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 What Could be Wrong with Your Diet?

The amount of CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID (CLA) in the American diet has been lowered due to changes in the way we eat and in how farmers are raising their cattle. This can be seen as a contradiction: we are consuming less CLA, but we are also seeing a large increase in obesity.

Over the last 30 years, people worldwide have made a fundamental change in the foods they eat. In an effort to guard against the negative effects of heavy fat intake, people now eat significantly less beef and dairy fats than they did just a few years ago. Despite all of this, people are steadily gaining weight. In the United States alone, the number of Americans who are at least 20 pounds overweight has grown from 25% in 1985 to more than 34% today.

People only get CLA from the foods they eat. CLA is found in a variety of foods in very small amounts; beef and dairy fats contain the largest quantities. When cattle eat grass, which is rich in linoleic acid, their digestive tract converts the linoleic acid into conjugated linoleic acid, a different molecule.

We get 80% less CLA in our diets today for two reasons. Today, cows are seldom pasture grazed. Instead, they are fed foods (grains and soy) which result in decreased CLA production. Secondly, we also eat less red meat and dairy fats, which also reduces the amount of CLA in our diets.

How CLA Works:

CLA "inhibits" the body's ability to store fat. A recent scientific study shows CLA's ability to inhibit lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme which breaks down fat globules in the blood so that fat cells can more readily absorb it and store it as body fat. The inhibition of lipoprotein lipase results in reduced fat deposition.

CLA "prompts" the body to use stored fats as energy. CLA increases the activity of hormone sensitive lipase which breaks down fats stored in fat cells and returns the fats to the blood stream to be used as an energy source. CLA causes previously deposited fat to be used for the energy needs of muscle cells and the liver.

1) KEEP FAT OFF
2) FEEL BETTER WHILE DIETING
3) REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE
4) REDUCE LDL
5) REDUCE TRIGLYCERIDES
6) PROTECT AGAINST BREAST CANCER

 The benefits of less fat and increased muscle tone are numerous. People look trimmer, feel more energetic, and have decreased health risks.

CLA may be one of the most potent cancer-fighting substances in our diet.

CLA has also been shown to reduce body fat in people who are overweight.

·         Increases metabolic rate -- This would obviously be a positive benefit for thyroid patients, as hypothyroidism -- even when treated -- can reduce the metabolic rate in some people.

·         Decreases abdominal fat -- Adrenal imbalances and hormonal shifts that are common in thyroid patients frequently cause rapid accumulation of abdominal fat, so this benefit could be quite helpful.

·         Enhances muscle growth -- Muscle burns fat, which also contributes to increased metabolism, which is useful in weight loss and management.

·         Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides -- Since many thyroid patients have elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, even with treatment, this benefit can have an impact on a thyroid patient's health.

·         Lowers insulin resistance -- Insulin resistance is a risk for some hypothyroid patients, and lowering it can also help prevent adult-onset diabetes and make it easier to control weight.

·         Reduces food-induced allergic reactions -- Since food allergies can be at play when weight loss becomes difficult, this can be of help to thyroid patients.

·         Enhances immune system -- Since most cases of thyroid disease are autoimmune in nature, enhancing the immune system's ability to function properly is a positive benefit.
 

If you're interested in taking CLA to help with weight loss, keep in mind that it's not a magic, and you will need to start a program of diet and exercise in order to successfully lose weight and keep it off. You can find more details here.