By Becky Kileteny, CHC
Since the late 70’s, millions have been misled to believe that fat is a villain to health. However, today we now know the truth from research is quite the opposite. In fact, certain fats like essential fatty acids are well; essential! The repercussions of this myth about fat have left the vast majority of Americans dangerously deficient in this vital nutrient and the effects have been detrimental! If you remember back to Biology class, the outer layer of every cell in the human body is made up of lipids or fats. And where does the body get those fats? It doesn’t make them, so we have to get them from out diet. Leave alone the need for fat in every cell of your body, fat is also needed to make hormones, skin, your brain, to maintain heart health, to combat inflammation and for so many other functions. Without fat, one simply can’t have true health.
A fat deficiency can manifest itself in countless ways. One of the most common manifestations is impaired brain function. This can take the form of ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s, and many other issues. Experts say the brain is almost 60% fat and there’s a reason for that. Fat acts as an insulator for nerve impulses that are fired from nerve cell to nerve cell. So you can imagine, just like an electrical wire that lacks proper insulation, the messages of our nervous system can’t be well conducted on the live wire of poorly insulated nerve cells. If you want a healthy brain, think FAT!
Inflammation is another prevalent sign of an essential fatty acid deficiency. Because of poor diet, stress and lifestyle, inflammation is a growing concern for many. Inflammation is similar to an internal sore that needs soothing. And what is the best means of soothing that sore? Fat! For example, someone who has vascular inflammation sees an increase in their cholesterol levels. Why is that? Because the cholesterol, a fat, acts to sooth the root issue: inflammation or irritation; it’s a defense mechanism! So cholesterol isn’t the culprit, but rather the inflammation! Studies have proven time and again that these healthy fats significantly decrease a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease.
A shortage of dietary fat can also manifest in the form of endocrine or hormonal issues such as diabetes or infertility. Many of the body’s chemical messengers or hormones are derivatives of fat. So if someone doesn’t get enough from their diet, the body’s ability to make hormones is limited. Consequently, basic tasks such as blood sugar regulation and reproduction are seriously affected.
The list of fat deficiency symptoms goes on and on. But some other symptoms to look out for are: dry skin such as eczema or dermatitis, poor vision, brittle fingernails, arthritis, certain cancers, and a hindered immune system.
Hopefully the case for fat is clear, but which fats are we talking about? Not all fats are 
created equal. There is a difference between good fat that the body can use to heal and regulate and bad fat that promotes inflammation and harm. Harmful fats are trans fats, margarine (not even a food), hydrogenated oils, soybean oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil. These unstable fat molecules can actually cause more harm than good because they irritate our cells. Helpful fat that provide rich nourishment are raw nuts and seeds, avocado, olives, olive oil, coconut oil, and last but not least: FISH! So of course we want to be sure we are consuming enough healthy fats in our daily diet, but that doesn’t cut it. It’s almost impossible to consume enough of these essential fatty acids from diet alone.
In our office, there is no one we don’t recommend take a high quality fish oil from a trusted source. And the best way to determine which fish oil is right for you is to know your numbers through blood work. At Woodbury Spine we don’t believe in guess work. We now offer convenient blood tests in office on Mondays and Wednesdays that reveal which specific fatty acids you may be deficient in and which supplement would be the best fit for you. In light of opening of the fishing season, we are offering 10% off of Omegagenics 500 and SPMs in the month of May. So, if you think there may be something “fishy” about your fat intake or current fish oil, we would love to help. If you have never sat down with Christy or me, I would encourage you to schedule a nutritional consult to dig deeper and/or ask your doctor about ordering the blood test today! Give us a call at (651)731-0505 or visit our website.
Woodbury Spine Wellness Center 