If there is any mystery about the cause of obesity, it is locked up in the workings of two cells: the myocyte and the adipocyte.

    The myocyte (muscle cell) is the cell where the action begins and adipocyte (fat cell) is where it ends. The study of these two types of cells reveals the true nature of obesity. It is through an understanding of the structure and function of the two cells that we can begin to discern the marvels of biology that keep us lean and energetic. It is also through an understanding of these two cells that we clearly see the utter irrationality of the prevailing ideas of dieting for weight loss. Life span foods nourish these cells; aging-oxidant foods paralyze their life-sustaining enzyme systems. Fat-burning exercises energize their fat-burning enzymes; sugar-burning exercises energize their sugar-burning enzymes. Antibiotics, pesticides and fungicides destroy their enzymes as do toxic metals and industrial pollutants.

    Obesity is a problem of emaciated myocytes and bloated adipocytes. Obesity is not a problem of the mind. Dieting is not a solution to the problem of obesity. Those who choose to diet do not know the biology of these cells (or do not choose to learn about these cells for reasons only they understand).

    THE ADIPOCYTE

    An adipocyte is a tiny cell packed with triglyceride fat. There are approximately 30 billion adipocytes in the human body. Nature designed the adipocyte as a tiny packet of stored energy. Energy is stored in an adipocyte as a tiny droplet of triglyceride fat, about 0.5 microgram in weight (A teaspoon can hold roughly 6 million micrograms of sugar). An average adult carries about 15 kg (33 pounds) of fat in his 30 billion adipocytes. Since one gram of fat contains 9 calories, it follows that an average adult has 135,000 calories stored in his adipocytes. This depot of energy can sustain an adult through a 40-50 day fast.

    The term triglyceride refers to a molecule formed by three fatty acids linked together by a single molecule of a specific type of alcohol called glycerol. The types of fatty acids included in triglycerides in adipocytes reflect the composition of fatty acids in the diet. Life span foods fill the adipocytes with unspoiled, unoxidized fatty acids; aging-oxidant foods lead to the storage of oxidized fatty acids. Studies have shown that diets rich in life span oils such as oleic acid (olive oil is an important source of this oil) lead to a higher quantity of healthful fatty acids in adipocytes.

    THE CELLULAR INTELLIGENCE OF THE FAT CELL

    The fat cell is an intelligent cell. The wisdom of this cell shows itself in how it orchestrates the workings of the molecules that reside on its surface and those that live within it. There are molecules on its surface that it uses as hooks. It literally fishes for molecules it needs from the soup of life fluids that bathes its surface. These molecules include various hormones and other important "intelligence" molecules of the body. It has its own enzymes, and it has messenger RNA molecules that it uses to make daughter enzyme molecules.

The cell membrane of the fat cell is a marvel of biology.

*    It separates internal order from external disorder.
*    It serves as the principal clearing house for the cellular intelligence data.
*    It transforms intelligence data into physical energy and molecular changes.
*    It keeps under surveillance the intrinsic cellular self-destruct mechanisms.
*    It alters its own image and structure to respond to changes in its environments.
*    It serves the cell as its skin, its bowel, its kidneys, its lungs, all rolled in one.
*    It influences the regulatory mechanisms for cellular growth, differentiation and reproductive potential.
*    In essence, it thinks for the cell.

    The adipocyte watches out for dangers. It fends for itself. It has sentinel molecules. It has gatekeeper molecules. It has builder molecules and scavenger molecules. It has molecules which it is willing to sacrifice and others which it guards with its life. It has slave molecules and master molecules. It has spies and messengers. The adipocyte has clear ideas of its internal organization, and it is capable of responding and adapting to preserve that order.

    CELLULITE: THE GRAVEYARD OF DEAD FAT CELLS

    There is an absolute limit to how much any cell can suffer. And so it is with fat cells. When toxic cyclic and trans fatty acids and fat peroxides coat a fat cell, the cell suffocates and slowly dies. Why does it happen? It happens because the cell cannot breathe through the plastic layer of these denatured fats on its surface membrane. The molecules it needs cannot come in. The molecules it wants to rid itself of cannot go out. The molecular menagerie of the cell, the ever-changing kaleidoscope of life, comes to a standstill. The fat cell dies. Then another cell dies, and then another. The dead bodies of these cells coalesce to form the chunks of dead fat we call cellulite. Think of dying and dead fat cells next time you see a child being fed french fries soaked with toxic oils and a greasy hamburger cooked with toxic fats. And then think of what dieting can do to the graveyards of dead fat cells. Dead fat cells in the body cannot be brought back to life by starving the whole body with dieting. Next, look at the label of the frozen foods that dieting experts package for you. Denatured, oxidized oils are not hard to spot. One clue: Almost all cholesterol-free items in these foods are made with processed oils contaminated with toxic fats. So stay away from cholesterol- free fats.