America's major dietary deficiency - EFA a panacea for good health
Today you cannot so much turn a corner without seeing a sign on a fast food restaurant's window boasting the "Low Carb" menu. You cannot read a magazine without seeing an ad for "Adkins friendly" foods. Everyone it seems is preaching the Low Carb Diet. You are told what not to eat in a sentence. "Lower your carbohydrate intake" they say, but no one is emphasizing what you should eat. As there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate for life, we humans can do just fine without bread, rice and potatoes. However, this food group does provide very cheap and quick fuel and has been used throughout history to nourish armies and feed the masses.
Proteins and fats are "essential" and without some in our diet, humans would perish. So I am going to focus on an important component of the diet, once you have cut your carbs down. The American (for that matter the modern) diet is deficient in fats. Yes, fats. The once blacklisted lambasted substance that dieticians had viewed as the single culprit for obesity is now being viewed as the panacea for good health. There is a nationwide fat intake deficiency. Not any fat mind you as the fast food industry is an ample supplier of the "wrong kinds of fats." I am speaking of the omega-3 fatty acids and since the 1850's dietary intake of these fatty acids has taken a nosedive. The omega-3 Fatty Acids (n-3FA) is a structure different from the n-6 and n-9 FA that we are more prone to find in our French fries and double cheeseburgers. Sources of n-3FA are from animal (fish) salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, and from plant sources such as Flaxseed and Borage oil.
First and foremost, fatty acids are crucial in fetal development and early childhood development from neonates to adolescence. The brain is mostly comprised of fat and requires fatty acids. In particular docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as building blocks. When someone calls you a fat-head, take it as a complement. The more dietary fat you take in the better chances you have of developing a health central and peripheral nervous system. Recently companies that manufacture infant formula have added lipids high in DHA, Enfamil LIPIL for example. Studies show that children exposed to higher concentrations of fatty acids in their diet tend to do better scholastically.
The health benefits of Omega Fatty Acids (n-FA) abound. Much research was gathered by studying the Inuit diet with a ratio of n-6:n-3 of 1:2.5 and other cultures (Okinawa, Japan for example) that consumed much of their dietary fat from fish in the 6:1 ratios. The Inuit (Eskimo) diet consisted almost exclusively of meat (there is very little space to grow "greens or grains" in the Arctic) and their meat source was overwhelmingly from the sea. Hence, their intake of rather high ratios of n-3 FA gave them near insusceptibility against cardiovascular disease. Since about the turn of the last century our ratios have changed drastically to that of about 20:1 and as a consequence we suffer a grave n-3 FA deficiency. This dietary state happens to be a pro-inflammatory condition. There are very strong scientifically proven connections between diets low in n-3 FA and higher incidences of a number of diseases. They include cardiovascular disease. Heart attacks and strokes are more common in people not consuming enough of this essential FA. There is even a connection with multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia and depression, and even osteoporosis. Research in the last few years has shown marked improvements in depression with high doses of EFA as the only treatment.
Since the link was made some years ago between inflammation and heart disease, it behooves one to do whatever to reduce the inflammation in our systems, beyond relying on a pill. As inflammation relates to many of the arthritises and degenerative diseases of our bodies, nutritionally minded doctors will often prescribe n-3 FA to their patients to help with the pain and progression of arthritis. There is obviously not enough room in this article to discuss specifics, but the take home message here is this. Of the near fifty know essential nutrients our body needs for survival, the one that has the highest daily requirement is the "essential fatty acids" and the consequences of suffering a deficiency has a major impact on the human body.
JP Saleeby, MD is Assistant Medical Director of LRMC-ED, and CEO of VSN a pharmaceutical grade dietary supplement company (http://www.vitasanus.com). Dr. Saleeby also practices integrative preventive medicine in a telemedicine forum, visit http://www.vitasanus.com for more information. He can be reached for comment at http://www.vitasanus.com.
Culver prom limo ..For decades science has been looking for the answers to... Read More
Nutrition has everything to do with health. This isn't news,... Read More
Most red and white meats are very fatty and are... Read More
Unfortunately, it has been proved beyond doubt that a large... Read More
The most incredible thing you can do for yourself is... Read More
I turned into my parents' driveway in Maryland and parked... Read More
Omega-3 appear to reduce the risk of heart attack. A... Read More
Water is a vitally important component of any valuable and... Read More
1. Water. If you're thirsty you're already dehydrated. The majority... Read More
Do you need omega 3 fatty acid in your diet?... Read More
If you drop a bomb, you kill not only your... Read More
The fact that diet directly affects behaviour is no news,... Read More
Mannatech's patent-pending glyconutrients complex, Ambrotose, is perhaps the greatest wellness... Read More
The cry of "I have no willpower!" often emerges from... Read More
Dieting is a pain. I think basically everyone would agree... Read More
In the brain, a typical protein can live for approximately... Read More
Finding simple ways to reduce my waistline is always a... Read More
Proper hydration is extremely important during exercise. Adequate fluid intake... Read More
Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a... Read More
The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has... Read More
AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by... Read More
Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more... Read More
While packages of the artificial sweetener Splenda claim, "made from... Read More
Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the... Read More
Since the beginning of time, everyday fruits have been known... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..You may have heard of the "Portfolio Diet" wherein it... Read More
I'd like to explain an important concept that most online... Read More
Factory FarmingThe big names in American agriculture would like you... Read More
Cholesterol is present in our bodies by one of two... Read More
Nutrition has everything to do with health. This isn't news,... Read More
So what's all the shake up about anyway?. To put... Read More
Images of "protein powder" containers with accomplished bodybuilders on their... Read More
"It is a bone-deep change you are going into, my... Read More
You would probably think that I was writing a lot... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat when you... Read More
How did we cure ourselves of many aches pains and... Read More
ABC News has recently focused on the possible anti-aging benefits... Read More
Our bodies are truly incredible machines. What makes cells healthy?... Read More
It is a question we must ask ourselves continually if... Read More
With new research, new products and new skin protection advice... Read More
AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by... Read More
Organic farming is the production of food using all natural... Read More
Every day we are bombarded with information about food products... Read More
Calcium helps reduce constipationUsing calcium and magnesium in the right... Read More
Spring is in the air and ? summer is around... Read More
According to the National Institute of Health, Magnesium is needed... Read More
The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams,... Read More
What Ever Happened to the Basic FourThe USDA was originally... Read More
Have you ever watched someone who appears thin and healthy... Read More
In order to eat fewer calories than you need, you... Read More
Nutrition |