health Matters
How to Detox seed oils from the body
by Dr. Thomas K. Lo, Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Centerd that we eat. They are in fried foods, baked goods, processed snacks, and fast food. It are also commonly used for cooking and baking.
Unfortunately, seed oil can severely compromise your health. Avoiding seed oils and detoxing them from your body can be critical for improving chronic symptoms, reducing health risks, and supporting overall well-being.
What Are Seed Oils?
Seed oils are oils that are extracted from various seeds.
Commonly used seed oils include:
Sunflower oil: made from extracting oil from sunflower seeds. It is a popular ingredient in many salad dressings and snacks.
Canola oil: made from rapeseed. It is commonly used for both frying and baking.
Corn oil: made from corn kernels. It is commonly used for frying food.
Soybean oil: made from soybeans. It is a very common ingredient in most processed foods.
Safflower oil: made by extracting oil from safflower seeds. It is commonly used for high-heat cooking and salad dressings.
Grapeseed oil: made from grape seeds. It is commonly used in marinades and dressings.
Cottonseed oil: made by extracting oil from cotton seeds. It is a common ingredient in margarine and many packaged snacks.
Rice bran oil: made from the outer layer of rice. It is commonly used for baking and frying.
Seed oils have a higher smoke point than many other oils and they offer a mild or neutral flavor. This makes them a great option for a variety of cooking methods and recipes. However, there are many problems with using seed oils.
The Problems with Seed Oils
Many people believe these oils are healthy because they come from plants and are marketed as healthy fats.
The problem is that these oils are very high in omega-6, linoleic acid, highly processed, prone to oxidation, and promote inflammation in the body.
One of the major health problems with seed oils is that they contain linoleic acid.
The problem with linoleic acid is that it not only promotes inflammation in your body, but it also takes a very long time to break down. According to a 2023 research review published in Nutrients, the half-life of linoleic acid is 680 days, based on a study published in the Journal of Lipid Research. This is almost two years in the cell membranes of the body.
Considering that linoleic acid is highly inflammatory and can attach to all your cell membranes, this poses an enormous health risk. The review also found that it can take up to six years to replace 95 percent of linoleic acid in the body with healthy fats.
Seed oils are ultra-processed. Seed oil undergoes an extensive industrial processing. This includes the use of high-heat extraction; chemical solvents, such as hexane; bleaching; and deodorizing to remove any impurities.
This process strips away all important natural nutrients from the seeds and their oil,while adding harmful byproducts, including trans fats and oxidized lipids.
According to a 2011 review published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology, trans fats can increase the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, allergies, cancer, nervous system issues, shortening of the pregnancy period, and the risk of preeclampsia.
These byproducts can contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction and various chronic and long-term health issues.
All this processing leaves the oil overprocessed, stripped of nutrients and loaded with harmful byproducts.
Olive oil, butter, and other traditional fats and oils also go through some processing. However, they are a lot closer to their natural state after processing.
Seed oils are nowhere close to their natural state and potential benefits, yet they are a staple ingredient in most ultra-processed foods and can increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, metabolic diseases, and other chronic health conditions.
Seed oils are easily oxidized. Another major issue with seed oils is that they are high in unstable polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), including omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega-6 fatty acids are not only inflammatory, but they are also highly unstable fats. This means that they are prone to oxidation when exposed to heat, light, or air.
Oxidation of these oils can result in harmful free radicals and lipid peroxides, which can seriously damage your cells and tissues.
According to a 2020 study published in Lipids and Health and Disease, repeated reheating of seed oils and oxidization can increase liver problems. They may accelerate signs of aging and increase your risk of cardiovascular problems, neurodegenerative diseases, and various other chronic health conditions. While saturated fats found, for example, in butter, are stable fats, PUFAs in seed oils can become rancid easily, which can increase their toxic effects and potential harm when eaten.
Seed oils can increase inflammation in the body. Finally, consuming too much omega-6 acids can throw off a normal omega-3 to omega-6 ratio and create chronic inflammation and related health issues. This is a major issue. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory fatty acids, while omega-6 fatty acids can promote inflammation.
You need a delicate balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, with more omega-3s than 6s. Unfortunately, a seed oil-heavy and otherwise ultra-processed lifestyle is high in omega-6s and low in omega-3s.
The healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is between 1:1 and 4:1. However, today, we see 10:1, 20:1, or even higher ratios due to too much seed oils and ultra-processed food products. According to 2021 research published in Missouri Medicine, keeping a healthy omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is critical for reducing autoimmunity, allergies, asthma, and other health issues.
Too much omega-6 fatty acids in your diet can lead to the increased production of pro-inflammatory compounds. These inflammatory compounds can increase your risk of autoimmune diseases, heart disease, arthritis, and other chronic conditions.
Since chronic inflammation is one of the, if not the top, driving factors of chronic health issues in our modern world, reducing your exposure to seed oils and detoxifying your body from them is critical; you don’t want to fuel systemic inflammation by consuming seed oils on a regular basis.
How Seed Oils Impact Mitochondrial Health
Seed oils can also negatively impact your mitochondrial health. Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, responsible for producing ATP, the energy currency essential for cellular function and survival.
Mitochondrial health and efficiency are important for energy production, healthy metabolism, optimal physiological performance, lowering the risk of disease, slowing down signs of aging, and overall health.
Seed oil can result in serious mitochondrial damage. Your mitochondria won’t be able to burn fat and produce cellular energy as they should. Your body will get stuck in sugar-burning mode, and your insulin levels will go up.
Your body won’t be able to produce enough energy. This can lead to brain fog, fatigue, sleep issues, inflammation, and all kinds of chronic health complaints.
How to Detox Seed Oils
We have all been exposed to seed oil at one point in our lives. Even the most conscious individuals have consumed processed food products made with seed oils or have used seed oils in their kitchens at one point. Most individuals have consumed a lot of seed oils, as the Standard American Diet (SAD) is loaded with them.
Whether you are still eating a SAD diet or eating a healthy, nutrient-dense diet, you should consider these tips on how to detox seed oils from your body. Since linoleic acid’s half-life is 680 days. This means that detoxing from it can take years.
Eat a Real Food Diet
First, try eating a real food diet with no seed oils. This includes removing processed foods with seed oils, including chips, crackers, fried foods, frozen meals, cookies, muffins, cakes, other baked goods, vegetable-based spreads, margarine, salad dressing, store-bought sauces, flavored nuts, bottled coffee, microwave popcorn, pre-packaged soups, instant noodles, processed deli meat, fried foods, and fast food.
Focus on real food. Eat lots of organic, grass-fed animal products if possible. These will be high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, that your cell membrane needs. They are also rich in saturated fats, which are stable fats that can reduce oxidative stress.
Grass-fed butter, ghee, pasture-raised eggs, and Greek yogurt are great sources of healthy animal fats.
In addition to animal products, you can add other healthy fats, such as avocados, olives, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and coconut meat.
Other healthy foods to add to your diet are greens, vegetables, sprouts, herbs, spices, and fruits.
Intermittent & Extended Fasting
Intermittent fasting is another way to detox from seed oils and linoleic acid. According to a 2023 study published in Advances in Nutrition, intermittent fasting can increase autophagy. It is one of the best strategies to get rid of damaged cells, damaged fats in the cells, and damaged protein is a time-restricting window.
Intermittent fasting is a great way to stabilize your blood sugar. It can help your body to undergo autophagy, which can help to break down and remove damaged, old mitochondria. It can then produce more healthy mitochondria with healthy fats.
Regular Movement & Exercise
Regular movement and exercise are critical for detoxification.
Incorporate regular movement into your day, such as stretching, yoga, rebounding, or a short walk. Set your alarm to make sure you get up to move around or stretch at least once an hour.
Additionally, you can go for a walk during lunch, take a bike ride, or walk instead of driving short distances.
Good Sleeping Habits
Good sleeping habits are also critical for reducing chronic inflammation, supporting cellular recycling and renewal, and healing.
According to a 2018 review published in Life Sciences, sleep supports tissue regeneration, cellular renewal, and stem cell formation. It’s the best time to heal.
During the day, you get sunlight, but in the evening, you want to support your circadian rhythm by reducing blue light exposure at night. Dim your lights, reduce or avoid electronics, and use blue light-blocking glasses. This will help to improve your melatonin production and support your mitochondria.
Aim for seven to nine hours of restorative sleep at night. In addition to electronics, avoid sugar, alcohol, and eating at least three hours before you go to bed.
Sauna Therapy
Sauna therapy is another fantastic way to detox your body from seed oils. Heat therapy is a great way to support cellular renewal, your energy levels, and overall health.
According to a 2018 review published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, heat therapy can improve autophagy. It can support detoxification processes through sweating, reduce stress, and lower chronic inflammation and chronic symptoms.
If you are struggling with health issues, call the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center at 240-651-1650 for a free consultation. Dr. Lo uses Nutritional Response Testing® to analyze the body to determine the underlying causes of ill or non-optimum health. The office is located at 7310 Grove Road #107, Frederick, MD. Visit www.doctorlo.com.
