Guest guest Posted June 13, 2002 Report Share Posted June 13, 2002 I have read a lot about fatty acids and have not come across tuna as a good source. I take a spoonful of flax oil each day and eat sushi (especially salmon and mackeral) about 2 times a week. When I balance my fatty acids I definatly do better. -Patty Here is what Dr. Weil (Famous integrative medicine guy with the beard..) has to say about Omega 3 fatty acids. I like him, but am always a bit skeptical of alternative medicine folks: Omega-3 fatty acids refer to a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in certain foods. Alpha-linolenic acid is considered an essential fatty acid (EFA) for humans because the body cannot make it from other fatty acids. It is 18 carbons long and found in plant foods, specifically flax seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, and certain greens like purslane. Ground flax seed is the best source of this fatty acid. EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are long chain omega-3 fatty acids, 20 and 22 carbons long, respectively. They are found in animal foods (fish and wild game) as well as in some algaes. They are the primary constituents of fish oils that seem to protect against heart attack, stroke, cancer and inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. EPA is involved in protection against disease in several ways. The most important include " thinning " the blood and preventing blood clots, and being converted into less inflammatory prostaglandins and reducing inflammation. Oily fleshed, cold water fish like salmon and sardines are the best sources of EPA, although fish oil capsules are available and may be used if higher amounts of EPA are needed for specific conditions. If you use fish oil capsules, choose a product that is free from heavy metals and toxins that may also contaminate fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2002 Report Share Posted June 14, 2002 I am a sushi addict!! When I eat canned tuna my rosacea goes nuts As far as being better assimilated - I have not read anything that indicates getting EFA's in whole food form or taking the pure oil makes a difference, so I assume there really is not a difference. Oil is oil, just as sugar is sugar. The flax oil spoils more rapidly than other oils. You keep it in the fridge and it lasts maybe a few months. So, eating seeds may be more convenient since they do not spoil so readily. However, a spoon of flax oil might be easier to eat than a bunch of flax seeds. Also, some may need to avoid seeds due to digestive tract issues. I guess if you focus on eating foods high in " good oils " you will be eating more healthy than if you eat a burger and then a spoon of flax or fish oil I find EFAs very interesting and even a bit complicated. I've seen them discussed in mainstream medical articles and even recommended for certain disorders. It may be worthwhile for everyone to spend some time learning about them and using them in your diet to combat inflammation and improve health in general. Now when it comes to other things like sugar I tend to go the whole food route. I rarely even drink fruit juice. I would much rather just eat the actual fruit rather than take a megadose of it's sugar Patty > > I have read a lot about fatty acids and have not come across tuna > as > > a good source. I take a spoonful of flax oil each day and eat > sushi > > (especially salmon and mackeral) about 2 times a week. When I > > balance my fatty acids I definatly do better. -Patty > > > > Here is what Dr. Weil (Famous integrative medicine guy with > > the beard..) has to say about Omega 3 fatty acids. I like him, but > > am always a bit skeptical of alternative medicine folks: > > > > Omega-3 fatty acids refer to a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids > > found in certain foods. Alpha-linolenic acid is considered an > > essential fatty acid (EFA) for humans because the body cannot make > it > > from other fatty acids. It is 18 carbons long and found in plant > > foods, specifically flax seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, and certain > > greens like purslane. Ground flax seed is the best source of this > > fatty acid. EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are long chain omega- > 3 > > fatty acids, 20 and 22 carbons long, respectively. They are found > in > > animal foods (fish and wild game) as well as in some algaes. They > are > > the primary constituents of fish oils that seem to protect against > > heart attack, stroke, cancer and inflammatory diseases like > > rheumatoid arthritis. EPA is involved in protection against disease > > in several ways. The most important include " thinning " the blood > and > > preventing blood clots, and being converted into less inflammatory > > prostaglandins and reducing inflammation. Oily fleshed, cold water > > fish like salmon and sardines are the best sources of EPA, although > > fish oil capsules are available and may be used if higher amounts > of > > EPA are needed for specific conditions. If you use fish oil > capsules, > > choose a product that is free from heavy metals and toxins that may > > also contaminate fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2002 Report Share Posted June 14, 2002 GNC, CVS and other drug/vitamin stores sell flax seed oil in capsules so you don't actually have to down a spoonful. An article in GNC's magazine also recommended flax seed oil, dandelion root tea (and other stuff I don't remember) as a good cleansing routine for the body. Don't know about that, but FSO does make my hair grow really fast! staceyiseman@... wrote: To: artist@..., rosacea-support From: staceyiseman@... Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 14:00:28 EDT Subject: Re: Re: Fatty Acids >So, eating seeds may be more convenient since they do not >spoil so readily. However, a spoon of flax oil might be easier to eat >than a bunch of flax seeds and remember unless the seeds are ground they will pass through your digestive system relatively undigested and you won't get the benefits of the oil ground, however, you get the oil, fiber protein and other goodies (and can be sprinkled on stuff you don't have to eat it by the spoonful) stacey -- --------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2002 Report Share Posted June 14, 2002 GNC, CVS and other drug/vitamin stores sell flax seed oil in capsules so you don't actually have to down a spoonful. An article in GNC's magazine also recommended flax seed oil, dandelion root tea (and other stuff I don't remember) as a good cleansing routine for the body. Don't know about that, but FSO does make my hair grow really fast! staceyiseman@... wrote: To: artist@..., rosacea-support From: staceyiseman@... Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 14:00:28 EDT Subject: Re: Re: Fatty Acids >So, eating seeds may be more convenient since they do not >spoil so readily. However, a spoon of flax oil might be easier to eat >than a bunch of flax seeds and remember unless the seeds are ground they will pass through your digestive system relatively undigested and you won't get the benefits of the oil ground, however, you get the oil, fiber protein and other goodies (and can be sprinkled on stuff you don't have to eat it by the spoonful) stacey -- --------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2002 Report Share Posted June 14, 2002 GNC, CVS and other drug/vitamin stores sell flax seed oil in capsules so you don't actually have to down a spoonful. An article in GNC's magazine also recommended flax seed oil, dandelion root tea (and other stuff I don't remember) as a good cleansing routine for the body. Don't know about that, but FSO does make my hair grow really fast! staceyiseman@... wrote: To: artist@..., rosacea-support From: staceyiseman@... Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 14:00:28 EDT Subject: Re: Re: Fatty Acids >So, eating seeds may be more convenient since they do not >spoil so readily. However, a spoon of flax oil might be easier to eat >than a bunch of flax seeds and remember unless the seeds are ground they will pass through your digestive system relatively undigested and you won't get the benefits of the oil ground, however, you get the oil, fiber protein and other goodies (and can be sprinkled on stuff you don't have to eat it by the spoonful) stacey -- --------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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