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The update of the pyramid is being coordinated with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee as it reviews the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and recommends revi- sions to the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. The Food Guide Pyramid reassessment and updating process has three phases: 1. Gathering information through technical research, professional and public input, and consumer research 2. Updating of the pyramid's daily food intake patterns to meet cur- rent nutritional standards 3. Developing new graphic and educational materials that will com- municate pyramid messages in ways that consumers can more eas- ily understand and put into practice Many nutrition scientists who have criticized the content of the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid in the past are now proposing numerous alternatives, including Harvard's Healthy Eating Pyramid, the California Cuisine Food Pyramid, the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, and others. The final release of the updated Food Guide Pyramid and related consumer materials is scheduled for early 2005. For more information on the latest Food Guide Pyramid updates, visit the USDA's Web site at . Eicosanoids: The Key to Wellness Eating the right kind of fat is the key to boosting your immune system and staying healthy. That's because certain fats provide linoleic acid, the raw material that your body needs to produce amazing microhormones called eicosanoids (pronounced i-co-seh-noids). The body of knowledge about eicosanoids is a relatively new, exciting, and ever-expanding area of scientific research. Think of eicosanoids as mas- Why Fat Is the Key to Good Health 19 "Good" (Series One) Eicosanoids "Bad" (Series Two) Eicosanoids Enhance immunity Suppress immunity Decrease inflammation Increase inflammation Decrease pain Increase pain Increase oxygen flow Decrease oxygen flow Increase endurance Decrease endurance Prevent blood clotting Promote blood clotting Dilate airways Constrict airways Increase the rate of cell growth Decrease the rate of cell growth Note: Once again, "bad" is a relative term. For example, while "bad" eicosanoids may constrict blood vessels and airways, they also promote blood clotting, which keeps you from bleeding to death from a paper cut. ter control hormones that regulate many of your body's biological func- tions, including the production of other hormones such as insulin and glucagon. Your body manufactures two different families of eicosanoids: "good" eicosanoids (known as series one) and "bad" eicosanoids (series two). Researchers continue to explore the link between the kinds of eicosa- noids the body manufactures and wellness. Evidence continues to mount that poor health and disease may be due to your body making more "bad" eicosanoids than "good" ones. In other words, the key to good health is to promote the production of more good eicosanoids than bad ones. Three Ways to Improve Your Eicosanoid Balance 1. Eat protein-rich, favorable-carbohydrate meals.