Wisdom of Healing

Cardiovascular disease affects the majority of Americans during their lifetimes. More than 43% of deaths in the US are attributed to heart attacks and strokes. Heart disease was virtually unheard of just one hundred years ago.

Obesity, linked with heart disease and cardiovascular related complications, is at an all time high. Why do 60 million of us have high blood pressure when there are so many well researched herbs and supplements for supporting heart health?

For decades we’ve been told to reduce our fat intake to prevent obesity and heart disease. No distinction was made between the ‘good fats’ and the ‘bad fats’. For a long while, all fat was grouped into one category as harmful for our health. Thank goodness that in the past decade, ‘good fats’ have become one of the hottest selling categories in the natural supplements industry.

It is true that it is of utmost importance to steer clear of the manmade trans fats when we desire a healthy heart. But the fatty acids needed by each and every cell within the human body are quite another story. Many of the necessary fats are manufactured within the human body. There are two types of fatty acids that must be consumed because the body is unable to manufacture them. These essential fatty acids (EFA’s) include the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Although the cardiovascular system uses several fatty acids, research shows that it is the omega 3 fats that are the most beneficial for supporting heart health.

The omega 3 fatty acids are found in cold water fish such as salmon, tuna (the dark meat) and swordfish, nuts and seeds, especially flax and hempseed. They have been recognized in recent years for their profound ability to help prevent heart disease and to support a person’s recovery after a cardiac event.

There are more than 6,000 scientific and clinical studies having been performed with omega 3 fats. They have been found to help the body reduce excess inflammation, a major component in heart disease. This is reflected in numerous studies which have shown that the omega 3 fatty acids support reduced triglyceride levels, help to inhibit aggressive platelet aggregation and reduce fibrinogen (which leads to plaque). Omega 3 fats have also been shown to support lower LDL, the ‘bad cholesterol’ and higher HDL, the ‘good cholesterol’, levels. More than sixty double blind clinical studies show that omega 3 fats help the body to normalize both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels.

And here, once again, I’ll mention that it is of utmost importance to choose high quality foods and supplements for optimal nutritional value. Wild salmon is very high in omega 3 fats. But these days, most of the salmon on the market is factory farmed. These farmed fish are found to be low in omega 3 fats, and they are dyed red (to make the flesh salmon pink) because they are like a white fish when they’re filleted. High quality fish oil supplements support the heart, brain, nervous system and liver. But poor quality products have been known to be rancid or contaminated with heavy metals. Don’t be fooled by that low price tag!

And a brief word on flax. If you want to support cardiovascular (and digestive) health, and you choose to eat flax, please buy organic to prevent consuming GMO’s, and buy whole flax seeds, either golden or brown, and grind them to order. A coffee bean grinder works perfectly, and is quite inexpensive to purchase. (Don’t use the same one that you grind your coffee with, though.) Flax, high in the omega 3’s, tends to go rancid very, very quickly, usually in 15-30 minutes. The ground flax meal found in stores usually contains rancid oils, which the body cannot use properly and they may even impede optimal health.

An important factor in the body’s ability to properly utilize the essential fatty acids is how well we are able to digest. If we tend toward poor digestion, experience acid reflux, constipation, IBS or have liver or gall bladder issues, we may not be able to properly break down, absorb and utilize those essential fats on a cellular level. This would indicate the necessity for the digestive enzyme, called lipase, which the body uses to break down fats in our intestines. Research has shown that, when we consume fish, flax or supplements with lipase, we may actually utilize three (or possibly four or even five) times more of the essential fatty acids within our cells. The two companies that use a significant amount of lipase in their digestive enzymes are Renew Life and Enzymedica. Renew Life also produces a line of essential fatty acid supplements containing the lipase right with the oils. Oil Smart and Fish Smart are two of these excellent products.

Another factor that determines whether or not we are able to properly utilize the essential fatty acids that we consume is whether we use commercial or ‘natural’ cleaning products on our dishes, clothes and within our home. There is research that shows that the solvents and ‘grease fighters’ in dishwashing and laundry detergents, both machine and hand washing, can be taken into our bodies in trace amounts through foods and our skin. When this happens, these chemicals can ‘strip’ some of the good fats and inhibit our ability to properly process and assimilate (utilize) the good fats within our cells.

For optimal health, we need to switch to natural cleaning products. Many work as well as their commercial counterparts, but they’re gentler on our bodies and the environment. Look for brands such as Seventh Generation, Life Tree, Citra-Solv or Ecos. We can also easily make our own very effective cleaning products at home. We’ve been told in media advertising for decades that if we’re not using those leading brands, our clothes and homes will look dingy and grey. This is completely untrue. It’s time for us to reject those slick marketing campaigns, and protect ourselves, our families and our planet.

Besides improving cardiovascular health, research shows that consuming high quality essential fatty acids also supports eye, brain and nervous system health. EFA’s are linked with positive effects in mood, excess stress and brain fog. Numerous studies have also provided information about improvements in serious health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PMS, menopause, ADD, ADHD, arthritis, and so much more. More on several of these benefits will be posted here very soon. Stay tuned.

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