Alternative Health For All
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Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)
gained its recognition in nutrition recently. Not long ago, it was
believed that everyone could produce their own GLA from an essential
fatty acid called linoleic acid. Now it is suggested that GLA is not
being adequately formed in many people, resulting in health problems. Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s)
are the simplest compounds that can be used for manufacturing other
compounds in the body. EFA’s are essential to the diet because
they themselves cannot be manufactured in the body. Their importance is
that they produce other needed compounds, such as Prostaglandins. All EFA’s
are polyunsaturated fatty acids, yet many polyunsaturated fatty acids
are not essential to the diet. Scientists now say only linoleic
acid is a dietary essential. The body can produce other vital fatty
acids as needed provided it is nourished with good vitamins and
minerals. EFAs
are like vitamins. Their absence causes such deficiency signs as:
painful swollen joints, hair loss, dry scaly skin, irritability,
lethargy, infertility, infections, liver problems, and poor tissue
structure. Even a diet high in fat could block GLA formation in the body. And it is GLA and the resulting Prostaglandins (PGs) that are essential to health. Many people are deficient in vitamins and minerals that are needed to complete the production of GLA and PG. The deficiency sign appears similar to vitamin B6 deficiency and aging. Our body does produce GLA, but it is not enough to meet optimum nutrition requirements, due to many factors, such as vitamin mineral deficiency, absortivity blockage from fat replacements, and genetic limitations. Bottom line, we must depend on our diet or supplements to get the sufficient amount of GLA. Two forms of essential fatty acid structures are called “ cis”, and “trans”. Cis is derived from naturally occurring fatty acids, while trans-fats are manufactured by man (like commonly found hydrogenated oils or margarines). Most processed vegetable oils contain trans-fatty acids. Some hand pressed and mechanically, expeller pressed vegetable oils do contain cis-fatty acids. Distilled or chemically processed oils will not. Some man made trans-fat actually blocks the production of cis-linoleic acid ( CLA). Today’s high fat diet in the western world produces overwhelming amount of trans-fatty acid, causing deficient production of cis-fat, thereby resulting in too little EFA in our system. Some good essential fatty acid daily supplement amounts include:
Other seeds that also contains essential fatty acids: Safflower Oil, Soybeans, Olive oil, Coconut oil, Walnuts, Seaweeds, & Almonds Fish oils are high in Omega 3
fat, fish eaters like Japanese have 3 times more Omega 3 in the body
than average Americans. Note: remember to always
choose hand or expeller pressed oil as opposed to refined or processed
to insure benefit from the
cis-fatty acid form. All forms of cooking destroy the quality of fats. Benefits EFA brings to the body include: Healthy cell production, immune system boosting , heart attack prevention and heart disease mitigation, lessening arthritis and inflammations, weight control, reducing PMS symptoms, and even to help the body fend off cancer and improve overall quality of life. Daily dosage can be obtained by taking one table spoon of flax seed oil or a high-potency capsule of EPA/DHA, plus two table spoons of ground seeds such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds, or a high potency evening primrose oil or borage oil capsule, noting the dosage suggested in our table.
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