and make a change. And with the idea of hysteresis, it’s easy to see how the body begins to crave the type of food being withheld. This is why we’re better off eating that piece of chocolate instead of walking past it and glaring.

This line of thinking and behavior is upsetting to the system, and why people secretly binge. Granted the body is not actually crying over what it can’t have, but it is stressed over it. Think about a time in your life when you really wanted something and weren’t allowed to have it. Did it upset you? My guess is it did … this upset registers as stress. Therefore, restrictive diets are, in their own way, stressful which is why epigenome activity becomes stuck or, in many respects, an extremist reaction.

Restriction is an extreme mindset and the body is mirroring this level of thinking.

I do know some people appear to handle the rigidity and are quite content living on very specific foods and taking their supplements. Not that it supports optimal wellness, mind you. The friend I’ve referenced is also a skinny fat person. Even though his body size is smaller than it was, he still has a noticeable fat deposit around the midsection. Then again, who am I to say anything, he’s pleased.

With all of this information, it is easy to surmise that food is not the enemy nor is it the problem. And, the body does what is necessary in order to survive. By now you may be thinking, it’s out of control and if we want to lose weight / fat, we need to take control. Ok .. that is your right.

I’m more inclined to work with the epigenome. As we’re learning, epigenetics regulates every genetic and metabolic change. So, I ask, why fight it? Why not work with it instead!

How?

1. If you want to control something, control your mind. Stop being led by your emotions. Lean into their wisdom and allow this to source your wellbeing. It’s a fact, worry, doubt, overthinking, and so on, influence the epigenome. In fact, I just completed a video on the mind / DNA connection with thoughts on essential oils.

2. Use essential oils specific to your body’s needs AND apply a combination of them every day. Constituents found in essential oils are known for their ability to support both genetic processes and systems as well as communicate with the DNA

3. Pay attention to the constituents in your oils, keeping in mind the epigenome adapts when exposed to the same influence over time. Hence the value to variety being the spice of life. Since childhood, I’ve heard people encourage a colorful, well-rounded diet. I say the same for essential oils.

4. Where are you being strict with your beliefs and behaviors? Find ways to ease up and do things differently.

5. If you want to limit something, limit the amount of processed and refined foods. Feed your body with whole foods.

6. If you want to take supplements, focus on vitamins C for hydroxylation, a B complex for decarboxylation, magnesium for calming the immune system, vitamin D3 if you’re using essential oils and a hydrochloric acid supplement.

It really is that simple. The body is more efficiently wired than we have been led to believe. Aromagenomics / Revolutionary Aromatherapy focuses on caring for and honoring our physical nature. We live in a very trying world, and our system is already working very hard to protect us. The last thing we need to do is discount these efforts by thinking we know better or hating some aspect of our body. I believe it’s time to appreciate everything about it, including the fat the fat on our thighs, as it serves more of a purpose than fuel or insulation.

Let’s make today the day we recognize these symptoms as signs of wisdom simply asking to be heard.

Make your health an act of anarchy in this age of misinformed compliance. Join Revolutionary Aromatherapy, an online community committed to vitality and function. And if you’d like a little more hands on guidance, accountability and lifetime access to Q&A plus community, the next the Yoga of Wellness program begins January 13th. Space is limited.