Good Fats / Bad Fats
By Dr. Janine Lex

If you knew there was a substance that enhanced IQ, prevented heart attacks, improved kidney function, balanced hormones and created supple skin and joints, would you want to take it? Would you make sure your loved ones got it into there diet?

Research has shown that essential fatty acids (EFA) of the right proportion and concentration has overwhelming positive effects on developing bodies and those in a degenerative state. Making these available to the body through supplementation and avoiding transfatty acids and hydrogenated fats can do
miraculous things. In this article I want to briefly discuss the benefits of good fats.

Essential fatty acids (EFA) are considered essential because we need them from outside sources. They are essential to cell structure and fundamental processes in the body and when we don’t have them in the right amounts or proportions we suffer. EFA consumption has decreased over the last fifty years do to changes in food choices and food processing. The most easily metabolized EFA is fish oil. Few people like to eat the 100gms of oily fish like sardines, mackerel and herring that was a common diet staple for past generations. There are also legitimate concerns with the toxicity of fish available in the marketplace today.

Bad fats (trans and hydrogenated fats) are long inflexible molecular chains with little availability for ionic breakdown do to the excessive amount of hydrogen bonding. The excessive hydrogen bonding is why they stay solid at room temperature. When processed by the body, they are rarely broken down into fully bio-available structures. Therefore, they build up debris and toxicity in the most unfortunate places, like the arteries and liver. The over consumption of these bad fats are known to be responsible for hardening of the arteries, degenerative joint disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, eczema and fatty liver degeneration to name a few. Even if you have a diet slim in these “bad fats,” the lack of enough of the good fats can cause a variety of symptoms as listed above.

The most popular good fats are flaxseed, borage, fish, and olive oil. They are shorter chained fatty acids and have far more available bonding sites for the chemical reactions needed to break them down into the cellular building blocks EPA and DHA. They are also curved chains rather than rigid straight chains, making them far more motile through the system. (They don’t get stuck!!) EPA and DHA make flexible and pliable cell membranes meaning they are more open for transport and activity.

Another lesser known, but vital EFA, is polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC). PPC is found in lecithin and is particularly important in neuronal cell membranes and liver function. Cognitive decline and liver compromise can be successfully treated with PPC. In the old days lecithin was obtained in the diet by eatting animal brains. Head cheese in the butcher's case is still around if you are so inclined. The modern palate usually goes for lecithin, a soy by product found in natural foods stores. Those who are allergic to soy are usually able to take lecithin because it is an isolate that does not contain the protein molecule usually associated with allergies. Lecithin granules are unique. They can be eatten in tablespoon dosages out of the can or added to food, as it does not degrade under high temperature. Lecithin is actually used as a dough conditioner and creates a moist baked good, as in muffins and waffles. Some people prefer a more concentrated form found in lecithin liquids. Liquid lecithin blended in fruit smoothies or protein shakes create a smooth and creamy texture.

PPC is also found in Krill Oil, which is on the market in supplement form. Krill are the tiny shrimp like organisms that whales feed on. Krill provide not only the DHA and EPA of fish oil but the extra benefit of PPC. If you choose to add Krill to your supplement regime be sure the company producing this natural substance is committed to protecting supplies so both you and the nordic whales have enough to last into the next generation.

One of the beautiful things about EFA’s is that taken at the right ratio and dosage they can repair and undo the damage done by bad fats. You can incorporate them into your daily diet and I highly recommend that you do.

These EFA’s can be used in cooking. I also recommend using mayonnaise made with grape seed oil or flax seed oil. These are very tasty, even to the more finicky palate. For high temperature cooking, it is better to use a vegetable oil processed for high temperatures. These can be found at most health food stores. Frying foods at high temperatures does kill most of the EFA inherent in all vegetable oils. To avoid creating transfatty acids when frying, don’t reuse oil more than a couple times and when cooking meats be sure to drain the fat off as much as possible and trim away charred fatty areas.

Coconut Oil is a medium chain fatty acid. Until recently it had been on the bad fatstlist. Current reveiw of research and a second look at coconut oil suggests it is vaulable as a dietary fat. It is an excellent fat to saute or deep fry foods. And as above only reuse this oil two or three times.

Supplementation with EFA’s is recommended if these problems are apparent:
■ High triglycerides
■ High cholesterol
■ Insulin resistance
■ Arthritis
■ History of cardiac dysfunction
■ Arterial plaque
■ Depression
■ PMS
■ Eczema
■ Inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
■ Smoker’s Bronchitis
■ Acute and chronic hepatitis C
■ Gallstone formation
■ Radiation syndrome
■ Memory loss/cognitive repair
■ Arthritis
■ Autoimmune diseases
■ Decreased athletic performance

When supplementing the most economical and efficient supplement comes form natural, stable, purified fish oils. Fish oils are already broken down into EPA and DHA so there is fewer metabolic steps required. Flaxseed and other EFA’s are longer chain and must be broken down into the smaller molecules. Most of the current research has been done with fish oils do to there bio-availability.

When purchasing a fish oil for supplementation look for one that has not been chemically modified and has no more than 38% Omega 3. It should be certified free of PCBs, heavy metals and pesticides. The recommended dose is 1.3gm of EPA and DHA for general maintenance and those suffering from cardiac problems. For joint
and skin problems, increase the dose to 2.6gm. When supplementing with PPC 900 to 3000mg is used depending on the severity of the dysfunction.

What can you expect when you include this level of EFA supplementation?
■ Increased energy and concentration
■ Decreased risk of heart attack
■ Decreased plaque build up and increased clean up of existing plaque
■ Increased HDL
■ Decreased serum cholesterol
■ Increased arterial compliance
■ Improved visual function in the dark
■ Increased insulin sensitivity
■ Increased renal function
■ Increased skin elasticity
■ Increased academic ability in problem solving, math skills and reading ability
■ Decrease in PMS and menopausal symptoms
■ Decrease in free radicals
■ Decrease joint inflammation and increased joint mobility

Studies done with mothers of small children found that mothers who took 1.2gm of fish oil while pregnant and nursing had children with higher IQs.

Adding EFA and PPC to your diet is a wise decision. Eliminating hydrogenated fats and transfatty acids is vital to good health and good looks. Both will have you enjoying life more and more.