Here is part 3 of the exerts from the Toxic Fat Book Review. For the complete reveiw check out the members forum on Fit4YouNutrition.com
DGLA and AA are omega-6 fatty acids, and EPA is an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil. The really good epicosanoids that accelerate cellular rejuvenation come from DGLA, the really bad eicosanoids that accelerate cellular destruction from AA, and the eicosanoids that come from EPA don’t do much. However, EPA does help maintain a dynamic balance between DGLA and AA as well as dilute out any excess AA in the cell. So in essence, your diet is the primary factor in keeping these three fatty acids constantly in balanced. The better you do it, the less toxic fat you have, he more silent inflammation is reduced, and the faster you move back toward wellness.
Trans fats also knock out the production of good eicosanoids because they decrease the production of dhomogamma-linoleneic acid (DGLA). This is why there is a correlation between trans fats and heart disease.
In simple terms, the balance of AA and DGLA will depend on your ability to control the balance of fat, protein, and carbohydrate that you eat. As AA levels increase, silent inflammation rises, and you age faster. On the other hand, if DGLA levels increases, you get more cellular rejuvenation, and you age more slowly. The ideal situation is to decrease AA levels while simultaneously increasing DGLA levels. If you do that, you essentially have the molecular definition of anti-aging, the lifelong maintenance of wellness.
The balance of AA and DGLA depends primarily on fat intake and, in particular, a precise balance of omega-6 and Omega 3 fatty acids as well as the dietary balance of protein to carbohydrate to control the hormone insulin. The more omega-6 fatty acids in our diet, the more AA our bodies can ultimately produce. Although both DGLA and AA are omega-6 fatty acids, the hormone insulin is what accelerates he conversion of DGLA into AA. One way to increase insulin is to consume too many carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates. The second way is to eat too many calories. Americans have done both for the past 25 years due to the Perfect Nutritional Storm.
