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Do You Need An Oil Change?

Contrary to popular belief, dietary fat is actually a necessary part of proper nutrition and wellness. Your body needs fat for many different processes and metabolic functions. Not only is fat a primary source of energy, it is a major component of cell membranes and a precursor to your hormones. Fat also helps you to absorb minerals and important vitamins including A, D, and K. However, not all fats are created equal. Eating too much or too little of certain types of fat could increase your risk of future disease. To be healthy, it is important to be aware of your dietary fat intake and to choose fats that are beneficial to your body.

Although fat can be found in various foods, a lot of dietary fat comes directly from the oils that are used to prepare or cook your favorite dishes. In general, the fats in cooking oil are classified in the following four ways:

1. Saturated Fat: found in animal products (butter, lard, tallows) and tropical oils (palm kernel, coconut). Our bodies also make saturated fatty acids from the carbohydrates we eat.

2. Monounsaturated Fat: the main fat found in olive, nut, and seed oils. These fats can also be made by our body from saturated fatty acids.

3. Polyunsaturated Fat: called essential fatty acids because our body cannot make them. Found in most vegetable oils (soy, corn, safflower, canola), the two most common polyunsaturated fats are omega-6 and omega-3.

4. Trans Fat: man-made, chemically altered fatty acids commonly found in margarines and shortenings.

Most oils have a combination of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Oils that are highest in monounsaturated fats are considered the healthiest choice for cooking. This is because monounsaturated fatty acids contain lots of antioxidants, provide nutrients that help cell development, reduce bad cholesterol, and lower the risk of stroke and heart attack. Extra-virgin olive oil is always a good pick, but don't be afraid to experiment with the wide range of flavors available in other nut or seed oils.

Saturated fat has long been a part of the human diet. Our ancestors main source of energy came from animal fat. Saturated fatty acids play a vital role in the body by strengthening cell membranes, increasing bone health, and providing antiviral and antimicrobial properties. They also help your body to utilize the essential fatty acids that you eat. For years, many nutritionist have strongly cautioned people against eating too much saturated fat because it was believed that this type of fat causes high cholesterol. Therefore, most Americans have greatly reduced their consumption of saturated fat over the last 100 years.

Butter, lard, and palm oil have been replaced in most commercially processed foods with margarine, shortening, and other refined polyunsaturated oils. However, this recommended oil change did not lead to a corresponding decrease in illness and disease. In fact, scientific research has not produced definitive evidence that shows saturated fat to be the main villain of heart disease. On the contrary, research has indicated that it is actually these unhealthy replacement oils that are causing the most damage to our bodies.

Unfortunately, the standard American diet contains a lot of these polyunsaturated fats due to the high consumption of fast foods and the widespread use of commercial vegetable oils. Although your body does need to obtain essential fatty acids from food, consuming the correct balance of different polyunsaturated fats is necessary for optimal health. In particular, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is very important and many commercial vegetable oils have an unnatural balance.

Studies have shown that Americans are getting way too much omega-6 in their diets. This has led to an increase in inflammatory disorders and many health issues including high blood pressure and impaired immune systems. On the other hand, most people are not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. Ever wonder why you are always being told to eat more fish? A deficiency in omega-3 can severely harm your body's natural cell oxidation and the metabolizing of important amino acids. The imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3 in many commercial vegetable oils make them an unhealthy choice for cooking.

Furthermore, some commercial vegetable oils can be harmful because of how they are processed. The most dangerous is the industrial process called partial hydrogenation that creates trans fats. Food manufacturers have been using this chemical process to turn naturally liquid, polyunsaturated oils into solid oils like margarine and shortening. This trans fat oil became popular because it is inexpensive, shelf stable, long lasting, and can withstand repeated heating. In the 1990s, research began showing that trans fat has serious adverse health effects. In particular, we now know that eating trans fat increases our bad cholesterol, promotes inflammation, and could increase the risk of diabetes and cancer.

There is no nutritional value to trans fat, so it should be strictly avoided. The FDA is requiring all food labels to include trans fat information and numerous cities in the U.S. have been working to ban trans fat from foods. Sadly, companies are still using cooking oils that have trans fat even though we know it is harmful. This unhealthy oil is predominant in a lot of restaurant fried foods like donuts and french fries. It is also common in most commercial baked goods including pastries, pizza dough, cookies, biscuits, and crackers. Everyone should be aware that food labels are often misleading. Take the time to read the ingredients list. If the ingredients include the words “partially hydrogenated oil”, then the item contains trans fat.

Another way that commercial oils can become harmful is during the extraction process. Oil that occurs naturally in fruits, nuts, and seeds must first be extracted. Many large factories often expose these fatty acids to high heat, light, and oxygen during the extraction process. This practice causes the oil to become rancid, stripping it of vital antioxidants and creating unhealthy free radicals. Use of these highly refined oils should be avoided whenever possible.

A better alternative is to choose expeller-pressed cooking oil. Expeller-pressing is a low temperature, chemical-free process that preserves the integrity of fatty acids. It has been used for over a century to safely extract oils. At Pacific Way, we stock several expeller-pressed oils including extra-virgin olive, walnut, almond, and sesame oil. We also carry unrefined coconut oil and organic butter. Many of your favorite recipes can be prepared by substituting these healthier, natural oils.

Interested in learning more about dietary fats? Stop by our office and browse through the selection of educational books. We highly recommend the bestsellers Nourishing Traditions, Real Food, and the Omnivore's Dilemma.

Gift Certificate Special

Share the spirit of the holiday season with a gift of wellness!Our current holiday special is 2 massage gift certificates for $90! Let our professional therapist provide your loved ones with a soothing, full body massage. Your choice of relaxation, deep tissue, or hot stone. Gift certificates are also available for our other services including chiropractic, craniosacral therapy, and the natural food store.

This year, Pacific Way Wellness Center is happy to be donating $10 of every gift certificate sold to World Vision, an international humanitarian charity. Since 1950, World Vision has been helping families and communities to fight poverty and injustice. This organization provides clean water, food, and supplies to people in need and is focused on building sustainability and self-reliance in nearly 100 countries.

Office News

We would like to notify everyone that massage therapist Jessica Jones is now on maternity leave. Jessica is expecting her little one to arrive by the end of December. We are excited to welcome a new baby and are sending warm thoughts and blessings to her whole family. During Jessica's absence, we have a new massage therapist who is available for morning and afternoon appointments. Her name is Jennifer Taylor and she is trained in relaxation, deep tissue, and hot stone massage.

Our office will be closed on Christmas and New Years Day. Also, Dr. Woods is leaving for her vacation to Nicaragua on Friday, December 18th. She will be gone for about a month and be available again for scheduling appointments on Monday, January 18th. During her absence, Dr. Lanker will be available Monday through Saturday. If you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call.