Toxins and fat

Fat: A source of energy, fatty acids, physical insulation against cold and mechanical protection against injury. Equally important, though less well-known, is its function as a safe reservoir of toxins which it coats and inactivates. The more toxins flow through our body, the more fat we have to store in order to stay safe. Do not get me wrong – not all stored fat is caused by toxins! We must always first look at the base of the pyramid of a healthy lifestyle – sleep, diet, physical exercise, and stress management. Protection against toxins is yet another piece in the complex but meaningful puzzle that is a holistic approach to our health.

If we take care of the base of the pyramid responsibly and also eliminate toxins effectively at the same time, we do not need to store so much fat. We can even eat less than usual and still feel satiated because we are able to absorb the required amount of nutrients from significantly smaller amounts of food. We need to be careful, however, in case we lose a lot of weight quickly without eliminating toxins effectively. From the stored reservoirs, they enter our bloodstream and can cause numerous health complications, fatigue, or other symptoms of intoxication.

This commonly happens to us, women who try to lose weight. The more we slim down and burn fat, the more toxins circulate in our body and the more tired and ill we feel. Unless we provide our body with nutrients along with a suitable mediator when we change our eating habits, we experience craving – the desire to eat more high-calorie foods and stronger flavours – be it savoury, spicy, or sweet. Although the body consumes food, it does not absorb the required amount of nutrients. Craving forces us to struggle with more restraint which leads to frustration. This is certainly not wholesome, as it transforms eating from a joyful experience into something stressful.

Antioxidants

And since we are speaking about stress, what are these antioxidants? An antioxidant is a compound capable of cleansing the body of free radicals. And free radicals? These are atoms with an unpaired valence electron which allows them to be very active in the body, damaging membranes and biochemical processes with their negative charge. This causes oxidative stress. When your husband comes home with a negative charge, the atmosphere is not particularly loving, but rather stressful too, isn’t it? 

The antioxidant properties of Black Stuff were analysed in an independent study performed by a biochemical laboratory at Riga Stradiņš University. An important indicator of antioxidant activity is the level of our friends, the polyphenols, of which Black Stuff is such a rich source. In addition, the activity is compared to vitamin E, the ability to lower the concentration of free radicals (Black Stuff does, by half) and reduce iron in the form of Fe³⁺to Fe²⁺. This study confirms the high antioxidant activity of Black Stuff and therefore its protective effect on cellular membranes and receptors against free radicals and oxidative stress. It also mentions that long-term supplementation of Black Stuff might improve the overall antioxidant properties of the body and in doing so, boost our immune system.

And now let us put all of the pieces of the puzzle together and create a nice picture.

Works cited:

1. Research of the antioxidant potential and ability of Black Stuff to scavenge free radicals in vitro, Alise Silova, Dr.med. Lead Researcher, RSU Laboratory of Biochemistry: https://blackstuff.fi/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Black-Stuff-study-RSU-lab_EN.pdf
2. https://www.systers.bio/en/why-im-such-a-black-stuff-buff-vol-3/