****TEXTBOOK THURSDAY****Long but necessary This is a topic most people are unaware of. One that they tend to hear and then stop listening because it can be hard to make sense of. Visceral fat is difficult to determine based on just looking at someone. Because it is the hidden fat, the fat that we cant pinch, the fat that doesnt hang over our jeans. It is the fat that is surrounding our internal organs, hidden between each one, eventually suffocating them and causing major health problems. Visceral fat has been linked to metabolic disturbances and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. In women, it is also associated with breast cancer and the need for gallbladder surgery. It is more prominent in the apple shaped individual than say the pear shaped. Remember that ladies next time we complain about our thighs, luckily there are no vital organs there to damage with excess poundage. Subcutaneous fat located at the waist - the pinchable stuff - can be frustratingly difficult to budge, but in normal-weight people, its generally not considered as much of a health threat as visceral fat is. Research suggests that fat cells - particularly abdominal fat cells - are biologically active. Its appropriate to think of fat as an endocrine organ or gland, producing hormones and other substances that can profoundly affect our health. Although scientists are still deciphering the roles of individual hormones, its becoming clear that excess body fat, especially abdominal fat, disrupts the normal balance and functioning of these hormones. Scientists are also learning that visceral fat pumps out immune system chemicals called cytokines - for example, tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 - that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. These and other biochemicals are thought to have deleterious effects on cells sensitivity to insulin, blood pressure, and blood clotting. One reason excess visceral fat is so harmful could be its location near the portal vein, which carries blood from the intestinal area to the liver. Substances released by visceral fat, including free fatty acids, enter the portal vein and travel to the liver, where they can influence the production of blood lipids. Visceral fat is directly linked with higher total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that your bodys muscle and liver cells dont respond adequately to normal levels of insulin, the pancreatic hormone that carries glucose into the bodys cells. Glucose levels in the blood rise, heightening the risk for diabetes. (Harvard.edu) Now the good news. Visceral fat yields fairly easily to exercise and diet, with benefits ranging from lower blood pressure to more favorable cholesterol levels. This is controllable. Being active, taking in various amounts of cardio, strength training and a steady balanced diet can and will control the amount of belly fat accumulated around your midsection. Smiles Suzanne -Nutrition Snob
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 12:08:32 +0000
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