Fatty acids are needed by the body but we can not efficiently manufacture. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs exist in two primary forms, omega-3 and omega-6. As man evolved, the ratio between these two fats was one-to-one, with omega-3 coming from olives, vegetables and grains and omega-6 derived from red meat. Today, the ratio is 1:15 or more with excess omega-6 coming from processed foods. The Omega-3 Diet, as proposed by Evelyn Trible, M.S., R.D. in her book, "The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet," seeks to restore a healthy balance between these key nutrients.
Step 1
Eat at least one potent source of each of the three omega-3 fatty acids each day. There are three omega-3 fatty acids, and according to Dr. Frank Sacks of the Harvard School of Public Health, the typical Western diet is deficient in all three. Alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, can be found in soybean, rapeseed and flaxseed oil and walnuts, as well as in Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach and salad greens. Eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, are supplied by fatty fish. To ensure an adequate intake, you could add 3 cups of fresh spinach to your breakfast omelet, have salmon on bed of arugula for lunch and enjoy snacking on 1 oz of walnuts.
Step 2
Take supplements of omega-3 fatty acids if your diet in not sufficient to meet your body's needs. Sacks' recommendation is 500 mg per day for people who simply don't eat vegetables and fish and 1,000 mg per day for those with existing heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends taking an omega-3 supplement of 2,000 to 4,000 mg per day for people with elevated levels of low density lipoprotein or LDL-cholesterol. Supplements should not replace eating foods high in omega-3, however, because these foods also contain critical vitamin, minerals, fiber and protein.
Step 3
Eliminate omega-6 rich foods from your diet as much as possible by avoiding red meat, poultry, processed foods, margarine and mayonnaise. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in many oils, in red meat and in processed foods. Omega-6 is not unhealthy; in fact, small amounts are necessary for brain function, skin heath and joint maintenance, but when the ratio between omega-3 and omega-6 is elevated beyond one-to-one, inflammation results, leading to cardiovascular disease and other disorders. Dr. A. P. Simopoulos, from Washington, D.C., writing in the October 2002 issue of "Biomedicine and Phrmacotherapy," notes that when a ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 was maintained at 4-to-1, the risk of death from cardiac disease decreased 70 percent. The Oxford-Durham Study, reported in the May 2005 issue of "Pediatrics," conducted to evaluate the effect of these fatty acids on children with developmental coordination disorder, found a ratio of 4-to-1 improved these children's reading, spelling and behavior during a three-month period.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring cups and spoons
References
- The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet; Evelyn Tribole, M.S,.R.D., 2007
- Harvard School of Public Health; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Frank Sacks, M.D.
- "Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy"; The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/oOmega-3 Essential Fatty Acids,A. P. Simopoulos, M.D.; October 2002
- "Pediatrics"; The Oxford-Durham Study, A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Dietary Supplementation With Fatty Acids in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder; Alexandra J. Richardson, D.Phil. and Paul Montgomery, D.Phil.; May 2006
- MedlinePlus: Fish Oil-Safety Concerns
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