hi Kae,
First, yes it's possible that arachidonic acid may be causing problems for you. The Drs Eades of Protein Power have this to say:
Quote:
Are there people who should avoid red meat and eggs?
Yes. Some people just seem to have a sensitivity to them. It may be the arachidonic acid found in red meat and egg yolks. These people lose weight just fine eating them, but their elevated blood pressure or cholesterol won’t come down until they stop the red meat and eggs. Sometimes people do better avoiding them if you are suffering from hypertension, elevated cholesterol, fluid retention, or inflammation such as arthritis, bursitis, asthma, allergies and rashes.
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You can read more information about arachidonic acid
here.
Arachidonic acid (AA) is a fatty acid that's present in the FAT of red meat and egg yolks, not in the meat itself. How can you tell if it's a problem for you?? Eliminate red meat and egg yolks from your diet for 3 or 4 weeks. If the symptoms go away, it's the likely culprit. If you add back red meat and egg yolks (do it one at a time) and the symptoms return, then you'll know for sure.
If it is problematic for you, does it mean you'll never be able to eat red meat again?? No ... but you may have to limit consumption to once or twice a week. Since the AA is found in the fat, not in the meat, it's possible that if you choose the leanest, fat-free cuts and use cooking methods that allow the fat to drain away ... you'll remove much of the AA, and can then enjoy the meat with melted butter or olive oil as a dressing.
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On the seeds and fish oils ... I suggest you increase your fish consumption to 3 times a week. If you have tinned fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna) make sure it's packed in its own juices, water or brine or
olive oil NOT soya or sunflower or "vegetable" oil. Soya, sunflower and safflower oils are omega-6, and while they're not unhealthy per se, they negate any benefit of the omega-3 fats that are present in the fish. Alternatively, you could increase the fish oil capsules to 1000 mg, 3 times a day (total 3000 mg). Make sure you keep all your oil supplements, including fish oil capsules, in the fridge. If they go rancid, they're no longer beneficial, and in fact can be downright harmful ... oxidized oils become free-radicals in the body, and do a lot of damage. If you're not sure, poke a hole in one of the capsules and do a sniff and taste test. If it tastes rancid .. in the garbage with the whole bottle!
As well, increasing your consumption of monounsaturated fat will help the hdl .. which should be above 1.03 (not necessarily equal to the ldl
, which should be below 3.3). Sources of monos include olives, raw nuts and seeds (especially almonds and macadamias) avocados, and the oils from these foods. It's also worth noting that poultry fat contains 44.7% monounsaturate fat .. so be sure to eat the skin from your chicken, turkey and goose
hth,
Doreen