The most overlooked factor in stress reduction is that it is critical to nourish your body with healing essential fatty acids.

There is a reason why delicious foods like macaroni and cheese, a juicy rib eye steak, and ice cream are called comfort foods. They contain high levels of FAT.

Fat activates the pleasure centers in your brain and creates a surge of dopamine. You can get the same lift in your mood from essential fatty acids found in previously forbidden fats.

Ancient cultures knew fat healed, and science is just now beginning to understand the chemo-protective and cancer preventing effects of essential fatty acids. In fact, one of the last populations on earth had dietary habits that remained unchanged for centuries. The native islanders of Kitava in Papau New Guinea were studied extensively in the 80s and 90s in a study known as the Malinowski study.

Of the 23,000 people, there was not a single instance of cancer, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, dementia, or diabetes. In fact, their diet consisted of 30-60% fat.

Essential fatty acids boosted their immunity and they can do the same for you.

Since stress suppresses your immune system, a way to neutralize the surges of cortisol that are running out of control is to combat them with essential fatty acids.

The Job of Essential Fatty Acids

• Produce healthy cell membranes and regulate genetic function
• Normalize growth and development
• Transport and break down cholesterol
• Enable proper blood clotting
• Regulate blood pressure as well as contraction and relaxation of arterial walls
• Balance hormone activity, metabolic processes, and thyroid function
• Ensure reproductive health
• Maintain liver and kidney function
• Control inflammation and the immune response
• Support brain and central nervous system health
• Promote hair and skin health
• Assist in balancing mood and behavior disorders

The Western diet contains an excessively high amount of cancer causing omega-6 fatty acids and a low amount of cancer preventing omega-3 fatty acids.

Essential fatty acids are critical in the prevention of disease. The types of dietary fats you eat are vital for preventing heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes − which are responsible for 80% of all deaths in the United States.

UCLA School of Medicine in California found that anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids prevented the development and progression of prostate cancer.

In Western nations, we eat far too many damaged omega-6’s in the form of processed foods, fast foods, and refined oils that lead to free radical damage. Studies of populations that eat large amounts of fish or consume fish oil have reduced risk of colon, prostate, and breast cancer.

Studies have shown that the average American consumes between 14 to 25 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids!

You need both essential fatty acids in the proper ratios. Most non-industrial populations have an ideal range of omega-6 to omega-3 ratios of 4:1 or 1:4.

Best Natural Sources of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids

• Fatty fish such as sardines, herring, salmon, shrimp, cod, and tuna
• Grass fed beef and bison
• Grass fed butter
• Krill oil
• Flaxseeds
• Walnuts
• Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, and winter squash
• Lean beef
• Spinach, kale, leafy greens, romaine lettuce, and fresh basilev

As Western society struggles under the epidemics of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and dementia, there are places in the world with small pockets of people that experience little to none of these health conditions. Look for ways to reduce your stress and improve your ratios of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in your diet to help prevent cancer and other disease.