Today, healthy fatty acid deficiency is epidemic. This deficiency leads to cardiovascular and immune issues and other disorders. What do you do if you’re HFA deficient?
A Special Note on DHA and EPA
DHA and EPA can be derived from vegetarian ALA (including flax and walnut) but are not converted well in many people ... especially in cases of insulin resistance, so it is important to get them in their direct form via animal sources, like quality fish oil and cold water fish. Eating lots of foods with omega-6 fatty acids will also hinder the conversion of ALA to DHA and EPA.
6. Best Food Sources and Cooking Methods
It is first important to note that traditional cultures, and our hunter gather ancestors, naturally ate a ratio of about 1:1 Omega-3’s to omega-6’s in their foods. Some estimates today say we are consuming as high as 25 times the amount of omega-6 foods to omega-3 foods. This is because of the high amounts of sunflower, cottonseed, soybean, sesame, and canola oils found in processed foods we are consuming, which lead to a very inflammatory environment in our bodies. So to balance out the omega-6’s with “brain-healthy” and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, we need to eat foods that are naturally high in omega-3’s. Good food sources include cold water fish like:
- wild-caught salmon
- sardines
- herring
- mackerel
- black cod
- tuna (Wild Planet claims to not overcook their tuna and to leave omega-3’s intact)
- bluefish
- fish roe (eggs)
Grass-fed beef and pastured egg yolks are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as fresh avocados. There are other (vegetarian) sources of omega-3, such as walnuts and flax seed. However, many people have trouble converting these fats into DHA and EPA. And if we can’t convert, these don’t give us any benefit. If we eat a lot of crackers, cereal, bagged foods, restaurant and fast food, we will likely be getting a high ratio of omega-6’s, and eating foods that lead to conditions like insulin resistance, which make the conversion of ALA into DHA and EPA all the more difficult.
Maximizing Food Preparation For EFA’s
Careful! Heat is very damaging to the delicate Omega fatty acids. Heat changes the structure of these fats. If essential fatty acids are exposed to heat, light, or air for too long they start to oxidize and free radicals are formed.
For fresh fish: stick to lightly broiling and baking, keeping the inside of the fish “rare.” For tuna this is an internal temperature of 125 degrees F; for other whole fish or steaks this is 135 – 145 degrees F.
For grass-fed beef: cook medium rare (130 – 135 degrees F) to rare (120 – 125 degrees F), making sure that you are getting your beef from a trusted source. Walnuts should be soaked or sprouted (soaking in a salt water brine and then dehydrating makes them taste like butter...so good). Flax seeds should be kept away from heat, light, and air. Flax seed grinding is best done fresh. Any oils should be cold pressed and kept out of heat, light and air to prevent oxidation and free radical formation.
7. What To Look For As Indication For Supplementing EFA’s
Here are some indications of a fatty acid deficiency:
- Poor brain function in its many forms: depression, mood swings, bi-polar, poor memory, anxiety, etc.
- An oral pH below 7.2 – 7.4 (oral pH taken a half hour away from food or drink, except for water, a using pH strip)
- Limited consumption of fatty fish, raw nuts and seeds, uncooked cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, or avocados
- Regular consumption of fried foods
- Painful joints and musculoskeletal issues
- Chronic pain and inflammation
- Regular consumption of processed foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats (read your labels!)
- Dry or unhealthy skin in general
- Dandruff
- Hormonal imbalances
8. Dosages Recommended on the GAPS™Protocol
As with every new supplement or food introduction, it is important to build gradually, starting with a small amount and building up to the recommended dose. Dr. Natasha recommends a combination of nut/seed oils, fish oil, & cod liver oil for a complete fatty acid profile. If you need to prioritize, I recommend high quality cod liver oil first (as it contains some Omega fats, along with vitamins A & D), then fish oil, then nut/seed oils.
Nut/Seed oil (Optimally in a 2:1 Ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6):
- Under 18 months: 1 - 2 teaspoons/day
- Children: 1 - 3 tablespoons/day
- Adults: 4 - 5 tablespoons/day
Cod Liver Oil:
- Under 18 months: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon/day
- Children: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon/day
- Adults: 1 teaspoon/day
Fish Oil:
- Under 24 months: Up to 1 teaspoon/day
- Children: 1 - 3 teaspoons/day
- Adults: 3 - 4 teaspoons/day
9. The Brands I Would Recommend Using:
- Eskimo-3 Brainsharp - fish oil + nut/seed blend
- Vital Choice Salmon - fish oil
- Biotics Optimal EFA’s - fish oil + nut/seed blend
- Barlean’s Lignan Omega Twin Liquid - nut/seed blend
- Green Pasture’s FCLO - cod liver oil
- Corganic Extra Virgin CO - cod liver oil
10. Digestive Factors to Consider
Fat Digestion – If you need further support for digesting fats, here are some supplements and foods to consider for helping your liver and gallbladder (the two primary organs of fat digestion) - Biotics Beta TCP, Allergy Research ox bile, beet kvass, beet juice, Vibrant Blue Oils Gallbladder Flow, digestive enzymes, healthy fats to build healthy bile, and fermented cod liver oil.
This article was originally published on www.GreenMedInfo.com. Join their free GreenMedInfo.com newsletter.
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