Hi, in this weeks post, I wanted to share my thoughts on essential fatty acids and my personal experience with supplementing both omega 6 and 3 parent fatty acids (ALA and LA)

Many of you are probably familiar with fish oil supplements which are advertised as the holy Grail on almost every single health page. I too took fish oil capsules for a long time.

At the same time, many people are starting to demonize omega 6 acids, especially Linoleic acid which is one of the main fatty acids in vegetable oil. Unfortunately, due to processing, most industrial seed oils are highly rancid and very toxic . This is not what I’m talking about when I say omega 6 etc.

This movement of demonizing omega 6 has led people avoiding Whole Foods naturally rich in omegas like raw seeds and cold water fish.

However, unprocessed, raw fatty acids like LA are also one of the main components of our cell membrane and we need to consume it from our diet. In fact, we need ample of omega 6 and 3 in our diet because they are essential fatty acids , that means our body can’t make them. When we have plenty of omega 6 and 3 parent fatty acids (not EPA, and DHA which are downstream metabolites found in fish oil) our body can actually make all of the other fatty acids.

Now this is where it gets a little bit confusing, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 really matters too. A healthy ratio is about 4-1 of omega 6 to 3. This ratio keeps our cell membranes healthy and allows for optimal, mitochondrial metabolism.

Now, it is also important that we consume the parent fatty acids so ALA and LA which are mainly found in seeds and nuts (plant sources). While the downstream metabolites like CLA and EPA are found in animal foods and are also very important, we actually need the parent fatty acids because the process of converting them to the downstream metabolites in the body is very anti-inflammatory. That way, when we just take fish oil or when we take CLA, we are missing out on a very important process.

In August of last year, I actually had my cell membranes tested for essential fatty acid levels and the results were shocking. I thought I was doing everything right by avoiding omega 6 and taking lots of “anti inflammatory” fish oil but all that did was completely tank my omega six levels and made me omega-3 toxic.

I started a protocol with fatty acids from Body Bio (balance oil, evening primrose oil and Pc) which are cold pressed and tested to make sure that they are not rancid. I have to admit, I was nervous at first because I had been fear mongered into believing that seed oils are bad. But after six months, my cell membranes had already started to repair. I am noticing differences in my cognition and digestion as well as energy.

Both of my parents also had the test done, and just like me the results were very similar. Depleted in omega six and too much omega-3. And they were not even supplementing. Simply avoiding omega 6 can create deficiency.

Balance oil is a great product because it contains the parent fatty acids ALA (omega 3) and LA (omega 6) in the perfect ratio.

It cannot hurt even if you are not deficient and is a way to nourish your cells daily.

I take 2 tablespoons a day as a therapeutic dose and will be going down to 1 tablespoon when my membranes are in order. I also take 6 capsules of evening primrose oil, and I consume fish a few times a week. I don’t take fish oil since that is easily oxidized and I want to get my omega 3 downstream metabolites from real food. This is not the same as the ALA in the balance oil.

I love the oil on veggies and eggs or as a base for my salad dressing! Always add the oil after cooking , please do not heat as the fatty acids are very sensitive.

It’s important to consume with protein to protect the integrity of the fatty acids – they actually form a lipoprotein in the stomach!

Body bio is actually having a Memorial Day sale right now- 20% off site wide! Shop here 🥳

If you’re reading this after you can always use code HELEN15 for 15% off! Trust me , your cells will thank you.

Hi everyone ,

I want to thank you for being patient with me, I know I have not been very active the last few months but I’ve been doing a lot of inner work and quiet a bit of healing and just needed some time off.

Last I posted, I was still on a very strict carnivore diet which at that time was one of the best decisions I could have made for my health.

1) I was malnourished and animal foods offer the highest amounts of bio available nutrients and plenty of essential amino acids and healthy fat to rebuild a body. I also focused on very collagen rich meat which helped repair my own connective tissue

2) avoiding plant foods gave my digestion a break and allowed me to expend little energy on digestion and more on rebuilding. I was also able to absorb more of the nutrients due to limiting fiber and anti nutrients that can interfere with nutrient absorption!

After about a year on carnivore, I had gained back the majority of the weight I lost but I was still struggling with my digestion and was not comfortable with reintroducing produce or plant foods. I was only having Body Bio and Activation Products oils which are seed based (not oxidized and not comparable to the rancid seed oils that are demonized on every single health platform).

These oils are important which I learned after testing my own red blood cell fatty acids and seeing that my essential fatty acid profile was not healthy. I had way TOO MUCH omega 3 (the fatty acid that is glorified) and not enough omega 6 which is found mainly in seeds. In order to have healthy cells, I needed to supplement with high quality oils to restore balance.

I’m happy to say that on my retest my fatty acids were already looking quite a bit better , but I believe including high quality omega 6 fatty acids is a no brainer for sustained cellular health. It’s often forgotten that they are in fact essential 😉

I will get into more detail on the importance of essential fatty acids in another post so that this one doesn’t get too long.

At the same time, I also worked on aligning my circadian rhythm, exposing myself to plenty of sun and minimizing EMFs and blue light.

I also started a protocol using Body Bio products that target gut health but also aid in detoxification of the body. The protocol includes high doses of phospholipids, Tudca and sodium butyrate to help shuttle out toxins and nourish the digestive tract. I am very grateful to say that my bowel movements have completely normalized and I no longer struggle with my digestion.

In the last few months however, I started to get an appetite for plant foods again, something I did not have for over a year. I introduced seasonal and locally grown carbohydrates, it ended up working out well, because I started to introduce them in January, when not a lot was in season. I started with carrots and citrus fruits and as the UV index increased, and more food was in season, I added more and more fruits and vegetables. When the sun is stronger, we have an increased ability to metabolize sugars from plants.

Now it is May and I am enjoying avocado, cucumber, stone fruits, broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, celery, berries , summer squash, spinach, arugula and mushrooms. I think being in tune with nature is what helped me out here. As the UV index increases, I am planning to continue to introduce in produce, and in the winter time when less is in season, I will again decrease the amount of produce I am consuming.

I also started making my own yogurt using low temp pasteurized A2 milk! That is also going fabulously!

Just this week, I tried homemade seed-based bread (just a medley of seeds) that really reminded me of German pumpernickel that I grew up eating as a child. It was a very full circle and wholesome moment for me. It also reminded me that healing does happen even though I do still have a very long way to go.

I do want to point out that I am not introducing processed foods apart from raw sprouted seed butters (I need more omega 6s) and the occasional scoop of Equip Foods protein powder! I believe that as long as your body has the ability to metabolize seasonally available Whole Foods, and they do not produce an inflammatory response, they can be included in your diet if you are craving them.

I have a lot of exciting things coming up in the next few months in regards to my health that I am hoping will facilitate further healing. Biochemically, my body still has a lot it needs to overcome, and at the same time I still have to face a lot of PTSD. Grateful for everyone who is reading this and I promise I will be a bit more active and will continue to share more recipes in the coming weeks 🩷

I want to point out that in addition to what I am sharing on my blog, I am seeing a trained medical professional to help me recover 100% hopefully. I will not be sharing the details of my diagnosis and all of the treatments at this time. This blog is purely for food-based education and recipes. It is a place where I share my creativity and also Hope for everyone out there.

Please remember to be kind to yourself and try to stay optimistic, even if it is difficult because all of our cells hear what we have to say. In a way, you do have control over an aspect of your bio chemistry.

I believe in your ability to heal🫶🏻

Feel free to reply to this email with any questions or suggestions for future blog posts!