Dr. Cindy's Basic Guide to Omega-3

Good fats are the single most lacking nutrient in the standard American diet. It is estimated that 99 percent of us are deficient in the single most important ingredient in our bodies for normal cell and brain functioning, hormone production, cancer prevention, weight management, cellular healing and anti-inflammation--omega-3 fatty acids. Worse yet, we eat excessive amounts of trans-fats, saturated fats and vegetable oils high in omega-6 fatty acids, all of which interfere which our body's attempt to utilize what insignificant amount of omega-3 may have slipped into our diet.
Today, the only real sources of omega-3 fats are breast milk, wild fish and game, seaweed, algae and eggs hatched from chickens fed only on flaxseed and fishmeal.
The most concentrated source of omega-3 fats are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) obtained from cold-water fish and phytoplankton. A secondary, much less concentrated source, is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) from flaxseed and flaxseed oil, walnuts and canola oil. Only 10 percent of ingested ALA, however, is converted to EPA or DHA, since much of it is simply burned for calories.
The importance of omega-3 fatty acids to our overall health and well-being cannot be overstated. Did you know that 60 percent of our brain is made up of DHA? In other words, our brains don't work without omega-3 fats. As such, is it any wonder that numerous studies in the past few years have reported links to omega-3 deficiencies in a variety of mental health-related disorders, from depression and bipolar disease to anxiety, OCD and schizophrenia as well as ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, dementia and other cognitive disorders.
The evidence is overwhelming: omega-3 fats are vitally important to not only our mental and emotional health, but also play a key role in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.
Here are 10 reasons to increase the amount of omega-3 fats in your diet:
1. They build cell membranes, which we now recognize as the "control center," or most important part of the cell.
2. They reduce inflammation, which has been linked to almost all brain disorders such as autism, ADHD, Alzheimer's and depression, as well as the top three leading causes of death in the United States: heart disease, cancer and stroke.
3. They balance blood sugar, which is very important to the eight percent of the population, or 23.6 million people in the United States who have diabetes as well as the other 92 percent of the population who may want to prevent themselves from developing diabetes.
4. They reduce the risk for obesity by improving the body's ability to respond to insulin by stimulating the secretion of leptin, a hormone that helps regulate food intake, body weight and metabolism.
5. They increase the activity of a key molecule in your brain called BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor), which improves cell connection and stimulates new cell growth.
6. They stabilize heart rhythms by turning off abnormal heart rhythm activity and stabilizing the cell membranes of the heart.
7. They prevent blood clots by thinning your blood. Most heart attacks--and many strokes--result from the sudden appearance of blood clots.
8. They correct triglycerides and lipoprotein disorders. Few treatments provide the triglyceride-reducing power of omega-3 fatty acids.
9. They stabilize atheroschlerotic plaque, which triggers stroke and heart attack.
10. They help prevent the growth of cancer cells.
Fish oil supplementation is the easiest way to achieve and maintain optimal levels of omega-3 in your diet. Dosing for fish oil is often a point of confusion, but actually it is quite simple.
In order to obtain optimal health benefits, recommended doses start at 1,200 mg of EPA plus DHA per day, usually provided by taking 4,000 mg of total fish oil per day, as most fish oil supplements contain 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA (300 mg per capsule). Higher concentrations of EPA and DHA will decrease the overall amount of fish oil you need to take in order to achieve your goal of 1,200 mg of EPA and DHA. For example, a fish oil supplement that contains 400 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA (600 mg per capsule) and 1,065 mg total fish oil would only require 2,130 mg of total fish oil or two capsules per day. The higher the EPA and DHA per dose, the less overall fish oil is needed. Always add up the EPA and DHA content of whatever type of omega-3 supplements you choose to take, be it liquid, capsule or other form, to ensure you get at total of 1,200 mg EPA and DHA.
If you have a problem with belching up your fish oil (which leaves a nasty taste in your mouth), try freezing the capsules. This almost always eliminates the effect. Fish oil is also best taken at meals to minimize stomach upset. Doses are also best divided into a minimum of two per day (e.g. two capsules twice a day). Choosing a high quality fish oil supplement is also in your best interest.
Note: If you have a blood disorder or use medications that change clotting time (like coumadin), are allergic to seafood or have a history of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, you should consult with your physician before supplementing with omega-3 fish oils.