Signs of dehydration are very subtle and most of us do not recognize them.  Despite the importance of water for our health, many of us are not making this a priority.  We feel signs of hunger much more readily than thirst — by the time we acknowledge that we are thirsty, we are significantly dehydrated.   Many of my clients think they drink enough water, however, when I inform them that a good estimate is 1/2 their body weight in ounces each day, they are shocked (and frankly, think I am a little crazy). 

Prior to feeling thirsty, we may be fatigued, irritable, light headed or dizzy, our urine is yellow, our skin and eyes are dry, we may suffer from constipation, muscle cramps, or heart palpitations due to a lack of electrolytes.  These symptoms may concern us, but may not lead us to consider that the body is beginning to feel the stress of dehydration.  A top complaint I hear from my patients are muscle cramps, specifically at night;  we don’t realize that while we sleep, our bodies are hard at work repairing and rehydrating all of our cells.  Water is essential in order to restore and refresh for the next day and when we have not provided our body with enough to complete that process, we may wake up with muscle cramps or stiffness in our back and joints. 

When we are dehydrated, we are also putting a significant strain on our brain and our most vital organs causing stress and increased blood sugar.  This creates is an interesting link between cortisol (the stress hormone)  and blood sugar.  When we are chronically dehydrated, then we are chronically stressed, and this contributes to a chronic increase in our blood sugar.  Elevated blood sugar contributes to cellular dysfunction throughout the body and contributes to many chronic diseases including heart disease and diabetes. 

Attempting to increase your daily water intake can be a challenge and possibly frustrating due to making more trips to the bathroom day and night.  Try these tips when trying to drink more water:

• Drink a full 16 ounces of water immediately upon rising in the morning; put a glass next to your bathroom sink.  

• Drink a second 16 ounce glass with electrolytes while fixing breakfast and/or before having your coffee or leaving the house for the day.  (Whoohoo! 32 ounces to start the day!)

• Carry a water bottle and sip throughout the day, this helps us hydrate and is better for the Earth by reducing the amount of plastic bottles that we are using.  Drinking water between meals helps us to control hunger and cravings (remember: we don’t feel thirsty until it’s too late!).  It is also important to note that when we drink huge amounts of water while consuming meals, we are watering down our stomach acid that is important for breaking down food and likely leading to poor nutrient absorption. 

• Reduce your water consumption in the evenings, especially 2 hours before bed to reduce night time trips to the bathroom.
  
  

•  ~Reducing caffeine consumption to 1-2 cups of coffee, reducing or eliminating black or green tea, carbonated drinks, and alcohol as well as making sure that you have electrolytes included in your water can also help to reduce trips to the bathroom.
    

• ~Here is a link to the Dhru Pruitt Podcast  (20 minute listen) where he encourages his listeners to participate in a morning water challenge for one week if you need more encouragement.

Two important things to consider when drinking more water include the source of the water and the importance of electrolytes.  We want to drink plain, clean water.  Water does not add empty calories or sugar to our diet and when obtained from a good source, it does not add other toxins to our system.  I am passionate about reducing my foot print on the Earth, so please consider carrying a glass or stainless steel water bottle instead of purchasing your water in plastic - they may tell consumers that it is BPA free, but it is only a guess as to what new chemical they are using as a substitute and what that one does to our body.  Filters or a reverse osmosis system can be purchased for homes in order to filter tap water.   (I installed mine myself, so these can be purchased and installed for relatively low cost.)  Municipal water can have chlorine and/or fluoride to name only two chemicals that can disrupt our endocrine (hormone) system, so it is best to filter these out. 

Water follows salt (yes, another essential nutrient!),  that is the chemistry behind getting water into our cells instead of just flowing through our digestive tract.  Therefore having a good balance of electrolytes is important when drinking water.  An easy way to do this is to add a dash of mineralized - Celtic Sea salt or Pink Himalayan salt to your water in the morning and after exercise.  Himalayan or sea salt salt adds sodium, iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, all of which are essential to cellular function and minerals that we do not get enough of in our diet.  We can safely add up to 2 teaspoons of sea salt spread throughout the day.  

Many of my patients are concerned about sodium intake due to a history of high blood pressure or heart disease.   I understand this concern, however, consider that this method adds a very small amount of sodium and many essential electrolytes to our water in order to ensure that water is getting into our cells.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention list the top 10 sources of sodium in the American Diet as bread/rolls, pizza, sandwiches, cold cuts/cured meats, soups, burritos, tacos, savory snacks (pretzels, chips, pretzels, popcorn, crackers), chicken, cheese, eggs, and omelets.  Specifically bread/rolls and snacks are overly processed and contribute to high blood sugar and therefore should be avoided or eaten in very small amounts.  Therefore by taking these items out of your diet you will be able to significantly reduce your intake of high doses of sodium as well as work toward lowering your blood sugar and blood pressure.  Fast food, restaurants, and prepared foods are also significant contributors to high sodium and high blood sugar.  This Harvard, School of Public Health Article is a good resource for more information about salt and sodium in our diet.

Electrolyte products are gaining popularity, these can add flavor and a good mixture of minerals to your water, however, I will just caution you that they also may contain various sources of sugar.  So, be sure to read the label on the back of the product to be informed of the ingredients and carbohydrates.   The best way to add flavor to your water without the calories or sugar is by adding a slice of citrus fruit or garden herbs like mint, basil, or lemon balm. 

Every cell in our body — from our neurons to our muscle cells need water to perform essential functions.  So, if you happen to feel dizzy, have a headache, muscle cramps, or maybe you can’t sleep, consider that your body may be telling you that it is dehydrated and that you need to drink a glass of water!

We can be doing everything else can be going “right”- eating healthy, exercising- but if you live in a chronic stress environment, that space will create disease all by itself.  Our body knows us better than we know ourselves.  Stress and overwhelm are things we can’t hide behind an optimal diet or even regular exercise.  Our ability to deal with stress is the biggest predictor of health and longevity. 

Stress has historically kept us alive as a species, but unfortunately in our modern society, many of us have a stress problem.  We have demands and deadlines, or maybe we are holding onto the past through ruminating thoughts or grudges, or maybe we are bogged down by the weight of the world or politics.  We get stuck in a sympathetic dominant or a chronic stress state, which increases our stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) and our blood sugar.  This leads to increased oxidative stress and inflammation in our cells.  It can manifest itself as anything from brain fog to joint pain, eczema to dry mouth, constipation to acid reflux, sexual dysfunction to infertility, insomnia to high resting heart rate; and when stress is prolonged, it can lead to disease - heart disease, depression/anxiety, cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s, diabetes…

It is important for us to create a space in our lives to develop a practice of pausing and relaxing the body.  This is important at any age.  Self care can be as simple as focusing on our breath.  When we take slow, deep breathes, we stimulate our vagus nerve, which boosts brain function and deactivates our stress hormones.  Combining breathing with meditation or prayer creates gratitude and diverts our attention to what is good and joyful.  It reminds us that we are enough and that we have enough. 

Getting out in nature is one of the most powerful ways of decreasing stress and directly regulates cortisol.  We are connected to the Earth and we benefit inside and out from walking through a forest or a field and being mindful of our environment.  Doctors in New Zealand actually hand out a prescription for talking a walk in nature!  It is no mystery as to why: our blood pressure decreases, stress hormones decrease, and it improves our gut microbiome.

Social interaction is important to stress reduction.  We need human touch (hugs, cuddling, massage, making love, nursing a baby), this releases oxytocin, which is our hormone that promotes positive feelings.  This hormone can also be released through music and exercise; it promotes relaxation, trust, and overall psychological stability.  Oxytocin works hand-in-hand with our other “feel good” neurochemicals: dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine.  

Loving yourself becomes a sacred act ~ Dr. Molly Maloof, The Spark Factor

So stop overscheduling and multi-tasking.  Create a time and space for prioritizing self care.  When we practice caring for ourselves regularly, we are better prepared for when we do have to endure stressful moments in life.   We are also able to give our selves to others as a helping hand or being part of a healthy relationship.  Stress reduction is key to thriving and not just surviving, an essential tool in order to not compromise ourselves and promote disease. 

As a physical therapist caring for an aging population, I notice that my patients carry a lengthy list of medications (up to 20!),  and are often unaware of the side effects. One of the most prescribed medications that can have a significant impact on our muscle, bone, nerve, and cardiac function is Omeprazole, a Proton Pump Inhibitor for reducing stomach acid.  Over -the-counter versions, such as Prilosec, are also popular; patients can self-prescribe under the aegis of FDA-approved safety and unknowingly wreak havoc on several body systems. 

Proton Pump Inhibitors are designed to reduce stomach acid often in response to the unpleasant symptoms of heart burn and chest pain.  Histamine 2 Receptor Blockers (Pepcid AC, Tagamet) are also prescribed and found over the counter for reduction of stomach acid in gastric reflux and duodenal ulcers.  These medications not only reduce stomach acid, they also reduce Magnesium, Zinc, and Vitamin B12 absorption as well as decreasing Iron absorption, which can be very difficult to supplement in most people.  These nutrients are essential for muscle, bone, nervous, and cardiac health; without them, these tissues are literally starving and deteriorating.  Musculoskeletal side effects for both categories of medications include headaches, low back pain, leg pain, joint pain, unusual weakness or tiredness, muscles aches and cramps, pain and swelling in the arms or legs, and dyskinesia/trembling. The Mayo Clinic cites that patients on these medications for 10+ years complain of bone and muscle pain, difficulty moving, dry mouth, bad taste, dry skin, and loss of strength.  Many of my patients have been on these medications for 20+ years and even more concerning are my younger, 40-year-old patients, who are already sporting several prescriptions without a plan for discharging those medications for non-pharmaceutical solutions. 

Regular use of antacids can also contribute to adverse side effects in our body.  Active ingredients - which may include aluminum, calcium, magnesium, and sodium bicarbonate - can lead to constipation and/or diarrhea, weakening of our innate microbiome, and muscle twitching.  Raising the pH of the body also causes us to slow our breathing and increase carbon dioxide in our blood stream.  This can lead to fatigue, tiredness, and cardiac dysfunction.  Excessive calcium is also detrimental for our kidneys, blood vessels, and gut lining.  Finally a major side effect of overuse of antacids includes osteoporosis because some contain aluminum hydroxide, which can adversely affect bone remodeling. 

Perhaps the solution lies in educating ourselves about the importance of stomach acid, and about why patients may have symptoms of acid reflux such as heart burn, night time cough, chest pain, constipation/diarrhea, or abdominal discomfort.

Highly acidic stomach acid serves as an essential part of our innate immune system.  Our body needs strong stomach acid in order to kill off microbes that are ingested with our food and prevent overgrowths and imbalances of microbes further along in our digestive tract.  Acidic stomach acid also is critical for food digestion, specifically breaking down proteins into amino acids that are used throughout our body for cellular function.  Without strong stomach acid, we are more susceptible to food borne pathogens, viruses, bacteria, and food sensitivities, and we are not able to digest our food in order to provide nutrition to our body. 

There is only one condition where the body actually produces an excess of stomach acid - Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome.  This is a rare condition stemming from tumors in the pancreas.  Therefore, almost all cases of acid reflux do not stem from too much stomach acid, but from stomach acid in the wrong place!  The cause is highly acidic stomach acid that has regurgitated up into the sensitive, smooth muscle of the esophagus.  This doesn’t happen because our body has foolishly increased stomach acid production or because we ate spicy food.  Most often these are symptoms of poor eating hygiene or stress.  Lab work that can be helpful to indicate maldigestion of food include: Hemoglobin (Hgb), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALK), Bicarbonate (CO2), Total Protein (ALB + GLB), and BUN.  These are lab markers that could be discussed with a practitioner familiar with functional medicine principles to help determine if maldigestion is a possibility for symptom production. 

Stress impairs all digestion.

 Digestion happens when we are at rest; it is a feature of our parasympathetic nervous system.  We cannot run for our lives and properly extract nutrients from food, absorb them, and then distribute them to cells throughout our body.  When we are stressed or eating on the run, there is decreased blood flow to our digestive system and decreased cues that we need to produce stomach acid. 

Good eating hygiene can eliminate the majority of acid reflux symptoms.  (Read that again!)

We should start by actually sitting down to a meal. No television, no phone, not in our car.  Maybe we join a friend or sit outside at a picnic table.  Take a few deep breathes, say a prayer or thought of gratitude for the opportunity to rest and eat and digest a nutritious meal. 

Next, we need to understand that chewing is truly an important part of digestion.  It is the only part that is voluntary and under our control.  By fully chewing our food, we take advantage of the microbes in our mouth and saliva production for beginning the breakdown of food and stimulating the release of stomach acid.  This also reduces stress to both the esophagus and the stomach. 

Finally, we should take care to not to dilute our stomach acid by adding a super-sized beverage to our meal.  When we drink only during mealtime,  we water down our stomach acid and prevent the proper breakdown of food, which can cause regurgitation, heartburn, and abdominal discomfort.

There are other factors to be aware of that contribute to decreasing the acidity, and therefore the effectiveness, of our stomach acid that can lead to symptoms of acid reflux:

• Age

• Use of antibiotics

• Alcohol consumption

• Hypothyroid function

• Adrenal/Cortisol dysfunction

• Inflammation of the intestinal tract

• Insulin Resistance

• Food Sensitivities

• Heart disease

• Asthma

The systems of our body do not act independently, so when having symptoms of acid reflux, we should consider that our body is sending up a signal that it needs our attention.  Working with a medical professional, nutritionist, or health coach who understands these relationships can help us discover a solution that won’t harm our gut - and that will ultimately improve our health.  This is also important for patients with a history of taking these medications if they desire to discontinue them.  When the body’s own production of stomach acid has been unnaturally suppressed, removing an acid reducing medication can kick-start the body into an over-production of stomach acid.  This may cause an unpleasant and possibly severe return of acid reflux symptoms.  It may take a period of several weeks to several months to taper off and focus on nutrient changes in order to heal the gut and not depend on antacids.

My struggle with the acceptance of pharmaceutical solutions is that this option does not promote health long term and that this is not being explained to patients by the providers that they entrust with their care.   The unfortunate marketing of these medications not only convinces patients but also providers.   Empowering patients to fully understand their symptoms and all possible solutions as well as the short- and long-term side effects of adding a medication should be an essential part of medical care.

There is a lot of discussion in the media regarding toxic chemicals in our food; however, one of the biggest culprits that causes significant harm to our body is a natural ingredient that can be found in almost every packaged food or drink.  That ingredient is sugar and can be labeled under many different terms: cane sugar, fructose, dextrose, stevia…  this can make it hard to spot in many packaged items.  It is easy to go through our day unknowingly consuming foods containing various amounts and types of sugars, especially when they are touted as “healthy”, but in fact these foods are adversely affecting our health by increasing our blood glucose and causing a dysregulation of insulin.  

Our body’s are wired for feast or famine, not the plentiful world that we live in where we can get berries year round or tropical fruit in all climates.  Our body is definitely not designed for all of the foods that are packaged and processed.  When we eat a meal, our body amazingly breaks it down into vitamins and minerals, fats and amino acids, and then uses these to fuel the operations of each cell in our body!  When we eat too much of something, our body doesn’t just get rid of the excess, it stores it because there may be a time where food is scarce and we will need these extra calories to survive.  In our modern world, much of our excess calories are coming from carbohydrates, and therefore contain various forms of chemicals, sugars, and flours that increase our blood sugar (glucose). 

Did you know there are no essential carbohydrates?  

The current FDA recommendation for daily consumption of carbohydrates is 275 grams (g)/day, roughly 45 to 65% of our daily calories, with a recommendation of 25g or less coming from sugar.  Our body needs essential fats and essential amino acids (found in protein sources) as building blocks for molecules to maximize cellular function, but there are no essential carbohydrates, and our body is wisely capable of producing the glucose that it needs.   Therefore when we eat too much of foods that elevate our blood glucose, our body believes that we need it because we ate it and so our body stores it. We don’t have a sugar or glucose storage, so the body converts the excess glucose to fat and it can be stored in various places as excess fat in and around our organs, in our muscles, and in other vital tissues.  Even the super-sized strawberries are not providing us with more nutrition, only more calories from carbohydrates; which, if go unused within a few hours, get stored as fat.

Sugar can be used as a preservative, but the truth is that more and more sweeteners are being added to our food for no other reason than the brain’s susceptibility of easily becoming addicted to the pleasure of sweet tasting foods.  An interesting study in rats found that they preferred the sweetness of saccharin and sucrose over cocaine (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17668074/)  The connection between food addiction and highly sweetened food by various sugars and chemicals is well documented in scientific literature; and the majority of food companies trying to sell various products are capitalizing on the brain’s sweet tooth.  For this reason there is sugar in everything from bacon to potato chips.   

It is critical for our health that we understand that sugar and sweeteners are detrimental to our body by slowing cellular function and allowing excess fat storage.  We need to be informed consumers when shopping and buying food for our families.  The following are three first steps to reducing the amount of sugar and sweetened food you consume: 

Know how to evaluate a product: 

• Ingredient List - There is only one place that gives you truthful and accurate information on a package and that is the Ingredient List.  Manufacturers are able to get around providing accurate information for the carbohydrates due to holes in the FDA guidelines.  For example, “Zero Sugar” does not mean “0g” of sugar, it only means that the sweeteners used were artificial or the sugars weighed less than 0.5g and therefore they do not have to add it to the nutrition label. Only by looking at the ingredients, can you confirm what is actually in the product.  I have picked up and put back many “vitamin waters” by checking the ingredients and the 2nd ingredient is cane sugar or stevia, monk fruit, sucrose, aspartame.  Some products list 3-5 sweeteners and therefore could possibly have 1.5-2.5g of unaccounted for carbs in them because each of those ingredients are <0.5g and therefore do not have to be added to the nutrient label.
  Identifying ingredients that can affect our blood sugar can be difficult; they can appear as less       familiar names such as malts, nectars, anything ending in “ose”, syrups, corn syrup, and juices.  (Drop  Acid, David Perlmutter, MD)

• Serving size - Understanding how many servings are in the container is important for calculating how much sugar you are choosing to eat.  Manufacturers can manipulate the carbohydrates by having a serving size that provides less than 0.5g of an ingredient.  For example, the size or package suggests a product is single serving, but there are 2 servings in the package, or the serving size is 1T but in reality, you are most likely to eat 3-5T.    

Reduce consumption of sweeteners and sugar substitutes: 

Remember the rats?  Our brains are hypersensitized to sweetness and therefore by eating foods with these sweeteners we are stimulating our brain to crave and become addicted to sweet tasting foods.  Stevia is much sweeter than sugar, even though it does not adversely increase our blood sugar like cane sugar, it still causes a desire to eat sweet tasting foods, therefore we are more likely to over eat sweet tasting foods throughout the day. Other artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame have been linked to several different cancers and should be avoided. 

Reformulate Breakfast

It is true that breakfast (or the first meal) is the most important meal of the day! Unfortunately, it is also the meal that adds the most sugar and the least amount of protein because we have been persuaded by many manufacturing companies to believe that their products provide a good start to the day.   We have also been encouraged by the American Heart Association to think that oatmeal and cereals are a good source of fiber and not just a big bowl of sugar. Sadly, due to overprocessing and hybridization of grains, grains are not a good source of fiber and therefore most likely cause a spike in blood sugar.  This is also true for the gluten free grains such as cassava flour and tapioca flour. 

Check out this article from Levels.com https://open.spotify.com/episode/6SXLql0rNif3OscFGd2Eel   

The best formula for breakfast includes at least ⅓ of your daily protein.  Protein needs depend upon body weight and activity.  You can check this resource:  (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096)  Most of my patients are not getting enough protein because we have not been taught to make it a priority; I recommend starting with trying to get 30 grams of protein a day and then working up to your body’s needs.  So, consider ditching the oatmeal or cereal for chia pudding or 2 eggs as a few suggestions for a great start to your day. 

It is understandable that even these steps may seem overwhelming, but take a deep breath and consider one small step a day toward reducing sugar intake.  Another step forward is taking a 15-20 minute walk after a meal that may be higher in carbohydrates as then we are using the glucose we ate as fuel instead of allowing it to be stored as fat.  

Regulating our blood sugar is an essential part of health and disease prevention and unfortunately it has become challenging in today’s over-farmed and over processed world.  Just remember that our body will respond to even the smallest of steps in the direction of positive change.  Whether you take a walk after dinner or revamp your breakfast, your body will be grateful!

Resources: 

Lenoir et al. Intense Sweetness Surpasses Cocaine Reward. 2007

Perlmutter, Dave. Drop Acid. 2022.  Pg 178-180. 

www.levels.com  

www.health.harvard.edu

Our brains and bodies are designed to be fueled by fat.  Fats help us to feel full and reduce cravings and they improve our metabolism (our body’s efficiency for using energy).  Polyunsaturated fats, specifically omega-3 and omega-6, are essential fats for cellular metabolism: this means that we need them to survive, and we must get them from food since we cannot make them on our own.  Low-fat diets have been marketed to Americans for decades and most of the products in the grocery store aisles have us eating the wrong ratio of omega-3, -6, and -9 fats.  Unfortunately, despite health claims, low-fat products and diets have led to poor health.  Even saturated fat that has gotten the worst rep, plays an important role in our body. 

Initial research had pointed the finger at saturated fat being linked to heart disease, causing the medical field to endorse a low-fat diet for heart health (https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/are-fats-so-bad).  Fat also has more calories than protein and carbohydrates. Therefore, Congress and low-fat campaigns influenced the transition of the American diet to low-fat, high-carb foods (https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/03/28/295332576/why-we-got-fatter-during-the-fat-free-food-boom). Unfortunately, the message regarding “good” carbs and “bad” carbs didn’t shine through.  Companies took full advantage of these “health” claims to promote low-fat processed foods from cereals to cookies; however, as fat was taken out, it was replaced with sugar, sugar alternatives, and other chemicals.  A muffin is still a muffin - not a health food - whether you lower the fat or not.  Nutrition science and reliable studies have recently been able to provide evidence that it is processed food and sugar, not fat, that substantiates “a moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips”.  

So, what is the lowdown on fat? 

First and foremost, our brain and nervous tissue require fat in order to perform to their maximum capability.  Diets that include fat also have been shown to keep blood sugar and insulin in check and to improve triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and other cardiovascular markers.1  We also need healthy fats to stimulate bile production in order for digestion to break down foods and extract fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K.   Specifically, omega-3 fatty acids (Docosahexaenoic/DHA, Eicosapentaenoic/EPA, Alpha-linolenic Acid/ALA) are essential to brain development and longevity, eye health, skin health, and nerve conduction.  Our diet in America is sadly very low on omega-3 fatty acids.  (Largely due to farming practices of meat and fish as well as the pedaling of processed “health” foods.)  

DHA and EPA are most plentiful in wild-caught fish and fish oil ‒ consuming suggested servings of salmon or sea bass each week can be a challenge in today’s poorly sustained world due to the expense of wild-caught fish.   Grass-fed beef, avocados, coconut oil, and eggs are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.  When choosing animal fats, it is important to consider that what the animal eats is what we are eating.  Organic, grass-fed red meat and wild-caught fish at the source are the best and purest sources of omega-3 fatty acids.  Unfortunately, most of the fish and meat at restaurants are farm-raised; farm-raised fish and meat have more omega-6 fatty acids ‒ which have been shown to cause an increase in heart disease. These meats and fish were fed a grain-based diet, which leads to an unhealthy imbalance of high omega-6 and omega-9 and low omega-3 fatty acids. (If this happens in animals, it happens when humans consume a grain-based diet as well!)  A grain-based diet also adds toxins, gluten, and pesticides to our meat because of the farming practices of grains.  

Alpha-linolenic Acid (ALA) can be found in plant based foods; however, this form of omega-3 fatty acids need to be converted by the body to the more usable forms of EPA and DHA.  This requires strong stomach acid, and a properly functioning gut.  This is also very important if you have chosen to eat a vegan or vegetarian diet.  Individuals with an autoimmune problem, heart problem, or brain problem may have a more difficult time converting ALA to EPA and DHA.3 

Nuts and seeds are a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  It is important to choose organic, non-genetically modified (Non-GMO) sources of nuts and seeds since these easily soak up pesticides and have varying degrees of fatty acids.  Avocados are also a great source of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.   This plant is not likely to be bothered by pests or take up toxins, therefore it is not essential to splurge for organic.

Omega-3 fatty acids serve another important role in our body, which is feeding our gut bacteria.  Within our small and large intestines lives an amazing community (microbiome) of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that help us digest our food.  It is essential to our health that this “world" be adequately nourished.   Did you know that your sugar cravings can stem from an unbalanced microbiome?   When we feed our gut bacteria healthy fats, like nuts and seeds, it improves their DNA, enhances their capability of performing their job, and allows the most beneficial strains to flourish ‒ thus, reducing our cravings for sugary foods.  

Examples of a Daily Serving of Omega-3 fatty acids (~1gram)

2 ounces (oz) of wild caught anchovies

3 oz of wild caught herring

6 oz of wild caught salmon

1 tablespoon (T) of flaxseed oil

1 oz of chia seeds

1 oz of walnuts

½  of an avocado

What about saturated fat? 

There are over 30 different types of saturated fat found in various whole foods.  Specifically, we need medium and short-chain fatty acids from saturated fat for proper hormone and immune system function.2  They suppress inflammation, aid in digestion, and are required for nervous system function.  Saturated fats are also healthier for cooking because they hold up in the heat and are not damaged by oxidation, which creates harmful toxins for our arteries and heart.  The best oils for cooking at high temperatures are grass-fed butter, ghee (clarified butter), coconut oil, and avocado oil.   Lard, beef tallow, chicken fat, and duck fat have a higher saturated fat content, but they also hold up well to heat when cooking.  Hydrogenated fats ‒ like margarine, Crisco, vegetable shortening, and fake butter spreads ‒ are all trans fats and should be avoided.  Most of the trans fats in our food are industrialized and not found in nature; they were developed as a low-cost way to preserve packaged products.  These fats increase LDL cholesterol, and therefore contribute to chronic inflammation, diabetes, obesity, dementia, and even increase the risk of cancer.1  

Suggestions for adding healthy fats to your diet

When we attempt to change our diet for weight-loss and improving our health, purging unhealthy fats is a great place to start.  First, look at the oils you cook with and get rid of canola, soybean, corn, vegetable, and seed (safflower and sunflower) oils, as well as shortening.  These fats are higher in omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids.  Fake butter spreads are tubs full of trans-fats, sugars, and chemicals that are not helping you to reach your health goals.  Begin by investing in healthier cooking oils such as grass-fed butter, ghee, or organic extra-virgin coconut oil.  Use extra-virgin olive oil on salads and other foods without heating;  olive oil should not be used for cooking because it will suffer from oxidation as described above.

It is important to note, some of us do have a genetic makeup or a malfunctioning gut that will cause us to increase cholesterol production when we increase our intake of medium-chain fatty acids, like coconut oil, butter, yogurt, or cheese.3  Therefore, it is important to monitor your cholesterol when adding fats to your diet. 

Second, consider the immense benefits of the higher cost for grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish, which have the highest quality omega-3 fatty acids.  The gold standard for knowing what you are getting with fish, meat, or eggs is to buy from the source.  Store labels can become very confusing, since they are not regulated. For example, eggs are a very challenging product to buy as none of the package labels truthfully mean anything.  Our best bet is at a farmers market, but when I have to go to the store, my choice is organic/cage free.  

Finally, evaluate where excess sugar seeps into your diet and consider swapping out sugary sweeteners or treats with healthy fats.  For example, coffee creamers and sweeteners (even the artificial ones) add sugar to our morning ritual and spike blood sugar ‒ a much healthier cup o’joe can be brewed with cinnamon and nutmeg for adding flavor and using a tablespoon of canned coconut milk or coconut oil.  It removes unnecessary sugar from our day and also helps our microbiome by reducing the acidity.  Another tasty switch is to make your own ice cream by blending and freezing avocados and bananas or canned coconut milk ‒ many tasty low-sugar recipes can be found on the internet ‒ my kids have liked the switch and they enjoy creating their own custom flavors.   

Fats add flavor to our meals and reduce cravings for sweets and snacking throughout the day.  If you have goals for weight-loss, great looking skin, reducing cholesterol, controlling diabetes, hormone balance,  maintaining mental or physical performance, then you need to consider fat as an important part of your diet. Healthy fats should not be feared and should definitely occupy a permanent place on our plate. 

Resources:

1. Ebbeling, CB et. al.  Effects of dietary composition on energy expenditure during weight-loss maintenance.  JAMA. 2012 Jun 27; 307 (24): 2627-34. 

2. Hyman, Dr. Mark. Food: What the Heck Do I Eat.  pgs 146-170.

3. Wahl’s, Dr. Terry.  The Wahl’s Protocol, A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, pg 246