“When is a Tie a Win?” – Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fats
We have many nutritional deficiencies in this country. We blindly trust the choices of others to create our foods without questioning their ingredients and preparation. Both the ingredients that they use and how they are prepared will greatly affect your health. I think this topic in this newsletter is at the very top of the list of critical importance in deficiency and imbalance next to the lack of enough vitamin D in our systems. This subject is a perfect example how being out of sync in both our physical and spiritual choices in life really dictate how we think and feel. As you read you will see how choosing and adding the correct essential fats to your diet and reducing others can help achieve that balance.
We are all obsessed with the word “fat” in this country. We choose low fat products or no fat foods thinking this will promote better health and maintain a proper weight with poor results. This way of thinking will only get you frustrated and confused. Eliminating all fats from your diet will have detrimental results and is never recommended. There is good and bad in all things in life and in the world of “fats” this statement also rings true. I have discussed in previous articles the fats you should be eliminating and cutting down on such as; Trans Fats, Animal Saturated Fats and Partially Hydrogenated Fats. Now I will discuss the good fats that should be included in your diet every day. These are called essential fatty acids along with their pros and cons in affecting your health.
What are essential fatty acids?
These are fats that our bodies cannot create internally and must be obtained through our diet. They are omega 3 and omega 6 fats among others and come from both animal and plant sources. Critical they are in maintaining our mental and physical health. Their balance with relationship to one another is the key. Too much of either is unhealthy, but well balanced they will do wonders. Since your brain’s makeup is 60% and 70% fat, understanding this ratio is very important. The fats you eat dictate how you think!
Omega 3 fatty acids
These are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linoleic acid). They are all polyunsaturated fatty acids extremely beneficial to your health and protective of your heart and mind. The first two, EPA & DHA come from animal sources such as cold water fish and krill. They are easily utilized by our bodies. ALA is the plant source of this nutrient mainly coming from; chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp, green vegetables, walnuts and avocado. ALA must be converted by the body first into EPA & DHA to be utilized. It is not as efficient in its conversion as if taking EPA & DHA directly but healthy it is and vegan.
What are the benefits of omega 3’s?
According to Dr. Frank Sacks professor of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, they thin the blood naturally controlling blood clotting while building cell membranes in the brain. They are associated with the protection of the heart and from possible stroke. New studies are linking potential benefits in conditions including, cancer, IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), autoimmune diseases and rheumatoid arthritis. In simple terms omega 3’s thin the blood and helps turn off internal inflammation. Unless you are eating cold water fish ( not farm raised) twice a week or eating walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp, avocado, green vegetables or taking supplements on a daily basis, you are deficient in omega 3’s.
Omega 6 fatty acids
This is also an essential fatty acid (polyunsaturated) which our bodies cannot make and need to take through our diet. This nutrient is associated with lowering LDL (the bad cholesterol). Omega 6’s are found in soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil and many others. With new technological advances in extracting these oils, they have become very inexpensive to manufacture. The fast food industry and processed food markets are flooded with them. Yes, we need them for proper health but not in the numbers that we are eating them today. Just as omega 3”s thin the blood and turn off inflammation omega 6’s thicken the blood and increase inflammation. In the correct ratio between these two (1:1) inflammation is under control and healing is promoted. But when the ratio is out of balance many believe this is the cause of most of our ailments that we experience today. This brings me to the point in this newsletter. What is the typical ratio between omega 6 & 3 omega fats in the typical American diet if it is supposed to be 1:1?
How and what we eat in this country is causing a lot of our health problems. If you are eating fast/ processed foods cooked in refined soybean oil accompanied with a high intake of cooked animal protein (meats), your omega 6 levels are way off the charts just like the statement above promoting inflammation. Accompany that with the lack of omega 3 foods in your daily diet and you can see why the typical person in this country is out of balance in these essential and critical fatty acids.
Find a way to add the ground flax and chia seeds in your meals (refrigerated). Sprinkle them in yogurt (Plain Greek), cereal, over a salad, in baked goods or part of your bread crumbs. Buy an avocado once in a while. Include a salad at every meal. Eat some cold water fish or take fish oil tablets (preferably krill). Stop cooking with vegetable oil, corn oil, safflower oil and change to canola or walnut oil. These suggestions will help bring your ratio back closer to 1:1 ratio.
The answer to the title above is; when you bring your omega 3 & 6 fats to equal levels (1:1) you win!