LifeCare Chiropractic

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fatty acid

Fatty acid composition and measures of immune cell function – (05-05-03)

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Fatty acid composition and measures of immune cell function.

With so much worry out today about the SARS virus and the flu and West Nile Virus we are looking for emergency cures when we seem to forget that a healthy lifestyle is still one of our most powerful tools in the battle against foreign invaders. In this study, the researchers found markers of effectiveness of immune cells were reduced with saturated and with high omega-6 to omega-3 ratios.

AJCN — Abstracts: Kew et al. 77 (5): 1278

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Gene transfer of C elegans n3 fatty acid desaturase and fatty acids – (04-30-01)

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Gene transfer of C elegans n3 fatty acid desaturase and fatty acids

At first this article sounds very technical. I’ll try to boil it down and explain how scary the implications are and how far science will go to try to best nature. The desaturase enzyme that converts omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids is absent or weak in humans. That means that we need to maintain a 1:5-6 ratio of omega 6 to 3 fatty acids. However, with todays’ junkie lifestyle, the numbers are closer to 1:20 or 30. So what does this article suggest? Change our lifestyle? Nope. Use a virus to give us the gene to produce the desaturase enzyme and produce a more optimal ratio. Pretty twisted if you ask me…

PNAS — Abstracts: Kang et al. 98 (7): 4050

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Diet during pregnancy have long term consequences on the health of the infant – (04-08-04)

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Modulation of neonatal immunological tolerance to ovalbumin by maternal essential fatty acid intake

The basic question is, does the diet of a pregnant and nursing mother have long term consequences on the health of the infant? Of course the answer is yes. This study was done in rats but should transfer to humans as well; it confirms that poorer quality fats lead to a increase in allergy to ovalbumin (egg whites). Once again, however, we venture into the tricky world of liability.  As much as we try to avoid it, the big pink elephant in the room is the fact that parents are almost wholly to blame for the health of their children. Sure, there are genetic conditions that are not due to environment, but these are rare. As soon as we break down and start blaming the parents, then we can move on to educating them and hopefully changing behaviors.

Modulation of neonatal immunological tolerance to ovalbumin by maternal essential fatty acid intake – Pediatric Allergy Immunol..

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Fish Oils Help Where Meds Don’t – (04-08-02)

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Addition of Omega-3 Fatty Acid to Meds for Depressive Disorder

While this is only a small study, I feel that it is incredibly important. I know that in my office I see many patients on pschoactive drugs. Many of these patients experience weight gain as a side effect, and are frequently bounced around between meds to see which “works best.”

This study uses fish oil as an adjunct to pharmaceutical intervention. How about using fish oil as one tool in the package to include dietary changes and exercise? I think we would find management of depression in this way much more effective with little or no adverse effects.

American Journal of Psychiatry — Abstracts: Nemets et al. 159 (3): 477 –

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BENEFITS OF OMEGA-3 SUPPLEMENTATION – (12-06-05)

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Cognitive and physiological effects of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in healthy subjects

While we have seen studies like this before with wonderful benefits of omega-3 supplementation, the question is, how many of these conditions would be present in the first place if there was enough omega 3 fatty acids in our diets in the first place.

This study found increased vigour, reduced anger, anxiety and depression with higher levels of omega 3s. So, quite frankly, a good quality EFA supplement should be on the shelf of every psychiatrist’s office right alongside those other “beneficial” compounds that modify that delicate balance of neurotransmitters within the brain that have never been adequately studied and regardless seem to have nominal benefits at best…

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