Do low-fat diets cause obesity?

For those who wonder why Americans are heavier than ever, carb addicted, depressed, and suffering with heart disease, you need not look any further than the low-fat myth that has been perpetuated for the last 30 years.

Researcher Phoenix Gilman says, "I like to call this the low-fat myth, because there wasn't one, long-term study that verified the efficacy of such a diet. First of all, eating healthy fats such as fresh cheese, real butter, eggs, heavy cream and olive oil do not trigger insulin, the hormone that, among many things, is the fat-building/fat-storing hormone. Basic biology: insulin must be present to store body fat. Eating good, healthy fat does not trigger the insulin response."

Gilman goes on to say, "If you're eating a low-fat diet, you're definitely eating too many carbs/sugar. Typical low-fat breakfast: Cheerios, skim milk, blueberries, glass of orange juice and coffee with Splenda. Low-fat snack: yogurt or smoothie with banana, pineapple and low-fat milk. Yet these foods are nothing but sugar, i.e., 'simple carbs,' in the same family as a candy bar. Each one will trigger insulin, causing the body to store fat. The liquid carbs -- juice, milk and smoothie -- will affect blood sugar levels even more dramatically. Equally alarming, these foods, along with the caffeine and artificial sweetener, deplete serotonin, a major neurotransmitter that governs carbohydrate cravings and satiety, along with mood, sleep, etc."

Though the low-fat diet has clearly not worked, the fear of eating healthy fat still runs rampant: hence, our ever-growing rate of obesity, type 2 diabetes, thyroid issues, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. However, those who follow Gilman's research are proving where the truth really lies. Her clients are losing weight -- and keeping it off; reversing their type 2 diabetes; improving thyroid function; alleviating depression, insomnia, and ADD/ADHD; lowering high blood pressure; and achieving healthier cholesterol panels, thus reducing risk for stroke and heart disease.