Groundbreaking research have been unveiled lately that shows how certain foods and a few lifestyle tweaks can neutralize the genes that cause people to store fats in their bodies. Below are five (5) key moves that can block those genes that contribute to
weight gain, as listed from the published book, Zero Belly Diet by author David Zinczenko.
1. Lessen your intake of sugars and saturated fats.
You are probably aware by now of how fats and sugars can be bad for your health. But what’s more interesting is the new study on how these compounds conspire with your genes to make you gain a lot of weight. Foods that are high in saturated fats seem to lead to weight gain even if the calorie intake remains the same. Researchers have reasons to believe that the imbalance in our food intake leads to the activation of the fat storage genes. In a test panel however conducted for the Zero Belly Diet, participants lost up to 16 pounds of fat in mere 14 days by just reducing their sugar and saturated fat consumption while increasing their intake of foods that deactivates the said fat genes.
2. Skip those vitamins
It is said that high levels of Vitamin B in the one’s system has long been associated with the higher prevalence of diabetes and obesity. Also, researchers believe that the fortified milk used for infant feeding can trigger fat genes. If you’re okay with
taking multivitamins, then that’s well and good, but remember that overdosing on anything will probably do you more harm than good. A better option is to build your diet around certain foods that can provide you with all your nutritional needs while turning
off your fat-storage mechanisms.
3. Be wary of canned goods
The main concern with canned goodies is the compound referred to as BPA (bisphenol-A). This compound makes plastic softer and is commonly found in plastic containers and in the thin plastic that
lines a food can. Research has shown that this compound may have an epigenetic effect on people. BPA can leak into the foods stored in the can itself and can be harmful when ingested.
4. Go for a morning walk
This is a bit bizarre but otherwise true: getting direct exposure to sunlight between 8am to 12 noon can reduce your risks of weight gain regardless of your caloric intake, activity level or age; and this is according to a recent study that was published in the journal PLOS ONE. It is quite possible that morning rays synchronizes your metabolism rates and undercuts your fat genes.
5. Reduce your antibiotic intake
The bacterial flora in the stomach plays a vital role in keeping our fat genes in check by chowing down on fiber and creating SCFAs or short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids such as butyrate help tame the body’s genetic propensity for gaining too much weight and developing diabetes. You see antibiotics generally do not discriminate when it comes to killing bacteria. That might be okay if you think that these microbes tend to be ‘germs” only. However, scientists have come to look at those microbes and
their intricate roles in the general health, metabolism and basic physiology of humans. If you tend to use antibiotics for every little sniffle that comes along your way, you are unwittingly creating a disorder in your gut flora and undermine their capacity to produce the SCFAs necessary to control your fat genes.
If you’re ready to reduce your use of antibiotics, then consider the intake of probiotics instead. If you are now appreciating the value of gut microbes, then it’s high time for you to start taking probiotics—something you can easily get from yogurt or from OTC powders such as Florastor or Culturelle. Probiotics are rendered as generally safe and can help with the immediate side effects of antibiotics which may include diarrhea and such.
