Fats to Add: Omega 3's

We’ve been talking a lot about cell membranes and fats. We now know that trans fats must be eliminated from our diets and that we must replace these bad fats with good fats. There are a number of good fats for our diet that we need to talk about. Actually, saturated and polyunsaturated fats are essential for normal body function. This includes the fats in butter as well as omega 3’s, 6’s and 9’s. The most important thing is that we have the right balance of fats in our body for health. This can easily be accomplished with functional testing. But, for now lets go back to the cell membranes that we have been talking about.

There are many sources of Omega 3 fats which include walnuts, fish, flax and hemp. The most beneficial fats for our cell membranes are DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) which are found in cold water fish. The source of fish must be strongly considered here. It is no secret that many types of fish are currently contaminated with PCP’s, dioxins and methyl mercury, which create a safety issue when consumed. It is important to be especially cautious of farmed salmon which is the kind sold in most grocery stores. In an article in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, December 2002 entitled “Balancing the Risks and Benefits of Fish Consumption”, it is noted that, more than 90% of the salmon consumed in the United States is farm raised…. And that fish are the main source of concentrated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s). The highest dietary level of PCP’s are found in farmed salmon.1

In addition, be aware of fish oil supplements that are not pharmaceutical grade and make sure the company has rigorous testing for contaminants. It pays to pay more for a good supplement. I personally supplement with a good quality fish oil daily. Although, wild caught cold water fish can be eaten to get DHA and EPA in our diet, if they are not eaten on a very regular basis then additional supplementation is most likely needed. In general, it is important to take a high enough dose of fish oil daily. Most people probably need between 2-3 grams of fish oil each day. This is 2000- 3000 mg. The important thing is to read the label and find out how much DHA & EPA is in each capsule. Do not just assume you are getting a high enough dose because the outside of the bottle says that each capsule contains 1000 mg. When you look closer at the label each capsule may only contain 200 mg of DHA & EPA. Individuals taking anticoagulant drugs should not exceed an Omega 3 dose of 1 gram/day. These Omegas are natural blood thinners.

Many people like to take flax oil instead of fish oil, although, flax isn’t quite as good for the cell membrane as DHA & EPA. Flax is Linolenic Acid which is poorly converted into DHA & EPA by the body. This means that taking flax as a dietary source of Omega 3’s alone is not enough. Furthermore, men should not supplement with more than 300mg of flax oil per day due to some indication that an increased risk of prostrate cancer is associated with higher levels of alpha linolenic acid (flax). I generally suggest ground flax to be added to the diet as it is a great fat. I like the company at Whole Foods called – Health In the Sun. They have a vacuumed packed organic ground flax with lignans which can also be added to the diet.

Omega 3’s are very anti-inflammatory to the body. So many chronic disease processes that afflict our culture currently are directly related to inflammation. So, beyond cell membrane health, consider adding omega 3’s for overall good health. Diets Rich in Omega 3’s Protect Our Health by:
_ Making compounds that fight inflammation
Aid in weight reduction
_ Treating depression including post partum
_ Building better brains and significantly helping ADD & ADHD
_ Making fluid cell membranes
_ Preventing blood clots.
_ Reducing stress chemicals
_ Aiding in the prevention of heart disease & cancer
_ Improving sleep
_ Helps to prevent osteoporosis
_ Helps to prevent allergies


Beware: Your omega supplement should not be a 3-6-9 supplement. Unless you have been very diligent about your health for quite some time and you have had an assessment test of the omega balance in your body you probably do not need omega 6’s supplemented. Omega 6’s are essential to our bodies but are generally in too high in content in most westerners diets. It is important that you understand omega 6’s along with omega 3’s so we will talk about them tomorrow.

So add to your list today- Get Omega 3’s in my families diet and supplements- they are essential for good health!




Reference:
1. Fisher Wilson, Jennifer. “Balancing the Risks and Benefits of Fish Consumption.” Annals of Internal Medicine os 141 (2004):977-980