Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are those fatty acids that your body needs, yet cannot synthesize by itself. Fatty acids are the building blocks of cells. Although fat has a bad reputation for being unhealthy, some are beneficial and, cutting all fat from your diet may actually be harmful to your health.
There are twenty -five Amino Acids used by our bodies, eight of which cannot be synthesized and need to be obtained from a dietry source; these are: Tryptophan, Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Methionine, Phenylaline, Threonine and Lycine.

"EFAs started to disappear from our diet about 75 years ago and now have disappeared almost entirely*. Only about 20 percent of the amount needed for human health and well-being remains as a consistent part of our normal diet. The nutrient, fatty acid's are so important and so little understood that I call them the Nutritional Missing Link."
Donald O. Rudin, M.D., "The Omega-3 Phenomenon"

*[Due to hybridized and genetically altered foods combined with poor soil conditions (Due to pesticides, overfarming leading to nutrient depletion, fertilizers and other factors); the shift to tinned, frozen and processed foods; bleaching (e.g Maize Meal), heat -treating (Pasteurization), colourants and preservatives; and the hormonaes, antibiotics and flesh foods fed to cattle and fowl.]

An EFA deficiency undermines immune system function and inflammation regulation so that symptoms are widespread and not easily recogniseable. If there is a deficiency in your intestinal tract, for example, you may experience bloating, constipation, indigestion, inflammatory bowel disease, or food allergies. If it affects your nervous system, you may feel apathetic, depressed, or forgetful. You may even notice external, cosmetic symptoms such as dry skin, lifeless hair and cracked nails.

Energy:
The essential fatty acids are important in many metabolic processes, including energy production. Since our bodies cannot make them, they must be consumed in the diet to optimize health. The essential fatty acids are the omega-3 (linoleic) and omega-6 (linolenic) fatty acids. These nutrients can maximize athletic performance in various ways and are useful supplements for anyone with a physically active lifestyle.
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are also involved in converting food substances into usable energy in our bodies, and in transporting that energy throughout our systems for use. Essential fatty acids affect growth, vitality and mental state. They hook up oxygen, participate in electron transport and maximize energy release in the process of oxidation. Oxidation, a vital metabolic reaction that fuels other reactions in our body, is an essential component of the breakdown of large molecules to produce the energy required for life processes.
Essential fatty acids are important in oxygen transfer, hemoglobin (red blood cell) production and control of the passage of nutrients through cell membranes. They markedly shorten recovery time from fatigue since they encourage the blood to bring vital oxygen to muscle cells and they enable our cells to more readily absorb the nutrients needed for recuperation. Omega-3 and Omega-6 play a key role in preventing damage from other fats. These acids are the precursors of gamma linolenic acid (GLA).
Supplements providing GLA, provide the body with an available supply of GLA with which to make prostaglandins, substances which help to relax muscles that might otherwise cramp. The omega-3 fatty acids are associated with a vasodilation effect that enhances blood flow & contribute to optimum athletic performance. By relaxing blood vessels, more blood is able to reach the muscle cells that are taxed during strenuous athletic performance. More blood means more oxygen is available to those hard-working muscles, which will lead to increased stamina. Athletes benefit from increasing their essential fatty acid intake and will see results in terms of increased stamina and performance and reduced recovery time.
Many athletes have cut many sources of oils or fats from their diets and may have borderline deficiencies in EFAs. True deficiencies are characterized by skin lesions, particularly on the cheeks, and occasionally by headaches and low blood pressure. Although athletes are correct in wanting to minimize fat consumption, the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are crucial to optimum performance and can enhance overall health if they are present in adequate quantities.

Health and wellbeing:
Essential fatty acids are the main structural components of the body's cell membranes, therefore, a balanced intake of fatty acids is necessary for healthy cell function. Remember that our entire system functions on the basis of an osmotic interchange between cells, so healthy cell membranes will allow a greater flow of nutrients in and toxins out. The cell is like a tiny factory, taking in raw materials from the surrounding fluid and sending out various chemicals. Everything going into or coming our of the cell has to pass through the cell's outer surface - its membrane. The membrane depends on essential fatty acids to remain fluid and flexible. Without them, the membrane becomes stiff and unable to do its job.
There are numerous health problems associated with EFA deficiencies. These include hair loss, eczema-like skin eruptions, susceptibility to infections, arthritis-like conditions, liver or kidney degeneration, growth retardation and vision or learning problems. Other positive health effects of the essential fatty acids include anti-oxidant activity, cardiovascular protection, maintenance of healthy skin, anti-microbial activity and tumor inhibition.

"The Omega Diet," by Artemis P. Simopoulis: The book is based on new studies that have shown "that we function best when we eat foods that are similar to those eaten by our remote ancestors- a diet including an abundance of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and the proper balance of EFAs."
But the trick is to learn the difference between the "good" fats and the "bad" ones--and to get the right balance between the omega-3 and the omega-6 fatty acids. "This hidden imbalance," notes the author, "makes you more vulnerable to heart disease, cancer, obesity, inflammations, autoimmune diseases, allergies, diabetes, and depression."
"Superimmunity for Kids" by Leo Galland, M.D. with Dian Dincin Buchman, Ph.D. is an excellent book on child nutrition and maintaining a healthy immune system.
Through his research and clinical work, Dr. Galland has found that essential fatty acids (EFAs) are critical to a healthy immune system. He says "we are in the midst of a nationwide epidemic of EFA deficiencies that is undermining the mental and physical health of our children." EFAs are essential because your child needs them to be healthy and his/her body can't make them. They must be supplied by the diet.
Unfortunately, many of the popular oils used today are nonessential fats and many are hydrogenated. Hydrogenation (i.e. margarine, most processed foods) is a manufacturing process which converts unsaturated fats into saturated fats to prolong shelf life. Dr. Galland states that "These artificial fatty acids are not only unnatural and unnecessary, they can have a disastrous effect on your child's body's ability to use EFAs."

Brain Power! and healthy neurons:
CHICAGO (CNN) -- Children who were breast-fed when they were babies perform better in school and score higher on standardized math and reading tests, a new study suggests. The study, published in the January issue of Pediatrics, was based on a review of more than 1,000 children born in New Zealand in 1977 and followed through to age 18.The authors, Professors David M. Fergusson and L. John Horwood of Christchurch School of Medicine, subscribe to the theory that fatty acids that are present in breast milk but not in formula promote lasting brain development. The substance that makes breast-fed babies smarter is believed to be an omega 3 fatty acid called DHA, found naturally in breast milk but not in formula sold in the United States. Cosmetic:EFAs were originally known as vitamin F, the "cosmetic vitamin," because they help control body oils that keep skin soft, smooth, and youthful.
EFAs are the building blocks of all cells, including the Neuro-transmitters of the brain. They are useful in improving memory, attention span and learning ability in children as well as adults.
Similar research is supported in Time Magazine (January, 2000) relating the positive correlation between increased essential fatty acid consumption and test scores in children.*
*Of great interest is the relation between deficiency in Amino Acids such as Tryptophan and the incidence of depression in individuals; many of the Amino Acids are essential for neural reception and transmission.
Aging:
"Renewal: The Anti-Aging Revolution", by Timothy J. Smith, M.D. "EFA Power can prevent and help cure cancer, heart disease, immune deficiencies, infections, even arthritis. It can relieve depression and fatigue. It can improve your complexion. And most important for us Renewal seekers, it can slow and even reverse the ageing process."
In the line of duty, cell membranes endure continuous free radical attack and suffer injuries on a regular basis. Damaged membranes have trouble letting in nutrients and expelling waste. They develop leaks. Their receptor sites malfunction, so enzymes can't "dock" on the cell and perform essential tasks. Cumulative damage to cell membranes erodes cell health and accelerates aging. When EFAs are in short supply, your immune system suffers most. That's because the immune cells can no longer do their jobs. Many common health problems, including allergies, autoimmune diseases, infections, and even cancer, are actually manifestations of the immune damage that results from chronic EFA depletion.
On the other hand, optimum EFA intake ensures that immune cells not only survive but thrive. With strong membranes the cells can 'fearlessly wage war' against free radicals, allergens, microbes, and toxins. They fight inflammation better, so they're more effective against conditions such as allergic bronchitis, allergic sinusitis, arthritis, and asthma. Cells can repair or replace their own damaged membranes. But to do it, they need adequate supplies of the right raw materials--that is, the EFAs.
Producing Prostaglandins:
Your body also uses EFAs to manufacture powerful, hormone like chemicals called prostaglandins (sometimes called eicosanoids).
Even though they are present in extremely minute amounts, prostaglandin's exert tremendous control over a broad spectrum of fundamental physical processes, including heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, fertility, and conception. Prostaglandins are also important because they regulate inflammation. Without them inflammation is more severe, which translates into more severe allergies and asthma, more painful arthritis, more rapid arteriosclerosis--and, of course, more rapid aging.

The Breast Cancer Connection
Numerous studies have shown that women who consume high levels of essential fatty acids (EFAs) are at much lower risk for developing cancer, especially breast cancer. In women who have already developed breast cancer, low levels of EFAs in the biopsied tissue are the strongest predictor of whether the cancer will metastasize, or spread.
German biochemist Johanna Budwig, a seven-time Nobel Prize nominee and a recognized authority on EFA nutrition, suggested that EFA deficiencies may be at least partly responsible for the development of cancer. Budwig has earned an international reputation for successfully treating an array of degenerative diseases, including cancer, with EFA oil supplements.

FIRST-RATE FOOD SOURCES
The two most important EFAs are alpha-linolenic acid and gamma-linolenic acid. If you follow the standard South African diet, you're getting these nutrients in only minute, survival-level amounts. To achieve and maintain the optimum daily amounts, you'll need both a vegetarian diet and supplements.
An EFA-supporting diet has two key features. First, it emphasizes plant-derived foods, which are the best sources of EFAs. Second, it eliminates animal-derived foods, which supply no EFAs but do contain unhealthy amounts of EFA-depleting saturated fat and trans-fats.
Many of the foods we buy look more or less the same as they always have. But nutrition-wise, they're shadows of their former selves--like wax fruit compared with the real thing. In the case of EFAs, this situation is particularly troubling. A century ago, the standard American diet had borderline EFA content. These days, our diet is way below that line. There is no question that EFA depletion is a factor in our modern epidemics of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and other debilitating conditions.