Research, Public Policy and Practice - Never the 'Twain Shall Meet

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Research, Public Policy and Practice - Never the 'Twain Shall Meet

 

 

By Catherine Creel

2001 Catherine Creel, .

 

Email: ccreel

How a Myth is Born

 

During the mid-1970's, the USDA published its first edition of " Using the

Dietary Guidelines for Americans " . The most startling recommendation it

contained was that Americans should reduce their overall fat intake to no more

than thirty percent of their daily calories, with only ten percent of these

calories coming from saturated fat. The dietary recommendations in this

publication were premature. For several years preceding the release of this

report, scientists and doctors had argued that the evidence to support lowering

daily allowances of fat was hardly conclusive.

 

In fact, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), in charge of setting RDAs

(Recommended Dietary Allowances) and the AMA (American Medical Association) had

voiced concerns that a decreased intake of dietary fat would lead to health

problems. Under pressure to produce some health guidelines, the USDA ignored

these doubts and forged ahead. In a bold move, the NAS released its own report

which did not support a lower fat diet.

 

The USDA worked to discredit the NAS report by revealing that the NAS received

some financial support from the food industry. This story came to national

attention when Jane Brody wrote about it in the New York Times. Due to this

connection, the media and the people were suspicious of NAS's motives and

quickly embraced the recommendations of the USDA.

 

Science, finding itself in the awkward and uncomfortable position of having no

data to support the new dietary guidelines began scrambling to provide

supportive evidence. Attempting to accomplish this, the National Institute of

Health (NIH) funded several studies over a ten year period aimed at

scientifically proving the dangers of saturated fat. The results of these

studies not only failed to even remotely suggest that lowering dietary fat would

lead to better health, they actually suggested otherwise. Finally, a study was

done on a group of men whose cholesterol levels exceeded those of ninety-five

percent of Americans. This group was placed on cholesterol-reducing medication.

 

The study, done by Lipid Research Clinic (LRC) was known as the Coronary Primary

Prevention Trial. After seven years, it showed that those taking the drug

experienced a 0.4% reduction in probability of having a heart attack over the

placebo group. This same reduction applied to the probability of dying from a

heart attack. Surprisingly, dietary data was not part of this study. LRC falsely

extrapolated that these findings could be replicated by reducing fat intake,

leading to lower levels of blood cholesterol, and resulting in a decrease in

heart disease.

 

Although other scientists argued that the study could hardly support the dietary

hypothesis of a lower fat diet, the NIH made official the flawed conclusions of

the Coronary Primary Prevention Trial. The next day, headlines throughout the

country shouted that we were a nation doomed to die unless we turned to the low

fat diet of the USDA.

 

Our Health Today

 

Now in the new millennium, we look at our health statistics in America. Type II

diabetes is of epidemic proportions, affecting younger as well as older adults.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) affects over twenty-five percent of Americans

over the age of eighteen. While statistics on heart disease show a modest

decrease in death due to heart disease in our society, a closer look reveals

millions more people being treated for heart disease than ever before. It

remains the number one cause of death in America today.

 

It is not unusual today for elementary school teachers to have twenty percent or

more of their students diagnosed as having Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity

Disorder and being treated with pharmaceutical drugs that have toxic side

effects. Millions of people are being pharmaceutically treated for depression,

including teenagers and children.

 

We have large numbers of people being given the relatively new, catch-all

diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Finally, obesity in the U.S. is at an

all-time high, despite our consumption of fat being at an all-time low (34% of

our overall calories per day).

 

Deconstructing the Myth

 

A look at health statistics from other countries reveals the startling evidence

that some cultures have much lower rates of these diseases than people in the

U.S., make fewer visits to medical professionals, and take few to no

pharmaceutical drugs. Three things are immediately apparent when looking at

their diets:

 

1) Only whole foods are eaten

2) The fat content of the diets is 40% or higher

3) More fatty fishes and seafood are included in their diets

 

We've known about the diets of these cultures for some time, but until recent

years, lacked the necessary knowledge to truly understand why and how these

diets work to keep them healthy. We are now able to comprehend the reasons

behind the success of these diets through our increased understanding of fatty

acids and our ability to create fatty acid profiles.

 

Through fatty acid profiling, we learned that people of these cultures have very

different ratios of the essential fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-3, from the

ratios of people in cultures like the U.S. who have high rates of the diseases

mentioned earlier. The diets of the cultures that enjoy better health, contain

ratios of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids in the range of 4:1 to 1:1.

 

The culture having the 1:1 ratio was the healthiest of all. This is in great

contrast to the standard American diet (with the very appropriate acronym of

SAD) which has ratios of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids of 15:1 to

20:1 or more. Now, we have over two thousand studies that confirm that diets

with fatty acid ratios of 4:1 to 1:1 (omega-6's to omega-3's) lead to better

overall health.

 

 

Understanding Essential Fatty Acids

 

 

Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are essential to life and must be obtained

through our diets. Omega-6 fatty acids include Linoleic acid (LA), and

Gamma-linoleic acid (GLA). Omega-3 fatty acids include Alpha-linolenic acid

(LNA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

 

An overabundance of omega-6 fatty acids is found in the human-made category of

fats referred to as trans-fatty acids (or trans-fat), most grains, and animal

fat from grain-fed animals. Trans-fats appeared after food manufacturers jumped

on the USDA recommendation for a diet lower in saturated fat and began to make

vegetable oils from by-products of the cotton and animal feed industries. These

oils were highly unstable and prone to oxidation. This made them fairly useless

in food products. Through a process known as hydrogenation, this " problem " was

corrected. These inexpensive hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils were

used to make margarines, as additives in packaged foods, and in virtually all

commercially baked items.

 

It is nearly impossible to buy a packaged item today that doesn't contain some

partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. These oils can also be found in some

reduced fat milks containing the ingredient called dry milk solids. They lower

HDL (good cholesterol) and raise LDL (bad cholesterol) while causing damage to

the body through encouraging free radical formation. The ratios of omega-6's to

omega-3's in these hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils run from a low

of 20:1 to over 70:1!

 

The low fat movement has added to the damaging effects of these oils by

encouraging people to eat less of the oils and foods that contain more fat. We

now know that these oils and foods contain fewer omega-6's while providing more

of the protective omega-3's.

 

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in preferable ratios to omega-6 fatty acids in

fresh vegetables, fatty fish, most lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry,

especially in animals that eat grass and vegetation (true free range), including

game animals. Aged cheeses, especially those made from raw milk also provide a

reasonable balance of omega-6’s to omega-3’s.

 

Milk is a much more controversial food now implicated in many diseases that

plague modern times. This is a complex topic that is best served by an in-depth

article. Briefly (and incompletely) summarized, some of the things we know about

milk are that homogenization destroys the structural integrity of the proteins

in dairy products, making them impossible to assimilate, and pasteurization also

affects the nutritional integrity of milk. Milk that is commercially produced

comes from source animals that are grain-fed. This has negative effects the

fatty acid profile of milk. RBGH is a growth hormone given to cows to produce

more milk. They have been repeatedly linked to reduced insulin sensitivity in

children and adults.

 

Current research into milk has discovered a health-enhancing fatty acid called

Conjugated Linoleic acid (CLA), found consistently in pasture-fed cows of

certain breeds, and inconsistently and at unpredictable levels in some breeds of

grain-fed dairy cows. We need to understand this more fully in order to take

milk off the list of harmful foods.

 

 

Some Quick Facts On Essential Fatty Acids

(obtained from scientific studies)

 

 

* Omega-3 fatty acids block the growth of malignant tumors. Omega-6 fatty acids

promote the growth of malignant tumors.

 

* Omega-3 fatty acids help to prevent cardiac arrhythmias, protect arteries by

reducing levels of homocysteine and blocking inflammation, help prevent blood

clots, normalize blood pressure, inhibit build up of plaque, and raises HDL

(good cholesterol) while maintaining or reducing LDL (bad cholesterol). Omega-6

fatty acids have the opposite effects.

 

* Omega-3 fatty acids increase insulin sensitivity. Omega-6 fatty acids decrease

insulin sensitivity.

 

* The DHA in omega-3 fatty acids promotes emotional well-being. A high ratio of

omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3's produces depression, irritability, psychosis,

ADHD, violent and impulsive behavior, and increases cravings for addictive

substances. By increasing omega-3's and decreasing omega-6's, these symptoms are

reduced or eliminated.

 

* Increasing omega-3's while decreasing omega-6's has positive effects on

autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

 

Healthy Eating

 

You can begin putting this knowledge can be put into action by following the

general guidelines below.

 

Oils - Extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil (rich in squalene which reduces LDL

twenty percent or more), unprocessed canola oil, high-oleic sunflower and

high-oleic safflower oils are safest.

 

Complex carbohydrates - vegetables, vegetables, vegetables - at least six

servings a day. Your body will tell you which ones are right for you. If you are

carbohydrate-sensitive (insulin resistant) you may find that vegetables grown

underground (called tubers) don't agree with you. If at all possible, buy

organic. You avoid a lot of pesticides this way and also get the benefits of

more concentrated vitamins and minerals. Green vegetables, rich in antioxidants,

are great. One of my favorites, collard greens, is well-known in the South and

just beginning to get a little exposure in the Northeast. They take a little

longer to cook than most greens. I steam them for 12-15 minutes. As a rule, the

darker the green, the richer it is in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Steer clear of corn.

 

Fruit - this is another category where you must pay attention to what your body

tells you. For people who are carbohydrate sensitive, berries and cantaloupe

work best (I find that I can now eat most fruits as my insulin response has

improved due to my diet). Eat at least three servings a day. Be aware that most

fruits have been genetically manipulated to be sweeter than they originally

were. I buy organic Heirloom varieties from natural food stores in my area. I

enjoy that these stores are quite willing to order things I want, and get

answers to my questions about the origins of their products. When buying fruit

juices make sure they contain the pulp. This makes them digestible and creates

less of a spike in insulin response.

 

Breads and Grains - Eat whole grain bread that is sourdough only, and in

moderation. The sourdough seems to neutralize the effects of the omega-6's here.

Be aware that most grains are overprocessed, taking away components that are

necessary for balance and assimilation. People with autoimmune and inflammatory

disorders usually find inprovement in their health when they eliminate

grain-based products. Most grains contain very high ratios of omega-6's to

omega-3's. The grains containing the lowest ratios are hard winter wheat and

wheat germ at about 10:1 omega-6's to omega-3's. Oatmeal, as unprocessed as you

can get it is occasionally acceptable due to having some positive effects on

health. Stay away from overprocessed white flour products, and minimize your

grains unless they are hand-milled.

 

Protein - Eat lean cuts of meat cooked at 350 degrees or below. Exclude pork. If

possible, eat grass-fed beef and true free-range skinless poultry. Animals that

are fed few to no grains resulting in very low in omega-6 fatty acids. Eat fatty

fish at least three times a week (swordfish, Alaskan salmon, mackerel, anchovy,

sardine, etc.). Avoid farm-raised fish. They produce so little omega-3's

naturally that they are fed fish oil supplements. They are also fed grains. This

is a very unnatural food for fish. Despite its reputation, seafood is full of

healthy fat in the form of omega-3's. When choosing lamb, remember that leg of

lamb is more balanced in fatty acids than lamb shoulder.

 

Legumes are a good source of protein but can have too many carbohydrates for

those who are insulin resistant, and can also provoke inflammatory responses in

people with autoimmune disorders. Soybeans, unless sprouted, contain about 20:1

omega-6's to omega-3's. Soy products in general must be fermented to be useful

to our bodies, otherwise, you'll find them indigestible. When fermented, the

balance of fatty acids is favorable. Most soybeans now are genetically modified.

Although we have little data to go on here, traditional wisdom says this could

not be a good thing. This is another area that you must trust your instincts.

 

Raw nuts like Brazil nuts, white walnuts, and less so black walnuts are rich in

omega-3's, low in omega-6's, and provide quality protein.. Aged cheeses are fine

in moderation and even better when made from raw milk. I find a few of these in

an Italian import store.

 

Eggs are about 20:1 omega-6's to omega-3's. This is entirely due to the feed

given to chickens. There are a few brands on the market now that are promoted as

having higher omega-3's. The ratios for these brands range from 3:1 to 1:1 in

omega-6's to 3's. They cost about a dollar more a dozen and are well worth it.

You don't need to limit consumption of these eggs.

 

The recently discovered category of fatty acids called Conjugated Linoleic acids

(CLA) was originally found in ground beef. It seems to explain why beef is not

as harmful as originally thought. CLA is an antioxidant said to be approximately

two hundred times more powerful than beta carotene. It can be found in the fat

of beef and dairy products, but the levels of CLA are unpredictable in all but

grass-fed cows. Until more is known it is prudent to stick with grass-fed or

very lean cuts of grain-fed beef.

 

Trans-fats - Avoid them! They are very high in omega-6's. Some foods containing

trans-fat are potato chips, corn chips, tortilla chips, doughs, cookies, cakes

and cake mixes, crackers, muffins and muffin mixes, crackers, granola, and

popcorn. You can identify them by the terms partially hydrogenated, non-fat dry

milk solids, vegetable oils, and any other oils except those mentioned in the

above category of oils.

 

Some Final Thoughts

 

A long-standing frustration of research scientists has been the lack of impact

their findings have on media public policy, and mainstream health practitioners

despite published studies. Most media is bound by advertisers' interests. My

hypothesis about health practitioners is that they are no different from the

majority of people. They go to school, learn what they are taught, and read what

they are required to read.

 

After gaining professional status, they do only what is required to keep their

licenses due to hectic schedules. The work of researchers goes largely unread.

Fortunately, this research is has been made readily available to the general

public via the World Wide Web. This information empowers us to take charge of

our own health and well-being. It is no coincidence that this information has

recently become accessible. Trust what you are being shown.

 

Remember, we are each biochemically unique. One exact dietary regimen does not

fit all. Fortunately, the knowledge we're gaining about fatty acids seems to be

an overarching nutritional principle. You can become more intuitive about your

nutritional requirements by cleaning up your diet. Then, listen to your body. It

will tell you everything you need to know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Nutrition: The Soft Science of Dietary Fat, 2001, Gary Taubes; Clinical

Applications of Fatty Acid Profiling, 1999, Lord and Bralley; Transfat, 1998,

Mary Enig and Sally Fallon; Ethnographic Atlas, 1997, GP Murdock; Reducing the

Serum Cholesterol Level With a Diet Hih in Animal Fat, 1998, HL Newbold; The

Dairy Education Board Weekly Newsletter, The Cream No Longer Rises to the

Top,02/21/99; Lipids, Essential Fatty Acid Metabolism in Boys with Attention

Deficit Disorder, 1992, Stevens, Zantall, et al; Journal of Nutrition,

Prevention of Cardiac Arrhythmias by Dietary (N-3) Poly-unsaturated Fatty Acids

and Their Mechanism of Action, Nair, Leach, Falconer, Garg, 1997; Oncology, The

Role of Fatty Acids and Eicosanoid Synthesis Inhibitors in Breast Carcinoma,

Noguchi, Rose, Earashi, Miyazaki, 1995; Proceedings of the American Society of

Animal Science, Biosynthesis of Conjugated Linoleic Acid in Ruminants, Bauman,

Baumgard, Corl, Griinari, 1999; Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Beneficial Effects

on Human Health, McGuire and McGuire, 1999; numerous writings both public and

private of Loren Cordain, Dean Esmay; Handbook of Plant Lectins: Properties and

Biomedical Applications, Von Damme, Peumans, Pusztai, Bardocz, 1998; Lancet,

What Triggers Autoimmunity, 1985; Lipids, Effect of Dietary Tranfatty Acids on

Microsomal Enzymes and Membranes, Ostlund-Lindqvist, Albanus, Croon, 1985;

Handbook of Lipids in Human Nutrition, CRC Press, Inc., 1996, American Journal

of Clinical Nutrition, Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Depression: When

Cholesterol Does Not Satisfy, Hibbeln and Salem, 1997; The Omega Plan, 1998,

Artemis Simopoulos, MD and Jo Robinson; Townsend Newsletter, 1995, Julie

Klotter, MD; Lancet, 1996, Cow's milk proteins are unique in one respectŠ;

Diabetes Care, 1994, Link Between Milk and Juvenile Diabetes; Science, 1990, FDA

Review of Genetically Engineered Milk Finds RBGH Treatment Increases

Concentration of Insulin-like Growth Factors in Cow's Milk.

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