Easy Sources for Healthy Fats

Ever wonder if you're getting enough healthy fats?

Here are a few reasons you want healthy fats as a part of your weekly regiments:

• Fat is required to produce energy

• Plays a role in healthy brain development and function

• Contributes to normal growth and development

• Essential for healthy (and not dry) skin, nails, and hair

• Plays a major role in a healthy immune system

• Hormone Synthesis

• Regulation of Pain and Inflammation

• Proper Circulation + Nerve Transmission

Physical Signs of Essential Fatty Acid deficiency or imbalance:

• Dry skin, cracked skin

• Dry eyes

• Dandruff

• Poor ability of cuts/wounds to heal

• Frequent urination

• Soft nails, nails that break easily

• Dry, listless hair

• "Chicken skin" on the back of arms

• Excessive Thirst

The fats you are looking for are called Essential Fatty Acids.

The body cannot produce they are essential and vital to life. They are alpha-linolenic acids (ALA) (from the Omega-3 family) and linoleic acid (LA) from the Omega-6 family.

ALA is found in fish, flaxseeds, walnuts, and green leafy veggies.

LA is found in foods such as sunflower, safflower, corn, sesame, corn, borage, and evening primrose oils.

It's important to balance the intake of these oils as the most commonly consumed are the omega-6 oils which can be inflammatory. The western diet contains anywhere from 14 to 20 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3s. Fatty acid expert, Dr. Ronald Rudin says that fatty acid consumption has decreased by 80%.

As women, healthy fats are even more important because they are necessary for hormone balance!

Using the infographic, you can start to add in more healthy fats to your diet.