3430-D Anderson Hwy.,
Powhatan, VA 23139 ~ 804-598-5352
www.herbalconsultant.com
APRIL, 2005 NEWSLETTER
GOOD FATS - BAD FATS
In my high school health class, we were taught that all fats are bad, bad, bad! My mother always told us that eating fats would make us fat. Based on these lessons, I always believed that all fats were bad fats. When I started studying health and nutrition, I learned that those lessons aren’t necessarily true. All fats have the potential to be good or bad, depending on how much we eat and if they’re used in the right proportions.
Our diets should consist of different types of fats – primarily Omega 3’s and 6’s. Each has an important role to play in our bodies. According to Dr. Pamela Hannaman-Pittman, Naturopathic Physician in Richmond, VA, Omega 3’s and 6’s are “essential fatty acids” (EFA’s), which means that our bodies cannot make them; they’re required for normal cell, tissue, gland and organ function; they must be provided through food or supplements and their absence from our diets can have devastating effects on our health. According to Better Nutrition Magazine (June, 2002), the American diet contains an overabundance of Omega 6 fats which are most commonly found in processed shortenings and vegetable oils. Our bodies are incapable of changing Omega 6’s into a useful form without having Omega 3’s to balance them. Hannaman-Pittman says that too many Omega 6’s from processed oils cause inflammatory conditions which lead to heart disease, strokes, cancer, arthritis and other serious diseases. Our diets usually lack adequate Omega 3’s, which are found primarily in high fat, cold water fish.
Udo Erasmus, PhD, one of the leading experts on EFA’s and the author of Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, says that without the right balance of EFA’s, no cell or tissue can function normally. Some of the conditions caused by a lack of Omega 3’s are:
Dry skin, constipation, low energy, liver and kidney deterioration, lower immunity, digestive problems, bone mineral loss, reproductive problems, vision and learning problems, insulin resistance, mental illness, decreased lung function and other problems.
This list shows just how “essential” the essential fatty acids are to our overall well-being.
Omega 3’s contain elements known as EPA and DHA. Erasmus states that DHA is one of the most important factors for brain health. The right amount of DHA can help deal with depression, mood swings, Alzheimer’s disease and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADD/ADHD), to name just a few common mental health conditions. For optimum health, we need twice as many Omega 3’s as we do Omega 6’s.
A May, 1999 article in Better Nutrition Magazine offers some suggestions for getting the right amount of good fats in our daily diets:
1. Reduce the amount of saturated and total fat in your diet. Remember that animal products are high in fat, while most plant foods are very low in fat.
2. Reduce your intake of meat and dairy products, and increase your intake of fish, especially cold
water
fish, and omega-3 (DHA/EPA) fish oil supplements.
3. Eliminate margarine and other foods containing partially hydrogenated fats and trans-fatty acids. Food labels are required to list whether fats are hydrogenated or if the products contain trans-fats.
4. Limit total dietary fat intake to no more than 30 percent of calories consumed (400-600 calories a day from fat, based on a standard 2,000-calorie-a-day diet). Consume EFA-rich oils, like fish, olive, flax, hemp and nut oils, instead of dangerous trans- and saturated fats like margarine or lard.
5. Take one tablespoon of organic, unrefined flaxseed oil daily, a good source of Omega 3 fats.
6. Eat more nuts. Nuts contain the all-important Omega 3’s we need every day and, as a benefit, are a good source of protein.
Finally, Hannaman-Pittman cautions that fish and fish oil supplements often contain large amounts of mercury, which is very toxic. Be sure to read labels to see if supplements are certified mercury-free and have Vitamin E added to help prevent spoilage. Refrigerating oils and supplements will extend their shelf-lives.
By
limiting fats to no more than 30% of total calories, increasing Omega 3’s and
decreasing Omega 6’s, your risks of certain diseases will decrease and
you’ll feel better, too.
UKROP’S
GOLDEN GIFT RECEIPTS
Please
check our website. We put on a free
community health fair each year and are always looking for donations.
Send your certificate to: PHWO, P.O. Box 842, Powhatan, VA
23139.
Thanks!
We carry pure, safe Essential Fatty Acids in gel-cap – guaranteed pure by the manufacturers. For vegetarians, try Flaxseed-Primrose oils. And for kids, we have chewable DHA, critical for brain health and focus.
Essential Oil of the Month
Bergamot: A citrus oil that is used in aromatherapy diffusion to help treat anxiety, drug withdrawal and respiratory disorders and help focus the mind to improve mental clarity and creativity. Bergamot can also be blended with a massage or carrier oil and used topically as an insect repellent, anti-inflammatory, to relieve eczema conditions, or to help heal cuts and scrapes. Other uses include aiding in the relief of gingivitis and oral thrush. Bergamot should never be taken internally without the advice of a professional. Bergamot should not be used in the first trimester of pregnancy. This oil is also photoxic, making you more susceptible to sun damage when used topically.
Massage Tidbit of the Month
Help reduce the risk of injuries and speed recovery time from an injury with massage therapy. Now that everyone is focusing on outdoor activities such as lawn care, home maintenance and sports, it is very important to take care of all those muscles being used that may have been dormant this winter. Massage therapy increases blood flow and tissue elasticity while decreasing adhesions. This reduces the risk for pulled muscles and helps those sore muscles recover much faster.
By ShawnMarie, CMT
ShawnMarie is a nationally certified massage therapist and founding member of the Powhatan Health and Wellness Organization.