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The type and amount of fat you eat are important. You need some fat in your diet, but too much can be bad for your health. Also, some types of fat (saturated and trans fats) may increase your risk of developing heart disease and should be limited.
It’s Your Health (IYH) has produced a new article on Fats: The Good the Bad and the Ugly. To read the article go to: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/med/fats-gras-eng.php
Naturopathic Doctors are experts in health and nutrition and can help provide useful strategies to promote a long-term healthy diet.
By Guest Author R. Davis Batson, ND(cand). Raspberry ketones have recently been touted for weight loss in the natural health community. A number of supplement manufacturers have taken the lead in producing raspberry ketone containing products that claim to help in weight loss. The claims of these companies include appetite reduction, boosting metabolism and burning fat. One company cites a recent study to substantiate their claims.
Unfortunately, they fail to disclose that the “test subjects” in the trial were rats! It is generally accepted that in the scientific community the results of animal studies cannot be generalized to human populations. The same rats were fed 1% of their diet as raspberry ketones to achieve the desired results. It is unlikely that the doses recommended by these supplement companies will achieve 1% raspberry ketones in the human diet, even if the results of this animal study did apply to humans. Contrary to recent media hype, the rest of the evidence for raspberry ketones is extremely limited. While raspberry ketones may have an effect on human weight loss, human studies to substantiate these claims are not yet available. Until the time that such studies are available, weight loss enthusiasts may choose instead to spend their money on supplements with proven efficacy in humans. Weight loss, like many other health concerns is best addressed from a multi-factorial perspective. Combining lifestyle, exercise, diet and nutrition, and perhaps a few key supplements or herbs is more likely to achieve the desired results than any single product alone.
By Guest Author Sal Meli, ND(cand). Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common condition involving an imbalance of female sex hormones. PCOS, higher levels of androgen hormones are made. The reason why this occurs is currently not completely understood. Eggs that should be released each month during the ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle are not actually released. Instead, small cysts inside the ovaries begin to form. Several problems may arise from this hormone imbalance including: a change in the menstrual cycle, small cysts in the ovaries, changes in skin, and infertility. 
Common symptoms include:
• Suddenly missing a period after having a normal cycle. This is called secondary amenorrhea.
• Menstrual periods become irregular. They can change from heavy or light and occur more or less frequently.
• Skin changes such as acne or dark markings on the skin typically around the armpits, groin, breast or neck.
• Development of male sex characteristics including a deeper voice, smaller breast size, enlargement of clitoris, increased body hair and thinning of head hair.
Treatment focuses on losing weight. It is extremely important to improve the diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol that are often present in people who have PCOS. By losing weight, the body is better able to normalize the hormones that have caused the problem in the first place. Naturopathic medicine offers a number of way to help with weight loss. Dietary modifications and liver cleansing foods and herbs accelerate this process. Supplementing with zinc, B-complex or with healthy seed oils can also be used to regulate hormone levels in the body and bring about healthy menstrual cycles, which can relieve symptoms and help you to feel healthy again.
A meta-analysis was published a few days ago that reported that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation showed insufficient evidence in the secondary prevention of overall cardiovascular events in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Patients with CVD have a high risk of subsequent cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and death from CVD, so when they are treated for CVD, it is termed ‘secondary prevention.’ This meta-analysis included 14 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials involving over 20,000 patients. They reported that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids did not reduce the risk of overall cardiovascular events (RR 0.99, 95% CI, 0.89-1.09). 
Two large randomized controlled trials (GISSI and JELIS) were not included in the analysis because they had an open-label study design without the use of a placebo. Results of GISSI found that 1g/day of omega-3 supplements significantly reduced the risk of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke. JELIS also showed a lowered incidence of major coronary events. However, an open-label study design is liable to performance bias, or a differential behavior of participants between the intervention and control groups or differential care provided by prescribing physicians. The authors of the meta-analysis stated that even with GISSI and JELIS included, a preventative effect was not observed. The case for fish oil in the use of secondary prevention does not look promising when seen under this light.
However, this meta-analysis has several limitations. The findings are limited to secondary prevention in those with a history of CVD, not in health individuals. The findings are also limited to Western populations. In addition, the authors were unable to exclude information bias (they could only comment on the data that was available to them). The trials included in the meta-analysis had small sample sizes and short durations of treatment (less than 2 to 3 years).
The statistical model used by the authors (random-effects model) gave disproportionally greater weight to small studies. Even when GISSI and JELIS were included, the specific model used kept the results nonsignificant. Another explanation could be that the patients in more recent fish oil trials (Alpha Omega, OMEGA, and SU.FOL.OM3) have received better treatment with statins and other medications than in earlier trials. The additional benefit of fish oil in addition to these other therapies is likely to be small, therefore a larger sample size is critical to achieve sufficient power. With this information available, the conclusion made about fish oil should not be so negative. There is an ongoing study (Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial) that is powered to examine major cardiovascular events. While waiting for these results to help clarify the true effects of fish oil, remember that omega-3 supplementation cannot replace an overall healthy diet and that a cardioprotective diet should be rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
