The Role of Omega 3

There has been a lot of "buzz" lately around the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment and prevention of many diseases. They have been shown to protect the heart from cardiovascular disease, to protecting against Alzheimer's and reducing inflammation in the body. But what are they and where do we get them?

The significance behind the Omega-3 fatty acids is that they are essential to our body. This means not only are they necessary, but our bodies cannot make them and they need to come from the diet. Well what happens when we don't get enough of these essential fatty acids in the diet? That's why there are 2000 peer-reviewed studies on omega-3's and their role in health. Without boring you with the biochemistry we need to make a few distinctions with regards to Omega-3's. While there are a few good sources of omega-3's (ie flax seeds/oil) a lot of the research is done studying the long chain omega-3's EPA and DHA. While your body can convert a % or the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid into EPA and DHA with various enzymes, we can consume EPA and DHA directly in cold water fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. Part of the reason we need DHA in our bodies is because it composes part of the brain. At birth your brain is composed of 60% fat and a total of 11% of the brain's mass comes from DHA. So what happens when the mom does not get enough EPA/DHA in the diet? We know from research that DHA continues to accumulate in the brain and neural tissues until the age of two. This is part of the reason it is important for the mom to breast feed. Not only does the baby get the perfect nutritional composition and immune support, but they also get the necessary omega-3's for proper brain development. This also poses an interesting question about post-partum depression. They have studied the correlation between countries with low fish consumption and the incidence of post-partum depression and noted that it is significantly higher than those countries that have a higher consumption of fish.

There are now over 2000 peer-reviewed studies documenting the various benefits of omega-3 oils in the diet. A lot of this information comes from studying groups of people, monitoring their fish intake and noticing trends with conditions like cardiovascular disease. As an example, the average North American consumes approximately 0.1-0.2 g/day EPA/DHA. Compare this to an Inuit person who consumes approximately 2.1 g of EPA/DHA and has a significantly lower risk of heart disease. Omega-3's have shown to reduce levels of triglycerides in teh blood and raise the HDL ("good" cholesterol) which has had a significant impact on the prevention and treatment of at risk individuals. It has also been shown to reduce atherosclerosis (plaque formation), heart arrythmia's and inflammatory markers.

Well what about the risk of contamination from the heavy metals and other environmental pollutants? The reputable companies will put their oil through a few processes to ensure the oil is free from contaminants. Ask your local health food store who the good companies are. This may be one case where it is better to take a supplement than eat the actual food. Most fish oils don't taste anything like fish. In fact they usually taste like lemon or orange. I usually recommend people take the oil as it is more cost effective, but there are capsules if you need them. Most of the studies done with regards to EPA/DHA would require us to take 1-2 teaspoons of fish oil/day. This would provide approximately 1.6-3.2 grams of the brain protecting, heart protecting, good stuff per day. This would take a lot of capsules so read your labels. It has been shown that most humans will convert between 5-15% of alpha-linolenic acid (found in flax oil) to EPA/DHA. This would require a lot of flax oil so this is why I recommend the fish oil. SOme people ask about the "blended" oils of omega-3,6,9 and these are great, but most people are so deficient in EPA/DHA that it won't provide enough. Besides, if you consume olive oil, nuts and seeds in your diet you will get enough of the other oils.

I knew this was an important topic when the first two seminars I attended this year revolved around the topic of omega-3 fatty acids and their role in health. It was also interesting that both seminars were focused on the consumption of EPA/DHA and this made it clear to me why everybody needs to look at their current intake and supplement as necessary.

Dr. Jason Plotsky

Eye on Pesticides

It is apparent that buying or growing as much organic food as possible is not only best for your health, but for the health of the entire planet. However, certain fruits and vegetables are subjected to far heavier pesticide use than others. With food prices rising, many are looking for ways to buy the healthiest foods possible at the lowest cost.

One such way would be to focus on purchasing certain organic items, while settling for others that are conventionally grown. The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that advocates for policies that protect global and individual health, produces the Shoppers' Guide to Pesticides in Produce. It is based on the results of nearly 43,000 pesticide tests.

Of the 43 different fruit and vegetable categories in the EWG's Guide to Pesticides, the following 12 foods had the lowest pesticide load when conventionally grown: asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, kiwis, mangos, onions, pineapples, sweet corn and sweet peas. Consequently, they are the safest conventionally grown crops to consume.

Meanwhile, these 12 fruits and vegetables had the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to buy or grow organic: apples, celery, cherries, imported grapes, lettuce, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, spinach, strawberries and sweet bell peppers. Conventionally grown strawberries, in particular, were found by a 007 European Union study to be highly toxic due to a poisonous blend of pesticides. But be aware that these lists cover fruits and vegetables only. Non-organic meats actually have far higher concentrations of pesticides than all of the fruits and vegetables. And the highest concentration of pesticides is actually in non-organic butter.

So, if you can only buy one organic food item, it should be butter. Your next priority should be meats, and once those are addressed, focus on the fruits and vegetables listed above.

Bear in mind, also, that locally grown organics are your absolute best bet. Oftentimes, buying locally grown food is your best choice even if it's grown conventionally, as the environmental impact of shipping organic produce across the globe can cancel out many of its benefits. Organic farming standards are also questionable in many parts of the world.

Article excerpt by Dr. Mercola, published in Pathways to Family Wellness, summer 2010

Foods and the Inflammatory Response

As with any health strategy, that which we put into our body will affect its ability to heal and repair. A diet consisting of foods that reduce inflammation should include essential fatty acids from fish and nuts, the spice turmeric, and antioxidants from vegetables and fruits: all may assist in keeping inflammation low. Without inflammation damaged tissue would not heal and further destruction would result.

Foods that may trigger inflammation should be reduced or eliminated from the diet. These may include those foods containing the alkaloid solanine found in the nightshade family (peppers, tomatoes, potato, and eggplant) and those high in arachidonic acid (meat, eggs). Eliminating refined sugars, white flours, processed foods including those with nitrates - as they may perpetuate a rise in inflammatory mediators - is also highly recommended. Another consideration is removing gluten, which can contribute significantly to inflammation, from the diet. Gluten sensitivity is now being recognized as far more prevalent than previously thought and testing is available to identify those who are sensitive.

Although systemic enzyme support may consist of the same proteolytic enzymes as enzymes that are used to support digestion, their intent is to reach the systemic circulation. It is imperative, then, that they are used on an empty stomach (45 minutes prior to eating or several hours after food) in order to achieve this desired effect.

It is apparent that a healthy immune response to injury/trauma involves an inflammatory response. When this response is balanced and appropriate, the body will heal and move to a state of recovery quickly and without complication. When this process is out of balance, pain, reduced healing, and chronic inflammatory conditions may result. Systemic enzyme support assists the body in reaching balance more readily with minimal to no side-effects, unlike some traditional pharmaceutical treatments.

Article excerpt by Dr. Victoria Coleman, published in Canadian Chiropractor, June 2010