Which is Really “Alternative” Medicine?
All of the treatment methods, and countless others from every culture and society that exist today and have existed in the past, provide a wealth of time-honored, time-proven treatments for healing. These cultural healing methods result in statistically significant patient improvement. Rather than present you with the myriad of studies which show this to be the case, I’d like to focus the message of this article on the importance of recognizing and honoring the knowledge from the past, while we embrace the discoveries of the present and look forward to more answers in the future world of medicine. Although I am grateful for advancements made in medicine during the past hundred years in America, I am concerned that it has become too easy to discard past wisdom in favor of the latest pharmaceutical patent-even when that drug has not been tested and proven over time. In LDS culture, traditional healing methods have experienced waxing and waning in popularity and acceptance. Thankfully, many are beginning to recognize that we are defeating ourselves if we fail to acknowledge the value of many thousands of years of experience from other cultures. It is imperative that each of us learn the rudiments of health care. In response to the need for education in the healing arts and knowledge available to us, a first ever LDS Holistic Living Conference will be held in South Jordan, Utah, on June 26 of this year. This one-day event provides attendees with a wide variety of healthy options to study and learn about. I would love to go and learn from the many folks who will be presenting there. They represent a broad base of experience. While not all of the topics may be applicable to me, I think it is laudable that people are enthusiastically opening up their minds and hearts to healing possibilities. President Gordon B. Hinckley counseled us: “We must observe the Word of Wisdom. As we read our newspapers, as we watch the television news, these remarkable words first spoken in 1833 come to life before our very eyes: “In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you” (D&C 89:4). People are becoming increasingly health conscious. We have a running start on the world, a code so simple and easily understood.” (Ensign, November 1997, p. 69) Lest I be deluged with letters that suggest I am ignoring “real” medicine in favor of “quackery,” let me hasten to say that we need to study-and we need to look at the studies that have been done-and prayerfully make our health care decisions with a grasp of what is available, how long it has been used, and what has been the outcome. Over the past few weeks, I have received a number of questions from folks who read my article on Essential Fatty Acids and would like to more fully understand their healthy alternatives. I’d like to share a few of those with you, together with my responses: 1. Just read your article on “Essential Fatty Acids.” If I understand this correctly, the ratio of omega 3’s and 6’s is just reversed from all the formulation I find in the health stores. Dr. Mercola [note: Dr. Mercola is a prominent doctor with an online site on alternative medicine] does not recommend anything but Krill Oil for essential fatty acids. I have been taking flax oil for some years now and would like to improve my regimen upon your suggestion. Through the years there has been greater access to omega-6 oils in cooking and general consumption-corn oil and safflower oil. At the same time, there has been less access to omega-3 oils-fish and flax seed oil. This has caused an omega-3 deficiency in the population. In the last few years, fewer vegetable oils are being used (much of the corn today is genetically modified) and more olive oil and butter is used in cooking, neither of which has very much of either omega-6 or omega-3 essential fatty acids. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 oils in our body is about 4 to 1, which means we must ingest a 4 to 1 ratio of omega-6 oils to omega-3 oils. My recommendation of ingesting twice as much omega-6 oil compared to omega-3 oils as supplements (which, as you point out is the opposite formulation of what is generally recommended) is based on years of laboratory testing in my patients and discovering an omega-3 excess relative to omega-6. This is probably because of the excellent marketing done in favor of fish oils and their marvelous benefit. Flax seed oil has a 3 to 1 ratio of EFAs in favor of omega-3, so long-term use of it alone may overload the omega-3 oils. Borage oil and evening primrose oil are pure omega-6 oils, so I use borage oil in supplement form in my Primivia line, as it is less expensive. I use Flax seed oil for the omega-3 oil, as it has the parent compound, alpha-linolenic acid, that is lacking in fish oils. Krill oil is an excellent source of omega-3 oils, but does not have any omega-6 oils. 2. I read today’s article and found no reference to olive oil. Where does olive oil fit into the omega 3 or omega 6 equation? I am also interested about olive oil as I use this mostly. I also use coconut oil and I always use butter instead of margarine. Olive oil has very little omega-3 or omega-6 essential fatty acids. It is mostly omega-9 oils, which is an excellent oil, but not essential, since our body can make it. Olive oil is perhaps one of the healthiest oils on the market, and can be used for cooking up to about 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. If it smokes, it is oxidizing and should not be used. Coconut oil is another excellent oil, and can be used for cooking at higher temperatures. Butter is a saturated fat or oil, so it can be cooked at even higher temperatures. However, any oil that is smoking is oxidizing and should be avoided. 3. Is cold ground flax seed as effective as flax seed oil? Ground flax seed is as effective as flax seed oil for essential fatty acid absorption. Freshly ground is best because none of the essential fatty acids have had time to oxidize. Because the omega-3 oil has more double bonds, making it more unsaturated, it also has the greater tendency to oxidize quickly. Three things accelerate the oxidization of any oil-light, heat, oxygen exposure. Refrigeration reduces the heat and light exposure, thus slowing down the oxidation process. My recommendation for flax seed oil use-freshly ground is best. 4. What a wonderful article! I would love your opinion about oils in cooking, as high temperatures affect oils. I use walnut or avocado at times, but find coconut oil great for high temp. We need to have healthy oils in our diet. The anti-cholesterol and anti-fat marketing over the past several years has not only made us fat because of the carbohydrate intake exchange that took place, but we need oils in our skin, every cell of our body has a fatty cell membrane, our nerves are surrounded by fat-in fact, 60% of our brain is fat (so when someone calls you a fat head, just agree with them-maybe they are smarter than you think!). The nut oils and avocado are excellent natural food oils that should be eaten regularly. Healthy oils with meals also trigger the cholecystikinin hormone release that tells us we are full sooner, and slow down the rate of food movement and digestion through the intestinal tract. As far as cooking with oils, see the above answer. 5. I have been supplementing myself and my children with Costco’s Omega-3 and a chewable Omega-3 gummy fromTarget. After reading your article, I wondered if I should switch to Primrose or an Omega 6 and 3 supplement. Do you know of a product you could recommend I try? 6. LOVED your article on essential fatty acids. I’m going to have to read the article many more times to really grasp all that is there. Would love follow up articles on this same thing. What vitamins do you recommend? Do you have a brand that you like better than another? Thanks for sharing you learning and knowledge with the rest of us 🙂 Most of us need more omega-6 oils in our bodies, and not just the omega-3 fish oils that have received heavy marketing recently. All of the omega-3 marketing has been accurate and correct, but no one is talking about the benefits of the omega-6 oils. You should add borage oil or evening primrose oil to your regimen. Also, I am not sure if the Costco brand protects the omega-3 oil adequately from oxidation, especially if it is not refrigerated or it is not in a dark gelcap or covering to protect it from light. Because the omega-6 oils do not have as many unsaturated bonds, you don’t have to be quite so careful about light exposure with them. My recommendation-freshly ground flax seed or refrigerated flax seed oil for your omega 3 oils, and borage or evening primrose oil from the jar or gelcap for the omega-6. Supplement ideas can be found on my website, www.stangardnermd.com. It will soon have a vitamin guide. To your dynamic health and energy! Dr. Stan No Comments | Post or read comments FEATURES |
April 25, 2024
April 25, 2024
