What is Omega 3 and how do we to get it

There are many articles regarding the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids toward promoting and maintaining good health. It is referred to as “essential” Omega 3 fatty acid because it requires to be ingested and cannot be manufactured through our body’s biological processes.

The three types of omega-3 fatty acids that provide benefit to our bodies these are:-

• ALA (α-linolenic acid) from plant oils
• EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) from fish oils 
• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) from fish oils

The benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids include promoting the health of the brain; the heart and eyes and reduction of cellular inflammation. Excessive cellular inflammation can lead to many diseases and conditions, such as heart disease, arthritis and certain types of cancers.

ALA 

ALA is a short chain fatty acid, formed with 18 Carbon atoms.

The "direct" physiological of ALA are largely not proven and considered much less than EPA or DHA, where the benefits are more established and proven. The main use by the body of ALA is as a source of energy and a building block for DHA and EPA.

The body can use ALA to manufacture EPA and AHA. However, the conversion is quite inefficient with only 6% converted to EPA and 4% to DHA. The conversion is further reduced in people eating a diet rich Omega 6 fatty acids, which is the case for the standard western diet. Can adults adequately convert ALA to DHA & EPA

Typical foods high in Omega 6 are, vegetable oils, margarine, walnuts, pine nuts…. The list goes on and there are too many to list here. Omega 6 is much more prevalent in our typical foods than Omega 3 and if we want to maintain good health we need to be vigilant and consume a sufficient and correct amount of Omega 3.

EPA and DHA

EPA are DHA are long chain fatty acids and formed with 20 and 22 Carbon atoms respectively.

There are many articles available describing the benefits of EPA and DHA and which benefit is derived from either. Those articles and discussions whilst interesting are too in depth and detailed for me to discuss here. However, what does seem clear is that significant health benefits will be achieved if we ensure we ingest sufficient amounts of both EPA and DHA.

The key benefits of DHA and EPA include:-

• Reduction of cellular inflammation (caused by excessive amounts of Omega 6) and associated conditions;
• Reduction in LDL bad cholesterol;
• Increased HDL good cholesterol
• and reduction of Triglycerides fats in the blood.

What are the real differences between EPA and DHA

Recommended Daily Intake

Various organizations provide advice on the amount of EPA and DHA people should consume for the health benefits to be realized. These reference values vary and some reference overall Omega 3 not differentiating between ALA, EPA and DHA. For different groups of people with different health conditions and needs there is also different recommendations.

The reference amounts of DHA/EPA vary between 500mg/day to 1000mg/day between organizations.

The Food and Drug Administration have indicated that up to 3000mg/day of DHA/EPA is considered safe. It is also noted that many Japanese may typically consume 700 to 1200 mg/day without any adverse consequence to health and well documented lower incidence of heart disease and lower obesity.

Omega 3 Safety

In the last few years there have been various press reports that high levels Omega 3 are related to higher incidence of prostate cancer. However, medical experts have discredited these reports and pointed out errors in the conclusions. It is worth noting that historically, prostate cancer rates a high amount of DHA/EPA is consumed is lower than in western countries.

DHA/EPA Content of Different Foods

Food	DHA + EHA mg/100g	Food Amount (g) /Week
Salmon	2150	163 – 326
Herring	2000	175 – 350
Mackerel	1800	194 – 389
Anchovy	1450	241 – 283
Trout	950	368 – 737
Mussels	800	438 – 875
Oysters	450	778 – 1,556
Crab	400	875 – 1,750
Tuna	300	1,167 – 2,333
Snapper	300	1,167 – 2,333
Shrimp	300	1,167 – 2,333
Octopus	300	1,167 – 2,333
Haddock	200	1,750 – 3500
Cod	200	1,750 – 3500
Scallop	200	1,750 – 3500

Amount/week is the amount of the food you should eat per week to get 500mg/day DHA/EPA.

In addition to the above natural sources some foods are fortified with Omega 3 such as eggs, where the chickens are fed flax seed or fish meal causing some Omega 3 to be transferred to the yolk.

Generally, it is considered that the amount of Omega 3 in a fortified egg is minimal compared to natural sources and this is more of a gimmick that allows egg producers to sell eggs at higher prices. Some egg companies boast of 150g /egg for DHA/EPA, which may be overstated. Notwithstanding, you would need to eat between 4 and 8 eggs/day to achieve the nutritional requirements fro DHA/EPA.   

DHA/EPA as Supplements

Ok you don’t like fish, so how do you get your DHA/EPA? There are many supplements on the market that claim to provide the amounts DHA and EPA required for health, including first oils, cod liver oil and krill oil.

The main problem with fish oils such and cod liver oil is that they are highly perishable and require to be processed and handled very carefully. Therefore, you may be taking a fish oil supplement or cod liver oil for no benefit as the DHA/EPA has oxidized. Furthermore, this can also have adverse health effects.    

Krill oil on the other hand is not as perishable as fish oil as the oil contains more oxidants. Therefore, if you are to choose to get your DHA/EPA via a supplement you should chose Krill oil. Krill oil versus fish oil

Vegetable Based Sources for EPA/DHA

Omega 3, ALA (α-linolenic acid) can be sourced through vegetable oils. The highest concentrations are found in Chia with 17,600g/100g.

Based on a 10% conversion of ALA to DHA/EPA, 100g of Chia seeds would provide 176g of DHA/EPA. To meet the daily requirement with Chia seeds alone you would need to consume 300g/day of the ground seeds. In addition you would need to monitor your Omega 6 intake carefully as this may inhibit the conversion of ALA to DHA/EPA. Seed oils are also highly perishable and similar to fish and cod liver oil should be avoided.

Summary

The most efficient and certain way to meet your long chain Omega 3 requirements is by eating oily fish, the whole food.

This can be supplemented by adding vegetable sources such as ground Chia seeds, however if you rely on seeds alone the quantities required to be eaten are quite substantial.

If you wish to follow the supplement route consider Krill oil not fish oil or Cod liver oil, both of which are more likely to be oxidized and hence in effective or harmful.

4 Spices that Reduce Inflamation

By Dr Mercola

Herbs and cooking spices contain a wide variety of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, and help maximize the nutrient density of your meals. Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally "upgrading" your food without adding a single calorie. 

In fact, on a per gram fresh weight basis, herbs rank even higher in antioxidant activity than fruits and vegetables, which are known to be high in antioxidants. Many studies have also shown that most spices tend to have unique medicinal qualities. 

In the featured study,1 researchers from three Universities devised an experiment to evaluate the “true world” benefits of herbs and spices, by feeding them to people in quantities that are typically consumed simply by spicing up your meals. As noted by Dr. Michael Greger MD, who produced the video above:2

Four Spices That Pack a Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Punch

For one week, 10 to 12 subjects in each of 13 groups consumed a small amount of a particular spice each day. For example, those in the oregano group ate just half a teaspoon of oregano daily for seven days.

Even at the “everyday” dosage amounts given, four spices were found to be significantly effective at quelling the inflammatory response:

• Cloves
• Ginger
• Rosemary
• Tumeric

As noted in the featured article: “[T]he results represent what might happen when cells in our body are exposed to the levels of spices that circulate in our bloodstream after normal daily consumption—not mega-doses in some pill. Just the amount that makes our spaghetti sauce, pumpkin pie, or curry sauce taste good.”

Other Potent Anti-Inflammatory Spices

An earlier study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods3 found a direct correlation between the antioxidant phenol content of spice and herb extracts and their ability to inhibit glycation and block the formation of AGE compounds (advanced glycation end products), making them potent preventers of heart disease and premature aging.

Here, cloves were ranked as the most potent of 24 common herbs and spices found in your spice rack. In all, the following were found to be the top 10 most potent anti-inflammatory herbs and spices:

1. Cloves
2. Cinnamon
3. Jamaican allspice
4. Apple pie spice mixture
5. Oregano
6. Pumpkin pie spice mixture
7. Marjoram
8. Sage
9. Thyme
10. Gourmet Italian spice

Inflammation Is at the Heart of Most Chronic Diseases

It’s important to realize that chronic inflammation is the source of many if not most diseases, including cancer, obesity, and heart disease, which essentially makes it the leading cause of death in the US. 

While inflammation is a perfectly normal and beneficial process that occurs when your body's white blood cells and chemicals protect you from foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses, it leads to trouble when the inflammatory response gets out of hand. Your diet has a lot to do with this chain of events. 

While among the most potent, ounce for ounce, herbs and spices are certainly not the only anti-inflammatory ingredients available. A number of foods are well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties, and making sure you’re eating a wide variety of them on a regular basis can go a long way toward preventing chronic illness.

Top Seven Anti-Inflammatory Foods

The following foods and nutrients deserve special mention for their ability to quell inflammatory responses in your body:

1.  Animal-based omega-3 fat	Animal-based omega-3 fats—found in fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmonand fish- or krill oil—help fight inflammation throughout your body. It’s particularly important for brain health. Research published in theScandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology4 in 2012 confirmed that dietary supplementation with krill oil effectively reduced inflammation and oxidative stress.
2.  Leafy greens	Dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collard greens and Swiss chard contain powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C—all of which help protect against cellular damage. Ideally, opt for organic locally grown veggies that are in season, and consider eating a fair amount of them raw. Juicing is an excellent way to get more greens into your diet.
3.  Blueberries	Blueberries rate very high in antioxidant capacity compared to other fruits and vegetables. They are also lower in sugar than many other fruits.
4.  Tea	Matcha tea is the most nutrient-rich green tea and comes in the form of a stone-ground unfermented powder. The best Matcha comes from Japan and has up to 17 times the antioxidants of wild blueberries, and seven times more than dark chocolate. Tulsi is another tea loaded with anti-inflammatory antioxidants and other micronutrients that support immune function and heart health.
5.  Fermented vegetables and traditionally cultured foods	Optimizing your gut flora is important for a well-functioning immune system, and helps ward off chronic inflammation. In fact, the majority of inflammatory diseases start in your gut, as the result of an imbalanced microbiome. Fermented foods such as kefir, natto, kimchee, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, olives, and other fermented vegetables, will help ‘reseed’ your gut with beneficial bacteria. Fermented foods can also help your body rid itself of harmful toxins such as heavy metals and pesticides that promote inflammation.
6.  Shiitake mushrooms	Shiitake mushrooms contain strong compounds with the natural ability to discourage inflammation, such as Ergothioneine, which inhibits oxidative stress.  They also contain a number of unique nutrients that many do not get enough of in their diet. One is copper, which is one of the few metallic elements accompanied by amino and fatty acids that are essential to human health. Since your body can't synthesize copper, your diet must supply it regularly. Copper deficiency can be a factor in the development of coronary heart disease.
7.  Garlic	Garlic has been treasured for its medicinal properties for centuries. It’s also one of the most heavily researched plant foods around. Over 170 studies5 show it benefitting more than 150 different conditions. Garlic exerts its benefits on multiple levels, offering anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antioxidant properties. It's thought that much of garlic's therapeutic effect comes from its sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin. Research6 has revealed that as allicin digests in your body it produces sulfenic acid, a compound that reacts faster with dangerous free radicals than any other known compound.

Your Diet Is Key for Reducing Chronic Inflammation

The running thread linking a wide variety of common health problems—from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and cancer—is chronic inflammation. The key to reducing chronic inflammation in your body starts with your diet, and being liberal in your use of high-quality herbs and spices is one simple way to boost the quality of your food. They're an inexpensive "secret weapon" that just about everyone can take advantage of. Spicing up your meals is not enough, however, if processed foods comprise the bulk of your diet.

It's important to realize that dietary components can either prevent or trigger inflammation from taking root in your body, and processed foods do the latter, courtesy of pro-inflammatory ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, soy, processed vegetable oils (trans fats), and other chemical additives. Besides adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet, you’ll also want to avoid the following pro-inflammatory dietary culprits as much as possible:

• Refined sugar, processed fructose, and grains. If your fasting insulin level is three or above, consider dramatically reducing or eliminating grains and sugars until you optimize your insulin level, as insulin resistance this is a primary driver of chronic inflammation. As a general guideline, I recommend restricting your total fructose intake to 25 grams per day. If you’re insulin or leptin resistant (have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, or are overweight), consider cutting that down to 15 grams per day until your insulin/leptin resistance has normalized

• Oxidized cholesterol (cholesterol that has gone rancid, such as that from overcooked, scrambled eggs)

• Foods cooked at high temperatures, especially if cooked with vegetable oil (such as peanut, corn, and soy oil)

• Trans fats

Replacing processed foods with whole, ideally organic foods will automatically address most of these factors, especially if you eat a large portion of your food raw. Equally important is making sure you’re regularly reseeding your gut with beneficial bacteria, as mentioned above.

This article was written by Dr Mercola a New Tork Times bestseeling author, for his free E-book Take Control of Your Health visit Mercola.com  

Intermittent Fasting

There is much acclaim about the benefits of intermittent fasting (IF). It offers easy weight loss, immediate health improvements and "IF" the tests on animals are to be believed it can also increase our lifespan.

Is the hype true and is "IF" easy to follow?

IF eating plans follow many different programs alternating between eating and fasting. Popular plans are:-

The 5:2, is where you eat normally for 5 days and fast for 2 days. The fast day may be 25% of the "normal" day calorie intake and be around 500 to 600 calories/day. 

The 8:16, is where you restrict your eating to an 8 hour window every 24 hours. For the remaining 16 hours you don't eat apart from up to a max of 40 calories.
  
The alternate day plan, one day normal eating followed by one day reducing your calorie intake by say 75%. Repeat the cycle. 

There are many variations of the IF and they all claim similar benefits. Long term IF is an eating plan and not a diet.

Many people who follow IF, do not consciously restrict their calorie intake but still maintain a healthy weight. For people who are overweight, IF can be combined with some calorie restriction. 

Some studies show increased fat loss and better muscle retention for those on a IF plan compared to dieters and where both groups follow the same calorie intake per day.
 

Some also appear to show similar weight loss amounts results between two IF groups, even when one group consumes more than the other. Presentation on intermittent fasting what is the evidence? , British Nutrition Foundation.

The IF theory

The theory of why IF works lies in our evolution and DNA, it is a compelling story.

In paleolithic times we had to hunt and forage for our food. The motivation to do this was hunger. Hunting and foraging took energy and required us to be strong and fit internally.
Our bodies therefore developed repair mechanisms so we were are in the best condition to survive. These repair mechanisms occur most when we start to feel hungry. Fasting triggers stem cell regeneration, University of Southern California.

When we eat it takes 6 to 8 hours for our bodies to use up the glycogen stores sufficiently, such that our bodies will start to burn fat for energy. To lose body fat we want to be in this zone for a longer time. The IF concept for fat loss. 

The problem with eating every time we get hungry is that our glycogen and insulin levels are never reduced sufficiently for long enough to get the fat burning process going.

It seems that fat storage and burning is ongoing process and one that may be disrupted with modern day eating patterns, of eating as soon as we feel hungry. Where we only get the fat storage part of the equation working.

Will IF cause our bodies to metabolise protein and cause us to lose muscle mass?

Is it known that when we enter "starvation mode" our body will resort to burning protein as a fuel and consequently we will lose muscle mass. This in turn slows down our Basel Metabolic Rate (BMR) needing fewer calories to sustain our  essential functions making us more susceptible to gaining fat.

This will not happen on the relatively short periods spent fasting on a IF plan. Particularly if we are eating sufficient amounts during the non fasting periods.

Muscle wastage for energy is known to occur with people on severe calorie restricted diets for a longer period of time. This was reported by an often quoted, study by Rockefeller University in the 1980s. It was reported that in people who restricted calories moderately their weight loss comprised 91% fat and 9% muscle, whereas people who severely restricted calories their weight loss comprised 48% fat and 42% muscle.

The article What happens to your metabolic processes when you stop feeding your body, on the Medical Daily website states that we would enter starvation mode after 72 hours.
  

So what is the best IF eating plan

Ultimately the optimum IF eating plan is the one that you can effectively incorporate into your schedule and that you are sufficiently comfortable with that it will become a habit.  

The 5:2 fast diet plan promoted by Michael Mosley is a popular IF programme at, http://thefastdiet.co.uk/.
 

 

 

 

On this plan the cycle is 3 days where you eat normally for two days then fast for one. The fast day is actually 36 hours, where you consume 25% of the calories that would on normal days. For men the calorie intake is typically 2400 on normal days and 600 on fast days and respectively 2000 and 500 for woman.
  

For example, if you last eat on Monday evening you would not eat again until Wednesday morning. This seems quite tough and I am not sure how well you would sleep on Tuesday night. Michael Moseley acknowledge there are side effects and advise it may a couple of weeks to overcome these.
 

The other thing that puts me off this program is that on 3 day the days you fast change all the time. This is inevitably going to conflict with other regular activities if you are to maintain the 5:2.

Key point considers even if you reduce the 5:2 to a straight 24-hour fast and eat nothing at all until the 24 hours is finished, it seems like a rather unpleasant experience.
 

The 8:16 plan for men or 10:14 for women started by Martin Berkhan http://www.leangains.com/, seems easier to follow than the 5:2.

The 8:16 plan is something that I followed for 2 months earlier this year. This combined with exercising 4 times a week allowed me to lose 6kg from 81kg to 75kg and reduced my waist size measurement from 37 inches to 33 inches.

In terms of eating I didn't count calories, though I did check them now and again and found I was eating between 2000 to 2400 calories per day. I did cut back on carbs and limited my intake to 100g per day, sourced from fruit and vegetables and porridge. During those 2 months I stopped eating bread, potatoes and pasta.   

The 8:16 plan isn’t hard to follow. I wouldn’t eat after 6:00PM until 9:00AM the next morning. What makes the 8:16 plan easy to follow is that much of the fasting is in the evening and overnight when and you’re either satiated or asleep. Also there is no problems going to sleep on an empty stomach such as on a 36 hour 5:2 IF. 

You will be hungry when you wake but this is quite motivational as you know it is working and it is only 2 or 3 hours until you can eat. This can also be a great time to exercise and burn some more fat.

On the program I went to to the gym in the evenings and I did find that on those evening I was starting to feel some small pangs when going to sleep, but not so much that it was a problem.
 

During those 2 months on the IF plan. I didn’t fast at the weekend for either one or both days. I also drank wine in "moderation" at the weekends.

The Every Other Day Diet is an alternate day IF plan by Kirsta Varady and Bill Gottlieb http://www.eoddiet.com/

 

This is a very simple IF with the only rule being only eat 500 calories every other day. The other days eat what you want and all foods are allowed.

 

The authors recommend that on the diet day you consume the 500 calories in one sitting, rather than divide it into smaller meals. This is what most people found easiest.

 

This IF plan is not one that excites me and I think similarly problematic to the 5:2. Also the recommendation that you can eat what you want on the alternate days does not seem a prudent way to reach good health. Taken as read this would include processed junk food which is poisoning our bodies.

 

Is Dr Varady just ignoring her professional knowledge just to make a cheap sale to the masses.

The 2-Day Diet by Michelle Harvie is a variant of 5:2 IF, http://www.thetwodaydiet.co.uk/  

 

 

On the 2-Day Diet the diet days occur back to back one after the other. The rules for the diet days are that you cut back on carbs apart from vegetables, there is no calorie counting.

The plan provides recipes and guidelines about what you should eat and on the 2 days dieting your calorie intake may be around 1000/day. The creators of the 2-Day diet consider it a diet and not fasting. 

 

One benefit of a 2 day plan back to back is that it works on a 7 day cycle so you can plan to have your IF days on fixed days that suit your schedule. 

 

This plan seems much more achievable than the 5:2 Fast Diet and easier to follow. Also unlike the Every Other Day Diet it does educate and encourage you on healthy eating.

 

The downside or question about the 2-day diet is whether you are getting the same metabolic benefits as you would on an IF plan. Apart from weight loss IF is also promoting hormones in the body repair and renew our cells. 

 

Of course there is nothing stopping you adapting the 2-Day Diet with an IF schedule.  

 

Key Point Summary

 

Both from personal experience and evidence researched to date it does seem that IF is effective in helping people lose weight and in turn this should reduce risks for metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  

 

In addition to the direct health benefits from losing weight there is also evidence fasting causes other changes in our body's chemistry that promote repair and regeneration of our cells. IF may be preventative against cancer.

 

There many IF programs available all following different routines and rules. Some also include exercise and dietary programs. So there definitely should be one that suits most individuals. The IF plan should be taken as a guide and the rules can be bent to suit your needs, ie if 8:16 is too much try 9:15 or 10:14, some benefit will be achieved.  

 

To get the most from IF it needs to be undertaken with a healthy balanced diet, eat only whole and real foods. Eat junk and processed foods only on occasion. I have found that by eating whole foods that I cook from raw ingredients that my desire for junk food has disappeared, junk food just doesn't taste good by comparison.

 

We should be striving to change our eating habits from bad to good, in this way sustainable weight loss will be achieved..    

Of the 4 IF plans presented above, I have followed the a 8:16 plan and found it works very well and was easy to follow. In fact my own brother has been following a 8:16 plan for a number of years and he works this into his busy schedule as a lawyer.

 

To address the question which IF is most effective requires consideration of the one allowing greatest body flat loss and can be comfortably followed such that it becomes a habit.

 

The 5:2 fast diet plan would certainly be effective in achieving weight loss, but can it be followed comfortably. I have my doubts.    

 

The Every Other Day Diet, seems to combine alternate day severe calorie restriction with eat what you want and how you want the next day. On one hand I think trying to do alternate days at 500 calories will be tough. Then you are not helping your body the next day by potentially eating rubbish.

The food you eat does influence your body's hunger response. If you are eating high amounts of processed food with fructose the Ghrelin and Leptin hormone response will not work to stop you eating. See Sugar the Bitter Truth     

 

The 2-Day Diet is not an IF plan and may be too soft for rapid results. It also does not include a fasting period with only a restriction on carbs. So it is not known if the full IF benefits would be realized.

Overall I consider that Leangains 8:16 is the optimum for my needs and most easy for me to follow.  This would be followed by an adapted 2-Day Diet, or to combine it with Leangains.
 

Comments are welcome and it would great to hear about personal experiences and anecdotes about IF.