I like Dr. Weil. I think he’s a nice guy and a thoughtful individual. He is obviously a very intelligent person with many respectable accomplishments throughout his storied career.
But, have I ever listened to him for nutritional advice?
No way, no how, not ever.
Here’s why.
Just like other conventional sources of health information, the deal is always changing. How can a person ever truly follow a healthy lifestyle if the dietary recommendations are in constant flux?
Case in point: Dr. Weil recently announced on his website that he is no longer recommending low-fat dairy products.
For those of you who are still buying skim milk and lowfat yogurt based on his adamant advice for many years thinking this was going to help shrink that backside and save you from heart disease, this may come as quite a shock.
21 Studies: Saturated Fat Does Not Cause Heart Disease
Dr. Weil’s reasoning as to why his “thinking on saturated fat has evolved” is based on a thorough analysis of 21 studies which showed that saturated fat is not associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
These 21 studies in total included nearly 350,000 people the majority of whom were healthy at the start of each study. These folks were followed for between 5 and 23 years and over this span of time, 11,000 developed heart disease or had a stroke.
Researchers examining the dietary intake for these thousands of participants found no difference in the risk of “coronary heart disease, stroke, or coronary vascular disease between those individuals with the lowest and highest intake of saturated fat.”
Here’s the kicker.
An apparently dumbfounded Dr. Weil writes that these findings go “completely against the conventional medical wisdom of the past 40 years. It now appears that many studies used to support the low-fat recommendation had serious flaws.”
Why Are You Still Listening To Conventional Health Advice?
My hat is off to Dr. Weil for coming to his senses, but the fact is that he should have recognized this crucial error long ago!
The clear cut data that saturated fat intake has absolutely zero to do with heart disease and other vascular ailments has been around for decades ever since Dr. Mary Enig, former Vice President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and currently Board Member Emeritus, blew the whistle on the scam ages ago and paid for her forthrightness and courage by having her research career blackballed.
What took you so long Andrew?? This is no minor “oops” on your part after all.
Dr. Weil’s 180 on saturated fat begs the obvious question.
What other nutritional errors are still being promoted by Dr. Weil and others like him from “respected and credible” outlets for health advice?
The answer is that there is a lot these TV talking heads promote that is way off the mark.
Having a medical or nutrition degree is no guarantee that the advice given is correct, not by a long shot.
How to Eat Healthy For the Long Term
Does Dr. Weil finally have it right about saturated fat?
Nope.
While his thinking on saturated fat has clearly “evolved” and he is now promoting full fat dairy, he is still off the reservation unfortunately.
For example, Dr. Weil still recommends skinless chicken and turkey and limiting saturated fat intake to 10% of daily calories in the diet. On what basis is he recommending no more than 10% of calories from saturated fat?
There is no basis for this recommendation! It is being pulled completely out of thin air! There is not a single shred of evidence that this recommendation is wise.
How do you know how much saturated fat you should be eating then?
How about looking to the past for your wisdom instead of an ever changing tide of conventional health opinion?
Dead people don’t seek profits or try to influence your buying habits, do they?
Dead people also don’t lie. You can simply examine what they did, see what the results were and objectively assess whether or not their methods were successful.
For these reasons, seeking the wisdom of Traditional Cultures who ate saturated fat with abandon and emphasized them in the diet is the simplest and best approach to health.
If you are tired of changing health advice and your head is spinning from the myriad approaches to eating that are promoted nowadays, I encourage you to take a look at the research of Dr. Weston A. Price, author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, a book that is virtually guaranteed to forever change the way you view health and wellness.
Dr. Price traveled the world in the early 1900’s and documented the vibrant health of 14 preindustrialized cultures. What these cultures emphasized for health is very different from what Dr. Weil promotes, sincere though he is in his quest to determine what diet bestows optimal health.
If the concept of Traditional Diets is new to you, click here for a short video introduction.
Isn’t it high time to stop changing the way you eat every few months or years and follow the anthropological path to diet and health that has already been trodden by cultures who fully experienced the vitality you seek?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Great article Sarah, and great answers to the comments. The powers that be will not change because it does not serve their monetary interests, the hoi-polli will not change because they simply buy into the “expert” propaganda, no questions asked. Even though our ranks are growing we remain the few. People will not change until their lives breakdown, and then it is usually too late. Keep up your wonderful work so that those who have the gift of discernment may continue to benefit.
Well said!
It is amazing you should post this today when I just got back from having my blood lipid profile done at my doctor’s office. 🙂 I am an (extremely) obese woman in my late 40’s with histories of heart disease on both sides of my family. I am regularly checked for signs of high cholesterol and other heart issues, but none ever surface. Our family had been using the good oils and had switched back to butter years ago, and my doctor told me then that my profiles were better than hers! Today, I was curious what the numbers would be after switching to ghee for most of our frying and whole milk and cream for our milk needs (as opposed to low-fat grocery store fare). My numbers were even BETTER. I was elated! Thanks for helping me have the courage to take the raw milk plunge.
Great article. Thanks for pointing out once again that “conventional” does NOT mean “accurate”.
My husband and I began eating saturated fats about 1.5 years ago and have both lost nearly 20 pounds. Friends just don’t believe us when we tell them. And I still get ridiculed for eating butter! But I believe ten years from now this will be mainstream.
I’m sure Dr. Weil has a pill to sell that will help us understand his about face. He’s got a pill for everything! pfft
I do not know what motivates you to do so much for others, but I’m grateful for it.
Thank you so much for sharing this!! I must post this.
Preach! 😉
I haven’t followed Dr. Weil lately and I’m sure he has done the about face if you say so, but I do have to say he was an important teacher for me at the start of my TF journey. Credit where credit is due – I gave up margarine for butter, started eating more whole foods such as broccoli and wild seafood and first looked into filtered water based on the advice in one of his early books – 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, I think.