565: Reverse Visceral Fat: Use These 5 Strategies to End Inflammation & Prevent Disease | Dr. Sean O’Mara
Oct 24, 2023
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Dr. Sean O’ Mara, the only physician specializing in Health & Performance Optimization, discusses strategies to eliminate visceral fat, the dangers of sarcopenia, and the impact of lifestyle on health. He emphasizes the importance of pursuing optimal health, eliminating processed foods, and understanding the different types of fat. Dr. Sean also shares insights on the benefits of intermittent fasting, the role of the microbiome, and essential supplements for optimal health.
Visceral fat, also known as invisible obesity, poses a significant health risk as it secretes inflammatory substances that can lead to chronic diseases.
Proper exercise, such as sprinting, can help in burning visceral fat and improving muscle health.
To effectively eliminate visceral fat, it is important to address factors like avoiding processed foods, reducing stress, getting quality sleep, limiting alcohol consumption, and engaging in high-intensity exercise like sprinting.
While genetics may play a small role in overall health, lifestyle choices have a far greater impact on our well-being, so it is crucial to focus on adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
Deep dives
The Importance of Eliminating Visceral Fat
Visceral fat, also known as invisible obesity, is a dangerous type of fat that accumulates deep in the abdomen. It cannot be seen but poses a significant health risk. Viseral fat secretes inflammatory substances that can lead to chronic diseases. The longer visceral fat is present, the more detrimental it becomes to one's health. Processed foods are a major contributor to visceral fat, while strategies like sprinting and eliminating processed carbs can help eliminate it.
The Physical Properties of Visceral Fat
Visceral fat is unique in that it is difficult to remove surgically. It is entangled, adherent, and resists removal. However, the negative physical effects of visceral fat come from the inflammatory substances it secretes, not the physical structure itself. When engaging in a healthy lifestyle, the body can naturally eliminate visceral fat.
The Impact of Visceral Fat on Muscles
Visceral fat can infiltrate and negatively impact muscles, causing inflammation and reducing muscle performance. The physical properties of visceral fat can lead to weakening and shrinking of muscles, contributing to conditions like sarcopenia. Proper exercise, such as sprinting, can help in burning visceral fat and improving muscle health.
Addressing the Five Factors to Eliminate Visceral Fat
To effectively eliminate visceral fat, it is important to address certain factors: avoiding processed foods, reducing stress, getting quality sleep, limiting alcohol consumption, and engaging in high-intensity exercise like sprinting. While addressing all these factors is ideal, even addressing one can have a significant impact on reducing visceral fat.
Cutting Out Processed Foods Eliminates Visceral Fat
By eliminating processed foods from his diet, a man in a study managed to eliminate visceral fat in his body without exercising. This highlights the significance of diet in reducing body fat and underlines the importance of cutting out processed foods as a starting point for anyone looking to improve their health and lose weight.
Lifestyle Trumps Genetics
While genetics may play a small role in overall health, lifestyle choices have a far greater impact. Research in the field of epigenetics reveals that our lifestyle and environmental factors can turn genes on or off, influencing our overall well-being. Instead of attributing health solely to genetics, it is crucial to focus on adopting healthy lifestyle habits, as they are the primary drivers of overall health.
Dietary Choices Impact Visceral Fat Distribution
Diet plays a significant role in determining the distribution of body fat, particularly visceral fat. Individuals who consume excess calories and have poor dietary habits tend to accumulate more subcutaneous fat. Those who prioritize processed foods and simple carbohydrates are more likely to store fat as visceral fat. However, the impact of diet on fat distribution varies among individuals due to differences in gut microbiomes.
Dr. Sean O’ Mara (IG: @drseanomara) is the only physician in the world specializing in Health & Performance Optimization.
He works with individuals and corporations interested in the biological optimization of humans through innovation and safe natural lifestyle strategies shown to be more effective than medications.
Dr. Sean especially enjoys working with exceptionally motivated individuals such as business executives, professional performers and athletes whose livelihood is predicated upon performance.
In this episode, we discuss:
What is visceral fat
The problem with sarcopenia
The treatment for visceral fat is through lifestyle changes
Are you thin outside and fat inside (TOFI)?
Understanding the different types of fat
How much superficial subcutaneous fat should you have?
5 strategies to eliminate visceral fat
Pursue optimal health
Oxytocin protects against visceral fat
The chief influence of myokines
Eliminate processed foods, eliminate visceral fat
Lifestyle influences health more than genetics
MRI scans can detect visceral fat
The quality of calories matter
Carbohydrates increase visceral fat
Vegans have elevated amounts of visceral fat
Eating fermented foods protects your microbiome
Why Dr. Sean doesn’t recommend probiotic supplements
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