Tag: omega-3 fatty acids

Don’t Forget Your Back

Most of us spend a large portion of the day hunched forward.  Think about when you are working on the computer, cooking, driving or even relaxing.  Your typical posture during these activities is head and neck forward, shoulders rounded forward, back curved and hips flexed.    When you remain in this position for an extended period of time, the muscles in the front of the body tend to shorten or contract, while the muscles in the back of the body tend to weaken.    This can be a set up for back, neck and shoulder problems and in addition, tends to make you look shorter, heavier and less confident.

Stretching before and after exercise as well as during the day is often overlooked in the rush to “get your workout in”.   Stretching however, has numerous benefits.   According to a study published in the Annals of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine in September 2016, by I Fekhfekh, et al, dynamic muscle stretching of the knee musculature actually resulted in an increase strength gain in those muscles.  Interestingly, this study also found a decrease in the postural stability of the knee after stretching.    In English, it appears that stretching helps your to build strength, but may decrease the stability of the muscles you stretch at least temporarily.

In general, stretching helps to improve flexibility, joint range of motion, and usually is helpful for injury prevention.    Stretching helps by increasing blood flow to the muscles stretched.  This increased blood flow carries important nutrients to your muscles to allow for muscle growth and repair.  In addition, the increased blood flow helps to wash away muscle “waste” which leads to decreased soreness and inflammation of the muscle.

If allowed to remain in a contracted position for a prolonged period of time, our muscles will shorten.  For example if you spend a large portion of your day sitting in a chair or driving, the muscles in the front of the hips, your hip flexors will shorten.  These muscles have a direct effect on both your posture and your back health.

 

So what should you do?

It is important to stretch the muscles in the front of the body at least daily.

Exercises that focus on the hip flexors:

-Kneeling hip flexor stretch  – in the position of a lunge, allow your back knee to touch the floor and drive the hip of your front leg forward.  This will stretch the hip flexor of the knee on the floor

–Pigeon stretch – extend your right leg straight back and bring the heel of your left leg underneath your right hip.  Then drive your hips forward towards the ground.  Stretch and repeat on the other side.

– Yoga poses such as: low lunge, crescent lunge, upward facing dog, and revolving side angle pose

 

Stretches that focus on the chest muscles and prevent rounded shoulders:

– Door Frame stretch- stand in a doorway or at the corner of a room with your arms up like you were going to stop traffic.  Line your arms up from the elbow to the hand with the doorframe or in the corners of the wall.   Step towards the door and you should feel a stretch in your chest (pectoralis “pec” muscles) and hold for 20-30 seconds.

– Wall slides – stand with your back to the wall and keep your shoulders against the wall.  Walk forward 1-2 steps and slide your arms up and down the wall and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  You should feel a stretch in your upper chest muscles.

–Shoulder squeeze stretch –  clasp your hands together behind your back and slowly try to lift your hands.  Squeeze your shoulder blades together to stretch out the chest wall.

– Yoga poses include : bridge pose, camel pose, cobra pose and cow face pose

 

Stretches for your neck:

– Chin Tucks (Neck Retraction) – keep your shoulders back and your head in a neutral position (eyes facing forwards, chin level) slowly move your head backwards until you feel a slight stretch in the back of your neck.  Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat.  If needed you can apply a gentle pressure on your chin with your fingertips to press your chin backwards and deepen the stretch.

Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine will help to prevent shortening of the muscles in the front of the body which leads to poor posture and often pain of the neck and back.  As always, if you are having pain which persists you should be evaluated by a certified health care professional to ensure that these exercises are safe for you.

This week we primarily discussed stretching exercises to prevent muscle contraction, and next week we will discuss the importance of strengthening the back muscles to further combat the issues of a hunched posture.

Fish Oils

Fatty acids have many important uses in our bodies.  Fatty acids come in different shapes and sizes, and are named based on their size and chemical structure. Omega-3 fatty acids are a specific class of fatty acids that are utilized by our bodies and are used as the precursors for anti-inflammatory compounds.

Essential Fatty Acids are those that cannot be made by our bodies and must be consumed as part of our diet.  The name Omega -3 Fatty acid describes a class of different length fatty acids which all contain a similar chemical structure.

The most well-known Omega 3 fatty acids are ALA (alpha linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

ALA is found in:

  • Flaxseed
  • English walnuts
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Salmon
  • Sardines
  • Chia
  • Hemp
  • Tofu
  • Spinach
  • Other plant foods

The body in theory has the ability to convert ALA into DHA and EPA.  However, this pathway is influenced by dietary intake and does not work optimally in all people.  Therefore, it is often helpful to consume foods with DHA and EPA in case the body is unable to make these compounds in the needed amounts.   There are multiple studies that have shown the health benefits of DHA and EPA and I will describe these in more detail later in this article.

EPA and DHA are more difficult to obtain with a strict vegetarian diet.  Sea plants and certain fermented foods do contain small amounts of DHA, but DHA is not found in land based plants.  DHA makes up about 20% of the brain by weight, and is found in most fish, eggs, and milk and cheeses obtained from grass fed animals.   EPA is found in most fish, especially salmon and sardines.  The amount of EPA and DHA in fish is dependent on their diet.  Farmed fish are sometimes supplemented with processed Omega-3 fatty acids to increase the concentration found in these fish.

Multiple studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA and DHA, for our general health and well-being.  Below is a summary of my review of the literature, and the findings in various studies:

  • Fish oils lower blood sugar and decrease liver fat stores
  • Increasing DHA and EPA decreases the incidence of metabolic syndrome by 20%
  • EPA and DHA supplementation helps to lower blood pressure (at approx. 1gm/day)
  • In obese patients, insulin sensitivity is improved with supplementation of EPA and DHA (at approx. 1 gm/day)
  • Higher levels of EPA consumption lower risk of CHF (congestive heart failure) and increase survival in patients with heart failure by 35% – thought to be because of the effect on the heart muscle pumping ability
  • Omega-3 fatty acids improve exercise-induced asthma and increase pulmonary function 5-fold based on pulmonary function tests
  • Fish oils help to slow neuro-inflammation and may slow progression of neuro-degenerative disorders (eg. Alzheimers, Parkinson’s)
  • Mild cognitive dementia improves with supplementation of 900mg of DHA
  • Omega-3 Fatty acids may slow or reverse nerve damage from diabetes

So what should you do?   All fish oils are not created equally.  Fish oil in its natural state obtained directly from the diet is probably best, but it is difficult to eat the amount needed by our bodies.   The next best option is supplementing our diet with at least 2.5 grams/day of EPA and DHA in the form of a pharmaceutical grade, highly refined Omega-3 fatty acid supplement (if ok with your doctor).  Unrefined fish oils can have many contaminants such as PCBs and Mercury.   Most fish oils sold over the counter have a very low concentration of EPA and DHA and contain “other Omega-3 fatty acids” which require our bodies to convert them into an active form.    As was stated earlier, ALA intake is important, but this needs to be converted into DHA and EPA in order to be effectively utilized in the anti-inflammatory pathway.

One final note is that while Omega-3 fatty acids such as ALA, EPA, and DHA are the precursors of anti-inflammatory mediators in our body, Omega-6 fatty acids such as AA (arachidonic acid) are the precursors of the pro-inflammatory mediators in our body.  Omega-6 fatty acids are found in many cooking oils such as corn, palm, sunflower, safflower and soybean oil.   The western diet is very high in omega-6 fatty acids and relatively low in omega-3 fatty acids.  By increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acid consumption and decreasing omega-6 fatty acid consumption, the inflammatory state of the body is improved.  This is thought to have a beneficial effect of chronic inflammatory disease states such as arthritis.

How To Choose Your Foods?

The definition of organic is “relating to or derived from living matter”. With regard to the food industry, the definition of organic is somewhat vague. Organic foods are “produced by methods that comply with standards of organic farming”. The issue with this definition is that these standards are not in fact standardized and vary widely throughout the world. Generally speaking, organic farming is meant to protect the environment and allow for renewable resources, encourage the balance in ecological systems and conserve biodiversity. In addition, organic foods are supposed to be produced without solvents, synthetic food additives and irradiation, these standards still allow for some pesticides and fertilizers to be used.

By now, you have probably heard of the “Dirty Dozen Plus” and the “Clean 15″. The “Dirty Dozen Plus” are foods that are recommended to be organic, while the “Clean 15″ can be consumed despite production via conventional farming. These foods were found to have the highest pesticide load by Dr. Andrew Weil in conjunction with the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

The “Dirty Dozen Plus” – these should be organic when eaten

  • Apples
  • Peaches
  • Nectarines
  • Strawberries
  • Grapes
  • Celery
  • Spinach
  • Sweet Bell Peppers
  • Cucumbers
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Snap Peas (Imported)
  • Potatoes
  • Hot Peppers
  • Kale
  • Collard Greens

In contrast, the “Clean 15” foods were found to have acceptable levels of pesticides and at this time are felt to be o.k. to be consumed when farmed conventionally with regard to level of pesticides. These include:

  • Avocados
  • Sweet corn
  • Pineapples
  • Cabbage
  • Sweet Peas (frozen)
  • Onions
  • Asparagus
  • Mangoes
  • Papayas
  • Kiwi
  • Eggplant
  • Grapefruit
  • Cantaloupe (domestic)
  • Cauliflower
  • Sweet potatoes

The effects of pesticides are mixed according to the medical literature, and there is not definitive evidence on either side of the argument. One of the reasons for such disagreement is that we are all genetically different and pesticides and toxins affect us differently.

For example, there is genetic variation in a gene called the MTHFR gene. This gene (in combination with others) helps our body with detoxification. If you contain a specific combination of gene mutations, then you may have more difficulty with detoxifying then someone sitting right next to you. In this case, you may be very sensitive to pesticides, while your neighbor is not. Therefore, it would be important for you to eat mainly organic foods, but you neighbor may be able to tolerate a much higher pesticide load in his or her diet.

Some other factors to consider when purchasing foods:

Is the animal grass fed vs grain fed?
Grass fed animals tend to have a better fat profile, meaning more Omega-3 fatty acids (which are anti-inflammatory) vs Omega-6 fatty acids (which are inflammatory). Therefore, grass fed animal fats are healthier for us while grain fed animals skew the diet to be more inflammatory. This is especially important to consider in an individual with a chronic auto-immune disease such as arthritis, lupus, or even those who suffer from asthma.

Is the fish farmed or wild caught?
Not all farmed fish is equivalent. The major concern in the past with farm-raised fish is that they tend to be higher in contaminants such as mercury, PCB’s and antibiotics and lower in omega-3 fatty acids. Wild caught fish are found in their natural environment and are free to eat algae and other natural food sources. Another important concern is the type of fish you are eating. Larger, predatory fish such as salmon, swordfish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, tilefish, and ahi tuna all contain higher levels of mercury then do smaller fish. Therefore, it is important to limit your weekly consumption of such fish.

Recently, companies such as Whole Foods and Wegmans have raised the bar on their fish farming practices. The farmed fish are fed healthier diets enriched with algae, a raised in water that is more closely monitored for contaminants and do not allow the use of antibiotics in the water. In general, wild caught is currently still the best although wild caught fish has a greater carbon foot print.

The take home message is to know where the fish you are buying is coming from and the methods used to raise them. U.S. farmed fish are significantly safer then internationally farmed fish.

Does the food contain added hormones or antibiotics?
Often times antibiotics are used liberally to control the outbreak of diseases on farms and with livestock. The antibiotics can change the bacteria found in our GI tracts and may lead to a condition called gut “dysbiosis”. This alteration of bacteria in our gut has been theorized to contribute to multiple auto-immune conditions as well as anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. In addition, the overuse of antibiotics leads to bacterial resistance and the formation of “super bugs”. Avoiding food and water sources with antibiotics can lessen your exposure and prevent resistance.

Hormones are added to certain animals to make them gain weight faster and increase milk supply. The effects of exposure to chronic low levels of hormones is unknown however, several countries have banned the use of rBGH due to lack of certainty.

The best bet is to eat non-processed, locally sourced food with as few contaminants as possible. Cage free, grass fed, organic food without added hormones and antibiotics is definitely more expensive and will significantly impact your grocery bill. Therefore, it is important to make informed decisions about your food sources and vary your exposure to a multitude of environmental toxins. As far as genetics are concerned, there are blood tests available to look for genetic variations. Though these tests are not recommended for everyone, if you suffer from chronic diseases, fibromyalgia, it is possible they might be of benefit.