Chronic inflammatory conditions continue to rise in the United states. In 2012 researchers found that the most common chronic condition affecting American adults is not just one condition it is multiple conditions aka multimorbidity (Tinetti ME, 2012). Multimoribidity, is a condition where a person is suffering from multiple diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer etc.
The old saying “you are what you eat” is becoming an epidemic. A person’s physical, mental and social health is directly related to what they eat. As Dr. Tobi has said many times it is not a diet that will improve our health, it is a lifestyle. Our lifestyle cannot change overnight but making small changes and committing to becoming a little healthier every day will not only improve our lives but it will pave a healthier future for our youth.
Today’s small change is the importance of fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids in our daily lifestyle. Omega-3 fatty acids are known as essential fats. These fats our essential to our bodies because we cannot make them and we must get them from our food. Our bodies need omega-3s for our cell membranes, hormone production, gene regulation and to help our overall health (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 2017).
The food we consume is typically shown to have a high level of omega-6 which is an essential fatty acid but it must be balanced with omega-3s. Studies have shown that the American lifestyle typically has a ratio of 20:1 Omega-6 to Omega-3. Ideally this ratio should be much closer to 2:1. High levels of Omega-6 and low levels of Omega-3 have been linked to inflammation and chronic disease (Dr. Axe, 2017).
Our brain is made up of 60% fat and typically the fattest organ in our body (Chang CY, 2009). Omega-3s are essential for mental health. Research has found that low levels of Omega-3s are associated with not only a higher rate of depression but also linked to having more severe depression symptoms (Thesing CS, 2017). Omega-3s have also been shown to help lessen physiological symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (Matsumura K, 2017).
The strongest research of beneficial effects of Omega-3s seems to be in relation to heart disease. Omega-3’s have been shown to lower blood pressure, lower triglycerides and prevent erratic heart arrhythmias (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 2017). One study found that heart attack survivors who took a 1 gram capsule of omega-3s every day were less likely to have a repeat heart attack or stroke (GISSI-Prevenzione trial, 1999).
The benefits of adding a high amount of Omega-3s to your lifestyle also include helping with high cholesterol, anxiety, ADHD, Arthritis, and eczema (Dr. Axe, 2017).
Finding a good supplementation of Omega-3s for you can be difficult. The best sources natural sources are fresh wild fatty fish such as tuna, salmon and mackerel. Grass-fed beef and some nuts and seeds can be helpful too but for most taking an Omega-3 supplement is the best way to ensure we get enough of the essential fat. Keep in mind not all supplements are created equal. If you have taken an Omega-3 supplement before that left a fishy taste in your mouth that is a good sign that it was not a quality supplement. If you would like some help in picking out the right supplement for you and improving your lifestyle contact us a Jeurink Family Chiropractic and wellness.
Dr. Jeric Toney D.C