| |
| |
| How Can Fat Be Essential?
How Can Fat Be Essential? By Garry Gamber
Did you know that some fats are essential to the body? Yes, there are some fats that our body cannot produce which means that we must get them from our food. Perhaps you've heard of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. These are both considered essential and must be supplied by the foods we eat.
What do they do? Well, the omega-3 fatty acid, for example is used for the production of healthy cell membranes and for the production of a class of hormones called prostaglandins. You know how aspirin and acetominophen are anti-inflammatories? So are the prostaglandins that our bodies produce from omega-3 fatty acids.
Now, we need the omega-3's and the omega-6's to be in the proper combination to be most effective to us. Empirical evidence shows that the proper ratio is about 4:1 between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. What do you suppose our average diet gives us? About a 20:1 and up to a 40:1 ratio; not even close to the optimal ratio.
Why is the balance so out of whack? Well, our normal diets are rich in omega-6 fatty acids. We get them from meats, dairy products, and processed foods. We eat a lot of those foods on average. We get omega-3 fatty acids from certain vegetable oils such as flaxseed, canola, and soybean. And we get omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, and tuna.
Eat more fish! You've heard that said before, and now you know why.
Especially the salmon. It is especially rich in the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon , or any of the other omega-3 rich fish (but what tastes better than good salmon?) should be consumed at least once a week.
In order to get the omega-6 vs. omega-3 ratio in order, decrease your consumption of the saturated fat from meats and dairy products and increase your consumption of fish such as salmon.
Do you know how else you will benefit from increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids? Your cholesterol level will improve. You see, the essential omega-3 fatty acids have the ability to help decrease your total cholesterol and your LDL cholesterol level. The LDL cholesterol is the so-called bad cholesterol. So you will improve your cholesterol levels by adding a better balance of omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.
Not surprisingly, the omega-3 fatty acids can be heart healthy. Several diseases show improvement when patients increase their intake of these essential fats. Check out Dr. Ray Strand's important book for citings of clinical studies of omega-3. The book is titled, "What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You." It's a wonderful book and should be a standard reference volume in your nutrition library.
Eat well, take appropriate supplements, and stay healthy. ***************************** Garry Gamber is a public school teacher and entrepreneur. He writes articles about real estate, health and nutrition, and internet dating services. He is the owner of www.Anchorage-Homes.com and www.TheDatingAdvisor.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Is Vitamin E Beneficial Or Harmful? Cutting Through The Clutter Of Different Scientific Opinions Numerous reports have recently appeared in both the lay and medical press questioning the value of vitamin E supplementation and suggesting that there are risks associated with its use even at doses previously thought to have been "safe". What do we do with the hundreds of studies and extensive clinical research that has been published in the medical literature suggesting benefit in cardiovascular disease, alzheimers, diabetes and other degenerative diseases? A search of the National Library of Medicine yields over 25,000 citations, many funded or sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other prestigious medical and scientific organizations. Healthy Eating for Executives on the Run For the executive, maintaining the much-needed balance between career, family, and health can often be a challenge and yet without this balance in our lives it is impossible to become focused and efficient during the work day. The one area that seems to be the quickest to fall out of balance is our health. Got Soy? Milk, Snuff, and Soy Beans Milk is highly underrated. Experts say, America finds itself in a calcium crisis today because consumers aren't drinking enough milk. Fasting & Enemas...For A Clean Body Detox A hundred years ago, life was very different here on earth. The air was cleaner and the earth was rich in nutrients. The Worse Mistakes People Make with Food There are a number of common food mistakes that costs dearly in money, health, and time. What are the major mistakes made? What changes do you need to make? Here are some food mistakes to avoid. 5 Tips To Lower Your Cholesterol Cholesterol has been around for thousands of years. It's a natural function of the human body. Heart Friendly Foods Heart disease results when plaque builds up inside the arterial walls, which causes a partial or complete obstruction of blood flow. This reduces flow of blood to heart and may result in angina. The Five Keys to Healthy Eating 1. Enjoy what you eatWhether someone is following the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, the advice contained in Tom Venuto's e-Book, "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" or even a program of their own design, success depends on enjoying what you eat. A Background to Dietary Fiber Fiber is the part of the plant that is resistant to hydrolysis (A chemical decomposition in which a substance is split into simpler compounds by the addition or the taking up of the elements of water) by human digestive enzymes and, with the exception of lignin, fibers are complex carbohydrates. These include pectin, gums, mucilages, hemicellulose, polysaccharides cellulose, and nonpolysaccharide lignins. Whats The Truth About Fat? When I hear the word fat I usually think of a roll of it hanging over a persons belt, or that guy Milty, from the movie Van Wilder, doing a belly flop off of the top diving platform with the words, "save the swim team", written across his backside. Sometimes, however, the picture of a big, juicy, double quarter pounder with cheese will slip its way into my mind. The Liquid Vitamin Mineral Approach Liquid vitamin mineralThe liquid vitamin mineral dietary supplement is a must have for maximum vitality and health. In today's fast food environment most of us do not get the proper balance of food for the necessary for optimal health Unfortunately the body only absorbs 10 to 20 percent of the nutrients found in traditional pills and capsules. Acid and Digestive Disorders: Breaking the Vicious Circle THE RISKThe primary symptom of acid reflux is obvious to those who have it. During the digestive process, acid flows up into the throat and causes a burning sensation. Capsulized Food: The Next Step in Food Evolution Anyone who has spent a day fasting from food, or who has even skipped a meal, knows just how much time we save when we are not provisioning and consuming meals. Of course, efficiency is not our only concern when it comes to eating. High Blood Pressure? Natural Alternatives Can Help! High blood pressure (hypertension) is a dangerous condition that can lead= to stroke, enlarged heart, congestive heart failure, kidney and eye damage, atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries, and premature death.According to a recent report released in The New England Journal of Medicine of 16,000 adults surveyed over the age of 24, nearly 30 percent had blood pressure of at least 140/90 and more than one-third of them were unaware of their condition. What on Earth is an Enzyme? Enzymes are the workers in our body that make everything function, by enabling chemical reactions. All living cells contain enzymes. What Would You Do For a Klondike Bar? Unfortunately, the words "diet" and "cheating" go hand in hand. When you say, "I'm on a DIET", it usually means you are depriving yourself of something. The Fountain of Youth - Right in Front of Us All This Time! Can we really stop the aging process, slow it down, or even reverse the effects of aging on our skin and body? It is an enigma for which so many have searched the answers to for years. Now, with advanced modern science making breakthroughs and discoveries every day, the answers have become apparent to the age-old quest for the proverbial fountain of youth. Prevent Constipation and Other Health Ailments with Papaya Constipation is a condition whereby the fecal matter traveling through your colon remains too long in your colon before traveling out of the rectum. You become aware that you are constipated if you have difficulty passing motion or take a few days to do one purge. Help Prevent Premature Aging With Nutrition-Science Aging occurs when the body's cells die at faster rates than new cells are generated. People age prematurely because inadequate nutrition resulting from poor diet stimulates cellular destruction and increases the potential for obesity, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases. How Can Fat Be Essential? How Can Fat Be Essential? By Garry Gamber Did you know that some fats are essential to the body? Yes, there are some fats that our body cannot produce which means that we must get them from our food. Perhaps you've heard of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.
|
| © 2006 |
