Paleo: Wild Alaskan Salmon

My Paleo lunch today.  Consisted of: 

• organic wild Alaskan salmon (a great source of omega 3) slow cooked with extra-virgin coconut oil;
• salmon marinated with Jamaican spices and organic herbs;
• organic sweet pepper and asparagus.

Some people have commented on the costs of a paleo meal, however this has cost me less than a Big Mac Meal would from McDonald's - it is also without comparison in terms of nutrition.

Health: Looking After Your Heart

Health: Looking After Your Heart

Underlying Causes of Heart Disease

The root cause of coronary heart disease (CHD) is inflammation on the inside lining of the coronary arteries (blood vessels that supply blood to the heart).  

Atheroma (Atherosclerosis)

Atheroma also known as atherosclerosis (or hardening of the arteries) are fatty deposits.  Over time these fatty deposits become thicker and larger to the point where this formation hardens to become plaque thus restricting and reducing blood flow through the artery.  

Another possible consequence are that blood vessels crack and rupture due to this plaque build up.  When this occurs blood clots (thrombosis) form over the atheroma to the point where blood flow is completely blocked.

Cardiovascular Diseases

Atheroma is the underlying cause of various cardiovascular diseases such as angina and myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina, peripheral vascular disease (usually lungs, legs) and strokes.

Reducing Inflammation

Reducing inflammation is one area to address when trying to prevent heart disease.  The essential fatty-acid (EFA) Omega-3 is a natural anti-infammatory which has been shown to be one key factor in reducing the likelihood of heart disease by reducing inflammation in the arteries.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine with American doctors over a 17 year period found those who had the highest level of Omega-3 at the beginning of the study had a 90% reduced risk of sudden cardiac death.[1]  Another interesting fact whilst reviewing that study is that the Omega-3 oils found in fish had a greater positive impact on reduced risk than Omega-3 oils from plant sources.

An Italian study of over 11,000 patients who had previously had a heart attack were given an Omega-3 supplement or an olive oil placebo.  Those taking the Omega-3 supplement were 45% less likely to have a sudden cardiac death.[2]

More Information: Why obtaining a healthy Omega-3:Omega-6 balance is beneficial?

[1] Blood Levels of long-chain n-3 fatty acids and the risk of sudden death, N Engl J Med 2002;346:1113-8.

[2] Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E after myocardial infarction: results of the GISSI-Prevenzione trial, The Lancet, Volume 354, Issue 9177, Pages 447 - 455, 7 August 1999

Paleo: Omega-3 and Omega-6 Balance

Paleo: Omega-3 and Omega-6 Balance

In yesterday's post we discussed what essential fatty acids were in relation to omega-3 and omega-6 and why they were benefical to the human body.

However it is not just the amount of the omega oils consumed but also the balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that is significant.  Maintaining the correct balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is vital to human health.  

The basis of nutritional medicine is that dietary factors are imperative for good health.  Omega-3 directly influences inflammatory hormone production and gene expression in the cell.  Because cells are the basic building blocks of the body.  If these are not healthy then our tissues and organs can not be healthy.

Paleo Diet

Our ancestral diet provided a ratio of 1:1 whilst the modern Western diet is between 1:16 omega-3 to omega-6.  Studies have shown that excessive amounts of omega-6, or a very high ratio to omega-3 promotes inflammation and can contribute to the development of lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases.[1]

Blood Test

I recently had blood test results looking at my omega-6 to omega-3 balance.  This is currently 51% to 49% which is almost 1:1.  This is due to me following a Paleolithic diet which promotes a better balance between these fatty acids by reducing the intake of omega-6 and increasing the sources of omega-3 with more wild (non-farmed) oily fish, grass-fed meat, free-range eggs and green vegetables.  

Studies have also suggested the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 to be between 2:1-1:1 [2], similar to the profile above.

In terms of dietary choices omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish have been shown to reduce the tendency of blood to clot, lower triglyceride levels and raise HDL (good) cholesterol which mitigate against the risk factors associated with heart disease.[3]

Here's an example of a Paleo Breakfast which provides a significant omega-3 intake.

References:

[1] Simopoulos et al (2002).  The importance of the ratio fo omega-3 to omega-6 essential fatty acids. Biomed Pharmacother

[2] Okuyama et al (1997). Dietary fatty acids: the omega-6 and omega-3 balance and chronic elderly diseases. Lipid Research

[3] Harris (1989). Fish Oil and plasma lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in humans.  Journal of Lipid Research.

Paleo: What are Essential Fatty Acids?

Paleo: What are Essential Fatty Acids?

Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that are essential to the diet since the body is unable to produce these by itself.  These act as precursors to local hormone-like substances called prostaglandins which regulate metabolism and inflammation activity within the cells.

Because this occurs at the cellular level the effects of prostaglandin and deficiencies in these essential fatty acids can lead to ill-health.

The two main categories we will discuss are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.  To promote good health these fatty acids must be eaten in the required amounts and ratio.

Examples of Omega-3 food sources: 

• Oily fish (such as salmon, mackeral, sardines, herring)
• Walnuts
• Naturally reared eggs
• Grass-fed meat

Examples of Omega-6 food sources:

• Sunflower oil
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sesame seeds

Both types of fatty acid are essential - however the key differences are omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory and omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory.  

In tomorrow's post I will discuss the reasons for maintaining a healthy omega-3/omega-6 balance and why this is beneficial to human health.