When we reach for Omega supplements we tend to opt for Omega 3-6-9 which contains all three types of Omega but are they doing us any good? Far from it!
Our body makes it's own omega-9 so it isn't really necessary to supplement this but it cannot make omega-3 and 6. It is very easy to get omega-6 from our diet….far too easy it seems. It is present in our modern day diet in ample amounts - fast food, cured meats, bread, eggs to name but a few.
In reality most people should be decreasing our omega-6 intake and increasing our omega-3 to get the safe ratio...but why?
In times gone by when we lived off the land our omega 6 and 3 ratio was 1:1. Over the course of human evolution and because of the modern day diet there has been a dramatic change in the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fats consumed in the diet. Nowadays, the average diet is a ratio of anywhere roughly between 10:1 and 25:1 This is an extremely unbalanced ratio causing an alarmingly high amount of health problems because the safe ratio is a maximum of 4:1.
This change, perhaps more than any other dietary factor, has contributed to the epidemic of modern disease. Of course we need Omega-6 but too much is health damaging .. and most of us are getting far too much.
A diet with a lot of omega-6 and not much omega-3 will increase inflammation within the body which cancer cells love. A diet with a lot of omega-3 and not much omega-6 will reduce inflammation.
The billion dollar Big Pharma industry is well aware of the effect of omega-6 on inflammation. Ibuprofen, aspirin etc. work by reducing the formation of inflammatory compounds derived from omega-6 fatty acids. The same effect could be achieved by simply limiting dietary intake of omega-6. The drug companies of course don’t want you to know that, that would mean less profit for them.
So what are the consequences to human health of too much omega-6? The list includes (but isn’t limited to):
cardiovascular disease
type 2 diabetes
obesity
metabolic syndrome
irritable bowel syndrome & inflammatory bowel disease
macular degeneration
rheumatoid arthritis
asthma
cancer
psychiatric disorders
autoimmune diseases
We need to balance out that ratioIn studies the relationship between intake omega-6 fats and cardiovascular mortality is particularly striking. On the other hand, several clinical studies have shown that decreasing the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio protects against chronic, degenerative diseases. One study showed that replacing corn oil with olive oil and canola oil led to a 70% decrease in total mortality. That is no small difference.
Another efficient way to lower the ratio of too much omega-6 in ratio to omega-3 is to take omega-3 supplements and eat more omega-3 rich food. In fact I personally believe everyone should take an Omega-3 supplement as the average modern day diet just isn't giving us enough. Beware though, the Omega-3 supplements you can buy off the shelf are not all equal and there are a lot of inferior products out their in leading chainstores!
Without a doubt, fish oil supplements can play an important role in increasing intake of omega-3 fats. As tempting as it may be to take large doses of fish oil supplements to balance the dietary omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, it’s best to stick to the recommended dosages to provide the right amount of omega-3 fats and then correct the omega ratio by directly addressing omega-6 fat consumption—preferably through whole foods.
*Patients suffering from a clotting disorder or those taking antihypertensive, anticoagulant, or antiplatelet agents should consult their physician before taking fish oil supplements.
Depression
Inflammation and Arthritis
Weight Gain
Heart Disease
Difficulty Concentrating
Unhealthy Skin
Memory Loss
Poor Immune System
Fatigue
Eyesight Problems / Macular Degeneration
Foods Rich Omega 3 Are
Seafood - Mackerel, Salmon, Herring, Cod Liver Oil, Sea Bass, Oysters, Sardines, Trout, Shrimp
Vegetarian - Seaweed and Algae (Seaweed, Spirulina, Chlorella, Nori), Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds and Oil, Flax Seeds and Oil, Edamame Beans, Walnuts, Kidney Beans.