An Omega 3 per day Keeps the Doctor Away: Will Omega 3 or Omega 6 Fats Win the Race in your Body?

What would you do if there was a supplement or food that could lower all forms of inflammation in your body, decrease risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke, and make you smarter?

That supplement/food is omega 3 fats.  Omega 3 fats came into fashion a few years back, but many did not realize its critical significance for health and longevity.

Lowering Inflammation

Omega 3 fats lower inflammation in the body, and omega 6 fats increase inflammation.  When animals eat grass, we receive omega 3 fats as a result of consuming them, and when they eat corn or grains we receive omega 6 fats.

Since omega 3 and omega 6 fats compete for first line in the body, whichever is more prevalent will win the race.

The 3 omega’s are ALA, DHA, and EPA.  DHA is essential in brain development.  It also can lower cortisol and stress levels in the body. 

ALA is found in ground flax seed and is important for hormone stabilization.  Studies show the lignan found in flax seeds rids the body of bad hormones which can lead to cancer.

EPA can lower risk of disease states including diabetes and heart disease.  It is imperative to get three omega’s to have the most benefit in the body.

Studies show omega 3 fats:

Lower depression
Increase IQ in children whose mother’s took omega 3’s during pregnancy
Lower violence in general
Lower risk of autoimmune diseases
Lower insulin resistance, heart disease and diabetes

The list of positives is fairly long.  If you go to the search engine pubmed which shows abstracts of major studies, and type in omega 3’s, you’ll find at least 20,000 studies in their database.

Are we getting enough omega 3’s?  100 years ago we did not have to worry about getting enough omega 3’s.  Our animals ate grass and pre-packaged processed foods did not exist.

In the last few decades our government and control of farms geared our food supply away from the natural way animals ate, which increased our intake of omega 6 fats.

In addition, the food supply is filled with soybean and cottonseed oils, omega 6 “seed oils” that require industrial processes to extract the oils, and did not exist 100 years ago.

The hard drive of your body starts in the brain – the way you walk, move, hormone function, etc.  If the brain does not get the food it needs, these systems can become compromised.

What can you do for the Omega 3 fats to win the Race in your body?

1. Eat grass-fed beef, pastured poultry and eggs
2. Eat Wild Fish a few times a week
3. Avoid prepackaged processed foods
4. Use at least 1 tablespoon per day of ground flax seed
5. Take an omega 3 supplement with at least 500 mg. each of DHA and EPA
   
6. Use an oil high in omega 3’s such as extra-virgin olive oil and lower intake of omega 6 oils such as soybean, cottonseed, corn, vegetable, safflower, and sunflower

Your brain and body will thank you and you’ll spend less time visiting your doctor.  Maybe the old adage should say “an Omega 3 per day keeps the doctor away."

What about Omega 3 Supplements?

Omegas 3’s have made it into the mainstream of lifestyle importance.  Until about four years ago I recommended omega 3’s to only those with heart disease.  Research exploded exponentially linking increased intake of omega 3’s to lowered risk of not only heart disease, but other types of inflammation such as arthritis, insulin resistance, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, hormonal disorders, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition, the fish oil/flax seed combination is helpful for symptoms associated with PMS, menopause, and hormone stabilization in general.  ADD and ADHD can also be helped.

How can one simple thing help so many medical problems?  Feeding your body starts with adequate food for your brain.  Since a large percentage of your brain is fat, feeding and lubricating the brain with enough fat can restore the rest of the systems in your body to balance.

The 3 Omegas

There are 3 types of omega 3 fats:  ALA, DHA and EPA. 

Ground Flax Seed

ALA is found in the highest concentration in ground flax seed.  One tablespoon per day meets your needs.  I like Spectrum brand since it has a nice taste.  Put it on your morning yogurt or cottage cheese.  The flax seed has to be ground in order to obtain the ALA.  Otherwise, it goes through your system as fiber.

Fish Oil

Fish oil contains the remaining 2 omega 3’s:  DHA and EPA.  What type of fish oil is best?  Many times the brand of a supplement is not all that significant.  However, with fish oil it IS important.  Proper storage and quality brands are important for freshness, avoiding rancidity and avoidance of PCB’s.  Several brands were sued in the last few months due to PCB’s.

The brand of fish oil I usually recommend is Carlson.  A recent study showed higher amounts of omega 3’s greatly lowered many health risks.  Therefore, having at least 1000 mg. of both DHA and EPA is recommended.

Since a typical gel capsule contains only 200-300 mg. of each it requires taking at least 5 capsules per day.  One teaspoon of the Carlson Lemon Fish oil contains 800 mg. of EPA and 500 mg. of DHA.  Taking one tablespoon is sufficient for the day.  It tastes like lemon oil and has the highest level of absorption.

One tablespoon per day each of ground flax seed and fish oil and less risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s?  It’s a slam dunk to me.

How Can I eat Healthy During Pregnancy?

Since we've been discussing the genetics of what happens in the womb, what are the guidelines for having a healthy pregnancy?

What you eat and how active you are determines your child’s future well-being.  Although specific recommendations may vary hitting these key foods will help set the tone for health.

Here is a checklist for healthy eating for fertility, pregnancy, or breast-feeding.

   Strive for balance in your diet:

• Protein - lean sources of beef, lamb, chicken, and fish; eggs, nuts/seeds, nut butters at each meal and snack
• Carbohydrates - fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed whole grains
• Fats – omega-3 rich and monounsaturated fats (avocados, nuts/seeds and olive oil) on a daily basis:
•        ALA – found in ground flax seed
•        DHA  -found in fish and fish oil
•        EPA – found in fish and fish oil

Eat or drink dairy - 3 to 4 servings of plain low fat yogurt, cottage/ricotta cheese, hard cheeses (grass-fed)

Consume fruits - 3 to 4 servings per day, including one citrus or vitamin-C rich fruit

Eat your vegetables - dark green leafy and orange/yellow/red daily

Choose real, whole foods - avoid processed and refined foods.  Choose fresh, unprocessed foods, and as much as possible, organic and non-genetically modified foods and animal products that are grass fed 

Avoid diet foods or foods with non-nutritive sweeteners 

Minimize caffeine and avoid alcohol

Foods at the Natural Foods Expo

Attending the Natural Foods Expo in Los Angeles last week was like an adult Disneyland.  Finding new foods and products was like a treasure hunt in waiting.

Since many companies exhibit their wares, navigating what is really healthy can be tricky.  For this blog I decided to mention the finds that were both interesting and helpful to your health with links to the sites so you can see them for yourself.

My favorite food of all time is peanut butter but with all the nut allergies in children I set out to find a replacement.  I happened upon Once Again Nut Butter, a Sunflower Butter, made of organic sunflower seeds which has a smooth consistency with a nice buttery taste perfect on an apple or banana.  It makes a great alternative to tree nut butters for those with allergies.

Next on my list was searching for interesting beverage choices free of sugar, sweeteners or fake sweeteners.  I met the regional manager, Jason Webb, for HINT water – a favorite of mine – which are waters with exotic flavors of strawberry-kiwi, mango-grapefruit, and others which nothing but water and natural flavors – a surprise treat taste.

The other beverage I found appealing was a line of iced teas called Tea’s tea.  On my road trip to a conference in Denver I was amazed at the lack of iced teas available without sweeteners or sugars.  I tasted the Golden Oolong and felt like I was in a Japanese restaurant enjoying authentic tea.  They have 9 flavors, all without sweeteners or additives.  The company claims they are brewed from premium loose teas.  From what I tasted I can believe it, being the tea snob that I am.

Next I stumbled upon nicobella dark chocolate truffles.  Registered Dietitian Nichole Dandrea moved from New Jersey to California last year to start her own company and now has a line of 6 decadent all natural dark chocolates that create a burst of natural chocolate and infused flavors in your mouth all at once.  You can learn more about her story and passion for healthy treats on her site.

And with all my preaching about getting your omega 3’s I happened upon Carrington Farms organic ground flax seeds.  They have little portion sized vacuum sealed packets perfect for travel.  Since ground flax seed needs to be refrigerated to maintain the freshness of the oils, the vacuum sealed packets are necessary.  Best of all you don’t have to miss this important ALA supplement when you go out of town.

I found some other interesting products along my journey but I am saving them for future blogs so stay tuned!

Why Flax?

What is all the hype about flax seed?  Why do you need it and what is the best way to get incorporate it into your diet?

Flax seed is a small seed rich in the essential omega 3 fat alpha-linolenic acid or ALA.  ALA is called essential because the body cannot manufacture it on its own, and therefore, one has to ingest it.  ALA can be found in other foods but the highest concentration is in flax seeds.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        In order to get the health benefit of the flax seed it needs to be ground.  Otherwise it will go through your digestive track undigested, which is helpful for fiber and regularity but without the omega 3 benefit.

Flax seeds are also the richest source of lignans which are plant compounds that help with hormone balance.  When I started using ground flax seeds almost 2 years ago I noticed an immediate increase in energy, and a favorable change in my periods and symptoms related to PMS such as cramps and headaches.  I won’t go without it and travel with it due to the improvement in my health.

Research now shows ground flax seeds are helpful during peri-menopause, and menopause for hormone stability, a great alternative to taking hormones.  For younger women flax seeds can promote normal ovulation and increase fertility.    Flax seeds are also being studied for their health role in the prevention of diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and heart disease.

Ground flax seeds can be bought in vacuum-sealed packages.  After opening, store in the refrigerator and use within 3 months.  You can also buy them whole, and grind with a coffee grinder but that seems a little too much work for my tastes.

Use 1 tablespoon per day to get the recommended amount of ALA.  I like to have it first thing in the morning on my yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit and nuts.  You can also put it in a smoothie, sprinkle it on a salad or use it on top of a tomato much like bread crumbs.  It can make a wonderful substitute for bread crumbs in meatballs, a recipe from my book A Recipe for Life by the Doctor's Dietitian.

Try different brands as they can taste quite different.  I like the Organic Spectrum brand over others which you can purchase at Whole Foods or other health food stores.

Ground flax seeds are an easy addition to your diet and well worth the health benefits.  Remember, it’s prevention not prescription.