eternalhealth@optusnet.com.au wrote:
I have below as I am busy in clinic>
I see what you wrote but you did not address the concerns I mentioned,
namely that there be appropriate *ratios* of omega-6 to omega-3 and that
a vegetarian diet is usually NOT appropriate to do this nor to do a host
of other things necessary to proper health, with balanced nutrients.
We tend to get far too many omega-6 fatty acids and to have a huge
deficit of the omega-3s that are anti-inflammatory (EPA and DHA only -
as the eicosanoids from alpha linolenic acid have a net inflammatory
effect).
fatty acids (PUFAs) that cannot be made in the body - linoleic acid and
alpha-linolenic acid. They must be provided by diet. In the body both
can be converted to other PUFAs such as arachidonic acid, or
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Except that this is not really true. The human body can convert VERY
limited amounts of EPA and DHA from linolenic acid, there is a mechanism
to prevent more conversion, and it is thus appropriate to get it from
fiah or a fish oil supplement. Vegetarians often don't do that - and
there is NO plant source of these two ANTI-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
The more inflammatory fatty acids eaten, the more anti-inflammatory
ones must ALSO be eaten to obtain a net non-inflammatory cell state.
With imbalance, the entire body is in an inflammatory state at the cell
level, and that's why I advocated against sunflower oil.
The cell memebranes are indeed the key to health here from fatty acids -
but the membrane permeability (so as to exclude toxins and include
nutrients) is dependent on its flexibility - and that in turn is helped
by anti-inflammatory eicosanoids from EPA and DHA - and is hindered by
any excess of omega-6 or of the inflammatory omega-3, linolenic acid.
It is also adversely affected by carbohydrates in the diet as these
turn to glucoase and cause glycation - sticky strands that stiffen the
cell walls.
Further if the individual is short of B6 they will also lack the delta-6
desaturase and not be able to make the active form of linolenic acid
namely gamma-linolenic acid.
including inflammation and blood clotting;
The omega-3's make not just prostaglandin but also prostacyclin (both
anti-inflammatory) and thromboxane (inflammatory) eicosanoids. Each
omega-3 is not created equal in that the inflammatory eicosanoids like
thromboxanes of some are stronger than for others and thus not overcome
by the anti-inflamamtory eicosanoids - so the NET effect is
inflamamtory. Thus for example EPA and DHA (found in fish oil/fat) *do*
have stronger anti-inflamamtory eicosanoids for a NET anti-inflammatory
effect (with a vasodilatory effect for example as part of that) - so
they are good for cell walls, blood pressure, kidney function etc. But
this is NOT so for linolenic acid (as found in plant sources such as
flax) where the inflammatory eicosanoids are stronger, and these are bad
for the cell walls, blood pressure, kidneys, etc.
So it's not enough to "get omega-3s" - one has to get enough of the
right omega-3s and much less of inflammatory omega-3 and of omega-6 - so
as to have a diet that is net anti-inflamamtory.
EV olive oil is very anti-inflamamtory too, and helps to get a net
anti-inflammatory diet.
Cholesterol metabolism is affected even more by the ratio of
carbohydrate in the diet than by the fatty acids, as this determines the
quantity of fat stored in the omentum (the dangerous fat).
acid, and ricinoleic acid can be directly produced only from a vegetable
source: >
I'm not suggesting there be no vegetables in the food:-)
Only that there not be ONLY vegetables in the food:-)
for alpha-linoleic acid]
that's alpha-linolenic acid which is the omega-3.
Linoleic is omega-6 and we tend to get too much.
of the excellent sources of the essential fatty acid linoleic acid >
And therein lies the problem. It is way "too" excellent with omega-6
linoleic acid and causes imbalance with omega-3 - thus a net
inflammatory effect.
...which makes it a much more suitable food, as it has a high
anti-inflamamtory effect as well, both fromt eh oleic acid (omega-9) and
from the strong anti-oxidants it contains - plus a list a few pages long
of other benefits.
omega 9 [monosaturated, non essential fatty acid
It depends on your definition of essential. Yours is unusual in thagt
you count only the fatty acids not made by the human body. Modern
terminology considers the ones essential to health to be essential. From
the second definition, omega-9 is essential, especuially if you
consioder the health of cell walls to be relevant - adn we both seem to
do that.
the diet.
A very small part to be limited so as not to overdo omega-6. Instead of
concentrating in trying to get the omega-6 that we usually hacve fat too
much of - I would be looking for where your client is getting EPA and
DHA (as the body can not make enough from linolenic acid) and gamma
linolenic acid, and oleic acid. Those are the ones that help with
inflammation and her symptoms *indicate* an inflammatory state.
I woudl nto be advising omega-6 inflammatory sunflower oil nor
inflammatory flax here either.
Namaste,
Irene
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."
This is one of the reasons I have her on Folliculinum which did work to help her menses when she previously came to see me.