Good Fat Bad Fat

In a recent post I talked about the benefits of eating healthy fats vs. unhealthy fats.

Quick review:

Healthy fats (monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fats and saturated fats in moderation)-

• nuts, olives, dark chocolate, avocado, olive oil, fish, coconut oil (for cooking), real butter, etc.

Bad fats (hydrogenated & partially hydrogenated oils)-

• fried foods, palm oil, chips, packaged foods, margarine

Eliminating saturated fats isn't necessary, eliminating hydrogenated oils is. Hydrogenated oils are not natural and not good for you. Saturated fats come from dairy and meat sources and other sources like coconut oil. The fat in your body is actually saturated fat! Fats are vital to your health and hormone function. You don't need to revisit the fad diets of the 80's and buy into all of the fat-free stuff. Enough with the fat-phobia if you want to be healthy! What's more important than low-fat is balance. It seems there is a resounding theme here in all my posts...

You need to balance the amount of saturated fats you intake with the amount of unsaturated fats. I won't bore you with the science, but here is a handy breakdown:

Below are the best food sources of these healthy fats:

Type of healthy fat	Food source
Monounsaturated fat	Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds
Polyunsaturated fat	Vegetable oils (such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy and cottonseed oils), nuts and seeds
Omega-3 fatty acids	Fatty, cold-water fish (such as salmon, mackerel and herring), flaxseeds, flax oil and walnuts

The fat that our modern diets are deficient in is Omega-3 fatty acids. Unless you eat plenty of fish, you might want to consider supplementing your healthy diet with fish oil.

That brings me to the highlight of this post! The wonders of fish oil. I mentioned in my last post that eliminating sugars was one of the things I did to help my son with ADHD. The other thing I did that made a HUGE impact was giving him pharmaceutical grade fish oil. There is a wonderful book on the subject called "The Omega Rx Zone" by Dr. Sears. I highly recommend that you check this book out from the library if you are interested in the benefits of supplementing with fish oil.

I have searched high and low for a fish-oil supplement that didn't taste awful that I could give my kids that was also pharmaceutical grade. I found a gem of a product. And believe me when I say that it does not have a fishy taste at all! My kids love it so much, they ask for it when I have forgotten. It is Barlean's Omega Swirl in the Lemon flavor. You can buy it online here. It is free of contaminates (mercury, etc.) and has a high absorbency rate. And no, they do not pay me to say any of this. :)

A small note on the Barlean's fish oil. It contains a sweetener called xylitol which is a sugar alcohol. Some people are sensitive to this sweetener and other sugar alcohols. Personally, it gives me GI trouble, but it doesn't bother my kids and a majority of my clients at all. I take another liquid that has a high absorbancy rate and is pharmaceutical grade as well. It tastes very fishy though, and my kids will not take it. So, this is something to consider while you are shopping for a fish oil supplement that will work for you and your family.

For my those that want more information, below is a thorough article regarding fish-oil and the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids:

• Let’s face it, when it comes to health claims, most things are pure hype. It’s very rare indeed when something actually lives up to the hype or exposure it gets in the media.
  In fact, in our years as health researchers, omega 3 fatty acids may be the only thing that deserves all the praise heaped upon it.
  What’s particularly fascinating about omega 3 fatty acids is that both conventional and alternative medicine agree on how wonderful its many health benefits are.
  If you know anything about alternative health, or are knowledgeable about the natural health field, you’ll know this is something that doesn’t usually happen too often. Normally, conventional medicine supports the interventionist approach, not the preventative one.
  Studies are often released by conventional medical sources on how vitamin supplements are worthless, and using herbal remedies are almost on a par with witchcraft. Sure, we’re exaggerating – but only a bit!
  Mind you, we’re not saying we agree with this. In fact, we think these studies are often biased and distorted, and if you follow the money trail, you’ll see they’re often funded by pharmaceutical interests. After all, if preventative healthcare took root in a big way, the demand for prescription drugs, which you basically only need when you already have a disease or disorder, would collapse. Hmmm.
  In any event, it seems the evidence about omega 3 fish oil is so overwhelming that even most conventional medical practitioners will often recommend increasing their intake in the diet through foods or by using the best omega 3 supplements.
  Many health experts and researchers believe that omega 3 fatty acids are the one essential nutrient most missing in our modern day diet. This deficiency is now believed to play a major role in why there is such rampant heart disease, cancers, and brain disorders.
  Not surprisingly, studies have shown that many of these diseases and disorders improve when omega 3 supplementation is used.
  But before we talk about specific conditions that may strongly benefit from the use of omega 3 fish oil supplementation, of which purified fish oils are the best source, we’d like to tell you briefly why omega 3′s are so vital for good health to begin with.
  The human body requires a tremendous amount of omega 3 fatty acids to function properly.
  Omega 3 Fatty Acid Fact: The human brain is comprised of 60% fats, and approximately half of that fat is DHA omega 3.
  Our master organ, the one that controls our entire body, the brain, is made up of a tremendous amount of fat by weight. Most people don’t know this. And a significant portion of this fat is the omega 3 fatty acid known as DHA, short for docosahexaenoic acid.
  This means that nature intended the human brain to be “powered” by fats, so to speak, and if you don’t have enough, your brain won’t be able to run properly. Although it’s not a perfect metaphor, it’s somewhat like trying to run a car without fuel.
  However, it’s even worse, because whereas a car would simply not run, the human brain instead begins to suffer from ailments and diseases.
  
  The Miracle of Omega 3 fish oil for Health
  So, why do we, and so many others, consider omega 3 practically a health miracle? Let’s consider just some of the many conditions and disorders that it may help improve.
  Brain Health
  Deficiencies in omega 3 fats have been linked to: depression, anxiety, mood swings, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD and ADD.
  Millions upon millions of people suffer from just these conditions alone. Maybe even you do, or know a loved one who does.
  Researchers from institutions as prestigious as the Harvard School of Public Health have shown some of these conditions will greatly improve with increased omega 3 fatty acid intake.
  Other studies have shown that even if you don’t have any of these conditions, memory and focus can improve with consistent use of fish oil supplements.
  Heart Health
  “Omega 3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of – or who have – cardiovascular disease.” – American Heart Association
  One of the best known and studied benefits of omega 3 fatty acids are for heart health. Until recently, this was the number #1 killer in the Western world (it has recently been surpassed by cancer).
  Fish oil supplements, very high in omega 3 fats, have been shown to help those with heart disease, and help protect those who don’t, but might be susceptible to it down the line due to family history.
  How does it do this? Well, for starters, omega 3′s can make platelets in the blood less sticky. This prevents them from clumping together, which can trigger heart attacks if they do as blood flow can stop.
  In addition, omega 3′s can reduce tryglycerides – these are blood fats closely related to cholesterol – and when they are high along with cholesterol, your chances of heart disease go up markedly.
  
  Research has also shown that omega 3′s can help reduce or prevent heart rhythm abnormalities by making the electrical system of the heart stronger.
  Heart disease is also characterized by inflammation, and omega 3 oils have potent anti-inflammatory properties that can counter this.
  Speaking of inflammation…..
  Arthritis Aches and Pains
  Did you know that a lot of the aches and pains associated with arthritis are due to inflammation? This is why studies have shown that fish oil supplementation, rich in omega 3′s, can help alleviate these pains in those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
  Crohn’s Disease & Inflammatory Bowel Disorders
  The same is true for Crohn’s disease, which is characterized by painful inflammation of the bowels. Indeed, in one particular year long study, 69% of Crohn’s sufferers who used a fish oil supplement stayed symptom free as opposed to only 28% who were administered a placebo.
  Pregnant or Nursing Mothers
  It’s irrefutable now that for the fetus brain to develop properly, it needs a great deal of the omega 3′s, DHA and EPA.
  If you are a pregnant mother, you should strongly consider using a molecularly distilled fish oil supplement so your fetus’s brain has the best chance of developing properly. Of course, speak with a doctor first.
  If you are a nursing mother, you should also be taking an omega 3 supplement or eating enough omega 3 foods because they are an essential fatty acid. Essential means our bodies need them but cannot manufacture them on its own. Which simply means we absolutely must get them from our diets.
  The omega 3 you obtain in your diet is passed along to your baby when you breastfeed.
  Even if you are no longer breastfeeding, you should be careful to take in enough omega 3 fat for your own health. If you have young children, adequate levels of omega 3 intake are associated with less attention deficit and hyperactivity and higher IQ’s.
  Lastly, the omega 3′s in fish oil have also been shown to help ease menstrual cramps.
  Psoriasis, Acne, and Other Skin Disorders
  If you know anyone who suffers from psoriasis or acne, you know how painful and embarrassing these conditions can be. Maybe you have them yourself. One of the primary problems in these conditions is inflammation. Although fish oils are not going to cure these conditions, its anti-inflammatory properties often help make them much better.
  Cancers
  As we said earlier, cancer has now overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death in the US. Of course, there are numerous types of cancer. Some exciting recent research is showing that omega 3′s may help prevent cancer from occurring and also help prevent it from progressing if it has already occurred.
  Although more studies need to be done urgently in this area, DHA and EPA omega 3′s, found in fatty fish and fish oil supplements, may protect against these types of cancers including breast, prostate, testicular and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men, in particular, and are so common and claim so many lives that any substance like omega 3 that shows great promise against them should be studied much more extensively.
  In the meantime, although the studies that have been conducted are not conclusive, it seems increasing one’s intake of omega 3 fats can help in the battle against cancer.
  And The List Goes On
  Please understand that this page is not exhaustive. We could write another 10 pages on the miracle of omega 3 fatty acids, and include a discussion of other conditions such as lupus and Raynaud’s disease. But we think you’re starting to get the picture. And that picture is that if there’s one supplement most everyone should take to fight disease, keep the brain sharp, and stay in peak health, it should be an omega 3 oils supplement.
  And the best kind? Again, purified fish oil supplements, especially those made from a fatty type fish species naturally high in DHA especially, and also EPA.