There are two primary types of essential fats: Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. Our body is unable to make them and the only way to get them is from our diet or via supplementation. Essential fats or essential fatty acids are necessary nutrients for the body to produce key hormones called eicasinoids. They have been referred to as the body's super hormones and are made by every cell in our body. There are several different eicasinoids that have the opposite effect on the body's functions and either increase or decrease inflammation. Both of these functions are critical for optimal health. In general, the Omega-3 fatty acids become eicasinoids that decrease inflammation in our bodies (natural anti-inflammatories) and Omega-6 fatty acids become eicasinoids that cause inflammation. When you are injured you need an inflammatory reaction in order to heal this injury, but once the wound is healed, this inflammatory process has to stop. That's why eicasinoids have the ability to either intensify or diminish inflammation in our body. They can also increase or decrease the clotting tendency of the blood. It is critical that these two potentials are well balanced. Consequently,the balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 we take in, becomes critical for our optimal health and has to be in the right ratio, preferrably 1 : 1 or 1 : 2 at least. In our modern society, this ratio is out of balance and we have too much Omega-6 in our body, which causes to much inflammation. There is plenty of Omega-6 in our diet, it is present in chicken,dairy products, processed carbohydrates, peanut oil and safflower oil. This is the underllying cause of numerous diseases, like heart disease, asthma, arthritis, major depression, autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease etc. Heart Disease Dr Terry Jacobson revieved over a dozen large clinical trials that looked at the health benefits of supplementing Omega-3 fatty acids in over 20,000 participants who had coronary artery disease. These clinical trials showed that the group who consumed the Omega-3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil capsules , had nearly a 20% decreased incidence of cardiovascular events. Adding Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet not only lower inflammation, but also lower one's total and LDL or bad cholesterol. This health benefit shows even more in those people that are not consuming much in the way of cold-water fish or other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. Rheumatoid Arthritis There are thirteen clinical trials that show benefits of Omega-3 supplementation for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. There was improvement in all their symptoms, like early morning stiffness, pain, and in the number of tender joints. One important result was a measurable decrease in the inflammatory products being produced by the body and a stabilization in the course of their disease. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis) Many clinical studies have measured the body's increased production of inflammatory products. When fish oil supplements where given to these patients,not only where these products reduced but the patients experienced significant clinical improvements. The most exciting thing they found was the fact that many patients were be able to reduce their dependence on steroid medication Also their bowel pattern showed significant improvement when these patients received repeat biopsies. Asthma Asthma is mainly an inflammatory disease of the lungs. This inflammation sets off the bronchospasm which is characteristic for ths disease. These patients have a significant increase in inflammatory products, which are found in the lungs. After supplementation with Omega-3 fatty acis, many responded positive and the results were definitely encouraging. Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder Psychological stress has proved to be the cause of a significant increase in these inflammatory products, triggered by an unbalance of Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids. The medical community believes this to be the main reason for the development of depression. Studies are allready showing prolonged remission with the reduction of relapse in patients with bipolar disorder in those who supplement with Omega-3 fatty acids. Conclusion. It is a proven fact that the general population has too much inflammation in their body as a result of to much consumption of Omega-6 fatty acids, which is the root cause of many chronic degenerative diseases. Because most people have a problem with increasing the Omega-3 to take in, everyone should start with supplementing their diet with high-quality , filtered, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil capsules. As an alternative , taking in flaxseed or cold-pressed flaxseed oil will also do the job This additional Omega-3 intake will offer the building blocks of our natural anti-inflammatory products. As we bring inflammation back into normal balance,significant health improvements and decrease in risk of heart attacks and sudden death can be the result. . ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Adrian Joele is a recognized authority on the subject of nutrition & weight management. His website, www.nutrobalance.com, provides a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything you'll ever need to know about health issues.
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Essential Fats, optimal health, omega-3, omega-6, fatty acids, inflammation,
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