A crucial aspect of healthy food choice is the oil used. Our Standard American Diet (SAD) has skewed the ratios toward an unhealthy balance which is significantly causing an increase in cardiovascular events, cognitive and mental health issues, inflammatory and auto-immune disease, weight gain, and harm to new born babies.
Omega-3 oils are the “good oils” and we are simply not getting enough because we eat too much Omega-6 oils (oils to me minimized and avoided). Omega-3 oils are derived from fatty fish such as salmon, herring, anchovies, sardines and mackerel. Omega-6 oils are from corn, safflower, soybean, cottonseed, sunflower oils and trans fats such as margarine and from fried foods. Omega-6 oils can also be found in dairy products, meat, poultry and eggs. Humans evolved eating a balanced diet of 1:1 ratio of Omega -6 to Omega-3 whereas present day eating habits are 25:1 of Omega 6 to Omega 3, resulting in inflammatory diseases which would include Crohn’s disease, atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, asthma and lupus.
Clinical studies have shown that Omega-3 oils may effectively reduce heart attack rates, cardiovascular disease, and the risk of certain cancers. It may improve mood disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia. Pre- and post natal infants require Omega-3 for proper brain and vision development, and studies suggest that pregnant and breast feeding mothers have healthier pregnancies and babies. Research indicates that children may benefit from a reduction in behavior problems associated with ADHD, a lower risk of type 1 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Research also suggests that adolescents may gain healthier lungs and an advantage against depression and mood disorders. Seniors may stave off memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
The human body cannot produce Omega-3 on its own. Consequently, major health institutions recommend the daily consumption of EPA/DHA from fish or fish oil.
From reading this it is important to find out what your ratio’s are to reduce your pain and address or prevent further health issues. I have formed a business relationship with BRAINSPAN to do testing for us that will assess the health of your cells, determine your Omega-3 index, chart the degree of your cell inflammation, cell toxicity(which influences leptin signaling, crucial for weight management), assess your memory capacity, sustained attention capacity, cognitive flexibility and processing speed.
We have kits now at the office. All that is needed is a finger poke for a few drops of blood sample and then you will go on line to complete some simple cognitive tests. You will receive a very well done and easy to understand report which will chart where you stand for optimal aging and give you specific recommendations to get your levels back to where they should be.
The good news is the cost of the test is an affordable $145, well worth the price to find out where you stand with your most important asset, your health!