she does not say what she means by "high" in EFAs. Dr. Ornish recommends limiting fats to no more than 10% to reverse arterial heart disease. He recommends a very limited diet which includes no fish, no olive oil, no EFA supplements - what amounts to an almost vegan diet, in order to reverse coronary plaque buildup. I would like to know whether Lisa would comment on how much, what percentage, EFA one should consume and in what form one should consume it - fish, fish oil, flax oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, flax seed, omega 3 supplements from algae - or what. I need more detailed guidance on this issue. I eat a lot of baked salmon, for example. Dr. Ornish would disapprove. Would Lisa approve? I have coronary artery disease with 100% occlusion in the right artery, and a stent in the left artery.
Q: Lisa Nelson recommends a diet "high in Omega 3" EFA to "reverse coronary heart disease" - but
Hi wdickson,
Yes, I would very much be in favor of making salmon a regular part of your diet. That is a great step towards decreasing heart disease risk.
As far as amounts:
For a heart healthy diet, total fat intake should be less than 30% of your total caloric intake. Here's the breakdown of my recommendations for that 30% of fat calories:
Total fat = 30%
10% = omega 3's
50% = omega 9's
10% = omega 6's
<30% = saturated
I hope that helps clarify the issue. The salmon you eat is a great source of omega's 3, while olive oil is a great source of omega 9's. With omega 6, so many foods contain omega 6 in a typical American diet, it's usually more difficult to cut back to 10% than it is too worry about getting enough omega 6.
Of course, any time you deal with supplements, consult your physician to determine the best treatment for you.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD
Lower Cholesterol Naturally
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