Caveman Eating

It is important to realize that most of the health and nutrition advice you get from your doctors and health counselors which is usually presented as absolute in fact is really just a bunch of theories constantly shifting with the scientific fashions of the moment.  One of the few ways we can begin to understand human nutrition unclouded by the haze of theory is from an anthropological and evolutionary perspective.  Here is an observation written by Dr. Loren Cordain which attempts to do just that:

A Diet Solution Based on Evolution

The scientific community almost unanimously agrees that the diseases and disorders that plague Western civilization – obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type II diabetes – are related to our diets … and that they are avoidable. But nutritional experts are in complete disagreement over which type of diet is best for prevention and treatment.

The U.S. government recommends between 6 and 11 servings of cereal grains daily, 2 to 3 servings of dairy foods, and the limited consumption of fats and sweets.

Other nutritional authorities, such as Dr. Dean Ornish, encourage us to lower dietary fat to less than 10 percent of calories and to eat plenty of whole grains and legumes. Noted alternative health physician Dr. Andrew Weil agrees with Ornish’s advice on whole grains and legumes, but takes issue with his fat recommendation, saying it is too low and deficient in omega-3 fatty acids (the kind found in fatty fish like salmon).

Still other nutrition gurus, such as Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the private non-profit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, caution us to eliminate all animal products from our diets, including meat, eggs, dairy, and fish. In stark contrast, Dr. Atkins told us to reduce our carbohydrate content to less than 100 grams a day and to eat all the fatty, salty meats and cheeses we desire.

Is there any way to make sense of all this? What is the optimal diet for improving health, losing weight, and reducing the risk of chronic illness?

The answer can be found by looking at the way our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate. These same foods – or their modern-day equivalents – are the ones that should serve as a starting point for our optimal nutrition.

Stone-Agers Living in the Space Age

Although we live in a world of vast cities and complex technologies, each of us has a Stone Age genetic makeup. DNA studies from diverse ethnic groups around the world confirm that the present-day human genome is virtually identical to that of humans living 40,000 years ago.

Beginning some 10,000 years ago, people left behind the hunting and gathering way of life and began to sow and harvest the genetic forerunners of today’s wheat and barley. Shortly thereafter, these early farmers domesticated farm animals. Five thousand years later, the so-called Agricultural Revolution had spread from the Middle East to Northern Europe and beyond.

But there has been very little time, evolutionarily speaking, for our bodies to adapt to this new way of eating. Although 10,000 years sounds historically remote, it is evolutionarily quite recent. Only 500 human generations have come and gone since agriculture began.

Cheeseburgers vs. Barbecued Buffalo

Cereal grains currently provide 50 percent of the protein consumed on this planet. Yet wild versions of this modern-day staple were rarely, if ever, consumed by hunter-gatherers. Dairy products weren’t part of humankind’s original fare, either. (It’s pretty difficult to catch a wild mammal, let alone milk one.) And except for rare treats of honey, refined sugars weren’t on the Stone Age menu. Nor were fatty meats, salt, yeast-containing foods, or legumes.

Obviously, the highly processed foods that now dominate the American diet weren’t part of the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) meal plan. Hunter-gatherers probably wouldn’t have recognized pizza, chips, French fries, ice cream, soda, and the like as food at all.

Lean game and fish were their staple foods. Consequently, the Paleolithic diet was much higher in protein than the typical U.S. diet. Because game is so lean on a calorie-by-calorie basis, it contains about 2.5 times as much protein per serving as domestic meats. For instance, a 100-calorie serving of America’s favorite meat – hamburger – contains a paltry 7.8 grams of protein. Compare that with 19.9 grams in an identical 100-calorie serving of roasted buffalo. Game is also healthier. It contains two to three times more cholesterol-lowering polyunsaturated fats and almost five times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain-fed domestic livestock.

The carbohydrate content in the average hunter-gatherer diet was extremely low. More important, it was made up almost entirely of wild fruits and vegetables. Their total fat content was similar to or slightly higher than current U.S. figures, and consisted of healthful, cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats, which comprised about 50 percent of total fats consumed. In contrast, the typical U.S. diet has less cholesterol-lowering mono- and polyunsaturated fats, more artery-clogging saturated fats and trans-fats, and seven to 10 times less heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than in hunter-gatherer diets.

The key to the optimal human diet lies in the evolutionary wisdom of our hunter-gatherer past. The best high-protein options are fish (particularly fatty northern fish such as salmon, halibut, mackerel, and herring), shellfish, grass-fed beef and pork, free-range chicken and turkey, rabbit, and any kind of game, either bought or hunted. (The gastronomically adventurous can find buffalo, ostrich, emu, kangaroo, and venison at many upscale supermarkets and health food stores.)

The Missing Link Between Diet and Disease

In the 1950s, when scientists were first unraveling the link between heart disease and diet, they found that saturated fat raised blood cholesterol levels and increased the risk for coronary heart disease. Dietary sources of saturated fat, such as fatty domestic meat, were deemed unhealthful, and rightly so. Unfortunately, the message the public and many nutrition professionals got was that all meat was unhealthful and promoted heart disease and cancer.

But it turns out that high amounts of animal protein are quite healthful for the human species. It’s the saturated fat that can accompany protein that causes problems. The grains fed to many domesticated animals turn healthful lean protein with a proper balance of good fats into a nutritional nightmare that promotes disease.

Consumption of lean meat actually lowers blood cholesterol levels and thereby reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Consumption of lean animal protein elevates HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) while reducing triglycerides, LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol), and total cholesterol. In contrast, low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets tend to elevate triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol. High-carbohydrate diets also raise small dense LDL cholesterol – one of the most potent predictors for atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Studies have also indicated that elevated dietary protein reduces the risk of stroke and hypertension and helps boost survival time for women with breast cancer. And a high-protein diet improves or normalizes insulin metabolism in Type II diabetics. In other words, lean animal protein is good for us and saturated fat is not.

Putting It All Together

The Paleo Diet is the unique diet to which our species is genetically adapted. This program of eating was not designed by diet doctors, faddists, or nutritionists, but by evolution and natural selection. It is based upon extensive scientific research examining the types and quantities of foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate.

With readily available modern foods, the Paleo Diet mimics the types of foods every single person on the planet ate prior to the Agricultural Revolution (a mere 500 generations ago). These foods (fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and seafood) are high in the beneficial nutrients (soluble fiber, antioxidant vitamins, phytochemicals, omega-3 and monounsaturated fats, and low-glycemic carbohydrates) that promote good health. And they are low in the nutrients (refined sugars and grains, saturated and trans-fats, salt, and high-glycemic carbohydrates) that frequently cause weight gain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and numerous other health problems.

You might consider it heretical to believe that lean meat is healthful while whole grains and dairy products are not necessarily so. But the basis for this conclusion comes from overwhelming evolutionary evidence that is increasingly being substantiated by human, animal, and tissue studies.  We all remain hunter-gatherers, displaced in time, yet still genetically adapted to a diet dominated by lean meats and fresh fruits and veggies.

The Youngster Inside of You

Author Matt Monarch who writes frequently on the raw food movement and natural health practices has this to say about:

How to Become Younger
In my opinion, eating consistently is one of the key ingredients to health and longevity. When I say eating consistently, I don’t mean sticking to a 100% Raw Food Diet, always. I mean eating the same kinds and quantities of food every day, no matter what type of diet you eat. For example, you could be on a 100% Raw Food Diet eating three times a day on Monday and seven times a day on Tuesday. Or you could be eating 16 ounces of food, twice a day with the same amount of fats and carbs in each of those meals, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

When you make any PERMANENT improvement in your intake, you will become younger (regenerate) and go through detoxification. A ‘true’ improvement in diet is when you ALWAYS and FOREVERMORE eat fewer kinds and quantities of foods than before.

When you go from almost any cooked/processed food diet to any 100% Raw Food Diet, it is generally an improvement. Therefore, often a new 100% Raw Food Eater can overeat massive amounts of food and still become younger. However, this does not last forever. As you detoxify more and more, your body becomes cleaner and more efficient. Your body ‘evolves’ and doesn’t need as much food (fuel) as it used to require, to maintain high energy levels.

Pick Any Diet
In my book ‘Raw Success‘, I introduce the concept of ‘Stabilizing Out’. You can pick ANY IMPROVED DIET YOU WANT – vegan, macrobiotic, raw, whatever – and if you eat the same kinds and quantities of foods every single day, then you will become younger, detoxify and at some point, you will catch up with the diet that you are doing and stabilize out at that CONSISTENT diet (where the massive detox will slow down). All intake of food produces fermentation and gas (waste) in the body. The better your diet (meaning the fewer kinds and quantities of foods you eat), then the less waste is produced in your body. Since with an improved diet there will be less waste consistently entering your body, your body now has the space to dump out the old waste produced from our past poor food choices.

As I said before, you can choose ANY IMPROVED DIET YOU WANT. You can seriously take your diet to eating just one small 5oz meal a day or even less than that (if you keep up with the detoxification) if you choose (in ‘Raw Success’ I discuss all of the benefits and consequences of doing something like this). The key for ultimate health is to drink vegetable juices/green smoothies/energy soup and other ‘ocean mineral rich’ foods/supplements alongside whichever diet you choose, to make sure you are getting all of the nourishment that you need. The solid food you are eating is mainly working as a detoxification regulator. The true nourishment can come from the vegetable juices, which are easily absorbed into the body.

20% Margin for Error
There is about a 20% margin for error at your stabilized out, consistent diet. If you have been on a 100% Raw Vegan Diet for 10 years and you eat a McD’s Hamburger, there is a big chance that you may end up gravely ill. This is because you were edging up to that 20% margin of error. If somebody that has been on a 100% Raw Food Diet for 50 years ate that same hamburger, there is a GREAT chance that could kill them. The longer someone is 100% Raw, the more damaging past food choices becomes to them. The 50-year 100% Raw Food Eater would be eating out of their 20% margin for error range and it could kill them. If you used to eat vegan junk food for years on end, and then improved your diet to a 100% Raw Food Eater and stabilized out on this 100% Raw Food diet, after 4 – 12 years (depending on who you are: weight/age etc.), your body will have detoxified a lot and is now cleaner and doesn’t need as much food. The 20% margin for error will have shifted from the intake of a ! ‘Junk Food Vegan’ to a ‘100% Raw Food Eater’. Those vegan junk foods are now tapping closer to the edge of that 20% margin and will now most likely leave a 100% Raw Food Eater like this feeling extremely ill, whereas before they improved their diet, they would have had no problem with those vegan junk foods.

If you eat poor food choices from your past and break that 20% margin for error, it can be dangerous. If you go in the other direction of that 20% margin and CONSISTENTLY eat less than your stabilized diet, then you will detoxify and become younger again. When you eat less like this, it shifts that 20% margin, so your body requires less and less food. Again, you can seriously take your diet to eating one small 5oz meal a day or even less than that, if you choose. In ‘Raw Success’ I discuss all of the benefits and consequences of eating very little like this.

The further you take your diet by eating fewer kinds and quantities of foods, the less leeway you’ll have with that 20% margin of error, and the more consistent you’ll want to be with your diet if you want to feel good. Check out this excerpt from my book Raw Spirit:

Dangerous Deviation
In Hilton Hotema’s, ‘Man’s Higher Consciousness‘ book (my FAVORITE Raw Food Book) there was a story about a man (Luigi) who only ate 12 oz. of food once a day for many decades. Before this regimen, he was very ill and nothing could be found to cure his sickness except these small meals once a day. Years later, a friend of his challenged him to eat 16 oz. of food. Neither of them thought much of the dare, but after eating those extra 4 oz., the man became grievously ill. He had become “locked in” and any deviation was dangerous. After readopting his previous quantities, the man recovered and continued thriving.

After you stabilize out on ANY diet for a long period of time, at some point the ‘Becoming Younger Process’ ends and you will start to age again. In regards to your stabilized out diet, the fewer kinds and quantities of food you eat, the slower this aging process occurs. If you wanted to restart the Detoxification and Becoming Younger Process again, you would then need to start CONSISTENTLY eating fewer kinds and quantities of food again. The main issue here is that the less you eat, the more sensitive you become to environmental and other toxins, which have the potential to accelerate aging also. In my book ‘Raw Success’, I discuss in great detail how to find an optimal balance between your food intake and the environment around you.

There is no need to JUMP into eating small quantities of food on a 100% Raw Food Diet or even eating a 100% Raw Food Diet at all. In the long run, it is key to eat the same kinds and quantities of food every single day. It’s not all just about eating 16oz of Raw Foods 2 – 3 times a day, because eating 16oz of almond butter is very different to eating 16oz of watermelon. 16oz can be an ideal average meal size (quantity) – eating just almond butter is not really advisable though in terms of the kinds of foods ingested!

Eat the Same Thing Every Single Day
I feel my BEST when I am consistent. I practically eat the SAME thing EVERY SINGLE DAY. Dr. Norman Walker states in one of his books that he ate the SAME breakfast for over 12 years. When I am consistent, I eat the same amount of carbs and fat each day. I blend a couple of apples with a couple of tablespoons of nut butter and I add a SMALL handful of dried fruit to that mixture as my lunch every day. My salad later in the day generally consists of 1/2 an avocado, a bit of nut butter with a certain amount of vegetables, every single night. You may think that this gets boring. Absolutely NOT!!! I get excited when it is mealtime. I switch up the fruits, nut butters, and veggies to make sure I am getting a wide variety of nutrients. However, I eat the SAME AMOUNT of fat, carbs and veggies EVERY SINGLE DAY. That is what I mean by consistency!

When I eat consistently like that, I feel my best. When I eat more than that, I don’t feel as well. When I eat less than that, I have MASSES of energy. When I eat less than that consistently, I detoxify and become cleaner faster.

In the beginning when you choose an improved consistent diet, it may feel difficult to get used to an empty stomach feeling. Additionally, you will most likely go through mood swings and emotional issues may rise to the surface. In the beginning, it can be ok to slip around with the QUANTITIES of food, because it can take MANY YEARS to stabilize out on your new improved diet and to shift that 20% margin for error.

Eat Less and Less as the Years Go By
After many years of being stabilized out on a particular diet, your body will now take advantage of this consistency and become cleaner and more efficient on its own. At that point, even when eating your consistent intake, your body will now give you signs, such as sluggishness, which are an indication of your body asking you to eat even less food because you don’t need as much anymore. This is around the point where the ‘Becoming Younger’ process ends and we start to age on our particular consistent diet. This is where your absolutely consistent stabilized diet (lets call this a ‘0% margin’) starts to raise to 1%, then 2%, and so on, as you pollute your body with this consistent unwanted extra fuel. This may extend its way up closer and closer to the 20% margin for error, at which point you will age more and more. This is why it is important to eat less and less as the years go by.

Fasting–Today but Not Tomorrow

Author Mike Howard who writes frequently on weight loss and healthy living has this to say about:

Repeated Intervals of Feeding and Fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF), a dietary strategy that involves repeated intervals of feeding and fasting has gained popularity in the past couple of years, with proponents claiming a wide range of health benefits from insulin control to fat loss to defense against a host of diseases.

Just a Fad?

The question is:  is it a fad or is there sound research to back up the hype .  There are various permutations of intermittent fasting, with the most popular being alternate-day fasting (ADF). Promoters of this lifestyle claim that IF will increase longevity, burn fat, improve heart/lung function, improve insulin control, decrease inflammation and decrease cancer risk.

One of the hallmarks of IF is it’s ability to to prevent aging symptoms of the brain and nervous system. Many who have undertaken IF have reported feeling more “freedom” from not having to eat so often and also a sense of accomplishment and control from being able to sustain such a regimen.

Ancient Justification

There appears to be some ancient justification for intermittent fasting as some claim it is similar to how our Paleolithic ancestors ate and our systems are thus designed for such eating patterns.

The actual human data on IF is scarce, and no study to date (to my knowledge) has had a control group – which leaves only speculation as we don’t know if there is an advantage to daily caloric intake.

The few studies that have looked at IF have shown:

* Weight loss

* Improved insulin sensitivity

* Improved fat burning (oxidation)

On the downside, studies have also shown increased hunger throughout the duration of the fast.

Whom Might Benefit?

According to nutrition researcher Alan Aragon, IF may benefit the following people:

* Those who have steady glucose control (not prone to hypoglycemia)

* People who are not prone to binge eating

* Those who don’t have the time/inclination to prepare and pack food

* Those who drive and/or travel a lot.

* Those who are not as concerned with gaining muscle I would personally include those who exercise fairly vigorously more than 2-3 times per week.

You Still Need to Eat Healthy

* IF has the potential to impart health benefits such as improved insulin sensitivity, fat loss and prevention of mental decline.

* We don’t know if IF works better than calorie restriction, with research showing parallel benefits of calorie restriction.

* Exercise can probably replace the benefits derived from IF/calorie restriction

* IF may not be a sensible approach long-term.

* There doesn’t appear to be any physiological advantage to IF

* IF may be helpful for people trying to break a weight loss plateau.

* You still need to eat healthfully! Fasting does not negate the need for nutritious diet.

A Quick Look at … Detox Fasting

On the Road to Good Health ...

Detoxing is a heavily discussed topic in the natural health field. Achieving detox through fasting is a commonly recommended approach on the path to good health. It is a technique that should be addressed with caution, and with the help of a health professional for advise and monitoring.

Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time.

A fast may be total or partial concerning that from which one fasts, and may be prolonged or intermittent as to the period of fasting.

A complete fast in its traditional definition is abstinence of all food and liquids except for water.

Liquid fasts are a popular form of DETOX DIET. Proponents contend that abstaining from food detoxifies the body and improves greater health. Because less energy is expended on digestion of foods, it is contended that the body has more energy to expel toxins as well as to recover and heal itself from the stresses digestion places upon it.

Other proponents claim that protein sparing minimizes muscle loss as the body adapts to the lack of incoming protein by drawing upon almost solely fat for energy.

Despite their popularity, however, detox diets are not supported by the traditional medical field which claims that a healthy human body is capable of eliminating the toxins it encounters on its own. Judging from what I see some folks put in their bodies, they may have a hard time eliminating those poisons without a little help … What do you think?

The Low Down on High Raw … Raw Food, That Is

A lot of my patients and readers have been asking about putting more raw food in their diet…or going “all raw” or “high raw,” meaning eating exclusively raw foods or a high percentage of overall nutrient intake as raw food, respectively. Here is an article on the pros and cons of eating raw food by researcher Cathy Wong:

The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed. Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and “life force” of food. Typically, at least 75% of the diet must be living or raw.

The Benefits of the Raw Food Diet

Proponents of the raw food diet believe it has numerous health benefits, including:

• Increased energy
• Improved skin appearance
• Better digestion
• Weight loss
• Reduced risk of heart disease

Going raw ...

The raw food diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals. These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a raw food diet lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.

The Food

Unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Beans
• Grains
• Legumes
• Dried fruit
• Seaweed
• Unprocessed organic or natural foods
• Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables
• Purified water
• Young coconut milk

At least 75% of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F.

Makes a great salad dressing ...

The Preparation

Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including:

• Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
• Juicing fruit and vegetables
• Soaking nuts and dried fruit
• Blending
• Dehydrating food

The Equipment

• A dehydrator, a piece of equipment that blows air through food at a temperature of less than 116 degrees F.
• A good-quality juice extractor for juicing fruit and vegetables
• A blender, food processor, or chopper to save time
• Large glass containers to soak and sprout seeds, grains, and beans
• Mason jars for storing sprouts and other food

The Dangers

Some people experience a detoxification reaction when they start the raw food diet, especially if their previous diet was rich in meat, sugar, and caffeine. Mild headaches, nausea, and cravings can occur but usually last for several days.

The raw food diet may not be appropriate for certain people, such as:

• Children
• Pregnant or nursing women
• People with anemia
• People at risk for osteoporosis – A Washington University study found that people following a raw food diet had lower bone mass. Bone turnover rates, however, were similar to the group that ate a standard American diet.

Considerable time, energy, and commitment is needed to be healthy on the raw food diet. Many of the foods are made from scratch. Some ingredients may be hard to find, such as Rejuvelac (the fermented liquid drained from sprouted grains), sprouted flour, date sugar, young coconut milk, carob powder and Celtic sea salt. People must be aware that certain nutritional deficiencies can occur on the raw food diet, including:

• Calcium
• Iron
• B12 – The Journal of Nutrition study found that a raw food diet increased levels of homocysteine due to vitamin B-12 deficiency.
• Protein
• Calories

Critics of the raw food diet say while it’s true that some enzymes are inactivated when food is heated, it doesn’t matter because the body uses its own enzymes for digestion. In addition, cooking makes certain phytochemicals easier to absorb, such as beta-carotene in carrots. Another critique is that the human body has changed in response to eating cooked foods. Some of these changes are that are jaws and teeth have become smaller, our stomachs have shrunk, and our small intestines have grown longer, lengthening the digestive surface area. According to other alternative diet theories, such as macrobiotics, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine, a raw-only diet may not be appropriate for people living in colder climates or for people with certain constitutional types.

Fatty Acids: Of Fish and Flax Seed

The following is a great summation of fatty acid function in your body.  The author of this entry is Ellen Troyer, MT, MA of Biosyntrx.

New science suggests that mice are far more capable of properly metabolizing many plant-based essential fatty acids (EFAs) than are human beings – particularly humans over the age of 40. Science has not always understood this fact.

Omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) is, by far, the most plentiful EFA in our diet for an excellent reason. A reasonable amount is necessary for the human body to mount a proper arachidonic acid (AA) mediated inflammatory fever response to viral or bacterial attack, clotting response to severe bleeding, and appropriate tissue swelling response to injury. Because it plays such an important role in human metabolism, it’s found in almost everything we eat that contains fat, including meat, dairy products and eggs. However, Omega-6 AA can also have a pro-inflammatory dark side if consumption is not properly balanced with Omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

Put the right things in your cart ...

We suggest the standard 4:1 ratio (four parts Omega-6 fatty acid to one part Omega-3 fatty acid) is still appropriate for the vast majority of the population.

Recent research suggests that immobilized pen-raised animal foods contain excessively high levels of AA, which is metabolized to liver storage in humans. This can be one of the major low-grade chronic inflammation culprits. Surprisingly, these foods include red and white meat, chicken and turkey and their egg yolks. Even some fish can be dangerously high in AA. Therefore, moderate amounts of these foods are recommended.

Like all pen-raised animals, immobilized farm-raised salmon metabolize Omega-6 LA food pellets (mostly corn) into AA. The high-level mercury/PCB fish to mostly avoid eating include grouper, halibut, swordfish, pompano, catfish, and everyone’s favorite, tuna.

Fish with the highest amount of beneficial Omega-3 EPA  include wild chinook or sockeye salmon, European anchovies, Atlantic/Pacific herring, small Atlantic/Pacific mackerel, black and red caviar, shrimp and sardines.

Nutrition savvy biochemists now recommend a minimum of three servings of small cold-water fish a week to lower the risk of diseases associated with AA chronic inflammation. Biochemically stable, mercury- and PCB-free fish oil supplementation is an alternative choice for people who simply don’t like fish; although, nutritional factors yet to be identified are, no doubt, available in fresh fish, as they are in all plant-based foods.

An Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) Inflammation Primer

Fatty acids are essential for proper modulation of the inflammatory process. The human body does not produce fatty acids, so they must be obtained from the diet, or nutritional supplements.

A bit of fatty acid biochemistry

Micronutrient co-factors are necessary to assist all plant-based Omega-6 linoleic-acid (LA) fatty acid metabolic conversion down the delta-6-desaturase enzymatic pathway to gamma-linolenic-acid (GLA) and Omega-3 plant-based alpha-linolenic-acid to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  Unfortunately, the plant-based fatty acid conversion has not proven to be as efficient in aging humans as it is in mice.  The human delta-6-desaturase metabolic pathway seems to more easily convert Omega-6 GLA from dihomo-gamma-linolenic-acid (DGLA) into the mucosal-specific anti-inflammatory series-one prostaglandins (PGE1) than it converts LA into GLA.

Continuous human Omega-6 PGE1 anti-inflammatory protection is dependent on ingestion of proper amounts of dietary Omega-3 EPA, which blocks the delta-5-desaturase enzymatic metabolic pathway to AA. The miracle of this metabolism is that when the human body suddenly needs to mount an aggressive anti-inflammatory response, Omega-3 EPA simply moves aside and allows immediate and intense AA pro-inflammatory conversion.

Fatty acids from the diet

The best and most direct source of dietary EPA is from cold-water-fish, instead of plant-based Omega 3 fatty acids (think flax seed oil), which has to go through too many metabolic conversions to consistently become EPA. As with plant-based Omega-6 LA, mice have proven to metabolize Omega-3 plant-based fatty acids to EPA far better than men.

Destructive hydrogenated oils (trans-fats most often from Omega-6 oils) no longer contain the essential fatty acid properties vital to good health. Trans-fats have contributed to health problems far more than excessive Omega-6 AA.

Although the U.S. now requires that specific levels of “trans-fats” be identified on the nutrient fact box on all processed food, do be aware that they are still being used and  are now identified as “hydrogenated oil” in the “other ingredients” area below the nutrient fact box. Some multiple vitamin supplements even list “hydrogenated oil” in the “other ingredient” area under the supplement fact box.
A fairly small amount of hydrogenated oil (trans-fat) can still be detrimental to human health, if consumed consistantly.   The best way to avoid these fats is to stay out of the center of the super-market, where all the processed food lives as much as possible.

Try your best to do most of your shopping  around the outside aisles of the market, so that you and your family are consuming adequate daily amounts of fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, limited dairy, and a small amount of red and white meat for adequate protein intake.  You will have to enter the center of the market to purchase your whole grains, but try not to drop too many of those very tempting processed foods into your cart while you are there.

If you exercise daily, control the size of your nutrient-dense portions, and take a well-formulated vitamin/mineral/antioxidant multiple, you can dramatically  increase your chances of enjoying optimal long-term health.