When our diets changed from the caveman combination of green plants, berries, lean meat and fish, to grains, refined oils, and starchy cultivated foods, we threw off a delicate balance between two essential fatty acids: omega-6 and omega-3.

Both of these fats are — as their name suggests — essential to your good health. But the ratio in which they are consumed seems to be essential as well. Here’s why

Omega-6 has an inflammatory effect on your system: It can raise your blood pressure, lead to blood clots and blood thickening, and cause your body to retain water, among other health concerns.

Omega-3, on the other hand, has an anti-inflammatory effect that counteracts the damage inflicted by omega-6.

In our overly simplistic, sound-byte culture, it’s tempting to try to boil things down into black and white terms — eat this and not that. Omega-3 is the “good” essential fatty acid and omega-6 is the “bad” one. Just like we now hear about good and bad fat or good and bad cholesterol. The fact is, you need both. Together, omega-3s and omega-6s produce eicosanoids — a family of compounds that create the powerful hormones necessary for the synthesis of every other hormone in your body. (See what is below for more information about eicosanoids).

The real key to the equation, though, is balance. The evidence is mounting that a 1:1 or even 1:2 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 could be the single most critical factor in keeping today’s top killers — like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes — at bay. Just to put that ideal ratio into perspective, consider that the average American consumes a ratio of 19:1 or higher.

That means we need to make some dietary changes to balance things out, eating more foods rich in omega 3s such as walnuts, flaxseed, olive oil, grass-fed animal products, and coldwater fish or fish oil supplements — and cutting way back on the worst sources of omega-6s — especially packaged and processed foods that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. That includes almost all baked goods and snack foods.

I realize it’s a big change for many of us — one that agribusiness, the government, and our spoiled taste buds are likely to resist. But this is one instance where a big change can mean a big payoff for you and your health.

Prescription for a good night’s sleep

Q: I’ve been having a hard time sleeping without prescription drugs, and have tried most of the natural or health food products that are supposedly sleep inducers with no luck. Someone at my local health food store said that you wrote an article about something called “Xyrem” that might be able to help me. Can you tell me more about it?

JVW: I wrote about Xyrem in the October 2003 issue of Nutrition & Healing, which subscribers can download for free on-line (www.wrightnewsletter.com) by entering the Username and Password listed on page 8 of your most recent newsletter. But for those of you who aren’t subscribers, let’s take a minute and do a quick recap.

Xyrem is actually a prescription “drug” — although it’s not a patent medication. It can’t be patented because it is indeed a natural substance already present in our brain’s in small amounts. In the 1970s and 80′s you could pick it up in any natural food store for just a few dollars under the name GHB, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. Unfortunately, much like the case with Ephedra, some people incorrectly and irresponsibly misused this chemical. Subsequently, the FDA pulled it from the market and only recently re-introduced it as a prescription-only drug to be used with extreme caution.

While caution is important in any new treatment protocol, it’s important to point out that reports of the GHB’s dangers and “sexual disinhibition,” effects (which led to its unfortunate “date rape drug” moniker) are widely exaggerated. First, no deaths were ever attributed to GHB alone. In each case, there were dangerous combinations of other drugs such as Ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and painkillers along with GHB use. And while some people may feel more inclined to have sex while taking it, this effect doesn’t appear to be any greater than what one might feel after a glass or two of wine — which isn’t likely to be restricted to prescription-only status any time soon.

Despite all the hype and misunderstanding surrounding it, when used correctly, GHB, or Xyrem, is a very effective treatment for insomnia, and also for anxiety and depression. But now that it’s in the hands of los Federales, it also comes with a high price tag and a lot of strings.

First, it can’t be filled at your local pharmacy like regular prescriptions; It must be sent into a central pharmacy. This creates extra work for doctors, so many may be less inclined to order it for you. If your doctor does agree to prescribe it, when your prescription arrives, it is accompanied by a video that threatens you with fines and imprisonment if you misuse or share the drug.

But even with the obstacles to access, and the expense (up to $200 a month, although your insurance may pick up part of the tab), it might be worth it to you if you have serious insomnia or narcolepsy with episodes of cataplexy. But it might require that you do a little physician education with your doctor. If you have further questions about Xyrem, you or your doctor can contact the manufacturer, Orphan Medical, Inc. at(866)997-3688 or visit www.orphan.com.

What areeicosanoids?

Because they are generated at a cellular level, unlike other glandularly produced hormones, eicosanoids are considered super-hormones, capable of great health benefits, and also of great harm. There are various types of eicosanoids, which often get labeled as “good” and “bad.” Bad eicosanoids promote blood clotting, pain, cell division, cause vasoconstriction of blood vessels, depress the immune system, and depress brain function. Good eicosandoids prevent blood clotting cause vasodilation of blood vessels, reduce pain, decrease cell division, enhance immune system and improve brain function.

While it might sound like a good idea to get rid of the “bad” eicosanoids, you would probably bleed to death, die from cancer, have an immune system disorder, or some other combination of health problems if you did. Similar to the critical ratio of “good” omega-3s and “bad” omega-6s, you need a balance of “good” and “bad” eicosanoids to be in good health.

Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Managing Editor
Nutrition & Healing

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“The Truth About Fats: Not all fats are equal. Learn which ones
actually boost your health!” Web MD (www.webmd.com),
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Fuller DE, Hornfeldt CS, et al. “The Xyrem risk management
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