Could there be one nutrient that supports heart, mood, joints, and intestinal health that most Americans are deficient in? The answer is yes and the nutrient is omega-3 fatty acids.
The fact is that most Americans have yet to restore the proper balance of good fats from the low-fat diet fad of the 1960s.
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Deficiency during pregnancy has been linked to lower IQs in children1
- May increase brain size, especially in the area responsible for happiness2
- Supports memory + cognitive health2,3
- Makes up 8% of the brain and is the building block for 100 billion neurons4
- Supports mental health5
- Supports intestinal health + the gut brain axis6,8
- Supports heart health7
- Supports joint health8
Dangerous Shift in Diet
In the past three decades, intake of fats has changed for the worse, resulting in increased risk of weight and metabolic health concerns. The amount of omega-6 fatty acids found in highly processed vegetable cooking oils has increased, while intake of omega-3 fatty acids from sources like fish have decreased.
Our evolutionary roots tell us that this ratio was 1:1 omega 6 to omega 3. Today that ratio is a dangerous 20:1, suggesting the need to reduce intake of processed vegetable oils and increase intake of healthy omega-3 fatty acids from fish, flax, or chia seeds.22
Poor digestive health may compromise breakdown of good essential fatty acids from foods that needed to nourish the microbiome of the intestinal tract.1-8 Essential fatty acids support health of skin on both the inside and outside of the body. Poor skin health and absence of a healthy complexion may indicate poor intestinal skin health on the inside of the body that supports the microbiome.8
A poor digestive system may also affect absorption of EPA and DHA omega-3-fatty acids that support cognitive function, memory, mood, and ability to handle stress.1-4
Seasonal Omega 3s
Each fall and winter, nature attempts to restore proteins and fats to support heart, joint, and mental health, while rebuilding our endurance reserves. In winter, the amount of dietary omega-3 fatty acids available is naturally increased. This is illustrated by availability of nuts and seeds and the location of many omega-3-rich Arctic fish who migrate south each winter. This migration brings cold-water fish to southern shores, providing a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids in the cold winters when they are needed the most for insulation, endurance, and energy reserves.20-21
Fish Oils Boost Lymphatic Flow
One of the best ways to care for aging lymphatic channels is to feed the body with high-quality, lymph-moving omega-3 fats.
In a handful of recent studies, omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil (EPA and DHA) showed significant support for healthy lymphatic function.17-19
Studies found that omega-3 fats support removal of toxins from the intestinal wall by helping flush toxins into the lymphatic channels that drain the intestinal tract—a process that may maintain intestinal health and integrity.17 Lack of intestinal integrity is directly linked to many common health concerns, such as food intolerances and digestive imbalances.
As the body ages, less omega-3 fatty acids are found in the brain. New research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil support healthy lymph circulation in the brain, which may help explain some of the longevity and cognitive benefits gleaned from fish oil supplementation.9,10
More Benefits of Fish Oil
Research in favor of fish oil supplementation continues to mount.
The benefits of ingesting omega 3s from fish for cardiovascular health, mood stability, coping with stress, blood sugar, weight issues, and longevity (to name just a few) are well documented.
- Supports cardiovascular system + mental health
- Support longevity + healthy aging11,12
- Stress elevates production of adrenal hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, which can accelerate aging. Omega-3 fatty acids can inhibit excessive stimulation of adrenal stress hormone production.13
- Omega 3s are essential components of brain cell membranes, which support healthy nerve transmission.14 People with mood and cognitive concerns may have low levels of omega 3s in the brain.15
- People with the highest levels of omega 3s may have as much as 46% lower risk of blood sugar, heart, and weight concerns.16<.sup>
Learn How to Get 300% Better Absorption from LifeSpa’s Mini Omega 3X
Don’t Leave Home without These Essential Fats
There are two major kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The most abundant source of both EPA and DHA is in wild oily cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines that eat algae, unlike farmed fish which are primarily fed grain and corn.
Unfortunately, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids can only provide omega 3s in the form of Alpha Linoleic Acid (ALA), which must be converted by the body into EPA and DHA. This is not a very efficient process because only 5-20% of dietary ALA gets converted to EPA and DHA.
If you take flax or hemp seeds as your main source of omega-3 fatty acids, be aware that your body has to convert ALA into EPA and DHA. In the case of a deficiency, you may not be converting fast enough to rebuild necessary levels of omega 3s.
While conversion rate of ALA to EPA and DHA is inefficient, there are vegetarian sources of omega-3 fatty acids available—mostly derived from algae. These are exciting alternatives to fish oils, but the body of research on high-quality fish oils is so extensive and compelling, it is hard not to consider one to two servings of omega-3-rich fish per week or supplementation with molecularly distilled, mercury-free fish oils or from an algae source.
Top Five Vegetarian Sources of Omega 3s
The following vegetarian sources of omega 3s contain ALA, a known precursor to DHA and EPA. Vegetarians seem to have overall good cardiovascular health, indicating that the benefits vegetarians receive from converting ALA to DHA and EPA is enough.
- Walnuts
- Flax seeds and flax seed oil
- Chia seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Purslane
No Heavy Metals
All fish oil supplements must be tested due to heavy metal toxicity in our oceans. Eating fish used to be a great source of omega 3s, but today, we must limit the amount of fish we eat and be careful that the source of the fish is heavy-metal free.
This is a challenge because if it comes from the ocean, there is no testing performed and no way to know where that fish fed and on what. Fish farms have other issues like antibiotics, chemical exposure, and unnatural food.
Optimally, fish oils are sourced from small coldwater fish such as wild-caught sardines and anchovies, and are molecularly distilled to remove all heavy metals, rancid fats, bacteria, molds, and yeast. At LifeSpa, every batch of Mini Omega 3X is individually tested and certified.
3x Benefits from Fish Oil With NO Fish Taste
After five decades of mass consumption of processed foods and refined/cooked vegetable oils, many Americans have compromised pancreatic and gallbladder function and overall weakened digestive strength. Consequently, many have difficulty breaking down traditional fish oils, requiring them to take massive dosages to achieve clinical results.
A patented delivery system for EPA and DHA fish oils has increased absorption by a heavy-hitting 300%. This delivery system allows for significantly lower dosages, smaller capsules, and no fish taste.
Mini Omega 3X uses monoglyceride instead of triglyceride fish oil molecules, which are, by nature, in a readily absorbable form and bypass the body’s normal fat digestion process in the liver and pancreas.
LifeSpa’s Mini Omega 3X Fish Oil softgels deliver EPA and DHA directly into the bloodstream at three times the absorption rate.
Bob Mook says
ALA is actually Alpha Linolenic Acid, not Alpha Linoleic Acid. The two are often confused as they were above. Linoleic Acid is an Omega-6 fat.
Vacheslav says
Dr James Meschino reported a big while back that big doses of fish oil treat head injuries
SJS says
Turmeric may play an important role in converting ALA to EHA/DPA in the brain. This is based on preclinical animal models. https://foodrevolution.org/blog/turmeric-may-boost-vegetarian-brains-omega-3-dha-levels-nih-research-reveals/
strini says
So the very important question is? How does a vegan get omega 3. Ancient India has always been lacto vegan so how did they survive so well without Salmon n herring etc?
Vacheslav says
and why would you want to torture yourself? sadism? do fish really deserve to live more than you do? even monks eat fish!