Fats Made Simple: Why They’re Essential for Your Health
As a functional medicine nutritionist helping women with chronic illness and thyroid issues, I’m here to break down the science of fats in a way that’s easy to understand. Fats aren’t just about flavor—they’re vital for energy, hormone balance, and overall wellness. Let’s explore what fats are, how they work in your body, and how to choose the best ones for your health.
What Are Fats?
Fats, also called lipids, are waxy or oily substances in food and your body. The most common type is triglycerides, which are made of a glycerol (a small molecule) and three fatty acids (long chains). Think of triglycerides like a bundle of energy stored in foods like butter or olive oil and in your body.
Fats can be solid (like butter) or liquid (like olive oil) at room temperature. This depends on the type of fatty acids they contain.
Understanding Fatty Acids: The Building Blocks of Fats
Fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms with a special group at one end (called a carboxyl group) and a different group at the other (called the omega end). They differ in two ways:
Length:
Short-chain (2-4 carbons): Found in some dairy.
Medium-chain (6-12 carbons): Like in coconut oil.
Long-chain (14-26 carbons): Common in most fats, like olive oil or fish.
Saturation: This is about how many hydrogen atoms the chain holds.
Saturated fats: Full of hydrogen, no gaps (double bonds). They’re straight, pack tightly, and are solid at room temperature (e.g., butter).
Monounsaturated fats: One gap (double bond), creating a bend. They’re liquid or soft (e.g., olive oil).
Polyunsaturated fats: Two or more gaps, more bends, very liquid (e.g., fish oil).
The shape matters! Saturated fats are sturdy and stable, great for cooking. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are less stable, better for low-heat or no-cook uses.
Types of Fats in Food
No food is purely one type of fat—it’s always a mix. For example:
Lard: Often called a saturated fat, but it’s actually 47% monounsaturated and 41% saturated.
Butter: Mostly saturated, but softens at room temperature because of some unsaturated fats.
Good sources include:
Saturated fats: Butter, ghee, coconut oil, or fats from grass-fed animals (great for high-heat cooking).
Monounsaturated fats: Olive oil, avocados, almonds (use for low-heat cooking or dressings).
Polyunsaturated fats: Fatty fish (salmon, sardines), walnuts, chia seeds (don’t cook; store in the fridge).
Avoid industrial oils like canola, soybean, or margarine. These are heavily processed, often oxidized, and linked to health issues like heart disease or diabetes.
Why Your Body Needs Fats
Fats do so much more than provide energy. Here’s why they’re essential, especially for women with chronic illness or thyroid issues:
Energy: Fats are like slow-burning logs in a fire, providing steady energy for long activities or between meals, unlike quick-burning carbs.
Vitamin Absorption: Fats help your body absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K, found in foods like butter or nuts.
Cell Health: Fats, especially phospholipids, form the flexible walls of your cells. Too many polyunsaturated fats make cells too loose; too many saturated fats make them too stiff. A balance keeps cells healthy.
Hormones: Fats are needed to make hormones like estrogen and progesterone, crucial for thyroid health and overall balance.
Satiety: Fats make you feel full longer by slowing digestion and signaling your brain to stop eating.
Organ Protection: Fats cushion and protect your organs.
Flavor: Fats make food taste amazing, from a drizzle of olive oil to a creamy avocado.
Omega-3s and Omega-6s: The Essential Fats
Two polyunsaturated fats are essential because your body can’t make them:
Omega-3s (e.g., ALA, EPA, DHA): Found in salmon, chia seeds, or grass-fed beef. They reduce inflammation and support brain and heart health.
Omega-6s (e.g., LA): Found in nuts, seeds, or organic peanut butter. They’re needed but can promote inflammation if overconsumed.
The ideal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is 1:1 to 4:1, but many Western diets hit 15:1 or higher due to processed oils. This imbalance fuels inflammation, linked to chronic diseases. To balance:
Eat more omega-3s: Try salmon, walnuts, or flaxseeds.
Cut omega-6s from processed oils: Swap canola oil for olive oil and check labels on snacks.
Omega-3s (like EPA/DHA from fish) are more effective than plant-based ALA, which converts poorly to EPA/DHA. For thyroid health, omega-3s reduce inflammation and support hormone function.
Fats and Inflammation
Omega-3s and omega-6s turn into prostaglandins, hormone-like molecules that control inflammation:
Omega-6s can make pro-inflammatory prostaglandins (PGE2), which help fight injury but cause issues if overproduced.
Omega-3s make anti-inflammatory prostaglandins (PGE3), calming inflammation.
A balanced diet with more omega-3s shifts your body toward less inflammation, vital for managing chronic illness.
Cholesterol: Not the Villain
Cholesterol, a waxy lipid, has a bad rap but is crucial:
Your body makes 70-80% of it (mostly in the liver).
It’s used to make vitamin D, hormones (like estrogen), and bile (to digest fats).
It strengthens cell membranes and supports brain health (25% of your cholesterol is in your brain!).
Eating cholesterol-rich foods (like eggs) doesn’t always raise blood cholesterol—your body adjusts production. For thyroid health, cholesterol supports hormone production, boosting energy and balance.
Nutrition Tip
Incorporate a variety of fats daily. Drizzle olive oil on salads, cook eggs in ghee, or snack on walnuts. Avoid processed oils and prioritize whole foods like avocados or salmon. For thyroid support, focus on omega-3s to reduce inflammation.
A Balanced Approach
Fats are a powerhouse nutrient, working with proteins and carbs to fuel your body. For women with chronic illness or thyroid issues, a diet rich in high-quality fats can improve energy, hormone balance, and overall health. Next, we’ll explore micronutrients and personalized nutrition!
Want to optimize your diet? Contact me for functional medicine guidance tailored to your wellness journey.
The Basics of Nutrition: Unlocking the Power of Carbohydrates
As a functional medicine-based nutritionist working with women managing chronic illness and thyroid conditions, I’m excited to dive into the Basics of Nutrition, focusing today on the vital role of carbohydrates. Nutrition and the body’s anatomy and physiology are deeply intertwined, and understanding how nutrients like carbohydrates fuel and support your body is key to optimal health.
Why Nutrition Matters
Nutrition is the science of how food interacts with our bodies, providing essential nutrients to sustain life. These nutrients supply energy, build cells and tissues, and regulate critical processes like hormone and enzyme production. A well-balanced diet supports every system—digestive, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive—while deficiencies can impair function and exacerbate chronic conditions. For women with thyroid issues, proper nutrition is especially crucial for energy, hormone balance, and overall wellness.
Nutrients: The Building Blocks of Health
Nutrients fall into two categories:
Macronutrients: Needed in large amounts, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and water. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats provide energy, while water supports countless functions.
Micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals, required in smaller amounts, act as coenzymes and cofactors for biological processes.
Today, we’ll focus on carbohydrates, exploring their types, roles, and how they support your body.
Carbohydrates: Your Body’s Preferred Fuel
Carbohydrates, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, are found in starchy vegetables, fruits, tubers, legumes, grains, and sweeteners. They’re the body’s primary energy source, especially for the brain and muscles, and play a critical role in digestion and overall health.
Types of Carbohydrates
Simple Carbohydrates (Sugars):
Monosaccharides: Single sugars like glucose (blood sugar, vital for energy), fructose (found in fruits, the sweetest sugar), and galactose (converted to glucose by the liver).
Disaccharides: Paired sugars, including maltose (two glucose molecules, from starches), sucrose (glucose + fructose, in granulated sugar), and lactose (glucose + galactose, in dairy).
These are digested quickly, providing immediate energy.
Complex Carbohydrates (Polysaccharides):
Starches: Chains of glucose molecules in foods like potatoes, rice, and grains. They digest more slowly, offering sustained energy.
Resistant Starches: Found in oats, beans, and cooled rice or potatoes, these resist digestion until the colon, where they feed the microbiome.
Fibers: Found in plant foods, fibers are indigestible but essential. Soluble fibers (e.g., in apples, oats) slow digestion, stabilize blood sugar, and feed gut bacteria. Insoluble fibers (e.g., in whole grains, leafy greens) speed digestion and promote regular bowel movements.
Functions of Carbohydrates
Energy: Carbohydrates provide quick energy, with glucose fueling the brain and muscles. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles or converted to fat for long-term storage.
Protein-Sparing: Adequate carbohydrate intake prevents the body from breaking down muscle protein for energy.
Digestive Health: Fibers promote regular bowel movements, stabilize blood sugar, and nourish the microbiome, supporting immunity and gut health.
Micronutrient Delivery: Whole-food carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals.
Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar
The Glycemic Index (GI) measures how quickly a carbohydrate raises blood sugar, with pure glucose at 100. However, GI doesn’t account for serving size. Glycemic Load (GL) is more practical, reflecting the impact of a standard serving. For example, watermelon has a high GI (72) but a low GL (4) due to its low carbohydrate content per serving.
Choosing Healthy Carbohydrates
Opt for whole-food carbohydrates like starchy vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Refined grains (e.g., white flour) lack fiber and nutrients, spiking blood sugar like sugar. Resistant starches (e.g., cooled rice, green bananas) and fibers (e.g., oats, leafy greens) support digestion and microbiome health. For women with thyroid conditions, stable blood sugar from low-GL foods can reduce inflammation and fatigue.
Low-Carb Diets: A Balanced Perspective
Low-carb diets may aid short-term weight loss or specific conditions, but long-term restriction can lead to constipation, fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, and risks like osteoporosis or heart disease. As a nutritionist, I believe a bio-individualamount of high-quality carbohydrates is essential for a balanced diet, especially for women with chronic illnesses.
Nutrition Tip
Incorporate a variety of whole-food carbohydrates daily. Try a breakfast of overnight oats with berries for soluble fiber, or a lunch of cooled quinoa salad with roasted vegetables for resistant starch. Stay hydrated to support digestion and pair carbs with protein and fats to stabilize blood sugar.
Looking Ahead
Carbohydrates are just one piece of the nutrition puzzle. In future posts, we’ll explore proteins, fats, and micronutrients, plus strategies to tailor nutrition to your unique needs. For women with chronic illness or thyroid challenges, a nutrient-dense diet can transform energy and vitality.
Ready to optimize your nutrition? Contact me for personalized functional medicine guidance to support your wellness. You can fill out the form below or make an appointment here
The Power of Protein: Building Blocks
As a functional medicine-based nutritionist supporting women with chronic illness and thyroid conditions, I’m excited to explore protein, a vital nutrient that serves as the foundation for your body’s structure and function. Whether you picture a juicy steak, a bowl of quinoa, or lean muscle, protein is essential for energy, repair, and overall wellness. Let’s dive into why protein matters and how to incorporate it into a balanced diet.
What Is Protein?
Proteins are macromolecules made of amino acids, the building blocks linked by peptide bonds into chains that fold into complex, three-dimensional shapes. Amino acids contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, with the “amino” referring to nitrogen’s role. Of the 20 amino acids used in the human body, 9 are essential, meaning they must come from your diet:
Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Valine
The remaining 11 are non-essential (e.g., alanine, serine) or conditionally essential (e.g., arginine, cysteine), meaning the body can produce them, but needs may increase during growth, illness, or stress.
Why Protein Matters
With over 20,000 proteins in the human body, they play critical roles:
Structure: Proteins like collagen (in skin, bones, tendons), keratin (in hair, nails), and elastin (in lungs, arteries) build and maintain tissues. They also support tissue regeneration and wound healing.
Metabolism: Enzymes, specialized proteins, act as catalysts for digestion, energy production, and molecule synthesis.
Hormones: Peptide hormones like insulin, glucagon, and thyroxine regulate blood sugar, emotions, and metabolism—key for women with thyroid issues.
Immunity: Antibodies, large proteins, identify and neutralize pathogens, boosting immune defense.
Transport: Proteins like hemoglobin carry oxygen, while lipoproteins transport nutrients in the blood.
Balance: Proteins regulate fluid and pH balance in the body.
Energy: In the absence of carbs or fats, protein can be broken down for energy, though this may compromise tissue repair.
For women with chronic conditions, adequate protein supports energy, hormone balance, and tissue repair, reducing fatigue and inflammation.
Protein Bioavailability: Quality Matters
Bioavailability refers to how much of a nutrient your body can digest, absorb, and use. Protein bioavailability varies by source:
Animal-based proteins (e.g., eggs, meat, fish, dairy) are highly bioavailable, containing all nine essential amino acids in proportions ideal for human needs. They’re easily digested and absorbed.
Plant-based proteins (e.g., legumes, grains, nuts) are often less bioavailable due to limiting amino acids (e.g., low methionine in legumes, low lysine in grains) or anti-nutrients that hinder digestion. They’re also less digestible due to fibrous structures.
High-quality proteins provide all essential amino acids. Examples include:
Animal sources: Red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy.
Complete plant sources: Soy (edamame, tofu), quinoa, buckwheat.
Incomplete plant proteins (e.g., beans, rice) can be combined to form complementary proteins, providing all essential amino acids. Classic pairings include:
Beans and rice
Oats and peanut butter
Hummus and whole wheat pita
For vegetarians or vegans, consuming varied plant proteins throughout the day ensures amino acid balance, as the body doesn’t store amino acids for later use.
Sourcing Protein in Your Diet
Animal proteins offer high protein content per serving (e.g., 4 oz chicken breast = 35g protein), while plant proteins often require larger portions (e.g., 4 cups quinoa = 35g protein) and provide more carbohydrates. When choosing proteins:
Animal sources: Opt for lean cuts, wild-caught fish, or pasture-raised eggs to maximize nutrients and minimize additives.
Plant sources: Combine complementary proteins and include nutrient-dense options like lentils, chickpeas, or hemp seeds.
Preparation: Cooking methods (e.g., steaming, baking) and pairing with digestion-enhancing foods (e.g., fermented vegetables) can improve bioavailability.
For women with thyroid conditions, high-quality protein supports hormone production and muscle maintenance, countering fatigue and metabolic slowdown.
Nutrition Tip
Aim for a variety of protein sources daily. Try a breakfast of Greek yogurt with chia seeds, a lunch of grilled salmon with quinoa, or a vegan dinner of black beans and brown rice. Pair proteins with fiber-rich vegetables to enhance digestion and stabilize blood sugar.
A Holistic Approach
Protein is a cornerstone of health, working alongside carbohydrates and fats to fuel your body. For women managing chronic illness or thyroid challenges, a nutrient-dense diet with bioavailable proteins can enhance energy, support immunity, and promote healing. Stay tuned for future posts on fats, micronutrients, and personalized nutrition strategies!
Ready to optimize your diet? Contact me for personalized functional medicine guidance to empower your wellness journey.
Understanding Key Body Systems for Optimal Health: A Holistic Nutrition Perspective
As a functional medicine-based nutritionist specializing in women with chronic illness and thyroid problems, I often emphasize the intricate connections between our body systems and how they rely on proper nutrition to function optimally. Today, we’ll explore the digestive, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive systems, highlighting their roles and how nutrition can support their health.
The Digestive System: The Foundation of Nutrient Absorption
The digestive system is far more than a food-processing machine—it’s the gateway to nourishing every cell in your body. It consists of the alimentary canal (from mouth to anus) and accessory organs like the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. The six core functions of digestion are:
Ingestion: Taking in food or liquid through the mouth.
Secretion: Releasing substances like saliva and enzymes to break down food.
Mixing and Propulsion: Moving food through the digestive tract via peristalsis, a wave-like contraction.
Digestion: Mechanically (e.g., chewing) and chemically (e.g., enzymes, stomach acid) breaking food into smaller molecules.
Absorption: Nutrients passing into the blood and lymph, primarily in the small intestine.
Defecation: Eliminating waste as feces through the large intestine and anus.
Why does digestion matter for nutrition? Every cell relies on nutrients from whole, nutrient-dense foods, and optimal digestion is key to unlocking their benefits. The digestive system also hosts the microbiome, trillions of microorganisms that support digestion, immune health, and the production of vitamins and short-chain fatty acids that nourish the large intestine. A healthy gut is critical for women managing chronic illnesses or thyroid conditions, as it influences overall health and hormone balance.
Nutrition Tip:
Prioritize whole foods like leafy greens, fermented foods (e.g., sauerkraut), and fiber-rich vegetables to support your microbiome and digestion. Stay hydrated to aid nutrient absorption and waste elimination.
The Respiratory System: Breathing Life into Your Cells
The respiratory system enables the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, delivering oxygen to every cell for energy production. It’s divided into the upper respiratory tract (nose, nasal cavity, pharynx) and lower respiratory tract(larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs). The process begins with the nose, which filters, warms, and humidifies air, protecting the lungs. Air travels through the pharynx, larynx, trachea, and into the lungs’ bronchial tree, ending at the alveoli, where gas exchange occurs.
The diaphragm, a key muscle, drives breathing by expanding and contracting the chest cavity. Nose breathing is especially beneficial—it filters particles, optimizes air temperature and humidity, and boosts nitric oxide production, which enhances circulation, immune function, and brain health. Chronic mouth breathing, by contrast, can increase risks like gum inflammation and reduced oxygen uptake.
Nutrition Tip:
Support respiratory health with antioxidant-rich foods like berries and cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli). Omega-3s from fatty fish can reduce inflammation, aiding lung function, especially for those with chronic conditions.
The Urinary System: Balancing Fluids and Waste
The urinary system, comprising the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, is best known for eliminating liquid waste but also regulates blood volume, pressure, pH, and hormone production. The kidneys filter blood through nephrons, producing urine to remove waste while maintaining water and electrolyte balance. They also produce hormones that stimulate red blood cell production and activate vitamin D (calcitriol), crucial for bone and immune health.
Proper hydration is vital for kidney function, preventing issues like kidney stones and supporting waste clearance. For women with thyroid issues, maintaining pH balance and hydration can reduce stress on the body’s regulatory systems.
Nutrition Tip:
Drink adequate water daily (aim for half your body weight in ounces) and include potassium-rich foods like avocados and bananas to support kidney function and electrolyte balance.
The Reproductive System: Hormones and Beyond
The reproductive system, encompassing organs like the ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, and vagina in women, produces sex hormones and gametes (eggs). It works closely with the endocrine system via the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, which regulates hormones like GnRH, FSH, LH, estrogen, and progesterone. These hormones drive ovulation, menstrual cycles, and pregnancy while influencing overall health.
For women with chronic illnesses or thyroid conditions, hormonal imbalances can exacerbate symptoms. A nutrient-dense diet supports hormone production and balance, as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are derived from cholesterol.
Nutrition Tip:
Incorporate healthy fats (e.g., olive oil, nuts) and zinc-rich foods (e.g., pumpkin seeds) to support hormone synthesis. Avoid processed foods that disrupt endocrine function.
A Holistic Approach to Wellness
The digestive, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive systems are interconnected, each relying on the others to maintain balance. As holistic practitioners, we use nutrient-dense, whole food nutrition and intentional lifestyle practices to support these systems. For women with chronic illnesses or thyroid challenges, optimizing these systems through diet can improve energy, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall well-being.
Stay tuned for future posts where we’ll dive deeper into nutrition strategies to support these systems and empower your health journey!
Interested in personalized nutrition guidance? Contact me using the contact form below or here to learn how functional medicine can support your wellness goals.
Understanding Your Body: Endocrine, Cardiovascular, Lymphatic, and Immune Systems
The endocrine system is like a team of messengers in your body that helps keep everything running smoothly. It works with the nervous system, which we talked about before, to send signals using special chemicals called hormones. These hormones travel through your blood to tell different parts of your body what to do, like growing, using energy, or even sleeping. Your thyroid is part of the endocrine system.
What Is the Endocrine System?
Imagine the endocrine system as a group of glands (like tiny factories) that make hormones. These glands include:
Hypothalamus: The boss in your brain that checks if everything is balanced.
Pituitary Gland: The assistant boss that tells other glands what to do.
Thyroid Gland: Controls how fast your body uses energy, affecting weight, temperature, and more.
Adrenal Glands: Sit on your kidneys and make hormones like adrenaline (for quick reactions) and cortisol (for energy and stress).
Pancreas: Helps control blood sugar with insulin and glucagon.
Pineal Gland: Makes melatonin to help you sleep.
Gonads (Ovaries or Testes): Make hormones for growth and reproduction.
These glands work together to keep your body in balance, a process called homeostasis.
How the Adrenal and Thyroid Glands Work
The adrenal glands are small but mighty. They make:
Adrenaline: Helps you react fast in scary situations by speeding up your heart and giving you energy.
Cortisol: Helps your body use sugar for energy and manage stress.
Aldosterone: Keeps your blood pressure steady by balancing salt and water.
The thyroid gland, shaped like a butterfly in your neck, controls your metabolism. This means it decides how fast your body burns energy, which affects your weight, heartbeat, and even how warm you feel.
The Cardiovascular System: Your Body’s Delivery System
Your heart and blood vessels make up the cardiovascular system. This system:
Pumps blood to carry oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to every cell.
Removes waste like carbon dioxide.
Helps your immune system by moving white blood cells that fight germs.
Blood flows through:
Arteries: Carry blood away from the heart.
Veins: Bring blood back to the heart.
Capillaries: Tiny tubes where oxygen and nutrients move into cells.
Your heart has four chambers: two atria (top) and two ventricles (bottom). Blood moves through your heart, to your lungs to get oxygen, and then out to your whole body.
Too much stress or unhealthy food can cause inflammation, which hurts your blood vessels. Over time, this can lead to high blood pressure or heart problems. Eating healthy, exercising, and managing stress can keep your heart strong.
The Lymphatic System: Your Body’s Cleanup Crew
The lymphatic system helps clean up extra fluid in your body and supports your immune system. It includes:
Lymph Nodes: Filter germs and waste from lymph fluid.
Spleen: Cleans blood and stores immune cells.
Thymus: Helps make white blood cells when you’re young.
Tonsils and Peyer’s Patches: Stop germs in your throat and gut.
Lymph fluid moves through vessels, but there’s no pump like the heart. Moving your body, like walking or deep breathing, helps lymph flow and keeps your immune system strong.
The Immune System: Your Body’s Defense Team
Your immune system protects you from germs. It has two parts:
Innate Immunity: Acts fast to block germs with barriers like skin, mucus, or tears. White blood cells like neutrophils and macrophages eat germs.
Adaptive Immunity: Learns to fight specific germs. B cells make antibodies to tag germs, and T cells attack infected cells or remember germs for next time.
For people with autoimmune thyroid disease, the immune system sometimes attacks the thyroid by mistake. This can cause problems like feeling tired, gaining weight, or feeling too hot or cold.
Why This Matters for Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
If you have an autoimmune thyroid condition like Hashimoto’s or Graves’, your thyroid and immune system aren’t working together properly. Stress, unhealthy food, or lack of sleep can make inflammation worse, which affects your adrenals, heart, and immune system. This can lead to more symptoms like low energy or mood changes.
To feel better, try these tips:
Eat Healthy: Choose vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats like olive oil or avocado.
Move Your Body: Walk, stretch, or do yoga to help your lymphatic system.
Sleep Well: Aim for 7-8 hours to let your body rest and repair.
Manage Stress: Try deep breathing or meditation to calm your adrenals and immune system.
By understanding how your endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, and immune systems work, you can make choices to support your body and feel your best.
You can schedule a call here to see if we are a good fit. I look forward to talking to you.