|
Heart DiseaseThe Reconciliation Act of Omega Fatty Acids
by:
Greg Post
Generally it can be aforesaid that most of us do not get a nice balance of essential fatty acids in our diet. Possibly this makes not sound like late breaking news. However most of what we consider news makes not directly impact our lives. An earthquake half way about the earth wish do the headlines. But in reality most of us are insulated from its effects. Essential fatty acids on the another hand wish ne'er
do a reporter’s career. However, galore of us are affected by these little buggers more than we may suspect.
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are called essential because we need them to survive and our bodies cannot manufacture them. Deficiency and imbalance of EFAs are blasted for an impressive list of chronic health conditions. But, unlike the distant earthquake, EFA deficiency is unlikely to do the headlines.
Two really notable essential fatty acids that are worth our attention are omega-3 and omega-6. They get their names because of the placement of the 1st of multiple double carbon bonds in the molecule. Although the chemistry is important it is not the focus of this essay. What is important to us now is the potential health impact of these two fats. Let’s take a closer look at each of these essential fatty acids individually and then consider their relation to each other.
Omega-6
In reverse order we wish consider omega-6 first. Possibly we do not hear as more simply about omega-6 as we do its counterpart. But consider this impressive resume. Omega-6 has been useful in the treatment of feeding disorder
nervosa, ADHD, osteoporosis, diabetes, eye disease, certain skin conditions, allergies, arthritic arthritis, tb and even as cancer. Not bad for an unsung hero. Go over that list again. These are all serious conditions that have been tied to omega-6 deficiencies. So why do we hear so little simply about this little gem? Possibly it is because health issues only become exciting once there is an obvious problem. Then we normally look for a pill to take. But if this is a reason for our content it is not the biggest reason.
The plain truth is most of us are acquiring plenty of omega-6 in our diets. In fact most of us get way too much. Over ten times too much. That’s a switch isn’t it? Too more of a nice thing. The reason we get so more of it is because galore of the foods we buy are processed with several type of linoleic acid which is a popular form of omega-6. In addition galore oils we use are high in omega-6 such as sunflower, safflower, soybean, corn and oilseed
oils.
So what’s the rub? Why worry simply about too more omega-6? Our bodies have the ability to convert linoleic acid into longer chain fatty acids which lead to the creation of eicosanoids. Eicosanoids depending, on their source, can have positive and negative influences on our bodies. They can slow intravascular curdling which helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes. They suppress inflammation preventing us from overreacting to allergens. They dilate blood vessels reducing high blood pressure and increasing nice blood delivery. They can besides control cell growth deceleration the rapid growth of cancer cells.
On the another hand they mightiness increase blood curdling which leads to heart attack and stroke. They suppress the immune system departure us more open to infection. They increase cellular growth thereby promoting the growth of cancer cells. And they create new blood vessels which can feed cancer cells. Unluckily eicosanoids make by an overabundance of omega-6 in the system cause galore of the negative factors mentioned above.
Omega-3
Omega-3 has the opposite story. Like omega-6 it is essential to proper health and is useful in the treatment of galore chronic diseases. Among these conditions are heart attacks, cancer, lupus, schizophrenia, accelerated aging, stroke, hormone resistance, asthma, postnatal
depression, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, ADHD, and Alzheimer's disease.
But unlike omega-6 most diets are lamentably deficient in omega-3. Most of us get only a small figure of what we need for optimum health. Although it can manifest itself in galore route this deficiency may be most noticeable in chronic heart disease. Entire cultures are acknowledged to have really low incidence of heart illness because of diets high in omega-3 rich foods. Most ill-famed among these are Eskimos. Danish researchers 1st knowing this private secret from the Eskimos. Of course the Eskimos did not realize they had a secret. They were simply feeding large amounts of the fatty foods that were accessible to them. That’s right, fatty foods. Foods like salmon which are high in omega-3.
Once the private secret was out researchers rolled up their sleeves and make a flurry of studies and trials to test the hypothesis that omega-3 reduces heart disease. The studies continue to go on. But the overwhelming conclusion is consistent with the innovational observations. That is: omega-3 reduces incidence of heart disease. In fact the conclusions are so certain the even as the American Heart Association now recommends fish oil supplements for any one with documented coronary heart illness or high triglycerides. That was no small concession for the AMA.
Balance
Of course we all understand that the key to everything is balance. Possibly this familiar sentiment is obscurity
more important than it is to the topic at hand. Several omega-6 and omega-3 are essential to health. But the magnitude relation at which we ingest these fatty acids is key. Scientists disagree on the optimum ratio. One suggested magnitude relation is 5 parts omega-6 compared to 1 part omega-3. Several would-be stretch that to a 10:1 ratio. The more conservative estimates place the optimum magnitude relation somewhere between 1:1 and 4:1. Unluckily the average American diet includes an omega-6/omega-3 magnitude relation between 14:1 and 20:1. This imbalance contributes to galore of the chronic health problems mentioned above.
So what do we do? Assumptive you are a reader who takes this seriously there are several steps you can take to assure better health for you and your family. You can begin by avoiding foods prepared with linoleic acid and several of the linoleic acid rich oils mentioned above. Buy less prepared foods and do more house cooking. Then do every effort to increase omega-3 consumption. Cold water fish like salmon and tuna (not the canned varieties) are really high in omega-3. But you need to eat these fish more than once per week. I have met folk who eat salmon every day for breakfast. If you are not a fish lover or are concerned with marine pollutants try fish oil supplements. The nice ones are wholly free from contaminants. Our diets have contributed to the increase of chronic conditions like heart disease. Our diets can go a long way toward resolution the problems.
Just simply about the author:
Greg has degrees in science, divinity and philosophy and is presently
an I.T. developer.
Omega-6 and omega-3: http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/omega_3.html
Omega-3 and Triglycerides: http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/omega-3.html
Triglycerides: http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/triglycerides.html
Circulated by Article Emporium
| |
