Green Options

I recently attended a talk at my local Whole Foods Market given by natural health author Udo Erasmus, PhD where he discussed the properties of fat and, more specifically, the values of omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3’s have received an enormous amount of attention lately, due to the fact that they have the ability to improve heart health, brain function, mood, and conditions of inflammation such as arthritis.  Another reason omega-3’s are getting so much press?  Most Americans don’t consume nearly enough of them.

To make matters worse, while the Standard American Diet is severely lacking in omega-3’s, it consists of an overabundance of omega-6’s.  Although omega-6’s are also an essential fatty acid—meaning a person must consume them since the body does not produce them—the imbalanced ratio of omega-3’s to omega-6’s is being blamed for many of the health problems Americans face today (link).

“Life knows exactly what needs to be done, as long as you bring enough of what it needs to do it,” Erasmus told his audience.  In other words, providing the body with the proper building blocks—in this case, healthy fats—will ensure it runs the way it should.  To determine a healthy fat from an unhealthy one, Erasmus outlined these three properties:

Studies have shown that many illnesses (including several types of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease) are largely influenced by chronic inflammation in the body.

Prolonged inflammation causes the immune system to become off balance, and can result in damage to healthy tissue.

Poor diet is a main contributor to chronic inflammation, but several lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise, and excessive stress can promote inflammation as well.

Many health and nutrition experts are now starting to emphasize the importance of following an anti-inflammatory diet.

Here are a few tips to get you started on your way to less inflammation and better health: