Our very high incidence of heart attacks, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be caused the Western diet that is loaded with omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3's.

Food manufacturers add vegetable oils to almost all prepared foods, loading our diet with omega-6's from corn, sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, cottonseed, and soybeans. This has changed the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in out diet to approximately 20-30 to 1 from the traditional range of 1 or 2:1. This high intake of omega-6 fatty acids causes clotting, swelling and constriction of arteries that can cause heart attacks and other diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids can reverse these changes, but most people do not eat nearly enough whole grains, seeds, nuts, leafy greens or deep-water-fish which contain omega-3's. Reduce your intake of omega-6 fatty acids found in most prepared foods and eat lots of the foods that contain omega-3's.

AP Simopoulos.Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1999, Vol 70, Issue 3, Suppl. S, pp 560S-569S.

Checked 5/3/07