When you hear the word “fat” a few times in a row, you tend to get annoyed and wonder what the heck does that have to do with my health, right?
Well, let me explain in more detail. There are two kinds of fats, the “good” fats and the “bad” fats.
Good Fats
Obviously, you need them. Just like you need water, cannot drink it or leave it outside. Your body is mainly made up of water, so it is a priority to have the proper amount of it.
Water is also a liquid, but it doesn’t necessarily flush things through, only what it takes. Flushing takes place every time you go to the bathroom. Every time your body takes in liquid, it has to get rid of it by either getting rid of it in the tissues or by transporting it through the kidneys in order to the bladder to flush it away.
Not only does it flush away what it doesn’t need, but it also produces what it does need. It produces electrolytes like sodium and potassium in our food choices that are used in our cells and to keep our acid/alkaline balanced. But, because of the way our food is grown and processed, we end up with too much of some kinds and not enough of others.
Because of the foods that we eat and the way that we live, we end up getting too much Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3. That creates an inflammatory response in our body and that is what every cell, tissue, and organ in our body is Hundreds of times a day called the Inflammation Trigger.
The balance of the Omega 6 to Omega 3 is approximately 4:1. But most of our diet is 20:1 or more Omega 6 and 1 or less Omega 3. We are getting way more Omega 6 than Omega 3.
To obtain Omega 3, our food must be exposed to the Sun. Then, the Omega 3 is extracted from the plant or animal and used by our bodies in some capacity. In order for this process to work as intended, the part of the plant or the animal that is eaten or processed must be rich in Omega 3.
Unfortunately, most of the food plants we eat are not very rich in Omega 3. For example, only a few or none of the nuts (except for peanuts), beans, and peas are particularly rich in Omega 3. We don’t eat very many of these and they are not a large part of our diet, so we are deficient in Omega 3.
How do we obtain Omega 3?
Eating more fish is one way. Of course, being an animal we do not eat fish very often; maybe a couple of times per month. Now, think about: we could eat a lot of fish, but we are seeds and we don’t eat a lot of them; maybe an even larger amount than the number of people who practice vegetarianism or veganism.
Eating additional Omega 3 rich products is an alternative and some of these sources would include: Flax seed oil, hemp seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, walnuts, and oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and swordfish.
Human bodies can not make Omega 3, it is only available from another source. If you have had your blood drawn for cholesterol testing and the Doctor has told you that your cholesterol is too high, then most likely your diet is high in Omega 6. In that case, you most likely need to decrease your Omega 6 and increase your Omega 3 intake.
As you can see, it all relates back to the diet that we choose to eat in. It is all about the choices we make in what we feed our bodies.
So now that you know some of the basics of your Omega 3 goals (Grains/Legumes, Vegetables, Fish, and Plant sources), you can decide if the information is helpful to you. If you feel that you still need more information on the subject, you can always try the “Ups and Downs” method, which is a method that will give you a more granulated approach to this subject.
Iron
One of the most common and overlooked sources of oxidation in the body is the lack of iron. Without proper iron intake, free radicals can accumulate in the body and lead to oxidative stress. This can be particularly threatening in women, who gain excessive amounts of iron as a result of menstrual cycles.
With this in mind, you can help your body manage the free radicals and iron properly by eating raw or steamed vegetables, consuming bloodruit (such as pineapple) after your workout, and eating dark green leafy vegetables with your meals.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is perhaps the best known water-soluble antioxidant.
