health and wellness

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) play an integral role to our health, but for which our bodies cannot produce. They are as important to us as vitamins and nutrients, and we need to ingest them from outside food sources in order to get them. The two main types of essential fatty acids are Omega-3 (from fish oils and some plant oils) and Omega-6 (from plant oils) while Omega-3 is notorious among Americans being the most deficient in. Some of the effects of its deficiency are the escalating concerns such as arthritis, diabetes, breast cancer, PMS and menopausal symptoms, low-energy levels, fatigue, skin conditions, mood swings and depression.

What Are Essential Fatty Acids?

Essential fatty acids are the “good fats” which helps raise your (High Density Lipoprotein) HDL “good cholesterol” while attacking your (Low Density Lipoprotein) LDL “bad cholesterol” and escorts it to the liver where it is broken down and excreted. Thus, the good fats attack the bad fats, and this is very important in an age when so many Americans are struggling to get their cholesterol down, and fight heart disease and obesity. Most Americans are Omega-3 deficient because of our over-processed diets, and one of the most common symptoms of Omega-3 deficiency is depression, among a host of other mental health problems. Since depression is so common among Americans this is why many people take St. John’s Wort, Prozac, and Ritalin. Many nutritional experts suggest that the deficiency lies in Omega-3.

Essential Fatty Acids For Weight Loss

So who tells you that cutting out fat is better for your health? Listen to this, fat is not your enemy. Essential fatty acids are actually your friend. Besides promoting well being, essential fatty acids make you look healthy by adding luster to brittle hair, strength to cracked nails, and healing to skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

If you want to drop those extra pounds and enjoy vibrant health, put an end to your fat phobia and add healthy fats back into your diet. I have seen dramatic and long lasting results in people who were tired of all the weight-loss roller coaster rides. Not only did they feel better with much more energy, they are slimmer as a result.

Omega-3 Fat Zappers

The key to vibrant health and successful weight loss is a balanced and nutritional diet. Below is a list of the best dietary sources for each of the healthy fats. Just remember, when processed or refined, the nutritional benefits of these oils are dramatically compromised. Therefore, high heat, light, and oxygen destroy EFAs, so when consuming food for their EFA content, try to avoid cooked or heated forms. Choose from salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, herring, nuts etc. Or supplement with 1 -3 grams of fish oil or flaxseed oil daily.

Omega-3s

• wheat germ oil (bottled or capsules)
• walnuts (raw nuts, bottled oil or capsules)
• pumpkin seeds
• purslane (dark, leafy green used throughout Mediterranean countries)
• flaxseeds or flaxseed oil (mix in your yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese)
• canola oil ( only used unrefined or cold-pressed brands usually found in health food stores)
• Hemp oil (a healthy mixture of both Omega3 and Omega-6)

Omega-6s

• pine nuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds (all raw)
• soybeans and safflower oils
• borage oil and evening primrose oil

Omega-9s

• virgin or extra virgin olive oil (1 -2 tablespoons daily)
• sesame oil (bottled oil)
• avocado (raw or bottled oil)
• peanuts, almonds, pecan, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia (raw nuts)

Food Tips

• Extra virgin oil or grapeseed oil are best to use for your cooking needs, as they withstand high heat well.
• Replace oily snack foods “bad fats” like potato chips and corn chips, with nuts and seeds.
• In many recipes calling for vegetable shortening, replacing the shortening with half as much virgin olive oil, and a very small pinch of extra salt, often yields similar results.
• Adding flaxseed and/or virgin olive oil to salads instead of supermarket salad oil is another healthy change.
• Replace hydrogenated fats (like margarine), cholesterol-based fats (dairy products), and polysaturated fats (common cooking oils) with healthy EFA-based fats whenever possible. For example, instead of margarine on your warm  vegetables, use flaxseed or olive oil with salt. (This tastes similar to margarine, as margarine is just hydrogenated oil and salt.)