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Most of my clients worry that eating fat will make them fat. And it’s no wonder, we’ve been told this for decades. But as new scientific studies emerge proving the contrary, more and more people are turning to fats to help improve weight loss, brain health, cardiovascular function and immune health. Here’s 5 reasons why you should be getting more fats in your diet!

1. Eating fats help you burn more body fat

Hormones are the key components of regulating everything in our system, including our body weight. Burning body fat for energy is essential for losing weight. But to do this, you must have low insulin levels. Insulin is the hormone responsible for directing your fat cells to either hold onto fatty acids or release them. Whenever you consume carbohydrates, your body floods your bloodstream with insulin. So eating more carbohydrates, means less time in fat burning mode. Which means more fat accumulation in fat cells, leading to increased hunger and weight gain. Simple!

2. Fats are critical for cardiovascular health

You probably won’t hear this in mainstream media, but saturated fats – the so-called “bad” fats – play an essential role in cardiovascular health. The addition of saturated fat to your diet reduces the levels of a substance called lipoprotein that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. Currently there are no medications to lower this substance and the only dietary means of lowering Lp(a) is eating saturated fat. Bet you didn’t hear that when you tuned into the news last night!

3. Fats improve metabolic function

Fat is actually requried to activate our metabolism. It helps our bodies absorb essential vitamins such as A, D, E and K found in the fruits and vegetables we eat. Including a mix of fats from things like avocados, coconut and MCT oil, and nuts in your diet can actually assist us in losing weight.

4. Fats assist our immune system

Saturated fats found in butter, coconut and MCT oil (myristic acid and lauric acid) are critical in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in the white blood cells hampers their ability to recognise and destroy viruses, bacteria, and fungi. It’s essential we eat healthy fats to help keep the immune system vigilant against the development of cancerous cells as well as infectious invaders.

5. More fats equal a healthier brain

Our brains are primarily made of fat and cholesterol. And, the majority of those fatty acids are actually saturated. A diet that negates healthy saturated fats like MCT oil and organic animal fats thieves your brain of the raw materials it needs to function optimally.

Need to get more healthy fats in your diet? Try our premium MCT Oil.

Not to be confused with chocolate, raw cacao is one of nature’s most incredible superfoods. Packed with antioxidants, iron, magnesium and whole bunch of other good stuff, it’s no wonder why the ancient Incans dubbed cacao ‘the food of the Gods’. Find out why need our raw organic cacao in your life!

RAW ORGANIC CACAO VS. COCOA

Raw cacao is different to the common ‘Cacoa’ most of us grew up with our Mum’s baking chocolate cakes out of. Cacao originates from the native Central and South American Theobroma Cacao tree from which Cocoa is derived, and is used when referring to unprocessed versions of the cacao bean.

Normal cocoa powder and chocolate have been chemically processed and roasted, which eliminates the majority of antioxidants and flavanols (the compounds that keep you young and healthy). In fact, some studies suggest that between 60% and 90% of the original antioxidants in cacao are lost through the common ‘Dutch processing’ method’.

Non-organic cacoa and chocolate have also been heavily treated with toxic pesticides, and can often contain genetically modified products.

Raw Organic Cacao in contrast holds an abundance of benefits for your health and wellbeing. Our True Protein Cacao powder is absolutely perfect for adding to your diet, minus the guilt of regular chocolate but with all the deliciousness intact!

5 BENEFITS OF RAW ORGANIC CACAO

1. The Ultimate Plant-Based Source of Iron

Cacao is the highest plant-based source of iron known to man, at a massive 7.3mg per 100g. Compare this to beef and lamb at 2.5mg, and spinach at 3.6mg. It’s important to note that the iron in cacao is non-heme (as is all plant-based iron), so to get the optimal gains you’ll want to combine it with vitamin C.

2. Over 40 Times the Antioxidants of Blueberries

Raw Organic Cacao has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries. Yep you heard it, 40 times! It also has an ORAC score of 98,000 per 100g, vs blueberries at a mere 2,400. ORAC stands for oxygen radical absorbance capacity. It’s a measure of the ability antioxidants in food have to quench oxygen free radicals from pollution and toxins in our environment, which lead to cell and tissue damage and can even cause cancer.

3. Packed with Magnesium for a Healthy Heart & Brain

Raw Organic Cacao also contains the highest plant-based sources of magnesium, the most deficient mineral in the Western world. Magnesium is crucial for keeping your heart happy and healthy. It also helps switch glucose into energy for a sharper brain and increased focus.

4. More Calcium Than Cow’s Milk

Who wants cow’s milk when you can just have some cacao? Cacao has more calcium than cow’s milk at 160mg per 100g vs only 125mg per 100ml of milk. Swap your full milk latte for a vegan cacao smoothie instead!

5. A Natural Mood Booster and Anti-Depressant

Cacao is scientifically proven to provide the four major chemicals that keep us calm, balanced and blissful – serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine. These neurotransmitters can even alleviate depression. Try our raw organic cacao for a natural, healthy and yum way to get your happy buzz on.

It turns out ‘chicken soup’ is actually good for the soul!

Bone Broth seems to be the new black in the world of wellness and nutrition. However, bone broth has been a part of culinary traditions throughout the world for thousands of years; from Vietnamese Pho to your Grandmother’s heart-warming chicken soup, a protein-packed meaty broth is the foundation of history’s most comforting dishes. Soothing, nutrient-dense, convenient and super economical (when homemade!), find out why we recommend this wholesome addition as a staple in your diet.

The Super-Duper Benefits of Bone Broth

Bone broth is simply a magic superfood. It’s protein-rich, collagen-packed, and loaded with essential and non-essential amino acids – the building blocks of proteins, which are the very thing that makes us… us. Introducing a high-quality bone broth into your nutrition plan can aid every part of your health from your gut, to your brain, to your muscles and your ligaments. Here’s some of the benefits:

• Helps heal your gut

  The gelatin and other nutrients in bone broth supports gut health, cures digestive problems and assists with weight loss.

• Beautifies your skin

  Bone broth is brimming with collagen the structural protein that gives your skin its youthful, glow. Studies have shown that, if taken twice a day for two weeks, women aged 35-55 will experience improved skin elasticity, and skin moisture, whilst decreasing loss of water, skin roughness and signs of aging.

• Minimises the appearance of cellulite

  The collagen in bone broth increases the production of elastin and other compounds that are responsible for the tone, texture and appearance of skin. Because of this, many people report a decrease in cellulite after introducing bone broth into their diet.

• Improves cartilage health

  The generous amount of glucosamine, chondroitin, and other glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) help improve your cartilage health.

• Reduces joint pain

  The hyaluronic acid found in bone broth helps lubricate your joints to keep them strong and pain-free.

• Strengthens your immune system

  Healing compounds found in bone broth like collagen, glutamine, glycine and proline are all essential support for a strong immune system.

Our Tips & Tricks To Introduce Bone Broth Into Your Diet

Bone broth can be expensive to buy, but it’s reasonably easy to make. However if you have extremely limited time and aren’t so hot about being in the kitchen (like me!), then buying a high-quality broth from the store is well worth the spend.

When hitting up your bone broth, don’t use a microwave as it will strip all of the goodness and nutrients out of the broth. I recommend using a stove. However, if you don’t have access to one, try pouring half a cup of boiling water in half a cup of bone broth – much like a tea.

Consuming your bone broth either first thing in the morning or when breaking your fast will help prime your stomach for the day ahead. It will also help increase absorption of the nutrients and maximising the benefits of this ancient, delicious healing food.

Leanne x

I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve had female clients tell me on their first day of training they’re not interested in lifting weights because they “don’t want to get too bulky”. This is the reason why, in this article, I’m going to bust some girls muscle myths. Because the real truth is ladies, even if you tried, you can’t bulk up like guys. In fact, developing muscle strength is key to your fitness goals – even if they include slimming down.

Here are 5 reasons why women will not become bulky from weight training:

1. It’s not as easy as you think to gain muscle and become “huge.”

Weight training not only can be used to help you gain muscle, but also to shred fat. The difference in these outcomes come down to the way you train. At True Health, there’s many targeted weight training methods we utilise to help our clients get lean, toned and stronger, without ever getting big.

2. You need more than cardio to lose weight.

One of the age-old questions about exercise for fat loss is whether to focus on aerobic exercise or weight training and resistance movement. The answer? You should do both, concurrently, for the most powerful combination for weight loss success. Adding extra muscle onto your frame helps burn a little more energy at rest. While also ensuring your body stays looking fit, toned and healthy; rather than underweight and weak.

3. Women don’t have enough testosterone to become “bulky.”

Testosterone is the primary hormone in building muscle. Since women have significantly less of this key building block, they naturally cannot put on as much muscle mass as men. There are of course exceptions to this rule. For example, when weight training, if you begin consuming more calories than you burn every day you will eventually get bigger. This is a classic bodybuilders formula for weight gain success: Lifting + Eating a Surplus of Calories = Bulking.

4. When you weight train, you increase your body’s calorie burning.

When you do cardio your body keeps burning calories for a short time after you finish your workout. But when you do strength training, you boost your calorie burning ability by increasing your body’s supply of muscle tissue. In this instance, weight training helps you burn more calories than the traditional treadmill workout *yawn*.

5. Yes you will see muscly women on social media, but…

Remember when you see women with massive arms, abs and booty on social media, they’re not women like you. Why?

1. They want to look like that;
2. They train at a professional level for years to develop this aesthetic, and;
3. They match their intense training with a bodybuilding diet which includes consuming a series of specific supplements formulated for extreme muscle gain.

Weight training is like the secret sauce to reaching your health and nutrition goals. But remember, it’s not just about getting lean, toned and fitter looking. It’s also about the way it makes you feel in your everyday life. Our body and mind are inextricably intertwined. That means, the condition of your body reflects in your mindset and vice versa. As your body becomes stronger, you’ll begin to feel stronger in the way you handle and approach the ups and downs of everyday life.

In short, ditch your ‘getting bulky’ concerns and focus on all the wonderful benefits a smart, targeted weight training plan can bring you.

Leanne x