That's right! If I had to have one test for every patient to tell me how well that they are doing in their diet and/or lifestyle, it would not be cholesterol.
Cholesterol testing is really an outdated concept, only used by insurance companies and those that sell cholesterol drugs.
The reason I say that, is that, most modern health problems have their roots in chronic inflammation.
Just type into our friend Google, "health problems related to inflammation."
There are multiple ways to measure inflammation in the body, but one of the most important is understanding omega-3 fatty acids compared to omega-6 fatty acids.
There is a Yin and a Yang of inflammation.
On one hand, inflammation is a normal response to an injury or illness and it helps you become healthier. It is meant to be a short term solution, to help you survive.
Problems arise when inflammation becomes chronic and excessive.
The driving force for chronic inflammation is an abundance of omega-6 fatty acids. Ironically, like I said earlier, most of our modern health problems are related to chronic inflammation.
So how do people become so loaded up with these fatty acids?
They are found in cooking oils such as corn oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil.
They are found in grain fed meats
In soy based products
Anything made from corn
Peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts
Basically, processed foods are the number one source.
I see this all the time in the office. I can always tell people who are really struggling, because they get very sore after every adjustment. Their bodies are in a pro-inflammatory state.
So how do you fix this?
You need to increase your consumption of foods that are higher in omega-3 fatty acids.
You'll find that in dark green veggies like kale, broccoli, spinach
Flax, Chia, hempseed
Kidney, Navy, and pinto beans
Fruits, most notably papayas, mangoes, and kiwi
Fish, is really the best source of omega-3 fatty acids. Primarily cold-water fish such as salmon, cod, herring, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies.
And what I also do, is add a cod liver oil supplement or a fish oil supplement.
The omega-3 fatty acids are possibly one of the largest deficiencies in the American diet.
Most Americans have an estimated 25 omega-6 to every 1 omega-3 fatty acid. (25:1)
Here is the interesting part, if you are over 15:1 you can almost guarantee having a degenerative disease.
The ratio should be under 5:1. Wouldn't you like to know where you stand in the world of health? Remember, inflammation contributes to nearly every disease.
We have worked out a deal with one of the premiere labs to do a very easy blood test at almost half price. It's $89 through the office. If you want a test kit, just let me know.
If you are a proactive, health conscious person, I'd consider this test mandatory.