The Good Health Guide

By Liz Bygrave (with nutritional advice from Ella Owen)
After years in the wilderness, unloved and unwanted, fats are fashionable again.  And with good reason.  While there’s no doubt that in large quantities some fats are bad for us (though Atkins aficiionados might disagree with this!), others known as ‘essential fatty acids’ are, as the name suggests, essential for good health.  And, what’s more, most of us don’t get nearly enough of them in our diets.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs for short) play a vital role in many aspects of our health.  Deficiency can result in problems as diverse as low energy, inflammation, arthritis, dry skin, eczema, allergies, period problems, mood swings, depression, nerve problems, hyperactivity, ADHD, premature aging. 

EFAs come in three categories - Omegas 3, 6 and 9.  The main sources of Omega 3 are fish and flaxseeds.  Omega 6 oils include evening primrose, sunflower, groundnut, safflower etc.  Olive oil is the main source of Omega 9.  The general consensus among nutritionists is that most of us get enough or nearly enough Omega 6 and Omega 9, but hardly any Omega 3, so our intake of EFAs tends to be both insufficient and unbalanced.  This is why taking evening primrose oil alone, without balancing it with the Omega 3s, is not always a good idea.

EFAs are one of the basic nuts and bolts of good health, so it pays to identify the best oils for you in the right proportions and the right quantitiy.  These will be different for everyone, so the best option is a session with a kinesiologist who can muscle test for your specific needs.  Alternatively, Crouch End-based kinesiologist Ella Owen* suggests the following intake, which should suit most people: 500 mg evening primrose oil combined with one or two dessertspoons of flax oil (2-3000mg if taking it in capsule form).  Some people have trouble breaking down flax oil, so if this regime doesn’t suit you, try good quality whole fish oil (not cod liver oil) capsules for six months then try the above recipe again.  (If you’re vegetarian, instead of fish oil, presoak the actual flaxseeds overnight then mix them in your cereal or blend in a smoothie.)  Children can take the slightly flavoured Junior Essential Balance (available from health food shops) or Nutri’s Eskimo for Kids (0800 212742).  Important note: people on blood thinning medication should not take EFAs.

Some Fat Facts

• Sensitivity to dairy products is often caused or made worse by EFA deficiency.  So get the EFAs sorted and you may well be able to tolerate dairy products more easily.
• Getting enough EFAs in your diet will help you to absorb water more easily.
• Eating processed oils such as margarine and refined vegetable oils compromises our ability to absorb the healthy oils as the processed oils compete with the EFAs for space and then wreak havoc in the body.  Avoid this by buying cold pressed vegetable oils, olive oil, coconut oil and unhydrogenated margarine from health food shops.

*Ella Owen Dip AK Dip NN is a qualified Nutritional Therapist and Kinesiologist.  She works in Crouch End and can be contacted on 020 8444 4350. Her website address is www.ellaowen.co.uk.

Liz Bygrave offers workshops in how to make sugar, dairy and wheat free sweets, desserts and chocolates. She can be contacted on 020 8883 7210. Her website address is www.lizbygrave.co.uk.