Question of Nutrition #3: Can You Get Enough Omega-3 From Eating Fish Only?

12 oz of Wild Salmon

Question:  Can you get enough omega-3 fatty acids from eating only fish?

Answer:  The answer to this question has good news and bad news.  I will start with the good news and that is you can get enough omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) from eating fish.  Unlike flaxseed, the fish doesn't have to convert ALA to EPA/DHA as discussed in this post.  However, the bad news is you have to eat a half-pound or more of fish to get the minimum 2.5 combined grams of EPA/DHA daily (The image on the right is 3/4 of a pound to give you a visual idea of that portion)[1].  So unless if you like eating this much fish each day, it is probably more convenient to take Omega-3 supplements. 

References:
1.  Sears, B.  2002.  The Omega Rx Zone. New York, NY:  Harper Collins. 

Question of Nutrition #2: Enough Omega-3 From Flaxseed?

Ground Flaxseed (Flaxmeal)

Question:  Can you get enough omega-3 from flaxseed or do you need to use omega-3 supplements?

Answer:  The omega-3 fatty acids found in flax are short-chain fatty acids.  Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is an example of this.  The omega-3 fatty acids found in most of the supplements and fish are long chain fatty acids.  Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are examples of long-chain fatty acids.  Barry Sears, PhD said the following about the conversion of short-chain to long-chain fatty acids in his book The Omega Rx Zone:

Short-chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in flaxseed oil and other seed oils, have the potential to be made into their longer-chain relatives, such as EPA and DHA.  The trouble is that the biosynthetic process is incredibly long and difficult, so you can't really get much long-chain fatty acid from short-chain fatty acid.  In fact you would need to consume nearly 30 grams of ALA to make 1 gram of EPA and 0.1 gram of DHA.  This is not a very good return on your dietary investment.

My suggestion is if you aren't a strict Vegan, use at least 2.5 combined grams of EPA and DHA/day from high quality omega-3 supplements.  It is easier to take four omega-3 capsules or a TBSP of omega-3 than to consume 9+ TBSPs of ground flaxseed.

References:
1.  Sears, B.  2002.  The Omega Rx Zone.  New York, NY:  Harper Collins.

Fixing a Broken Nutrition Plan Part 5: Nutrition Guidlines for the Ectomorph (Type I)

Sheldon from Big Bang Theory[1]

The next three posts will explain the differences in nutrition regarding body types (Somatotypes).  This post will discuss the Ectomorph (Type I):

This body type is thin with longer limbs and usually has a hard time putting on weight.  Regarding television actors, Sheldon from Big Bang Theory would be an ideal candidate to represent this group.  As far as athletes, endurance athletes would fall into this group.

John Berardi has said in articles and pod casts that this group can tolerate more carbohydrates than most people as they have a higher metabolism due to increased T3 Thyroid hormone[2].  This is similar with what Charles Poliquin has written about and teaches his students.  Based off his BioSignature Method they usually have very lean upper backs and their scapula skinfold is very low meaning they can tolerate carbohydrates very well[3].

 The "I Type" as Berardi likes to call them usually can eat around 55% of their daily calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein and 15% from fat[2].

As far as training protocols, these people are usually more suited for endurance sports.  If they enjoy lifting they usually have a higher amount of slow twitch muscles.  As a result they usually have to be trained with higher rep ranges and their training blocks need to be 4-weeks long in most cases [4].

The next post will discuss the Mesomorph somatotype (Type V).

References:
1.  Image retrieved from:  http://the-big-bang-theory.com/characters.Sheldon/
2.  Article retrieved from:  http://www.precisionnutrition.com/fix-a-broken-diet
3.  Poliquin, C.  BioSignature Modulation, Scottsdale, AR 2009
4.  Article retrieved from:  http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/384/The_Five_Elements__A_New_Training_Paradigm.aspx

Fixing a Broken Nutrition Plan Part 4: Four Additional Assesments

Some tests need more blood than others[1]

The last post went over non-invasive assessments to get a much closer look at metabolic function.  This post will go over different blood tests that can uncover metabolic issues.  Here are tests that can be helpful for people who want optimal health and fitness:

1. Basic Blood Chemistry:  This is the standard test that is usually used at doctor appointments/physicals.  This includes LDL Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Blood Glucose.  At Life Time Fitness these markers are measured in the myHealthscore assessment.  It is a good first step for people that should be done yearly.
2. Food Sensitivity Test:  Two good ones are the Alletess 96-Food Allergy Test and the LEAP MRT Test.  If a person has high extracellular body water levels one of these tests will tell the user which foods are causing inflammation in the body that can slow fat loss.
3. Gender Specific Hormone Test:  At Life Time Fitness this is called the Longevity & Vitality Test and it measures Thyroid Hormones, Sex Hormones (Estrogen and Testosterone), Inflammation Markers (C-Reactive Protein, Homocystine), Vitamin D, etc.  This test will uncover lots of potential issues that people don't realize they have.
4. Fatty Acid Tests:  These are tests to make sure people are getting enough/not getting too much Omega-3 in the diet.  One good one for measuring this is an EPA/AA Ratio.

The next post will look at different nutrition plans for different body types.

References:
1.  Image retrieved from:   http://www.lifesafer.com/blog/supreme-court-review-dui-dwi-blood-draw-laws/

Fixing a Broken Nutrition Plan Part 3: Four Metabolic Assessments

In Body BIA Analyzer[1]

My last post discussed using metabolic tests after you fix potential nutrient deficiencies.  Here are four assessments described in more detail:

1. In-Body BIA Analyzer:  This tool will give it's user their body weight, body mass index and body fat percentage.  In addition it will give the user their intra-cellular, extra-cellular and total body water.  If a person has a extra-cellular/total body ratio greater than 0.369 it usually means there is additional inflammation in the body that needs to be addressed.
2. Resting Metabolic Assessment:  This is a test that will give the user an accurate number of calories their body needs each day.  In addition it will break down the percentage of fat/sugar being burned.  A low fat burn percentage can indicate that the user is overtrained, under too much stress, sleep deprived or consuming too many carbohydrates.
3. Active Metabolic Assessment:  This assessment will give the user detailed information regarding the heart rate that they burn fat most efficiently (Aerobic Base) and when they burn pure sugar (Anaerobic Threshold).  In addition the test will give them the heart rates for five different training zones.  When using a Heart Rate Monitor these numbers can improve cardiovascular fitness and fat loss more efficiently.
4. Cortisol/DHEA-S Saliva Test:  This is called the Stress & Resilience test at Life Time Fitness clubs.  It will measure a person's cortisol levels at four different times during the day and their DHEA-S.  By knowing when cortisol is high or low the user can learn when the best time of the day to train is and what specific supplements to take for optimal performance.  DHEA-S levels will tell the user their training drive.

The next post will cover three more assessments that can be used to give people a better idea of how they function on the inside.

References:
1.  Image retrieved from:  http://www.prosportnutrition.ca/en/body_composition.html 

Plastic Container FYI for Food and Beverages

Plastic Water Bottles [1]

In the summer months it is very common to drink more water.  In an attempt to drink more water people will refill plastic water bottles.  This isn't good as many water bottles will release toxins like BPA, dioxins and styrene which can be converted into bad forms of estrogen in the body.  Here are a few tips to consider with water or food containers:

• Try to use glass containers to store food.
• For liquids try glass or metal containers.
• Avoid plastic water bottles with the numbers 3, 6 or 7 on the cap or bottom of the container.
• When drinking hot beverages at coffee shops try to take off the lids off the containers.  They are a #6 and will release toxins especially from the heat of coffee or tea.
• If you have to use plastic containers for convenience, try to stick to the numbers 1 or 5 and make sure they don't reach 103-degrees in temperature (These can leach toxins at this temperature).
• DON'T drink fluid out of a plastic container that has been sitting in a car in the spring or summer months!
• Finally DON'T microwave food or beverages in plastic containers!

I hope this information helps you on your quest to stay better hydrated

References:
1.  Image retrieved from:   http://www.simplyfreshottawa.com

Fixing a Broken Nutrition Plan Part 2: Metabolic Tools

New Leaf Resting Metabolic Assessment[1]

My last post discussed nutrient deficiencies that hold people back when they are struggling to lose body fat.  Once you are making sure your vitamin, mineral, protein and water deficiencies are met and you are consistent with taking enough on a daily basis you should start to see progress.  If you don't here are some "Metabolic Tools" you can use to determine what is holding you back.  Most of these you can purchase at Life Time Fitness Clubs.  The tools are:

1. In-Body BIA Analyzer
2. Active Metabolic Assessment
3. Resting Metabolic Assessment
4. Basic Blood Chemistry (myHealthscore Assessment)
5. Food Sensitivities Test
6. Stress & Resilience Test (Cortisol and DHEA-S Saliva Kit)
7. Gender Specific Longevity & Vitality Test (Tests most of the major hormones)
8. *AA/EPA Ratio Test (This you cannot purchase at Life Time Clubs) 

In the next post I will describe the above tools in more detail.

Stay tuned!

References:
1.  Image retrieved from:  http://www.bodyfitsandiego.com