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Page 218
| Supplementing the diet with GLA supplements becomes important if there is a deficiency of delta-6 desaturase. Many things influence delta-6 and can cause a deficiency or underactivity. For example, a diet high in refined sugars, starches, and hydrogenated fats will completely alter this pathway and lead to eicosanoid imbalance favorable for tumor growth. The resulting high blood insulin levels cause more damaging Series II eicosanoids to form. |
| Many cancer-cell lines are known to be totally devoid of delta-6 desaturase, and many viral infections, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, are known to have significant inhibitor effects on this important enzyme. Omega-3 essential fatty acids and eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) also play a pivotal role in eicosanoid formation, a potent inhibitor of AA. (See table 5.2). |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids |
| Flaxseed oil is rich in essential fatty acids, particularly ALA, which, when taken in combination with sulfur-rich proteins, actually works to create a new food. This was first discovered and made famous by Johanna Budwig, a West German physician who had done a great deal of research on the oil-protein combination. She discovered that EFAs need to bind to sulfur-rich proteins (she used low-fat cottage cheese) before the body can properly assimilate them. Budwig found that by feeding people with terminal cancer this oil-protein combination, the yellowish-green substance in their blood was replaced by the healthy red pigment, hemaglobin. The phosphatides returned and the lipoproteins reappeared. |
| Of all the deficiencies that may exist in people with cancer, perhaps those that are most important and totally ignored are EFAs, which, when taken with protein, enhance our albumin levels. Albumin is a blood protein of immense importance to good health. When flaxseed oil and sulfur-rich protein are combined, the ALA and the EFAs in the flaxseed oil become water-soluble and electron-rich; this causes the cell membrane to become more stable by making it more flexible and fluidlike. The electron-rich fatty acids now allow for efficient transport of materials and energy between the inner and outer cell membrane. This is important to the health of all cells and to the entire immune system. |
| A simple recipe for achieving these cellular benefits is to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of flaxseed oil or ground flaxseeds to 1 cup of organic yogurt (preferably goat or soy yogurt). |
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