Saturated fat
Dr. Roy Swank has demonstrated
that there
are changes in the blood of people
who have
MS, shortly after ingesting a
meal containing
a typical amount of saturated
fat. These
changes can, theoretically at
least, ultimately
lead to a break down of the brain
blood barrier,
which would make it possible
for the brain
to be damaged, leaving the placques
associated
with Multiple Sclerosis. Because
of this
and other geographical, statistical
evidence,
it would be best to severely
limit the amount
of saturated fat in our diet
to no more than
15 grams (3 tsp/day). This is
the reason
for the elimination of red meat
from the
diet, along with dairy products
and anything
else containing more than minimal
amounts
of saturated fat.
Omega fats
Omega fats are divided into 3
categories:
omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9.
(The essential
fatty acids).
Omega fatty acids should be kept
between
20 grams (4 tsp) and no more
than 50 grams
(10 tsp) per day.
Omega 3 fats are found in fish
and fish oils,
flaxseed oil, canola oil, chia
seeds, soybean
oil, walnut oil, and wild game.
Most people have a shortage of
omega 3 fats
in their diets. A shortage of
these fats
can cause cancer, rheumatoid
arthritis, and
other inflammatory conditions,
arterial placque,
blood clots, and immune system
weakness,
so it's easy to see why they
are so important
to us. The essential fatty acids
contained
in omega 3 fats are alpha-linolenic
acid,
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),
and docosahesxaenoic
acid (DHA). The best sources
of EPA and DHA
are cold-water fish and fish
oil supplements.
Flaxseed oil is a very good source
of alpha-linolenic
acid as well, but does not contain
as much
EPA and DHA as fish and fish
oils.
Omega 6 fats contain the essential
fatty
acids linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic
acid
(GLA). Vegetable oils contain
linoleic acid
in varying degrees. The best
sources of gamma-linolenic
acid are evening primrose oil
and borage
oil. (Borage oil contains 3-4
times the amount
of GLA as evening primrose.)
GLA is very
beneficial to M.S.Too much of
the omega 6
fatty acids, with the exception
of GLA, can
increase inflammation and depress
immune
function. However we need some
of these fatty
acids.
Omega 9s are the monounsaturated
fats, found
in olives, some nuts and seeds,
and avocados.
Omega 9s are benevolent fats,
but do not
contain the health giving properties
of omega
3 and omega 6 fats.
Most omega 6 oils that we eat
are the kind
we should restrict. However,
evening primrose
and borage oils, are a different
story, because
they contain GLA. (Gamma-linolenic
acid)
The reason most omega 6 oils
can be a problem
for anyone, is that our bodies
require an
enzyme called D6D to transform
the omega
6 into GLA. Many things can inhibit
us from
producing this enzyme - age,
alcohol, sugar,
and hydrogenated or partially
hydrogenated
fats, and some saturated fats.
It's also
inhibited by diabetes, hypothyroidism,
viral
infection, or cancer. It's made
with the
help of vitamin C, B6, B3, zinc
and magnesium,
so a deficiency of any of them
can inhibit
D6D. Without D6D the omega 6
oils do not
convert into GLA, and GLA is
what protects
us from premature aging, heart
disease, cancer,
arthritis, allergies, asthma
and automimmune
diseases. Evening primrose oil
and borage
oils contain GLA, so they are
not classified
the same way as the other omega
6 oils. My
philosophy about fats/oils has
been to take
the omega 3s (fish oil and/or
flax) and GLA
(primrose or borage), and then
keep the omega
6 oils as low as possible.
Olive oil and other monounsaturated
oils
(omega 9) are much healthier
than omega 6
oils. Up until recently, I thought
the only
omega 9 oil (other than nuts,
seeds and avocado)
was olive oil.
Taken from the Spectrum Oils site:
High Oleic Oils
"High oleic varieties are
oil hybrids
that have been genetically enhanced
through
selective plant breeding to produce
high
ratios of oleic acid (omega 9).
The rise
in oleic acid increases the oil's
stability
and shelf life. High oleic oils
have been
bred to reduce polyunsaturated
components
and increase the monounsaturated
content. High oleic oils should
have at least
90% of the oleic content similar
to olive
oil. Olive oil is the benchmark
for good
culinary oleic-based oils. This
means that
an oil should be at least 75%
oleic by total
fat content to be regarded as
high oleic.
High oleic oils perform well
in medium to
high heat cooking applications,
such as deep
frying or high heat sauteing."
You can find the High Oleic forms
of sunflower
and safflower oils at health
food stores.
These are good alternative oils
for people
who may be allergic to olive
oil, or who
don't like the taste of extra
virgin olive
oil, and they can withstand higher
heat cooking.
If we only use monounsaturated
oils, we eliminate
the need to worry too much about
consuming
too many omega 6 fats, as long
as we keep
the volume down to between 20
grams (4 tsp.)
and 50 grams (10 tsp.) a day.
The effects fats/oils have on
prostaglandins
and the importance to those of
us with M.S.:
There are three groups of prostaglandins,
PG 1, PG 2 and PG 3. Linolenic
acid (omega
3) and linoleic acid (omega 6)
produce them
in the body. Prostaglandins 1
and 3 moderate
the immune response, while prostaglandin
2 stimulates it. If we have too
much prostaglandin
2, the white blood cells are
over stimulated,
unless there is enough of prostaglandins
1 and 3 to keep them under control.
People who have MS have less
linoleic acid
in their cerebrospinal fluid.
Prostaglandin
1 comes from linoleic acid, while
prostaglandin
3 comes from linolenic acid.
Those of us
with MS can improve their situation
by increasing
linoleic and linolenic acids
and thereby
stimulating prostaglandins 1
and 3.
Evening primrose and borage oils,
which contain
linoleic acid, (the one that
is short in
the spinal fluid of people who
have MS.),
create prostaglandin 1. Flax
seed oil, which
contains linolenic acid, produces
prostaglandin
3, and prostaglandin 3 reduces
the production
of the 'bad' prostaglandin 2.
Nutrients that produce prostaglandin
2, and
make MS symptoms worse, are saturated
fat
and cholesterol, as well as alcohol.
Vitamins
that subdue prostaglandin 2 are
zinc, vitamin
C and B3 and B6. |
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MS-Diet Support Group 
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