Pro Performance

In today’s society, ‘fats’ is considered a four letter word. The common perception of fats is that, they not only make you fat, but they increase your risk of a number of health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers.

However, not all fats are bad. The good ones include the fats in the polyunsaturated fatty acid family, and these are known as ‘essential fats’, or more properly ‘essential fatty acids’ (EFA’s). Essential because, like vitamins, they are vital to health and cannot be made by the human body – they must be obtained from your diet. Unfortunately, as a result of changes in Western eating habits, levels of some of these valuable EFA’s are dangerously low, while in many people levels of the bad saturated fats are too high.

There are two types of EFA’s that are important to human health – the omega-6 type and the omega-3 type. The names arise from their chemical structure. Although they are similar, the two types are distinct. Since one type cannot be converted into the other, both must be present in the diet in a proper balance, for good health.
A healthy diet and supplementation program should provide a 1:2 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids. The ratio for individuals in most Western civilizations is around 1:20. This means that consumption is upwards of 20 times more Omega 6 then Omega 3 fatty acids.

Remember, it’s virtually impossible to get adequate amounts of unprocessed EFA’s (especially Omega 3 fatty acids) from today’s heavily processed foods. If we get the proper kinds of fats in the correct amount and balances, and prepare them using the correct methods, (heat and light destroy EFA’s) they keep our bodies strong and healthy. All fats are not created equal. Some harm and others heal. Major damage occurs to our health when we depart from fresh whole foods, and the fresh unaltered fats and oils, that nature created for us.

Here are some of the beneficial effects of the regular use of EFA supplements:
Facilitates fat loss                Enhanced immune function
Improved insulin action                               Decreased inflammation response
Improved metabolism                                   Improved energy production of cells
Improved condition of hair and nails        Increased nitrogen retention
Better calcium function                                Improved nerve function
Improved blood pressure                             Increased growth hormone secretion
Improved cholesterol profile                       Liver support and protection