That increased unsaturation of fatty acyl groups in membrane phospholipids is associated with significant changes in function is not be surprising. Cold acclimation in poikilotherms has long been liked to their ability to compensate by increasing the unsaturation of cellular membrane phospholipids in order to maintain membrane permeability and fluidity, and to modulate the activity of membrane-bound enzymes (Selivonchick et al., 1977). Loss of this adaptive response plus the diversion from the diet of our pre-industrial era ancestors may underlie our poor w3 fatty acid status. Perhaps we should reflect upon the medical philosophy of Hippocrate, a system based on nature's processes in the management of disease. This may well include our return to the higher w3 fatty acid diet. Nature provides us with a wide range of foods, both animal and vegetable, rich in nutrients known to be essential including the fatty acids and many vitamins and minerals. They have been available for centuries. We simply have to take the time and effort to exploit this diversity.

Regarding future research it is clear that we are increasingly recognizing the importance of the fact that the body acts in concert. The brain-body connection is recognized in the relatively new discipline of neuroimmunology. Further investigation of the holistic approach is indicated.