This Kind of Fat is GOOD!
by Lisa Testa
In our culture, we are so conditioned to thinking that all fat is bad for us. While it is certainly true that certain processed and hydrogenated fats are very detrimental to our health, it is definitely not true that "all fat is bad". Many fats, in fact, are very beneficial to our health and are required by our bodies to perform daily functions.
One such classification of healthy fat is the Essential Fatty Acids, or EFAs. Nutrients are considered essential when they are necessary for health but cannot be made by the body. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain them from the foods in our diet or other external sources. EFAs have many vital functions in the body, including the oxidation of food into life energy, oxygen transport, and the formation of the molecules in blood and cell membranes of every cell in the body. The two primary essential fatty acids are Linoleic acid, also known as the Omega-6 fatty acid and Alpha-linolenic acid, also known as Omega-3 fatty acid.
There is an integral ratio of Omega-3 and Omega -6 fats needed by our bodies to function optimally. Omega-3s, however, are often deficient in the diets of North Americans, due to our consumption of highly processed, refined fats and animal fats, leading to staggering numbers of nutritionally-based diseases. What can we do to make this better? We can increase our dietary intake and topical use of health-giving Omega fats. These healthy fats are found in sources such as cold-pressed plant oils, raw nuts and seeds (like walnut, sunflower, sesame, and flax), cold-water fish, olives, and beans.
Essential Fatty Acids:
- Are integral for normal and healthy growth and brain development
- Regulate hormone production
- Improve condition of dry skin, hair, and brittle nails
- Lower blood pressure
- Lower cholesterol levels
- Reduce risk of blood clots and stroke
- Elevate mood
- Aid in weight loss
- Are used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema
EFA deficiencies can result in acne, hair loss, dry skin/eczema, slow healing of wounds, slow growth, asthma, gallstones, and hyperactivity disorders.
Nearly all Shear Miracles® products contain high-quality, plant-based sources of essential fatty acids. This is one of the main reasons why Shear Miracles® products are actually beneficial to the consumer using them. Not only are they non-toxic, they can actually be therapeutic and anti-aging when used regularly on hair, face, and skin.
**Check out our EFA-packed June Special on Paradise Shower Gel & Orange/Ylang Ylang Body Butter! Your body will thank you for it!
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