Our panel of food savvy practitioners dishes out advice on the complex world of food! To send in your own question, email submissions@newlifejournal.com.

REFINED OILS
I've heard lots of things about refined oils, trans-fats, etc. What types of oils are good for people to cook with and find on food ingredient lists, and what types are not so healthy?

Fats are essential to our well-being and create healthy vision, reproductive health, nervous and immune system regulation, skin, hair and nails. They are critical for proper functioning of every cell in your body. Our body fat is composed of the type of fats we choose to eat. The best fats come in natural foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and fish.

When purchasing oils, look for oils that say expeller pressed, cold pressed, or extra virgin. These oils have simply been heated and pressed. Commercial oils have all nutrients stripped and also have traces of solvents in them. Organic oils are best. Many types of oils are considered healthful and include extra virgin olive, macadamia, sesame, walnut, almond, soy, coconut, safflower, sunflower, truffle, and more. Oils ought to have varied color and flavor that reflects the original substance. Keep nuts, seeds, and oils, except olive and coconut, in the refrigerator so that they won't get rancid. If you only make one dietary change, stop using all products that contain hydrogenated oil, partially hydrogenated oil, or vegetable shortening. They block normal biochemistry and have been linked to cancer, arthritis, eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and other inflammatory diseases.

Liz Lipski, PhD, CCN is board certified in Clinical Nutrition. She is the author of Digestive Wellness. www.innovativehealing.com or www.familyto family.org

SLOW FOOD
Can you tell me about Slow Food? I've been hearing a buzz about it, but I'd like to know what it is and where it comes from.

In 1989, an Italian journalist named Carlo Petrini was horrified to discover that a McDonald's was getting ready to open near the Spanish Steps in Rome. Petrini, who had worked much of his life writing about food and wine, could see that the industrialization of food was standardizing taste and leading to the annihilation of thousands of food varieties and flavors. Concerned that the world was reaching a point of no return, he wanted to find a way to demonstrate to consumers that they have choices over fast food and supermarket homogenization. From this philosophy, the Slow Food movement was born. Today the organization is active in 45 countries and has a worldwide membership of over 70,000.

Slow Food promotes the preservation of authentic flavors, regional food traditions, and a slower, more harmonious way of life. Its emphasis is on the positive. It's about what we're for: fresh, locally raised foods, with an emphasis on sustainable farming practices; slowing down to enjoy a home-cooked meal with friends, good conversation, and lots of laughter; supporting the "little guys"-those restaurants and markets that are owned by folks who care about what they're doing, and give each town its unique personality.

To help this movement along, be on the lookout for local cheese makers, bread bakers, and brewers… patronize your neighborhood tailgate markets… choose restaurants that delight in local farmers and authentic flavors… and above all, slow down and enjoy yourself.

"May suitable doses of guaranteed sensual pleasure and slow, long-lasting enjoyment preserve us from the contagion of the multitude who mistake frenzy for efficiency." -The Slow Food Manifesto

Kelly Davis is the local chapter leader for Slow Food Asheville. She lives in Weaverville, NC. She can be reached at keldavis@worldnet.att or 828-645-0645.

DROP THE VICE
If everything I eat is relatively healthy. Do I have to worry about my one vice, ice cream? I keep wondering if I should just conquer my cravings once and for all or allow myself a little treat for being so good. Is my one vice really a problem?

A good rule of thumb is, "Everything in moderation." While your health is optimized by eating only the best foods, an occasional treat will not harm a person in good health.

If you have a chronic illness or tend to get sick easily, you may be more strongly affected by an occasional splurge. You would be wise to keep treats to a minimum, and also to use a therapeutic modality like homeopathy, naturopathy, Chinese medicine, or herbal healing to strengthen your constitution. Many practitioners treat multiple food sensitivities as a cause of disease, but I believe they are actually a symptom of an underlying imbalance that can be corrected.

Finally, a word of caution about sugar sensitivity: Sugar works in some people's bodies in a similar way to narcotic drugs. If you experience agitation or strong cravings that are temporarily relieved by eating sweets, it is advisable to avoid them completely.

Dr. Steven Coward, ND, practices classical homeopathy in Asheville, North Carolina. He can be reached at 828- 254-3004 or ashevillenaturalhealth.com

HEALTHY SUGAR
There seem to be so many kinds of sugar(s) these days. Can you tell me which kinds I should stay away from, which kinds are the "healthiest" option?

I urge people interested in their health to consider both the quality and quantity of sugar eaten. Quality: Eat foods as close to the way nature provides them as possible. Raw, brown cane sugar (sucrose) is a better choice than refined, white sugar (sucrose). Honey, maple syrup, and black strap molasses are healthier choices than white or brown sugar. Today, 55 percent of the sweetener used in manufacturing (I use that word consciously) foods is high-fructose corn syrup because it is sweeter and cheaper. Research indicates there are concerns about the negative impact HFCS has on health, specifically obesity.

Quantity: Eat less sugar of all kinds, except those naturally occurring in fruits. Eat the whole fruit, instead of drinking juice. Many Americans are addicted, either physically or emotionally, to sugar and the sweet taste. For many, taste and cost, not nutrition, are their priorities in selecting what foods to eat.

FYI: Any ingredient that ends in "-ose" indicates that it is a sugar.

Elizabeth Pavka, PhD, LN, is a wholistic nutritionist with 25 years' experience. Contact her at epavka@main.nc.us or 828-252-1406.

FOOD COMBINING
I am always confused about what foods are good to combine, and which to avoid eating together. Can you give me some helpful guidelines, and some information about why I shouldn't mix certain foods?

According to Ayurveda, India's ancient science of life, the foundation for optimal health is good digestion. Foods have different qualities and require different digestive energies. This is why food combining is of the utmost importance in Ayurveda. When a food that digests easily and quickly (such as fruit) stays in the stomach while other, heavier foods (such as grains and carbohydrates) finish their "cooking" process, a mixed message is sent to the internal organs, disrupting the digestive fire (or agni) and creating toxins (or ama). Likewise, when you combine foods that have a sour quality, or fermented foods such as yogurt, with sweet foods such as milk or fruit, the sour quality can cause the milk to separate and ferment in the stomach, leading to toxic buildup in the GI tract and the deeper tissues over time.

These are just a couple of examples of the dietary guidelines Ayurveda offers to benefit everyone's health. Ayurveda recommends not only avoiding certain food combinations, but also making food choices according to your constitution (vata, pitta, or kapha).

Vishnu Dass, NTS, LMT, CAyu, 828-713-4266, www.bluelotusayurveda.com

WEB FEATURE For more information on Ayurvedic Nutrition, please visit our website www.newlifejournal.com for an entire article by Vishnu DasS, including a food combining chart and guides to eating based on your dosha.

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS
What are Omega 3 Fatty Acids, how can they help me, and what foods do I need to eat in order to obtain a sufficient amount on a daily basis.

One of the biggest problems that I see in my chiropractic office is the lack of proper nutrients in my patients' diets. One of the biggest deficiencies that I see is that of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. In order to appreciate Omega 3s, we must know what their role is in maintaining proper function of our body. Omega 3s are important components in each of your body's cells. If you lack the proper amount of Omega 3s in your cells, your body becomes proinflammatory, which means your body is more prone to injury and will heal at a slower rate.1 Researchers have found that low levels of Omega 3s promoted heart attacks and cancer.2 If you are pregnant, you should know that Omega 3s are an essential in the development of the fetus's brain.3 Omega 3s have also been shown to reduce depression.4

As you can see, Omega 3s are important to living a healthy life. There are several sources of food and supplements which contain Omega 3s, such as flax seed, flax seed oil tablets, fish oil tablets, or liver cod oil. The preferred and the cheapest method is buying whole grain flax seed at your whole food store. You grind about one to two tablespoons of flax seed in a coffee grinder and place the ground flax seed in your morning oatmeal or cereal.

1. Budowski P., et al. Linolenic acid as regulator of metabolism of arachidonic acid:dietary implications of the ratio, n-6:n-3 fatty acids. Proc Nutr Soc 1985;44:221-29 2. Simopoulos AP. Robinson J. The Omega Plan. New York: HarperCollins; 1998 p.25 3. Holman, RT. Et al. Defiency of essential fatty acids and membrane fluidity during pregnancy and lactation. Proc Nat Acad Sci. 1991, 88: 4835-4838. 4. Hibbeln, J.R. Fish Consumption and major depression. Lancet 1998 351:1213

Contact Christopher Kiefer, D.C. at 828-694-1121 or www.drkiefer.net

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