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[August]

I guess I'm not quite satisfied unless I'm doing some sort of experiment, but I started looking for other oil options even though walnut oil works pretty good for me.  One reason was to get fewer Omega-6s and more monounsaturated fat because of this:

http://contraniche.blogspot.com/2009/05/viral-hospitality.html

The sweet almond oil is sold as a skin care product, but the NOW brand says it is also a food on the back.
It is likely the most tasteless oil I've ever come across, though I still nose-clip the dose, just in case.

As to whether or not it helps ward off the viruses, well, it is cold and flu season.

[Phoebe]

Hi August,

I'm surprised to hear that sweet almond oil is tasteless.  It sounds like it would be one of the more tastier oils.  I'm not surprised that cutting out fat might make people sick.  It seems like there are often unintended consequences whenever an entire category of food gets shunned.  I would be interested in hearing whether you think the almond oil is more helpful than the walnut oil in keeping you from getting sick.

[August]

Currently, I am thinking of ending this experiment.  In terms of ease of use, this oil is the best ever. 
Unfortunately, during this time I've been feeling sore right around where I would expect my kidneys to be.
I haven't changed much else beside the oil, and yet it is hard to identify it as the source of the problem.
I stopped taking it for four days and there was no change the way my lower back felt.
Indeed, my kidneys might not have anything to do with it at all- maybe it is just muscle pain.

So, my best guess right now is that I am doing to myself with oleic acid what the modern american diet is doing to most americans with Omega-6; getting way too high of a dose compared to what our ancestors would have encountered in their hunting and gathering. 

[sdeshwood]

August- can you explain (or tell me where I can find more info about) the Omega 6 issue?  I keep seeing/reading little slivers about this but not really understanding the full picture. 

[August]

Stephan has a good summary here:

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/05/for-those-not-scientifically-inclined.html

Of course, you need a larger picture, one in which saturated fat is good:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/saturated-fat-healthy/

It seem to me that the long term solution is to eat mainly saturated fat, limit exposure to modern Omega-6 laden foods, and take low doses of Omega-3s to balance things out.  None of these fats are inherently evil, but our bodies evolved for levels one would expect in a hunter-gatherer society. 

[sdeshwood]

Thanks, August! 

Okay, so I already knew that increasing sat. fat was good- but I didn't really realize that veg. oils could be deleterious.  I guess I've naturally reduced them as I started consuming more sat. fat.

[August]

I had a friend who picked up some sweet almond oil too after hearing that I was trying it.
He says he has felt sore in his lower back too.  He is used to working pretty hard and injuring himself, so he never thought the two were related.
Before this, he was taking olive oil, and I was taking walnut oil.  I'm not sure what would be acting as an irritant; I thought it was the oleic acid, but since he used to take olive oil and seemed fine with that, I'm not so sure.  Then again, if you don't think of a possible connection between the oil and the back pain, you'd keep taking it and think the pain is from something else.

Is anyone on olive oil experiencing lower back pain?