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What Can Omega-3 Do For Me?

By Jean Kelly


Omega-3 fatty acids occur as triglycerides in natural fish oils. Your body is accustomed to handling fatty acids in this natural TG form and therefore they are more easily and immediately digested.

What about you? Are you wondering how omega-3 supplements can help you? Omega-3 fatty acids were made popular after two major people group studies observed the dietary patterns of the Greenland Inuit tribe and those who followed a Mediterranean diet.

DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) DHA is the most highly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acid found in nature. DHA is critical for developing and maintaining the brain and eyes of the fetus, infant, child, and adult. DHA is an important building block of the brain, nerves, and eyes. It is found in 40-50% of brain lipid material and 60% of retinal material.

But bad fats can lead to increased health risks. How a particular type of fat influences your health depends on its unique blend of fatty acids. Some fatty acids increase your risk for cancer, heart attack, and stroke, while some help to protect against it. The trick is in knowing which fats are necessary for normal growth and development and which fats you should avoid or use in moderation. Saturated fats are found in animal products like meat, cheese, butter, and cream. They're also found in tropical oils like palm and coconut. Eating too much saturated fat can increase your risk for coronary artery disease, diabetes, and obesity. Eating animal fat can also raise cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature.

Your body uses omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals to form the outer walls of every cell. This healthy cell structure helps maintain vital metabolic functions. And since your body cannot produce DHA or synthesize it from food, you need to add it to your diet or take DHA supplements.

Over the years our dependency on fast and processed foods have increased leading to a high intake of omega-6 and not enough of omega-3 fatty acids. The average American diet contains about 14 to 25 times more omega-6 than omega-3. This imbalance in the essential fatty acids is believed to lead to many major ailments prevalent today. Experts advise getting a higher dose of omega 3 while limiting your intake of omega 6 fatty acids.

During pregnancy, DHA plays a key role in the normal development of the baby's brain and eyes. Breast milk also contains DHA, which is believed to be a factor associated with infant brain development. Scientific studies have also found that low levels of DHA have been associated with reduced brain function and are linked to a number of mood problems.

Since these fish also contain impurities and contaminants like lead, mercury and other PCBs, consumption should be limited to just twice a week. Pregnant and lactating mothers are advised not to eat certain fresh fish because of impurities present in them. An excellent option to fresh fish consumption is high-quality pharmaceutical grade omega-3 supplements.

Your body uses omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals to form the outer walls of every cell. This healthy cell structure helps maintain normal metabolic functions. And since your body cannot produce EPA or synthesize it from food, you need to add it to your diet or take EPA supplements.

Estimates from studies in Stone Age nutrition and modern-day hunter-gatherer populations suggest that humans have consumed a diet consisting of fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables for thousands of years. This diet was much lower in saturated fatty acids than our current diet and contained small amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, in a 2:1 ratio.

Are we getting enough omega-3 fatty acids?

Supports joint health. Since omega 3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect, many people have found great relief from joint discomfort by taking omega-3 supplements.

But most North Americans don't eat much fish. The more popular fish tend to be those lower in omega 3s, like white fish. In addition, deep-frying can reduce omega-3 potency. So the average American diet contains fewer than 200 milligrams per day of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

Supports memory and cognitive skills. Several studies show omega 3 fatty acids support brain power, boost memory and cognitive skills.

EPA and DHA are two of the most important omega-3 fatty acids. And both EPA and DHA are essential nutrients, which means that your body needs them for normal function but cannot produce them.

Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids can complement each other if they are in a healthy balance with each other. One way to restore the ratio is to increase omega-3 levels.

They are absolutely essential for normal health and development. Without them, cells can't function, renew, or maintain themselves properly. Omega 3s promote cardiovascular health, support a healthy memory, are crucial for learning ability, help brain and vision development of infants, and promote natural joint flexibility and mobility.




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