Health, Taken Seriously

Is your diet deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids? Chances are, if you live in the U.S., the answer is yes. The typical American diet provides plenty of Omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid), but is lacking in Omega-3′s (linolenic acid–including ALA, DHA, and EPA). Both are essential fatty acids, meaning your body can’t synthesize them and you must get them from your diet. But the American diet is abundant in oils that provide Omega-6′s, like corn and safflower and cottonseed oils, while lacking in sources of Omega-3′s, like fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. In fact, while the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 should be somewhere between 4:1 and 1:1, for most of us, it’s actually between 14:1 and 25:1 ¹.

This excess consumption of Omega-6 appears to be partially responsible for the abundance of health problems we have–cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, cancer, obesity, etc. A diet high in Omega-6 fatty acids causes our bodies to produce proinflammatory eicosanoids (hormon-like substances), increasing your risk of asthma, allergies, arthritis, and other inflammatory diseases². Omega-6 fatty acids have also been shown to fuel cancer cell growth in rats, while tumors infused with Omega-3′s showed slowed growth^3,4. Clinical studies of Omega-3′s in humans show promise that the essential fats can slow or even possibly prevent the growth of certain types of cancers^5,6,7. In addition to promoting cancer, a diet high in Omega-6′s may lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. An Australian study showed people whose muscles cells contain high levels of Omega-6′s and low levels of Omega-3′s are more likely to be insulin resistant and obese, and the more unbalanced the ratio, the more severe their metabolic problems and weight were⁸.

However, a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids and lower in Omega-6 fatty acids can provide many health benefits. For those with hypertension, consuming 3g of Omega-3′s (both EPA and DHA) can lower systolic pressure by 5 pts and diastolic by 3⁹. Omega-3′s also help your cardiovascular health by slowing the formation of blood clots. Danish researchers H. O. Bang and Jorn Dyerberg studied the traditional Eskimo diet and concluded, “We believe that [eating more omega-3 fatty acids] could be as effective in the prevention of cardiovascular disease as the large-scale use of drugs.”¹⁰ Not only do Omega-3′s protect your cardiovascular system, they also protect your central nervous system. The brain is comprised of 60% fat–mostly in the membranes of neurons. Multiple studies have shown a correlation between intelligence as well as lack of mental disorders and a diet high in the right kind of fats, including Omega-3′s. Several studies have shown that rats or mice fed a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids were more successful at mazes or swim tests than animals on a high Omega-6 fatty acid diet^11,12. In the past decade, most parents have become aware of the fact that breast-fed babies, who receive more DHA than formula fed infants (since until recently, most U.S. formulas lacked DHA completely), score higher on standardized tests of intelligence (specifically reading, visual interpretation, sentence completion, nonverbal skills, and math)^13,14. The superior performance of breast-fed babies is probably due to a myriad of factors, but scientists suspect that the role of Omega-3 fatty acids in breast milk is partially to blame. A diet high in Omega-3′s also help children and adults–it may reduce your risk of dementia15, decrease the chances of developing depression and reduce its severity in those that already have it¹⁶, and reduce a child’s risk of developing ADHD and its symptoms^17,18. Omega-3′s can also help promote healthy skin and improve night vision¹.

Clearly, the research shows the benefits of eating fewer Omega-6 fatty acids and more Omega-3 fatty acids. How does one go about getting more Omega-3′s into her diet? Either you can eat more foods with Omega-3 fatty acids, or you can consider taking a supplement. Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish, fish oil, canola oil, flax oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, eggs high in Omega-3′s (thanks to an Omega-3 rich diet for the hens), pumpkin seeds, and dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale. Fish sources of Omega-3′s provide two types of essential fatty acids–EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Plant sources provide your body with ALA (alphalinolenic acid), which your body can convert into the DHA that it uses. However, this conversion is inefficient and varies from person to person, so it’s generally recommended that people try to get DHA directly. If you’re a vegetarian, this can be tricky and you may want to consider taking a supplement made with DHA extracted from algae (which is how the fish get it in their oil in the first place). Remember that eating less Omega-6 fatty acids is just as important as eating more Omega-3′s, so try to reduce your consumption of oils high in Omega-6′s–corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, soybean, peanut, sesame, and grapeseed. This means eating much less processed foods, as most are usually made with these Omega-6 containing oils.

If you do decide to eat more fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackeral, Pacific herring, lake trout, and anchovy, try to get it as fresh as possible. When eating fish like salmon, make sure to purchase wild and not farmed (Atlantic salmon). This will help reduce your consumption of many toxins polluting farmed fish, including mercury (a coal-burning power plant emission that eventually enters our waterways and is converted into the dangerous methylmercury by fish), PCBs (dangerous chemicals that are banned, but still exist in the environment), and PBDEs (brominated flame retardants). If you want to take a fish oil supplement, make sure the fish used are lower on the food chain, like anchovies and sardines (smaller means less time to accumulate toxins in their flesh) and that the oil is 3rd party tested for mercury and PCBs. The Spectrum brand sells a fish oil supplement, available at natural foods stores, that meets these requirements. Fortunately, a 2003 Consumer Reports study found that of all sixteen fish supplements samples it tested, every one had as much EPA and DHA as promised on the label and not many toxins (thanks to refinement)¹⁹. Martek Research companies sells DHA extracted from lab-grown algae in a form called life’sDHA (previously known as Neuromins brand, and recommended by Dr. William Sears), which is supplemented in various foods and vitamins. This DHA is so pure and free of toxins that it is supplemented in infant formulas. Recommended doses vary wildly, with Dr. Sears recommending 200mg a day, while Dr. Artemis Simopoulos, author of the book The Omega Diet, recommends a full gram (1000mg) each day. There doesn’t appear to be any adverse affects from higher consumption of Omega-3′s, but I personally follow the directions on my supplement bottle.

However you choose to do it, try to increase your consumption of foods with Omega-3 fatty acids and decrease intake of Omega-6 fatty acids. Trying to achieve a better balance between these two essential fatty acids (remember the recommended ratio in your diet is between 4:1 and 1:1) will provide you with better physical and mental health. Some of the healthiest cultures in the world eat this way, including the people on the Greek island of Crete, the Japanese, and the Eskimos. So consider getting more fat in your diet too; just make sure it’s the right type of fat.

Recommended reading:
The Omega Diet by Dr. Artemis Simopoulos
SuperFoods Rx by Dr. Steven Pratt
What to Eat by Marion Nestle (The section on fish is a must read! Pages 181-247)

Sites worth visiting:
http://www.deliciousorganics.com/Controversies/wildvsfarmfish.htm

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2. Simopoulos, Artemis, and J. Robinson. The Omega Diet. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.

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4. Noguchi, M, D. P. Rose, and I Miyazaki. The role of fatty acids and eicosanoid synthesis inhibitors in breast carcinoma. Oncology, 1995; 52:265-271.

5. Anti, M, G. Marra, and G Miggiano. Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on rectal mucosal cell proliferation in subjects at risk for colon cancer. Gastroenterology, 1992; 103:883-891.

6. Huang Y. C., J. M. Jessupe, and G. L. Blackburn. n-3 fatty acids decrase colonic epithelial cell proliferation in high-rsik bowel mucosa. Lipids, 1996; S-313-316.

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9. Howe, P. R. C. Fish oil supplements and hypertension. ISSFAL Newsletter, 1996; 3(4):2-5.

10. Dyerber, J. H. O. Bang, and O. Aagaard. “Small is beautiful”: alpha linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in man. Lancet, May 1983: 1169.

11. Lamptey, M. S. and B. L. Walker. A possible essential role for dietary linolenic acid in the development of the young rat. J of Nutrition, 1976; 106:86-92.

12. Nakashima, Y., et. al. Effect of a high linoleate and a high apha-linolenate diet on general behavior and drug sensitivity in mice. J of Lipid Research, 1993; 34:239-247.

13. Simopoulos, A. P. Omega-3 fatty acids part I: Metabolic effects of omega-3 fatty acids and essentiality. Handbook of Lipids in Human Nutrition. 1996, CRC Press Inc.: Boca Raton, p.51-73.

14. Uauy, R. et. al. Role of essential fatty acids in the function of the developing nervous system. Lipids, 1996; 31 S: 167-176.

15. Kalmijn, S, E. Feskens, and D. Kromhout. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and cognitive function in very old men. Amer J of Epidemiology, 1997; 145(1): 33-41.

16. Adams, P. B. et al. Arachidonic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in blood correlates positively with clinical symptoms of depression. Lipids, 1996; 31: 157-161.

17. Stevens, L. J. et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in boys with behavior, learning and health problems. Physiology and Behavior, 1996; 59: 915-920.

18. Stevens, L. J. et al. Essential Fatty acid metabolism in boys iwth attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Amer J of Clinical Nutrition, 1995; 62: 761-768.

19. Nestle, Marion. What to Eat. New York: North Point Press, 2006.