Re: AA/EPA ratio and Omega Rx book

[Guest guest]

>> And why does Dr.

Sears say saturated fat causes inflammation and is bad? <<

In my opinion, he's guilty of over-simplifying. If you read the article

" Tripping Lightly Down the Prostaglandin Pathways " by Sally Fallon and

Enig, PhD on the Weston Price website, you'll see that they address Dr. Sears'

contention directly:

" Some of the prostaglandins that the body makes from arachidonic acid do indeed

promote inflammation-which is a very important protective response when you have

injured yourself. But the same arachidonic acid also forms the basis of

anti-inflammatory prostaglandins that the body uses, when appropriate, to reduce

inflammation....

" Early research focused on the interplay between the Series 1 and Series 2

prostaglandins. In the most simple terms, the Series 2 prostaglandins seem to be

involved in swelling, inflammation, clotting and dilation, while those of the

Series 1 group have the opposite effect. This has led some writers, notably

Barry Sears in his popular book The Zone, to call the Series 2 family the 'bad'

eicosanoids and to warn readers against eating liver and butter, sources of

arachidonic acid, the Series 2 precursor. Sears also asserts that perfect

balance of the various prostaglandin series can be achieved by following a diet

in which protein, carbohydrate and fat are maintained in certain strict

proportions. This is a highly simplistic view of the complex interactions on the

prostaglandin pathway, one which does not take into account individual

requirements for macro and micro nutrients, nor of imbalances that may be caused

by nutritional deficiencies, environmental stress or genetic defects. Like all

systems in the body, the many eicosanoids work together in an array of loops and

feedback mechanisms of infinite complexity. Furthermore, liver and eggs are both

highly nutritious foods. Liver supplies DGLA, a precursor of the Series 1

prostaglandins, and both liver and eggs supply DHA, an important nutrient for

the brain and nervous system. Arachadonic acid found in butter and eggs is also

an important constituent of cell membranes. " (Sally Fallon and G Enig, PhD,

" Tripping Lightly Down the Prostaglandin Pathways, " Price-Pottenger Nutrition

Foundation Health Journal, 1996, 20:3:5-8)

Christie

[Guest guest]

>>> And why does Dr.

>Sears say saturated fat causes inflammation and is bad? <<

>

>In my opinion, he's guilty of over-simplifying. If you read the article

" Tripping Lightly Down the Prostaglandin Pathways " by Sally Fallon and

Enig, PhD on the Weston Price website, you'll see that they address Dr. Sears'

contention directly:

Times had a great article on inflammation recently, and there was

some other info in a science mag ... they seem to have

pinned down at least *some* of what is going on when

people get this overactive inflammation response going

on (which is at the core of some of the heart disease

and autoimmune reactions). They are thinking that when

people gain weight, some of the fat cells *break* and

this causes a lot of white blood cells to become activated.

I'm simplifying ... but anyway, when those folks lose weight,

the inflammation response goes way down.

In that case, it IS " saturated fat " that is triggering the

inflammation, but it isn't dietary fat, at least not directly

(as we all know, it's easier to get fat from starches and

sugars). I'm kind of wondering if that " leaking fat " might

change the blood lipids too.

-- Heidi Jean