However, did you know that despite eating a diet rich in Omegas and supplementing with Omega-3′s, that you could be preventing your body from absorbing them due to an imbalanced ratio of Omegas?

Omega-6′s are abundant in Western diets and in excessive levels inhibit the body from ‘using’ its healthy Omega-3 stores.   Omega-6′s are found in refined vegetable oils which are used in many processed snack foods, cookies, crackers, sweets and in fast food. Soybean oil alone is now used so widely in fast foods and processed foods that an estimated 20% of the calories in the American diet come from this single source.

It is believed that humans evolved with a 1:1 ratio of omega 3 to omega 6.  It is now believed that the Western diet is 15:1 or significantly greater with the omega 6 intake far surpassing the omega 3 intake.  To prevent inflammation, disease and to look and feel your best, take care to drastically limit your intake of omega-6, eliminate processed foods and all refined vegetables oils other than extra virgin olive and coconut oils while increasing your intake of  omega 3’s.

Have you considered your dietary ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6? 

This elegant and simple recipe from Forever Young contains two superfoods- salmon and watercress- as well as the anti inflammatory all star spice, cinnamon.

Serves 8
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 pounds wild salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon mild smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon (available at most supermarkets)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 bunches B&W watercress

Preparation

1. Mix the orange juice, the 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon of the thyme in a small bowl. Place the salmon in a large glass baking dish, add the marinade, and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking dish with foil and grease the foil.
3. Mix the paprika, cinnamon, orange zest, sea salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme in a small bowl.
4. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place it in the prepared baking dish; discard any remaining marinade. Rub the smoked paprika mixture evenly over the salmon. Roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
5. Wash and trim the watercress. Heat the remaining teaspoon oil, add the watercress, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until wilted. Serve the salmon over the watercress.

For more anti aging recipes, please go to the Start Fresh Menu.

• Decreased blood sugar and circulating insulin levels.
• Blocked absorption of fat and sugar into fat cells
• A reduction in the actual size of the fat cells (one reason people gain weight as they age is that their fat cells literally become fatter)
• Aids in prevention of muscle loss and weakness associated with aging and disease
• Preserves lean muscle mass

For more information on CLA, please read Chapter 3 of Forever Young.

Ingredients

• Two 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup rice
• One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 4 cups packed (2 bunches or bags) B&W watercress (a few sprigs reserved for garnish, the remainder cut into 2-inch pieces)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Combine the broth and rice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the rice is very tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Place the artichoke hearts, eggs, and lemon juice in a blender and puree. With the machine running, ladle about half of the rice mixture through the opening in the cover, and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the pureed mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160F, reducing the heat as necessary to prevent the soup from boiling.
3. Stir in the dill, watercress and pepper. Garnish with the reserved sprigs of watercress.

For more Start Fresh recipes, please click here.

• Watercress is a cruciferous vegetable. Population studies associate an increased intake of these types of vegetables with reduced risk of cancers, including breast and prostate
• 80 grams of watercress, one cereal bowl full, provides one of the “at least 5 a day” portions of fruit and vegetables
• Watercress is high in folic acid which makes the herb especially beneficial for pregnant women. It was a staple recommendation for pregnant women in the early 1900’s.

Watercress also boasts a host of beauty-enhancing benefits. According to the famed 17^th century English herbalist, Nicholas Culpepper, recommended this bitter herb to “free the face” from blotches, spots and blemishes. When consuming watercress regularly, people will find truly radiant and clear skin. In fact:

• Watercress is useful in treating skin eruptions like eczema, rashes and skin infections
• As a low-calorie vegetable, watercress may plan an important role in weight management. 85% of watercress calories are in the form of protein
• Watercress is an effective diuretic to banish bloat

Check back tomorrow for a wintry soup recipe found in the 28 Day Diet that incorporates watercress and another powerful detoxifying vegetable.

Which health or beauty benefits of watercress interest you most?

We all know that Omega 3′s are cardio protective—but they also do much more to preserve the look of youth.

Dangerous anabolic steroids are used by professional athletes to enhance their performance, high school boys in order to “bulk up” and improve their athletic abilities, and young girls and women in their quest to be thin and to achieve the “sculpted” look. But what steroid users don’t know is that omega-3 essential fatty acids can deliver the effects they want—without dangerous side effects.

Anti-aging benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids include:

• significantly improve athletic performance
• make muscle cells stronger and more efficient
• build muscle
• burn body fat
• block the gene that codes for fat storage

What are the principal sources of Omega 3′s in your diet? Do you take an Omega 3 supplement?

When you consume a small amount of RS, not only will your body’s rate of thermogenesis be temporarily increased, but you’ll also be better able to control spikes in blood sugar. A handful of beans or chickpeas can actually help to prevent higher-glycemic foods in the meal from causing inflammatory spikes in your blood sugar and insulin levels.

How is this possible? Beans contain phytonutrients called ‘amylase inhibitors’, which block the action of the enzyme (amylase) needed to digest starches.  This effect should help prevent digestion of some of the starch in beans themselves, as well as the starch in other foods eaten with beans.

For healthy anti inflammatory recipes, please visit our Recipe page.

Resistant starch (RS) comes from fiber-like carbohydrates, which are the unsung heroes of weight control.  RS actually increases the rate at which the body burns (oxidizes) body fat. RS do not cause unhealthy spikes in blood sugar levels and even prevent other, higher glycemic foods in a meal from doing so.

Resistant starch is so called because it resists digestion and absorption as it passes through the small intestine—where most dietary starch gets digested.  It then passes into the large intestine where it behaves much like insoluble fiber, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and the production of disease-preventive fatty acids.

Check in tomorrow for more information on resistant starch and the associated health benefits.

How do you incorporate beans into your diet?

Dairy has gotten a bad rap. Not only is dairy an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D and protein, it lends complexity and savory notes to countless dishes in the anti-inflammatory kitchen and is an important part of the Start Fresh 28 Day Diet.

As a general rule, choose organic, low-fat dairy products, unless you are buying dairy products from grass-fed animals. The fat profile of dairy products from grass-fed animals is healthier and contains more Omega 3’s than its grain-fed counter parts.

Recommended Dairy Products:

• Milk
• Butter (to be used in moderation)
• Buttermilk
• Cheese (especially recommended are: Cottage & Farmer’s Cheese, Ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano;  sheep and goat’s milk cheeses such as Feta, Pecorino Romano)
• Kefir
• Yogurt
• Eggs (look for organic, from free-range chickens)

How do you include Dairy into your diet?

Seafood features prominently in the 28 Day Diet and with growing concerns around toxicity, I’ve found the Environmental Defense Fund to be an indispensable tool for selecting the safest varieties of seafood. It also specifies if  wild or farmed is preferred.

• Abalone
• Anchovies (European)
• Clams, soft-shell
• Clams (farmed)
• Clams Crawfish (U.S.)
• Cod (Alaskan, longline)
• Pacific Halibut
• Lobster, spiny (Cabaja)
• Lobster, Caribbean spiny (U.S.)
• Mahimahi (U.S. troll/pole)
• Mullet
• Mussels
• Oysters (farmed)
• Prawns (Canada)
• Sablefish/Black Cod (Alaska)
• Salmon, canned
• Salmon, wild
• Sardines, Pacific (U.S.)
• Scallops, Bay (farmed)
• Shrimp, pink (Oregon)
• Squid, longfin (U.S.)
• Striped Bass farmed
• Tilapia (U.S.)
• Trout (farmed)

Which varieties of seafood do you most enjoy cooking with?