There are many types of fat in the diet, but the two of the main groups of fats are Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Omega 3s, known as healthy fats, come from fish and marine animals like krill and plant sources like flax, hemp and chia. People who eat fatty fish like salmon, trout or sardines 2-3 times a week have lower rates of heart disease. The majority of Omega 6 fats come from oils such as soybean, cottonseed, corn and sunflower.

Omega 3s from fish and marine animals go directly into the body's metabolic pathways. However, while Omega 3s from plant sources are healthier than their Omega 6 cousins, only about 10% are converted to usable forms.

For centuries, ratios of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fats in the diet ranged from 1-3 grams of Omega 6 to every gram of Omega 3. Today, that ratio has increased to 10:1 or even 20:1.

Functional Medicine doctors, like myself, believe these high ratios of Omega 6 to Omega 3 increase inflammation in the body.

The best way to reduce this ratio is to eat more Omega 3s. Avoid products that list sources of Omega 6, like soybean and cottonseed oil, on the label.

You can also ask your medical provider to check the ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 with a blood test. If you're unable to get enough Omega 3 in your diet, you might want to consider food products that are fortified with Omega 3s