Omega 3: The Crucial “End”

Imagine trying to have a relationship without an arm. Yes, you can imagine it being done, and probably very well even though you may not know someone personally in that situation. What about eyes, or feet, or knees? Yes, yes, yes, but what about a brain, or a heart? Gotcha there. An article on Fox News today about country music legend Glen Campbell’s fight with Alzheimer’s states that 10 million Americans today are fighting the same fight and that it is now the battle most feared next to cancer.

Maybe that’s why omega 3 oil is called “omega”, or Greek for “the end” because life would be impossible to carry on without it. The synapse connections in your brain that enable communication between brain cells are 60% made up of the omega 3 fatty acid DHA. If your diet is deficient in omega 3 fatty acids, then how is that affecting you?

Let’s start with a few facts:

1- The whole human brain is composed of 60% fat
2- Omega 3 fatty acids are building material for individual cell membranes and enable the best communication
3- Better communication reduces risk of suicide, depression and violent and impulsive behavior. (1) (2)

And that is only the beginning. Omega 3 fatty acids:

- contribute to healthy visual and neurological development
- reduce incidence of Alzheimer’s and cognitive impairment with age
- help in treatment of mental illnesses like bipolar and schizophrenia
- reduce inflammation which causes coronary heart disease
- reduce incidence of heart attack and stroke
- reduce pain with rheumatoid arthritis (3)

The American way has become the corn, wheat and soy way, meaning these are the crops grown in highest amounts. Massive amounts of these genetically modified grains are then used to manufacture inexpensive, processed food and to feed industrially raised animals for inexpensive meat. Omega 6 fatty acids are prevalent and omega 3 fatty acids are scarce in this food chain, yet this is what most of us are eating…processed food made with and meat fed with these grains. The omega 3 fatty acids we need to bring a healthy balance are found in wild caught fatty fish like salmon, sardines and herring.

Currently the Western diet has a ratio of anywhere from 15-30:1 omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, while many authorities identify a ratio of 4:1 as the boundary of healthy. (4) (5) I never knew what omega 3 oil was or where to get it until well into my 40s, so if you feel baffled by the whole issue don’t feel bad. I really want you to be at least aware of the national deficiency we have, and to begin your journey of correcting the imbalance in your own life.

DAILY DOSAGE
The USDA recommends up to 3 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids. There could be some side effects for some people, so allowing a doctor to recommend a safe dosage for you is the most prudent way to go. Other than eating fresh fish or taking a fish oil supplement, there are a few vegetarian options as well; walnuts, walnut oil, flax meal or flax oil, green vegetables like kale, spinach and most other greens and Brussel sprouts.

QUALITY MEANS EVERYTHING
Quality means everything with these fatty acids collected in fish oil supplements because they are often stripped of their nutrient qualities during the extraction and refining process when exposed to heat, light, and chemical residue.
Look for capsules or liquid which are designated
• Modified expeller pressed
• Refrigerated
• No-light black bottles
• Expiration date
• Organic

Get more omega 3 this week by using grass fed beef to make your Lazy Carnivore Lasagna and stashing some flax filled Power Balls in your car for an energy boost when you need it away from home. Or read more options at Lots of Fruity Flavors.

Modern man faces modern challenges, and finding a healthy balance of nutrients in the foods available to us is something good we can do for every relationship we have, starting here at the “end” with amazing omega 3 fatty acids.