OH! Magazine - Australian Version February 2014 (Australian Version) | Page 12

PAUL
TAYLOR

THE 80/20 LIFESTYLE:

TAP HERE

to read part 1
of this article series

Paul Taylor shares his controversial views on
nutrition for optimum body/brain performance.

PART 5:

FUEL YOUR
ECOSYSTEM
round 12 years ago, when I
completed my Masters degree in
Nutrition I was taught that a healthy diet
for adults pretty much along the lines of
the current public health messages – a lowfat, high carbohydrate diet with lots of
whole grains and moderate protein. Sugar
intake was to be watched but we were
strongly advised to cut saturated fat and
cholesterol intake as they caused heart
disease, and diets higher in fat caused
obesity. Butter was out and margarine was
in. Traditional cooking fats like lard and
tallow were to be replaced with
polyunsaturated oils, as they reduced
cholesterol and heart disease risk.
Science, however, is about evidence and
the same goes for nutritional science. I
have to say that the weight of evidence now
shows that these recommendations are
highly flawed, and have probably been part
of the cause of the current levels of obesity,
heart disease and diabetes.
There is simply no clinical evidence that
either cholesterol or saturated fats cause
heart disease and there is also no clinical
evidence that substituting omega 6 fats
(from vegetable oils) reduces risk factors –
in fact, a recent study called the Sydney
Heart Study involving 458 men with a
recent coronary event showed that
substituting omega 6 oils for saturated fat
increased the risk of death from both heartrelated events and other causes.
In addition, many clinical trials have
shown that a low carbohydrate, high fat

A

12

ISSUE 7 ( OH! MAGAZINE )

diet is better for weight loss and metabolic

In terms of nutrition, my (and many

health than a supposedly healthy high

other researchers’) belief is that the drivers

carbohydrate, low fat diet.

behind

Research is revealing that the main

excessive

metabolic

dysregulation

carbohydrates

are

(especially

driver behind many common diseases such

processed and simple carbs), trans fats

as heart disease, obesity and diabetes is

from deep fried and processed foods, too

metabolic dysregulation. Insulin resistance,

much omega 6 fats from processed foods,

high triglycerides and oxidized LDL and

margarines and vegetable oils (which are

small dense LDL seem to be the main

often oxidised), and too little omega 3 and

culprits (the big fluffy LDL don’t cause any

high-quality saturated fats.

harm). Currently, in this country, you have

Next month, I will discuss my food

to send off to a private lab to measure

pyramid, which reverses the mistakes of

oxidised and small dense LDL.

the last 50 years of nutritional advice.

www.bodybrainperformance.com

( Body / Brain Performance )