Science lesson 101

[Guest guest]

For those of you who (still) want more information on what ProEFA or

Omega 3/Omega 6 or essential fatty acids (EFA)are, in addition to The

LCP Solution by Dr. Stordy and Malcolm Nicholl, you can also buy The

Omega-3 Connection: The Groundbreaking Anti-depression Diet and Brain

Program book which is written by one of CHERAB's board members,

L. Stoll, M.D., Director of the Psycho-pharmacology Research

Laboratory at Harvard's McLean Hospital:

" For years scientists have searched for a " magic bullet " to relieve

the pain of depression and other mood disorders -- safe enough for

nursing mothers, children with ADHD, and the elderly, without the

side effects associated with medicines like Prozac, Zoloft, and

lithium. Now the search may finally be over, thanks to the Omega-3

Renewal Plan, introduced here by L. Stoll, M.D., Director of

the Psycho-pharmacology Research Laboratory at Harvard's McLean

Hospital.

In his groundbreaking research, Stoll found that omega-3 fatty acids,

already known for their importance in preventing heart disease,

Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer, play a crucial

role in mental health -- regulating and en-hancing mood, sharpening

memory, and even aiding concentration and learning. And these

remarkable substances, so essential to our health, are found

abundantly in common fish oils and other sources.

The bad news is that even though omega-3 fatty acids have played a

critical role in our evolutionary past, these extraordinary

substances have been depleted by our Western diet and lifestyle, and

the resulting nutritional imbalance seems to have led to a sharp rise

in heart disease and depression. By contrast, in Japan and other

countries where fish consumption is high, both heart disease and

depression rates are low. Stoll explains how easily omega-3s can be

used up in just a few generations, and how a new mother with depleted

omega-3s loses still more to her baby -- a fact that may account for

the severe postpartum depression so many women suffer. He documents

evidence that a shortage of omega-3s may also play a role in

attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other learning

problems. The good news is that this downward spiral of depletion and

depression can finally be reversed.

In his revolutionary Omega-3 Renewal Plan, Dr. Stoll presents readers

for the first time with all the tools for restoring their natural

balance of omega-3 fatty acids, including which foods to eat and how

to choose the most effective over-the-counter supplements. Featuring

information on how to integrate flaxseed and fish oils into diet and

medication plans, and including simple recipes as well as supplement

dosages and sources, The Omega-3 Connection offers an entirely new,

practical method for improving mental health. "

And here is information from the Fish Foundation of the UK:

" The Nutritional Role of Fats, Oils and the Polyunsaturates

Polyunsaturates form a component part of the fats and oils in our

food. Such fats and oils are a combination of substances called fatty

acids and glycerol (also called glycerine). The fatty acids are long

chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms, with a mildly acidic group at

one end, which is where they join with glycerol to form molecules

called triglycerides. Three fatty acids join with one glycerol, hence

the name triglyceride.

The various fatty acids which are commonly found in edible oils and

fats are classified into three distinct groupings, depending on their

actual chemical format.

The saturated fatty acids are characteristic of land animal fats,

such as butter, tallow (from beef) or lard ( from pigs), and have a

high melting temperature (>20o C) which is why such fats tend to be

hard at room temperature. The links between the carbon atoms within

the chain are single links, which means that the maximum amount of

hydrogen is present. More hydrogen cannot be inserted chemically,

hence they are termed to be " saturated " .

Certain fatty acids have some of their carbon-carbon links in a

different form, called double bonds. If there is only one such double

bond present in a molecule, the fatty acid has a somewhat lower

melting point, which usually makes the fatty acid liquid at room

temperature. Such fatty acids are called monounsaturated, and are

commonly found in certain vegetable oils, e.g. olive oil. Extra

hydrogen atoms can be inserted chemically, which is why they are

termed " unsaturated " .

The presence of more than one such double bond makes the fatty acid

polyunsaturated. From two to six double bonds can be found in the

fatty acids of common edible oils, and the presence of two or more

such bonds lowers the melting point even more than with

monounsaturates. Vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, and the oils

from fish commonly contain high levels of polyunsaturates.

Polyunsaturates are further divided into two sub-groups depending on

small differences in the way the molecule is made up. The two groups

are called omega-6 and omega-3 (sometimes referred to as w-6 or w-3,

or even N-6 and N-3).

Both of these families of polyunsaturates are essential for good

health and normal growth. Since they cannot be manufactured by the

human body, they must be supplied in the diet. For this reason, they

are often referred to as the " essential fatty acids " ,

or " EFA's "

(We already know that they are working, and they are good for us-your

child will probably be a teenager before all the research is done and

we know all the reasons why! As NIKE says " Just do it! " )