The Oiling of America

Last week I saw a pretty interesting talk in New York given by Sally Fallon, the President of the Weston Price Foundation. She was there to speak about our nation's addiction to oil - not the kind the fuels our cars, but rather the vegetable oils in our food supply.

I saw Fallon previously when I was a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and knew she was a proponent of high quality animal products. Still I was surprised by her belief that there is nothing to worry when it comes to high cholesterol. In fact there were several people in the audience with levels over 300, and she didn't seem the slightest bit concerned.

To understand this, we must first combat the myth that cholesterol is a 'bad' thing. Fallon believes the science linking heart disease and cholesterol to be poor. And to her credit she demonstrated several studies in which the science was doctored to the benefit of drug companies and the food industry.

According to Fallon, cholesterol is in fact an antioxidant. Yes, the same antioxidants found in colorful foods like berries and red wine. Our bodies naturally produce cholesterol to reduce the toxic load that comes from both food and the environment. It is also secreted in order to deal with stress.

So what about vegetable oils? She warns specifically against polyunsaturated oils (corn, sunflower) that are unstable, especially when heated. Try cooking with butter and ghee. And if you're up for it lard and duck fat.

And what about those with low cholesterol? Do they deserve to be shining examples of good health? Hardly the case. These individuals have a high tendency towards stroke, suicide, and reproductive problems - leading to the natural selection of the wise, Sallon joked. Yes, even health nuts can have a sense of humor.

Sally Fallon is the author of Nourishing Traditions

Organ meats = Health Food?

If it seems like a crazy idea, you have probably not read the teachings of Sally Fallon and the Weston Price Foundation.

When I was a student at Integrative Nutrition several years ago, we had been given her book, Nourishing Traditions, which promotes consuming more nutrient-dense animal foods.

I doubt Fallon was trying to make friends when she spoke at our school, when the majority of students, like myself were practicing a version of the vegetarian or vegan diet. In fact, the subtitle of her book reads, "The cookbook that challenges politically correct nutrition and the diet dictocrats."

Red meat, duck fat, lard - these are some of the foods recommended by Fallon. She is also a strong advocate of raw milk and dairy products, which she believes has been robbed of many essential vitamins and minerals through the pasteurization process.

The research of the institute began with the travels of its founder and dentist, Weston Price. He traveled to cultures untouched by modern nutrition and diet. To his surprise these populations enjoyed remarkably perfect teeth - with little/no decay despite going their whole lives without seeing a dentist. Absent were the white flour and sugar that have become such a staple in our modern diet. And high in their diet were animal fats and protein. These populations also enjoyed a long lifespan and had low incidents of cancer and other diseases.

It's been three years since Fallon's talk at school, and I finally cracked her book this weekend. My friend Angela put together a book group to discuss its principles, and I think I was finally ready to learn more. Without knowing it, I've been eating a traditional diet that is in line with the principles of the book.

So how did I become a closeted meat-eater?

It all started about a year ago when I discovered I had a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat. No more white or wheat flour. I felt so much better after cutting these out. At the same time I was losing weight at a rapid clip - and this was weight I was not looking to lose! So I decided to introduce more animal foods into my diet.

But fret not meatless readers, I still love me a good veggie. I only eat meat at high quality dining establishments (at least for now).

Anyone out there interested in cooking with more lard or duck fat? Or how about consuming some raw dairy products? Unfortunately, the later are not widely available commercially. Unless, you got a hookup.