BOOK REVIEW

By Dr. Donald A. Carroll, O.D.

PEO Solution – Conquering Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart Disease with Parent Essential Oils

By Brian S. Peskin and Robert Jay Rowen, M.D; (ISBN 978-0-9882780-3-5; Pinnacle Press; January 2015, Paperback, 532 pages, $42.50, Kindle $24.50)

PEO stands for “Parent Essential Oils,” the only true essential fatty acids (EFAs): parent Omega-6 (linoleic acid, or LA) and parent Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA). The term “parent” is used because these are the whole, unadulterated forms of the only two essential fats your body demands, as they occur in nature. Only a small part of these PEOs are changed to derivatives by the body as they are needed.

One of the most common problems in my practice of Optometry is Dry Eye Syndrome (DES). I, like most of my colleagues, prescribe 2-4 grams of fish oil (EPA, DHA derivatives of ALA) per day for this issue. A case study in this book describes an author with DES who was using organic, pure fish oil that cured her symptoms in 2 weeks. She stopped the fish oil when she learned about the side effects (listed below) and started using double strength PEOs. In a week her eyes felt better than they ever were. “I’m so thrilled because I was on my computer much longer yesterday and that usually irritates my eyes a lot. As I sit here typing, my eyes are not watering, and they feel comfortable. This is so important to me, because I write novels and my eyes can get very tired. Again, thank you for introducing me to this science. I feel so fortunate to have found a healthy way to control an irritating condition.”

After reading this book I can see why she was so happy. Fish oil is anti-inflammatory but has many side effects: thinning skin, mitochondrial toxicity, blood glucose increase, etc. LA from Omega-6 is so important to all cellular membranes but especially our skin. LA increases the oxygenation of all of cells and is the most important substrate, fundamental to all cell membranes. The LA metabolites (PGE1 and PGI2) are extremely strong vasodilators. The book goes on to show how many of the diseases such as cancer are caused by low oxygenation. If we increase oxygenation with the use of Omega-6 fatty acids, studies show how incidences of cancer decreased along with autism, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other diseases.

PGE1, a derivative of LA, has been found by researchers to be the body’s most powerful anti-inflammatory. Because inflammation is one of the major drivers in disease and loss of well-being, we can see why LA is one of the most critical components in our diet. GLA, a derivative of LA, is the precursor to PGE1 so it should be included in your essential fatty acid formula, especially in diabetic patients who often have enzymatic desaturase impairment since GLA is not always converted from LA.

ALA is shown to be more important then the derivatives EPA and DHA in CVD. AA and its derivative PGI2 is used daily in the brain much more than DHA.

            Adulterated, rancid Omega-6 fats are poison. This is where Omega-6’s bad reputation came originated: From using rancid vegetable oils for cooking, and other such purposes. We need organic, cold-pressed Omega-6 and Omega-3 oils in a formulation that favors the Omega-6 with some GLA for the anti-inflammatory effects.

Other useful recommendations from the book were:

 

  • Truly chelated minerals were recommended due to lower amounts in the soil. The main ones recommended were copper 1 mg, iron 10 mg, magnesium 100 mg, manganese 5 mg, selenium 50 mcg, zinc 10 mg, boron 2 mg, and chromium 200 mcg.
  • Detoxification was recommended with Essiac tonic.
  • Vitamin-D supplementation with a minimum 5,000 IUs per day due to low Sun levels.
  • Lengthening telomeres with Ozone therapy is anti-aging.
  • The authors believe that the French Paradox is solved by making sure the food you eat is as close as possible to its natural state, unrefined, unprocessed, the way Nature designed, and if cooked, then at relatively low temperature in butter.

In reading this book I could see all of the huge benefits of organic, cold-pressed Omega-6 and Omega-3 oils; and I wondered what the best ratio of the oils and the best seed oils for optimum health was. I started taking some premium formulas from Rain international. The first one I tried is their flagship product called Soul twice a day. I immediately started noticing more vitality and clearer thinking. I stopped taking the fish oil I was using, and my arthritis did not come back (one of the reasons I was taking the fish oil). My feet and legs have been very dry and scaly and my heels cracking even on the fish oil but now they are becoming like babies’ skin.

Dr. Rowen, the co-author who has a living-food diet that involves no cooking, found that he has no need for supplemental EFAs. Basically, the heating of the EFAs create dysfunctional cells that need to be replaced with even more unadulterated EFAs to get to a healthy state.

This book is highly recommended. It completely changed my views on fish oil and the need to balance with organic fatty acids.