June, 2005
Monthly Newsletter


The Healing Power of Fat!
Sharon Lawrence, RD, CDN

New research suggests that eating ANY type of fat will produce dramatic biochemical reactions in your body that can either create or prevent diseases. Within hours of eating a fatty meal, a variety of fatty acids are released into your bloodstream, and the type of fat you choose to eat will have a profound effect on your health!

The type of fat you choose to eat will have a profound effect
on your health!

Certain fats, like inexpensive vegetable oil blends can cause your body to release hormone-like substances that produce pain and inflammation, allergic responses and promote blood clotting, They may also be responsible for some varieties of headache, constriction of blood vessels and growth of life threatening tumors.  

In contrast, other fats will encourage your body to release different chemical messengers that reduce pain and swelling in your joints, dilate blood vessels, lower blood pressure, break up dangerous blood clots and thwart both cell damage and cancer develop¬ment.  

Omega-3 Fats

New research confirms that omega-3 fats and oils can dramatically decrease the risk of death from sudden heart attack or stroke. Omega-3 fats are a safe and natural alternative to drugs like Celebrex or Vioxx for controlling pain associated with arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Scientific studies are documenting positive effects on brain and eye health including: protection for macular degeneration, migraines, dementia and alzheimers disease.  

Since your body cannot make its own omega-3 fatty acids, the only way to get them is to eat foods rich in this important nutrient or take supplements. The best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flax seeds and cold-water fatty fish.

Omega-6 Fats

Fats like sunflower, corn or safflower oils, or the fat in a steak or pork chop supply omega-6 fatty acids.  Unfortunately, these fatty acids activate mechanisms in your body that cause blood pressure to rise, blood to become sticky and prone to clots, pain and inflammation in your joints and cellular changes that may create cancer.

Since the food you eat is a mixture of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, clearly your body cells receive conflicting messages throughout the day.  Which message dominates - that of health or disease - will be determined by the ratio of these two fatty acids in your diet.  If you routinely eat foods loaded with omega-6 fatty acids, your cells will be flooded with undesirable chemical messages.  If you have a sufficient supply of omega-3 fatty acids on board, they will keep the unhealthy chemical reactions in check.

Where to Find Omega-3 Fats
Fatty Fish
• Choose saltwater ocean fish instead of freshwater fish because the waters they thrive in are generally less polluted.

• Best selections are salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, anchovies or tuna.

• Eat small fish rather than large ones.

• Never eat the fish skin.

• Eat ocean fish 2 -3 times per week or use pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements

Flax Products

Another terrific source of omega-3 fats are flax seeds.  These little brown seeds provide most of the same health benefits as fish fat and even a few more! Like many soy products, flax seeds offer an estrogen-like protection from some forms of cancer.

Since stomach acid cannot penetrate flax seeds, they must be ground for several seconds in a coffee grinder before use.  Eat right away or refrigerate immediately after grinding.

Sprinkle these sweet, crunchy ground  seeds on your cereal, yogurt, cottage cheese or salad. Add them to muffins, bread and other baked goods.  For other plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids try walnuts, wheat germ oil or mangos.

One last word of caution! Since omega-3 fatty acids make the blood less sticky and the platelets less prone to clotting, they may be harmful in some circumstances. Before using, check with your physician if you have a medical condition or take prescription medications that thin the blood and interfere with blood clotting functions.

Now go out and do something healthy for your body, mind and spirit!