Balancing Your EFA's
Essential
Fatty Acids [EFA's] are a hot topic right now as
the cure all for a number of debilitating illnesses,
including: heart
disease, stroke, cancer,
depression,
Alzheimers,
rheumatoid
arthritis, diabetes,
digestive disorders, and greatly improve your overall
health and increase
your energy.
The two main EFA's are Omega-3
and Omega-6.
Omega-3
Omega-3 is one of the the most known nutritional deficiencies,
and as a nutrient is far more important than any other
vitamin or mineral deficiency. Often seemingly unrelated
problems such as weight gain, memory problems and allergies
are attributed to a deficiency in Omega-3.
Studies show that optimal omega-3 levels not only boosts
your overall physical health and energy, but also helps
retain mental function as you age.
Omega-6
Omega-6 is another essential fatty acid, also very
important for good health. In most cases, your food
intake supplies you with plenty of Omega-6, hence deficiencies
in Omega-6 are uncommon.
The health concern with Omega-6 is that if too much
is consumed, it can actually promote disease. The key
is to adopt the ideal Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio.
The Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is 1:1.
In most instances, current ratios of omega-6 to omega-3
average from 20:1 to 50:1!
This highly skewed ratio is due to the high consumption
of omega-6 oils: corn, soy, canola, safflower, and sunflower
oils. Indemic of the large quantity takeout and processed
food being consumed.
In contrast, Omega-3 food sources are not highly consumed:
flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and fish.
The end result is far too much Omega-6 consumption
and insufficient Omega-3 consumption, pulling the ideal
ratio way out of balance.
The solution is obvious, decrease your Omega-6 consumption
and increase your Omega-3 consumption.
Decreasing Omega-6
Reducing your Omega-6 intake is as simple as limiting
the amount of vegetable oils in your diet. This includes
that oil contained in mnny processed foods [baked goods,
potato chips, salad dressings, margarine, shortening,
etc.] Replace you cooking and dressing oil to a high-quality
extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil.
Increasing Your Omega-3 Fats
The best type of omega-3 fats are those found in fish.
Omega-3 found in fish is high in two crucial fatty acids,
DHA and EPA, key in preventing heart disease, cancer,
and many other diseases.
DHA is essential for brain function. Low DHA levels
have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory
loss, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's.
Omega-3 found in plant sources like flaxseeds, exists
as the fatty acid ALA. However, the body must convert
ALA into DHA and EPA, resulting in a very small amount
of Omega-3 being released, compared to the quantity
of food consumed.
The best source of Omega-3 is by natural supplement.
Much of the earths fish stocks are pollluted with mercury,
PCBs, and other toxins. High mercury levels have been
linked with naso-pharyngeal cancer.
Supplement daily with a high-quality brand of fish
oil or cod liver oil. The other benefits of using an
Omega-3
supplement are:
Cod liver oil also contains vitamins A and D. [Remember-
too much Vitamin A can cause health problems]
Oils used in the manufacture of supplements are purified
and therefore do not pose the health risks of polluted
fish.
It’s wise to be aware of the amount of vitamin
A you are taking if you take cod liver oil or you can
get too much.
You can find more healthy eating tips in the Wellness
Section of the Antiaging-Wellness webiste.
You can purchase Omega-3 supplements through the online
Antiaging-Wellness
Shop.
Written by Nicola Carr - Editor Antiaging-Wellness.com
Published 4 April 2007
|
