What is Functional Wellness?

This is at the foundation of my practice ~

THE CORE PRINCIPLES THAT DEFINE FUNCTIONAL WELLNESS:

BIO – INDIVIDUALITY:
Functional Wellness views us all as biochemically unique. This approach supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual. My personalized approach treats the individual, not the disease. There is no “one size fits all” approach to health and wellness.

AWARENESS OF CURRENT HABITS/PATTERNS:
We work together to identify your current lifestyle barriers to wellness. The power of this therapeutic partnership is based on the fact that you, the patient, are an active participant in the development of the therapeutic plan.  You make the sustained lifestyle changes that improve your health and wellness.

FUNCTIONAL WELLNESS IS SCIENCE BASED:
What we put in our bodies, what we do with our bodies and what happens within us is connected in a complicated network of relationships.  We work to understand those relationships so we can see the dynamic functioning of the body.

BODY’S ABILITY TO HEAL ITSELF:
Your body is intelligent and capable of profound self-regulation.  This ability is expressed through a dynamic balance of all your body systems. We are an intricate biodynamic system that contains incredible feedback mechanisms. Together we focus on maximizing that ability by enhancing your vitality.

WELLNESS IS A LIFE LONG JOURNEY:
Health and wellness is not just the absence of disease, it is a state of vitality.  Functional Wellness looks to find the root causes or mechanisms involved in any loss of function (heartburn, chronic body pain, migraines, digestive issues, hormonal imbalance, grief to name a few). It utilizes an “upstream” approach to consider the complex web of interrelations in your life, including the internal and external factors that affect total function or vitality. This unique approach makes that journey easier to travel.

I’m Sandra Jones and I have helped thousands of people to become pain-free with my drug-free approach called Functional Wellness. As a Certified Rolfer, Classical Homeopath and Certified Functional Nutritionist, I offer you an individualized wellness plan to get you out of pain and back to living the life you know is possible.

DYSBIOSIS & PROBIOTICS

 

PROBIOTICS? 

With the discovery of the microbiome, a new frontier in science and health care was born. While still in its infancy, there is compelling evidence suggesting numerous health benefits of taking probiotics. While the benefits of probiotics were once thought to be restricted to gut and digestive health, new research on the gut-brain axis is connecting our microbiome to the health of the brain, immunity, bone density, blood sugar, mood and even our intuition – and this is the short list.

Transient vs. Colonizing Probiotics

There are two basic types of probiotics: transient and colonizing. The vast majority of all the probiotics on the market are transient probiotics, which transit through the gut but do not make a permanent or lasting change to the microbiome. There are plenty of studies supporting the numerous health benefits of transient probiotics, but once you stop taking them the microbiome generally returns to its original state before probiotic use. The health benefits gleaned are unfortunately dependent on continuous use of transient probiotics.

Colonizing probiotics, while still very rare in the marketplace, actually adhere to the gut wall, become permanent residents, and build microbial diversity. In one study, a colonizing probiotic called Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 was shown to adhere to the gut wall and increase microbial diversity in a study group of subjects over 60 years of age. While the science studying our microbes is still in its infancy, it is clear that diversity matters. Westerners have significantly less microbial diversity than other cultures around the world.

I HAVE FOUND THIS COLONIZING PROBIOTIC TO BE THE BEST

Prescript-Assist combines 29 nutrient rich, soil-based, pH-resistant organisms with Leonardite prebiotic to increase the amount of beneficial gastrointestinal micro-flora found in the GI Tract. This supplement also corrects the damage that antibiotics cause, helping the GI track return to a healthy state. In other words, Prescript-Assist helps to re-establish the normal balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria in the intestine. Leonardite prebiotic, also a soil-based organism, enables the probiotic organisms to thrive and prosper in the intestines.

Some of the Advantages of Taking Prescript-Assist Include:

  • Enhanced GI Survival of Prebiotic/Probiotics
  • 29 Proven Symbiotic Strains
  • Supported by Prebiotics
  • Backed by Peer Reviewed, Published Clinical Studies
  • No Known Side Effects
  • No Refrigeration Required
  • Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Vegan

Basic Viability vs. Engineered Delivery

Most probiotic supplements on the market today rely on 1 or 2 strains of fragile, lactic-acid based bacteria. Prescript-Assist is different. Unlike other probiotics, Prescript-Assist has inherent viability. That means the species selected for inclusion are naturally adapted for survival in the human GI tract. Among the 29 beneficial organisms found in Prescript-Assist are a class of bacteria commonly referred to as “spore-formers”. In addition, Prescript-Assist contains Bacillus subtilis: A proven probiotic species found in traditional foods.

A Four-Step Plan

A logical strategy for a probiotic regime would be to introduce colonizing microbes into the gut and digestive tract that support microbial diversity, and ultimately promote digestive self-sufficiency. In an effort to accomplish this, I suggest a four-step comprehensive plan for perfect gut health:

Step 1: Support the intestinal mucus membranes by introducing prebiotic soluble fiber to create the best possible environment for healthy microbes to thrive.

Step 2: Introduce healthy, colonizing probiotics that will remove undesirable, non-functional microbes and simultaneously make way for new beneficial, permanent residents to proliferate.

Step 3: After the gut is primed, boost colonizing microbes to complete the process of achieving thriving microbial diversity.

Step 4: Maintain with colonizing probiotics as needed and small amounts of fermented foods.

fermented

Lower Back Pain and Dysbiosis

 

Chronic lower back pain has a lot to do with chronically tensed belly and pelvis muscles. Why do you tense there? One reason could have to do with what you eat.

If you have chronical or recurrent pain in the lower back, you need to look at different factors to find a solution.

Several Rolfing sessions with body pattern awareness combined with 30 minutes of brisk walking 7 days a week can reduce the problems dramatically.

LOWER BACK PAIN IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM
Often chronical pain in various parts of the moving body has to do with chronically tensed muscles – this also applies to the lower back. But you must remember, that the lower back is not only the lower part of the back, it is also the back part of the pelvis, that is connected with the rest of the body in a complicated and fine network of muscles, bones, ligaments, connecting tissue etc.

That is why it is often of no use to look at lower back problems as an isolated phenomena. We are multi-dimensional beings.  There is a lot going on!

TUMMY SIZE AND GUT FLORA
On top of looking at your general movement pattern, it can be relevant to look at what this pelvis contains. A big part of it contains the gut! No surprice, but have you ever given your gut flora a thought? The gut contains about 2 kg of bacteria, which is vital for our survival.

Good health is dependent on this gut flora´s balance. There are beneficial, opportunistic and dysbiotic bacteria. If the balance of these types of bacteria is not beneficial and dysbiotic, it means that the gut wall it is vulnerable and a typical symptom of that is what is known as leaky gut. A leaky gut can´t handle certain food. If you have a dysbiotic gut flora, you might know perfectly well, that you have certain food intolerance, but you might also not know what more food you might have difficulty in digesting.

One of the symptoms of a more or less dysbiotic gut flora is bloating. You know – just a little or a lot every day, maybe beginning at the same time every day, maybe it starts at different times.

BLOATING MAKES YOU TENSE
What makes the problem worse is, that being bloated can make you tense in the inner pelvic muscles. You don´t necessarily know it, because, in terms of muscle sensation, the bloatedness makes you partly numb in that area and you can´t control all the inner pelvis muscles consciously. You aren’t using the appropriate muscles for movement (like your psoas!) because you can’t “find” it.

Additionally dysbiosis creates inflammation in the small and large intestine, which basically are suspended from your lower vertebrae.  This extra strain creates susceptibility and eventually can disorganize your spine and pelvic causing pain, stiffness and discomfort.

Nutritional Therapies Practitioner ~ N.T.P.

In additon to being a bodyworker utilizing Rolfing and Craniosacral Therapy, and a Nationally Certified Classical Homeopath, I am excited to announce that I am a
Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (N.T.P.)

What is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner?

A Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) is trained and certified through the Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA). NTPs do not diagnose or treat disease. Instead, NTPs help clients improve health and vitality by addressing six foundations:

Diet
Digestion
Blood sugar balance
Mineral balance
Fatty acid balance
Hydration

N.T.P.s focus on the biochemical individuality of each client.

N.T.P.s use a variety of tools to create a personalized nutrition program unique to each client.

Nutritional Therapy Gives Your Body What It Needs to Thrive

Food is not just something delicious we eat every day. Food is the basic building block of health. Our bodies must get important nutrients from the things we eat in order to be healthy. If what we eat does not contain enough of these nutrients, our bodies will have to do without something they need, and eventually our health will suffer.

This can take the form of decreased energy, health problems, and even weight gain as the body tries to get enough nutrition by over-eating nutrient-poor foods. Getting a solid nutrition program in place will help you be successful with a new eating plan.

A Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, or N.T.P., is a specialist within the holistic nutrition health field. An N.T.P. uses functional nutrition, which looks for the root cause of a dysfuntion and not just its symptoms.

We advise whole foods, traditional cooking and preparation techniques for meals, and offer supplements when needed. We are trained in anatomy and physiology, and use a hands-on physical evaluation called a Functional Evaluation, along with lingual-neuro testing. These combined techniques allow us to make a customized nutrition plan to address your specific needs.

I chose this modality because of the functional component ~ not just the hands-on assessment tool (Functional Evaluation) but also the lingual-neuro testing. This is not applied kinesiology.

Let me explain a bit more…

Functional Evaluation (FE)

Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (NTP) have many tools that they use to assess overall balance and nutritional status within the body. One of these tools is the Functional Evaluation.

The Functional Evaluation involves a series of palpations and other clinical assessment tests (such as pulse, blood pressure, pH of saliva, etc) that help NTPs identify specific areas of functional deficiencies.

The tests were selected by the founders of the Nutritional Therapy Association following the research of a variety of functional medicine practitioners including Dr. Frank Chapman, Dr. George Goodheart, Dr. Robert Ridler, and Dr. Terrance Bennett, to name just a few.

The FE is not invasive and not painful, however we do look for a tenderness rating for each reflex and palpation point.

The Functional Evaluation is not used therapeutically. Rather, it is a tool used for assessment, to gather information. It allows the practitioner to use the innate wisdom of the body to show where it is experiencing distress/imbalance and what it needs to be in balance. It allows the client’s body to convey these needs to the practitioner.

In summary, the Functional Evaluation technique allows me to address the nutritional needs of you, my client, as we assess your biochemical individuality and make tailored diet and lifestyle recommendations.

Lingual-Neuro Testing (LNT)

The second part of the Functional Evaluation involves Lingual-Neuro Testing (LNT)

Lingual-Neuro Testing (LNT) is a valuable biofeedback tool that enables the health care provider to determine the usefulness of a nutritional supplement before it is dispensed to the client. LNT accesses the body’s innate ability to discriminate between what it needs, and what it does not need, in order to correct a specific problem–a weak organ or a nutritional deficiency, for example. This simple and effective technique makes the difference between a generic nutritional therapy plan and a personalized one.

The phenomenon that is observed with LNT represents:

The existence of physiologic indicators, like the heart rate, that reflect specific body functions and their relative health.
The powerful connection between the sensory function of the mouth and the brain, or central nervous system (CNS).
The ability of the CNS to recognize the value of what is in the mouth (i.e. a nutritional supplement).
The tendency of the CNS to immediately change a physiologic indicator in response and proportional to the recognized value of a particular nutrient.

There are three fundamental questions the practitioner needs to address with each client to provide effective nutritional therapy:

Is there a functional deficiency?
What particular nutrient will work for that client?
When is the client sufficient?

LNT enables the practitioner, once an assessment is complete, to address these questions by measuring the client’s response to therapy options that other people with a similar condition have benefited from. By personalizing an otherwise generic “cookie cutter” approach to healthcare, LNT can improve client outcomes and reduce the possibility of uncomfortable side effects.

There are two types of physiologic indicators, those that respond to LNT, and those that change only gradually over time in response to improvement in health.

The latter indicators are dependable milestones that mark a client’s position on their road to recovery. Although the presence of uncomfortable symptoms is useful in determining how and to what degree a client’s health is compromised, and was the motivation for the client to come in for care in the first place, a lack of symptoms does not mean good health.

In fact, the resolution of symptoms is an indication that the client is only half way to complete health recovery. Beyond that, physiologic indicators are necessary to determine client status, and should be checked regularly to confirm progress.

The LNT goes hand-in-hand with the Functional Evaluation. It is a special feedback mechanism based on the neurological response of how the tastebuds communicate with the brain and through the central nervous system.

All together, the Functional Evaluation and Lingual-Neuro Testing, along with the Food Journal review, Nutritional Health Assessment analysis and detailed health history allow the N.T.P. to provide you with well-guided recommendations for diet, nutrition and lifestyle based on your biochemically individual needs.

Homeopathic Flu Vaccination

The Flu. Be informed about your options.

No one wants to get sick with the flu. These days you can’t miss the conversation and controversy happening about vaccinations. You also can’t miss the massive public campaign that makes us believe that this year’s vaccine is the sure way to avoid this contagious viral disease. In fact if you find yourself in Wallgreens, you can join a program to get points toward your purchases if you get vaccinated!

So what are we supposed to do? Does the flu vaccination really “protect” us from getting sick? Or does the shot actually create an internal environment that opens us up to infection and sickness?

As a practitioner of natural medicine therapies, particularly homeopathy, the answer is clear. Don’t get the flu vaccination if at all possible.

Step away from the needle or nasal spray. The needle vaccines do not contain any live viruses, and so they have to contain formaldehyde, Thimerosl, antibiotics, aluminum and Squalene. FluMist, the nasally administered live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), reproduces in the upper throat of the vaccine recipient and basically causes general flu symptoms. So you get the vaccine, and you get sick. Plus, because it is a live virus vaccine, it is suggested to stay away from immune-compromised people for three weeks – because you are contagious. Seriously?

Even the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States reports that “…influenza vaccines are still among the least effective immunizing agents available, and this seems to be particularly true for elderly recipients.” It is important to be aware that officially, the flu shot will reduce the likelihood of an infection, but not guarantee immunity! Also remember, the flu is caused by a virus and therefore will not respond to antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics are usually prescribed for secondary bacterial infections such as sinus infection or bacterial pneumonia.

Dr. Jefferson, (co-) author of various research studies on the influenza vaccine for the renowned Cochrane Collaboration, a highly reputable international institution that analyses clinical research, asserted that flu vaccination indeed slightly reduced cases of confirmed influenza, but that the number of adults who experienced flu-like diseases (presumably caused by other than the influenza virus) increased. The number of sick days or hospitalizations over all did not change.

So what do I suggest?

Stay Healthy and Vital
Get Individual Constitutional Homeopathic Care
Take the Influenzinum 2015-2016 Homeopathic remedy.

Being healthy decreases your susceptibility to catching the flu. Eat a variety of vegetables (best cooked in the colder weather), less fruit (too yin), stay hydrated, get enough sleep, move your body daily at least 30 minutes, get out in the sunshine whenever possible to make Vitamin D (especially here in Minnesota), and spend time in the wisdom of your heart.

Constitutional Homeopathic care is the cornerstone of wellness. The goal is to strengthen your immune system and increase your capacity to stay healthy and vital. This individualized care means that remedies are catered to you. Contact me to talk about what makes sense for you.

Influenzinum 2015-2016 is an alternative that offers a safe and effective prevention against influenza.

The Influenzinum homeopathic remedy has been used around the world for decades. In 1998 the French Society of Homeopathy conducted a survey of 23 homeopathic doctors concerning their use of Influenzinum for the prevention of the flu (Coulamy, 1998). The survey included use of Influenzinum over a 10 year period (1987-1998) in 453 patients. Results of the survey were remarkable. In approximately 90 percent of the cases no instances of the flu occurred when Influenzinum was used preventively for all ages 2 and older. In the survey, no side effects were noted in 97% of the cases, while 3% experienced mild nasal discharge.

Homeopathic prevention for past infectious diseases, such as cholera and influenza, are in the public record and have been proven highly effective. In one case involving vaccination against meningitis, out of 18,640 children homeopathically immunized during an epidemic, only 4 cases were recorded (0.0002 percent), while out of some 6,340 non-vaccinated children 17 cases of meningitis were recorded (0.003 percent, or almost 10 times the rate of infection). No system of vaccination can provide a 100% guarantee of protection, as factors such as nutrition, stress and predisposing factors also come into play. However, the homeopathic immunization is unique in being free of side-effects, being gentle (administered orally), and highly effective.

If you are already under Homeopathic Constitutional care, you may still want to receive the Influenzinum remedy to have in your “medicine cabinet.” Because you have an individualized remedy, you receive very specific care ~ but you may also need the Influenzinum remedy.

If you have received the current Flu vaccine, this remedy can help “clear” the effects, and help your immune system get back to normal.

If you currently have the flu, there are dozens of homeopathic remedies to help you get well more quickly, and back to your life, so give me a call! Influenzinum may be just what you need.

Influenzinum™ instead of the Flu Shot. This homeopathic medicine has been prepared according to the standards of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States since 1957. Influenzinum is the only homeopathic flu remedy that is updated each year based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization. It contains a dilution of the same three viral strains as the conventional Flu Vaccine.

This homeopathic Flu preparation dilutes the three viral strains to 1 part per billion without the need for mercury as a preservative and infuses the medicine into tiny pellets that dissolve easily in the mouth. This homeopathic method of preparing the vaccine greatly reduces the risk of side effects.

Frenching Your Dog (It’s Good For You Both)

MARZIPAN MOMENTS…

TO BE COMPLETELY TRUTHFUL, I let my sweet girl Marzipan give me kisses. This article has been in heavy rotation on the internet, but I still wanted to share it here, because I believe that when this research is done, it will indeed prove what I already know ~ that Marzipan‘s kisses are the perfect medicine for me!

Could a kiss from your dog be GOOD for you?

Canine germs may act “as a probiotic,” experts believe microbes from a dog’s gut could be good for their owners and boost our immune system. Probiotics or ‘good’ bacteria, help keep the intestines healthy.

It is well documented that owning a dog boosts a person’s well being. But the health benefits of sharing your life with a furry friend may not end there.

Scientists believe the microbes lurking in a dog’s gut could have a probiotic effect on the owners’ body. And to determine if their suspicions are true, the researchers at the University of Arizona, are recruiting volunteers to take part in a study to test the theory.

The research will focus specifically on the effect dogs have on the health of older people. Scientists at the University of Arizona believe the microbes living in a dog’s gut may be good for their owners’ health. They are recruiting volunteers to take part in their study to test the theory. Kim Kelly, an anthropology doctoral student, and one of the lead researchers, said: ‘We’ve co-evolved with dogs over the millennia, but nobody really understands what it is about this dog-human relationship that makes us feel good about being around dogs.

‘Is it just that they’re fuzzy and we like to pet them, or is there something else going on under the skin? ‘The question really is, has the relationship between dogs and humans gotten under the skin?

The human digestive system is home to more than 500 different types of bacteria, both ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Probiotics, often referred to as ‘good’ or ‘helpful’ bacteria because they help keep the intestines healthy and assist in digesting food, are also believed to help the immune system.

Foods such as yogurt, as well as supplements, can help enhance probiotics in the body.

Dr Kelly, along with researchers at the University of San Diego, will explore whether living with a dog encourages the growth of positive micro organisms in the human gut – enough to improve physical and mental health in older adults.

‘We essentially want to find out, is a dog acting like yogurt in having a probiotic effect,’ she said. Existing research shows that dogs and their owners share much of the same gut bacteria over time.

In addition, some studies have shown that dogs enhance the immune system of children, reducing the risk of illnesses including asthma and allergies.

They believe canine germs could have similar effects to probiotic yogurts, which give people a dose of ‘good’ bacteria, boosting gut health

Dr Charles Raison, principal investigator, said: ‘We think dogs might work as probiotics to enhance the health of the bacteria that live in our guts. ‘These bacteria, or microbiota, are increasingly recognised as playing an essential role in our mental and physical health, especially as we age.

‘We know that not all bacteria are good. ‘We can get very sick from the ‘bad’ bacteria, and modern medicine has done a wonderful job of protecting us from various diseases that are created by these bacteria.

‘But unfortunately, by eliminating the bad bacteria we’ve started eliminating the ‘good’ bacteria, too.’

Participants in the study, which will be conducted with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, will be paired with a canine companion from the humane society and live with the dog in their home for three months.

At the start of the research, scientists will evaluate the human participants’ gut bacteria, diet, physical activity and immune function.

At the same time the dogs’ gut bacteria and physical activity levels will also be measured.

Follow up evaluations will be carried out after one, two and three months to look for any positive changes to gut micro flora in both the dogs and human volunteers.

Researchers will also look for any changes in the mental health and emotional well-being of the dogs and humans.
By Lizzie Parry for MailOnline

Fats ~ It’s What Should be For Dinner (and lunch and breakfast)

SOME INFORMATION ON NUTRITION:
LET’S LOOK AT THE MACRO NUTRIENT FAT

FAT FACTS

iStock_000006937653Small

Fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in the diet; they also provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances.

Fats, as part of a meal, slow down absorption so that we can go longer without feeling hungry. In addition, they act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption and for a host of other processes.

Politically Correct Nutrition from the Diet Dictocrats (aka American Heart Association, American Medical Association, Food & Drug Administration…) is based on the assumption that we should reduce our intake of fats (low or no fat), particularly saturated fats from animal sources. Fats from animal sources also contain cholesterol, presented as the twin villain of the civilized diet.
The Lipid Hypothesis

The theory—called the lipid hypothesis—that there is a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and the incidence of coronary heart disease was proposed by a researcher named Ancel Keys in the late 1950’s. Numerous subsequent studies have questioned his data and conclusions.

Nevertheless, Keys’ articles received far more publicity than those presenting alternate views. The vegetable oil and food processing industries, the main beneficiaries of any research that found fault with competing traditional foods, began promoting and funding further research designed to support the lipid hypothesis.

The most well-known advocate of the lowfat diet was Nathan Pritikin. Actually, Pritikin advocated elimination of sugar, white flour and all processed foods from the diet and recommended the use of fresh raw foods, whole grains and a strenuous exercise program; but it was the lowfat aspects of his regime that received the most attention in the media. Adherents found that they lost weight and that their blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure declined.

The success of the Pritikin diet was probably due to a number of factors having nothing to do with reduction in dietary fat—weight loss alone, for example, will precipitate a reduction in blood cholesterol levels—but Pritikin soon found that the fat-free diet presented many problems, not the least of which was the fact that people just could not stay on it.
Today the Diet Dictocrats advise us to limit fats to 25-30% of the caloric intake, which is about 2 1/2 ounces or 5 tablespoons per day for a diet of 2400 calories. A careful reckoning of fat intake and avoidance of animal fats, they say, is the key to perfect health.

These “experts” assure us that the lipid hypothesis is backed by incontrovertible scientific proof. Most people would be surprised to learn that there is, in fact, very little evidence to support the contention that a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat actually reduces death from heart disease or in any way increases one’s life span.

Clearly something is wrong with the theories we see in the popular press—and used to bolster sales of low fat concoctions and cholesterol-free foods. The notion that saturated fats per se cause heart disease as well as cancer is not only facile, it is just plain wrong. But it is true that some fats are bad for us. In order to understand which ones, we must know something about the chemistry of fats.

Fats—or lipids—are a class of organic substances that are not soluble in water. In simple terms, fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms filling the available bonds.

Most fat in our bodies and in the food we eat is in the form of triglycerides, that is, three fatty-acid chains attached to a glycerol molecule.

Elevated triglycerides in the blood have been positively linked to proneness to heart disease, but these triglycerides do not come directly from dietary fats; they are made in the liver from any excess sugars that have not been used for energy.

The source of these excess sugars is any food containing carbohydrates, particularly refined sugar and white flour.

Fats are classified by degree of saturation and by length.

Classification of Fatty Acids by Degree of Saturation

Saturated:

Highly stable
Do not go rancid
easily
Solid or semi-solid at
room temperature
Non-essential
because the body can
make these from
Found in animal fats and tropical oils
Safe at higher heat

Mono-unsaturated

Relatively stable
Do not go rancid easily
Liquid at room
temperature
Non-essential because
the body makes these
from saturated fats
The monounsaturated fatty acid most commonly found in our food is oleic acid, the main component found in olive oil and oils from almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts & avocados
Safe at low heat ie good for stir fries

Poly-unsaturated

Relatively unstable
Go rancid easily
Usually liquid
Two are essential: Linoleic Acid & Alpha-linolenic Acid, also called omega-6; and triple unsaturated linolenic acid, with three double bonds—also called omega-3. (The omega number indicates the position of the first double bond.)
Never heat or use with carbohydrates
Your body cannot make these fatty acids and hence they are called “essential.” We must obtain our essential fatty acids or EFA’s from the foods we eat
Found in animal fats and tropical oils
Found in flax, nuts, fish and seeds

Note: All fats and oils, whether of vegetable or animal origin, are some combination of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated linoleic acid and linolenic acid.

Approximately 30% of our
daily calorie intake needs to be
good fatty acids.

Omega-3s: Fish Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Wheat Germ, Walnut, Hemp

Omega-6s: Blackcurrant Seed, Evening Primrose, Sunflower Oil, Sesame Oil

Omega-9s: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Hazelnut
Saturated: Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Butter, Animal Fats from Pastured Animals
(Many of these contain a combination of fats)

Classification of Fatty Acids by Length

Researchers classify fatty acids not only according to their degree of saturation but also by their length.

Short-chain fatty acids have four to six carbon atoms. These fats are always saturated. Four-carbon butyric acid is found mostly in butterfat from cows, and six-carbon capric acid is found mostly in butterfat from goats. These fatty acids have antimicrobial properties—that is, they protect us from viruses, yeasts and pathogenic bacteria in the gut.

They do not need to be acted on by the bile salts but are directly absorbed for quick energy. For this reason, they are less likely to cause weight gain than olive oil or commercial vegetable. Short-chain fatty acids also contribute to the health of the immune system.

Medium-chain fatty acids have eight to twelve carbon atoms and are found mostly in butterfat and the tropical oils. Like the short-chain fatty acids, these fats have antimicrobial properties; are absorbed directly for quick energy; and contribute to the health of the immune system.

Long-chain fatty acids have from 14 to 18 carbon atoms and can be either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Stearic acid is an 18-carbon saturated fatty acid found chiefly in beef and mutton tallows. Oleic acid is an 18-carbon monounsaturated fat which is the chief component of olive oil.

Another monounsaturated fatty acid is the 16-carbon palmitoleic acid which has strong antimicrobial properties. It is found almost exclusively in animal fats.

The two essential fatty acids are also long chain, each 18 carbons in length. Another important long-chain fatty acid is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) which has 18 carbons and three double bonds. It is found in evening primrose, borage and black currant oils.

Your body makes GLA out of omega-6 linoleic acid and uses it in the production of substances called prostaglandins, localized tissue hormones that regulate many processes at the cellular level.

Very-long-chain fatty acids have 20 to 24 carbon atoms. They tend to be highly unsaturated, with four, five or six double bonds.

In summary, our choice of fats and oils is one of extreme importance. Most people, especially infants and growing children, benefit from more fat in the diet rather than less. But the fats we eat must be chosen with care.

Avoid all processed foods containing newfangled hydrogenated fats and polyunsaturated oils.

Instead, use traditional vegetable oils like extra virgin olive oil and small amounts of unrefined flax seed oil. Acquaint yourself with the merits of coconut oil for baking and with animal fats for occasional frying.

Eat egg yolks and other animal fats with the proteins to which they are attached. And, finally, use as much good quality butter as you like, with the happy assurance that it is a wholesome—indeed, an essential—food for you and your whole family.

Got Pain? Essential Fatty Acid Imbalances and Deficiencies

Some Interesting Thoughts on Eliminating Chronic Inflammation
Information from Dr. Dan Murphy DC. https://danmurphydc.com/

Simple Healthy Eating For Health & Weight Control
No refined carbohydrates
No processed foods
No grains
No dairy
No alcohol
No between meal snacks (not sure I agree with this one)
No eating after dinner
Eat only when hungry
Do not overeat
No high fructose corn syrup, no trans fats, no glutamate
(MSG), no aspartame, no sodium benzoate, no artificial colors
Eat Only:  Vegetables 75%    Fruit 25%    Meat 33%

Ideally, the vegetables and fruits are organic, pesticide free
Ideally, the meat is grain free with no hormones or antibiotics

EFA:  Essential Fatty Acid Imbalances and Deficiencies

Changes in the modern diet are largely responsible for the increasing incidence of
essential fatty acid (EFA) imbalances and deficiencies.

The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats has changed dramatically due to the
widespread use of vegetable oils (mostly n-6 fats) in cooking and to the processing
of oils to alter omega-3 fats to improve shelf life and eliminate their stronger taste
(just think of the distinctive tastes of cod liver or flax oil).

Historical estimates place the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 oils at nearly 1:1 for
prehistoric humans.

By the turn of the century (1900), the ratio had increased to about 4:1.

The current American ratio is about 25:1.

The sharp rise is due to increased vegetable oil consumption:  from 2 lb. per year in 1909 to 25 lb. per year in 1985!

Many of the chronic inflammatory conditions that accompany EFA imbalance are currently treated with symptom-specific pharmaceutical drugs such as steroids,
prednisone, aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), sulfasalazine, and colchicine.

The problem with such drug therapies is that they prevent the formation of ‘good’ anti-inflammatory eicosanoids, or they shift the production of one type of
eicosanoid to another.

For effective, long-term management, eicosanoid production should be modified through dietary changes (balancing dietary intake of specific fats) and controlling
insulin levels in the circulation.

Maintaining a proper balance between the various families of dietary fats may be one of the most important preventative measures a person can take to reduce the
likelihood of developing one of the chronic diseases of modern civilization, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, and autoimmune
disease.
~American Academy of Pain Management
Weiner’s Pain Management:  A Practical Guide for Clinicians
Seventh Edition, 2006, pp.584-585, Edited by Mark Boswell and B. Eliot Cole

1 2