Welcome

Well, it seems like everybody else it blogging, so I figured it's about time I get into the mix.  Today I was volunteering in my daughter Cameron's science class, where the subject was miscibility.  This was a term I must admit I had to think long and hard about. . .I hadn't seen or used the word in 20 years, so my memory was certainly being tested.  Miscibles, essentially, are two liquids that mix.  Water and salt are miscible.  Oil and vinegar are immiscible.  Anyhow, it got me thinking about oils.

For those of you that don't know, oils are fats.  So often people try to avoid fats in their diet, thinking that fats make them fat.  Actually fats are critical to good health - you just need to eat the right kinds of fats - the most critical of which are Omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3 FAs are found in fish oils, flax seed oil, black current seed oil, and a few other places in trace amounts.  The traditional American diet is LOADED with Omega-6 FAs - which are also essential, but unfortunately a diet with lots of Omega-6 and very little Omega-3 can be disastrous.  It can lead to several severe health problems, including inflammation.

For people with chronic pain or inflammation, I recommend trying taking pure Omega-3 FAs for 2 weeks to see if they can get that ratio of 6:3 into better balance and decrease their pain and inflammation.  Try taking about 1200mg of pure Omega-3 for starters, and see how that works out for you.  Ideally, you want a ratio of 2:1 EPA to DHA (read the label) - studies show this is the perfect ratio of these Omega-3s to get the best results from your supplementation.  Most Fish Oil supplements have Omega-6 FAs in them - avoid these supplements as you already get plenty of Omega-6 elsewhere in your diet.

We carry NutriWest Omega-3s in our office, and that is what I take daily and give to my children as well.  If you have any questions about Fish Oils and Omega-3s, stop by the office and we can certainly discuss ways to optimize your diet and get the most from your food and supplements. 

This concludes blog #1. . .hopefully I'll be able to keep you all entertained with my thoughts about health and wellness on a regular basis through this medium.  I hope it was worth your time. . .

Dr. J