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Are you balancing omega-3 and omega-6?

Published February 25, 2014 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Internationally-renowned registered dietitian, Ashley Koff, has answered some questions on Omega-3 and Omega 6.

What are Omega-3 and Omega-6?

Ashley Koff: Omega-3 and Omega-6s are essential fatty acids (EFAs). Both are essential to the structure and function of our cells, and regulate critical aspects of brain function, metabolism, and immune-system health. We cannot make omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in our bodies, so we have to get them from foods or supplements.

We need omega-3s in our diet to help prevent chronic inappropriate inflammation. Insufficient omega-3s are associated with a lengthy list of health problems including heart attacks and stroke. Unfortunately, most Americans get a high percentage of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids in their diets but not enough omega-3s. In fact, the average American diet now provides 20 or more parts omega-6s to one part omega-3s. That’s about seven times higher than the three-to-one intake ratio shown to deter major diseases and promote optimal health. We need to bring that back into a healthful balance.

There’s an easy, at-home way to check your own levels with a Vital Omega-3 and -6 HUFA Test kit. It’s available through VitalChoice.com, and is discounted to participants of the 100 Days to Better Heart Health Program. It’s a great way to know your omega balance starting point, as you challenge yourself to improve your ratio.

What are some common food sources of omega-6 that should be limited?

Ashley Koff: Omega-6 fats are found in the vegetable oils, such as corn and soy, that started replacing butter and lard in the 1960s. They are also found in most margarines, and in most baked goods as well as in fast-food meals and other restaurant dishes.

What are some top food choices you recommend to boost daily omega-3 intake?

Ashley Koff: There are two primary types of omega-3. The only type your body needs is long-chain (EPA and DHA) which is found in seafood. You can get short chain omega-3s (ALA) from plant sources such as flax, but the body can only convert less than 10 percent of dietary ALA into EPA, and less than one-half of one percent into DHA. That’s why it is best to try for two servings a week of fatty fish, such as wild salmon, sardines and tuna.

Do you recommend omega-3 supplements? Continue reading →

Posted in Heart Health, Lower Blood Pressure, Lower Cholesterol | Tagged ala, dha, epa, heart health, omega 3, omega 6, supplements

Cold Temperatures: Shiver and Lose Weight?

Published January 30, 2014 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

We had a terribly cold December here in South Dakota and our heating bill reflected this…higher than it’s been since we moved here three years ago. Needless to say, we are wearing a few more layers in January and letting the house get a little cooler.

For those of you also not turning up the thermostat too much, the chillier temps do help promote faster metabolisms and potentially weight loss.

When external temperatures decrease the body has to work harder by expending more energy (i.e. calories) to maintain core body temperatures.

This isn’t new knowledge, but research continues to be conducted to determine the effects of temperature on weight loss.

Recently associate profession Dr. Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt at Maastricht University Medical Center worked with a team to explore whether or not frequent exposure to mild cold temperatures would boost the body’s energy expenditure.

Studies have shown shivering to increase heat production. Shivering is a short term response to low temperatures to protect the body temperatures dropping to dangerous levels. Some studies have also found a second type of shivering, referred to as non-shivering thermogenesis, which also increases heat output.

However, the body acclimates to colder temperatures over time. For example, it was found people spending six hours a day at 59 degrees Fahrenheit shivered less and were more comfortable at the end of a 10 day period.

At this time there is no exact measure for how being cold can increase calories burned and promote weight loss. Weight gain can occur gradually. It only takes 100 extra calories a day to add 10 extra pounds each year. If you could counteract this with a cooler environment…might be worth exploring.

I do find the following particularly interesting.

Did you know there were two different types of fat? Continue reading →

Posted in Lose Weight | Tagged cold, metabolism, shivering, weight loss

Trans Fats No Longer Recognized as Safe

Published January 15, 2014 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Trans fats are produced during the process of hydrogenation. Partially hydrogenated oils are used in food production to enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life of many processed foods. Partially hydrogenated oils have been used in food production for quite some time. It was in 1911 when Protor & Gamble began using partially hydrogenated oils in the shortening Crisco. The hydrogenation process, which results in trans fats, made it possible to stabilize oil.

The Health Concerns

Unfortunately, trans fats come with many health concerns. They increase LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels while decreasing HDL cholesterol levels. Trans fats are linked to stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.

In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), required food manufacturers to report trans fat content on food labels. Research shows this did help Americans to reduce their trans fat intake from an average of 4.6 grams per day in 2006 to 1 gram per day on average in 2012.

Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)

Any substance added to food is considered a food additive and must be reviewed and approved by the FDA. This review and approval does not have to take place if the food additive is generally recognized as safe under the conditions of its intended use among qualified experts. Up until now, trans fats have been on the “Generally Recognized As Safe” list.

Recently the FDA announced that partially hydrogenated oils (i.e. the primary source of trans fats) are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in food. This preliminary determination is based on current research findings and reviews of expert scientific panels. This means the FDA has begun a 60-day comment period to collect more data, as well as determine how much time is needed for food manufacturers to eliminate the use of partially hydrogenated oils in production.

What You Can Do

You don’t need to wait for food manufactures to change their methods. You can read food labels now to eliminate trans fats from your diet.

Here are some foods that may contain trans fats:

Continue reading →

Posted in Heart Health, Lower Blood Pressure, Lower Cholesterol | Tagged cholesterol, FDA, generally recognized as safe, gras, Heart Disease, partially hydrogenated oil, trans fat

Action Plan for Health Success

Published January 1, 2014 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Outlining the steps you need to take to achieve your health and weight loss goals is critical to your success. This includes recognizing your big vision, setting a goal, outlining your action plan, identifying your motivators, and seeing the expected outcome.

Your action plan is basically your map for moving from where you are to where you want to be. The steps you’ll be taking. After you’ve outlined your action plan you then need to pick 1-2 steps to focus on. Trying to change too much at once can set you up for failure. So, identify your first two goals or steps to tackle. Now, this is where you need to go deeper and develop what I’ll call “sub-steps”.

It is very important that you are specific about how you are going to make your action plan a reality and I want to give you an example of what I mean.

Here is the example on the Action Plan for Health Success template:

I commit to walking 45 minutes 3 times per week starting tomorrow.

That is a great action plan step and I’m going to use it here as an example of how you need to go further.

What days of the week are you going to walk?
What time of day?
Are you going to have to get up earlier, go to the gym on your way home, or alter your lunch schedule?
If you have children – are they going with you or do you need to line up a sitter?
Do you have walking shoes?

Try to think of everything that could impact your decision to walk when the day and time you’ve set rolls around.

Next, grab your schedule. Continue reading →

Posted in Heart Health | Tagged achieve your goal, action plan, goal setting, health, success

New Cardiovascular Disease Guidelines Could Double Use of Statins

Published November 20, 2013 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

On Tuesday, November 12^th, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology jointly published prevention guidelines. The guidelines focus on the treatment of blood cholesterol to reduce heart disease, lifestyle management to reduce heart disease, overweight/obesity management, and cardiovascular risk assessment. These new guidelines call for a focus on risk factors and not just cholesterol levels.

Up until now, the focus has been on “bad” cholesterol — LDL cholesterol — levels and the need to keep LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dL. Instead of using LDL cholesterol levels to determine if cholesterol lowering statin drugs should be prescribed, the new guidelines look at risk factors.

Here are four questions used to assess risk:

Do you have heart disease?
Do you have diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2)?
Do you have a bad cholesterol level greater than 190 mg/dl?
Is your 10-year risk of a arteriosclerotic/atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event greater than 7.5%?

Base on the new guidelines, if your answer was “yes”, to any of the above four questions, you should be prescribed a statin medication. If you answered “no” to all, then lifestyle and behavior modification should be adequate to manage high cholesterol.

How do you know if your 10-year risk of a ASCVD event is greater than 7.5%? Continue reading →

Posted in Heart Health, Lower Cholesterol | Tagged Heart Disease, new guidelines, risk assessment, statin medications

Heart Disease: Does the Media Impact What You Eat?

Published November 6, 2013 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

It’s very easy to let media hype influence eating choices. A new study comes out telling you this or that food increases your risk of having a heart attack and that food is off the menu. It’s hard to remember that the media is trying to get your attention. They need you to keep reading or watching whatever information they share. So, they are going to take a study (whether it is a solid study or not) and sensationalize it to keep your interest. Doesn’t mean the whole story is going to be fully shared.

This puts you at a disadvantage because you may not have the background to determine if the information shared is valid or not. How do you know if the study was peer reviewed? How do you know if the results have a statistical significance? How do you know if the study was funded by a company with a conflict of interest that caused results to be skewed in the direction they wanted? There are many factors to consider when determining the validity of study results.

Yes, you need to be aware of new research being conducted, but don’t let the TV, newspaper, magazine, etc. be the final determinant on what is a healthy food choice and what is not.

Here are a few foods that have been impacted by such media hype:

Continue reading →

Posted in Heart Health, Lower Cholesterol | Tagged beef, eggs, gluten, gluten-free, heart disase, hype, lean beef, potatoes, research, wheat, white potatoes

Are you balancing omega-3 and omega-6?

Cold Temperatures: Shiver and Lose Weight?

Trans Fats No Longer Recognized as Safe

Action Plan for Health Success

New Cardiovascular Disease Guidelines Could Double Use of Statins

Heart Disease: Does the Media Impact What You Eat?

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