Healthy by Nature radio show this week: Kristi Yamaguchi won every trophy that figure skating has to offer (including Olympic Gold) and won Dancing with the Stars. Kristi has ideas for helping our children be more successful. We’ll also talk about supplements to support athletic endeavors and have open lines with a terrific nutritionist and friend of the show, Tim Mount. Call the live show with questions at 1-800-281-8255. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

Are we smarter than Jack Sprat?
You remember the nursery rhyme:

“Jack Sprat could eat no fat,
His wife could eat no lean;
And so between them both, you see,
They licked the platter clean.”

Those who shun fats in their diet make a big mistake because we need fat to make some hormones and vitamins as well as to keep our metabolism and brains working properly. On the other hand, those who will eat any kind of fat are also silly. For example, Trans fats increase disease risk. (The ballyhoo over saturated fat is actually complex and a bit controversial, so I’ll save that debate for another time.) It is less well known that eating the wrong kind of polyunsaturated fats causes trouble. So, Mrs. Sprat, the secret is to eat adequate amounts of fat but be very fussy about the type.

On the Aug 24th Healthy by Nature Show, Artemis Simopoulos, MD covered some extremely important information about the fats and oils in our diets. During that show I offered to provide some additional information in this newsletter and I don’t want it to be missed by putting it down below in the Last Week Section.  

There are many subtypes of polyunsaturated fats and each have different effects on our bodies. Ideally, pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats are balanced with nearly equal amounts of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. However, the modern American diet has become quite imbalanced. We get roughly 20 times (some folks 30 and up) as much omega-6 as omega-3. Doesn’t it seem likely that this is a major factor in the large upswing in inflammation-related chronic diseases like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, arthritis and cancer? Also, the fact that omega-3’s offset the ill effects of excess omega-6 probably explains why omega-3’s are credited with helping so many disease conditions and with reducing the risk of death from all causes.

To raise the omega-3 side of the teeter-totter we need to eat more fish, flax and/or supplement with high quality fish oils. (If the supplement repeats on you or tastes fishy, it is not fresh.) But, most of us also need to reduce the amount of omega-6 oils we ingest. First, do your best to avoid processed foods because they tend to use the cheaper cooking oils which are high in omega-6. Those are mainly: corn, soy, safflower and sunflower. Also, processed foods often contain partially hydrogenated fats which are a source of Trans fats. There is no substitute for reading labels but, be aware that it is legal to say “Zero Trans fats” even if the food contains 500 milligrams per serving.

If you test your blood levels of omegas, then you won’t be guessing at what you need. Here is a link to a test (omega3test.com) that you can do at home and mail in. To get a substantial discount, enter the code Martie 49.99 and you can get the test (list price $200) for just $49.99. That great deal is thanks to the supplement maker, Nordic Naturals.

Dr. Simopoulos discussed the Bellagio Report which is the result of an international conclave aimed at improving worldwide health by encouraging policy makers to help balance intake of these fatty acids and to reduce the intake of fructose (the sugar in high fructose corn syrup). Here is the link to that report.

More help in the kitchen
Nicole Wallace from the Kotsanis Institute sent more links to follow up our recent interview on healthy meals (for kids or any of us). These videos demonstrate recipes. This website has great ideas but you may need to alter them to be free of gluten or the dairy protein, casein.

Last Week
LINK to that show in the archives. The amazing Artemis Simopoulos, MD, international authority on genetics and fats in our diet is the author of The Omega Diet. Find out why we have so many inflammatory problems. We talked about omega-3’s, omega-6’s and the balance of those two and other important basics.

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My first book : Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

My latest book: Aloe Vera-Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

The information contained in this newsletter has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The contents are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Copyright 2013 Martie Whittekin, CCN