5 Signs You Have a Fat Deficiency

fat
I’m a nutritionist and I’m asked this question often—what is the most common problem you see? And the answer is easy—a fat deficiency.

You may be thinking…fat deficiency?? In our high fat world, how is this possible??

Well, I’m a holistic nutritionist, and most of the people I see are already eating a pretty healthy diet. They’re enjoying lots of kale, brocolli, and everything healthy. They’re not your average fast food eater. But this issue applies across the board. Those eating lots of fat may not be eating the right kinds of fat (too much processed/refined fat) and are usually deficient in healthy fat. Many of you are like my clients—you stay away from processed and refined oils and the foods made from them. You eat mostly whole foods that you cook yourself. This is a recipe for a healthy diet AND a fat deficiency. Why? Because fat has been the villain for a long time. For 30+ years we have been told to eat less of this very important macronutrient to stay healthy. So, even though fat has (finally) made it off of the villain list and has taken back it’s proper role as a nutritional superhero, it still hasn’t made it back into our diets quite yet. You might not be specifically avoiding fat, but most of us need to ADD more back into our diet.

5 signs you have a fat deficiency:

  1. Your skin is dry

The solution to dry skin isn’t to slather more moisturiser on it, it’s to moisturize from the inside out. It’s healthy fats that make your skin glow! If that’s not a good reason to enjoy more fat, I don’t know what is.
  1. Limp hair

Are you having a “blah” hair day? A day where your hair just sits on your head in a lifeless clump? Extra fat can help bring the life back to your lifeless hair.
  1. Poor concentration

Are you struggling with reading or doing anything that involves concentration? If you’re low in healthy fat then your brain may not be getting the nutrients it needs to stay sharp. Add some healthy fat to your diet and you’ll see your concentration improve!
  1. Dull, dry, brittle nails

Do you need to keep polish on your nails to keep them from breaking? Have they lost the shine they had when you were younger? Simply adding some beautiful, unprocessed fats to your diet can quickly bring the shine back to your nails.
  1. Joint pain

Healthy fats supply very important lipids to the immune system to both make inflammation and to break it down. A deficiency of these, especially omega-3s can stop the body from breaking down inflammation properly, leading to sore, achy joints. If you’ve said yes to 1 or more of these health issues, never fear! Adding healthy fat is really easy.

Always:

  • Be sure to use unprocessed or minimally processed fats; like avocado, raw nuts, and seeds, or Udo’s Oil.
  • Add 1 – 3 tbsp. of more fat to your diet every day, like adding 1 tbsp. of Udo’s Oil (US/CA) to your smoothie, or ¼ - ½ an avocado to your salad. The more the merrier.
Now watch your how quickly your skin will glow, your concentration will get sharper, and your lifeless hair bounces back again!
About the author: Lisa Kilgour
Lisa Kilgour is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN), Founder of LisaKilgour.com, and a faculty member at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.

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