How To Increase Your Omega-3 Intake: And Why You Should
Omega-3s are an essential group of fatty acids the human body requires for survival that can only be obtained through the foods we eat. Humans are unable to produce Omega-3s on our own and require a dietary source. It is thought that we began to incorporate Omega-3s into our diets during the Marine Isotope Stage 6 of the glacial period; we began to understand tidal movements more and relied upon shellfish and seafood more for calories. When this happened, the brain was able to become better and better as time passed.
BEST SOURCES OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
The best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are from seafood, especially oily fish!
- Mackerel – 3 oz serving contains about 2500-2600 mg of omega-3s
- Wild Salmon – 3 oz serving contains about 1800 mg of omega-3s
- Herring – 3 oz serving contains about 1300-2000 mg of omega-3s
- Bluefin Tuna – 3 oz serving contains about 1200 mg of omega-3s
- Canned Tuna – 3 oz serving contains about 500 mg of omega-3s
- Anchovy – 3 oz serving contains about 1400 mg of omega-3s
- Albacore Tuna – 3 oz serving contains about 1500 mg of omega-3s
- Halibut – 3 oz serving contains about 900 mg of omega-3s
- Sea Bass – 3 oz serving contains about 650 mg of omega-3s
Recommended doses of omega-3s are not definitive but most sources seem to agree that eating at least 2 servings of fish each week is essential for healthy individuals.
Make sure that your seafood is wild-caught if at all possible. If farm-raised is the only option, than try to find out what the fish are fed. In modern fish farms, many fish are fed the same things that make land-based animal proteins full of Omega-6.
WHAT IF I CAN’T EAT FISH?
While fish and seafood are the most efficient sources of omega-3s they are not the only source. Omega-3 is also found in flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, chia seeds, walnuts, soy, canola oil, and algae. You can also find the following foods often fortified with omega-3s: eggs, margarine, milk, juice, yogurt.
SUPPLEMENTATION OF OMEGA-3
A large portion of the population supplements omega-3s. You have likely heard someone talk about taking fish oil pills. These are the most common omega-3 supplementats. Omega-3 supplements are very easy to find! It is important to check on the manufacturing information and country of origin.
This Nervous System Multi was designed to help you find natural relief from nerve pain and oxidative damage. The Omega-3s in this multi help maintain nerve membrane and myelin sheath health.
WHY INCREASE OMEGA-3 INTAKE?
Omega-3s have been shown to improve cardiovascular health. Omega-3s can reduce the risk of blood clots by preventing blood platelets from clumping together. They also keep the lining of the arteries smooth and damage-free to help prevent plaque from forming.
Omega-3s also have been found to lower triglyceride levels produced by the liver.
Omega-3s also have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation in a slightly different manner from NSAIDs without the long-term side effects of those drugs. These fatty acids are building blocks for cell walls, or cell membranes. Most of the function of the cell is reliant upon the cell membrane and the quality of the building blocks is hugely important. Once Omega-3s become a large enough part of the human cell membranes, it can lead the inflammatory pathway to a more healthy and antiinflammatory product group. Cell membranes filled with Omega-6s lead the body toward damaging and aggressive inflammation.
Omega-3s have also been shown to lower blood pressure and raise levels of HDL, the good type of cholesterol. Many progressive and forward-thinking scientists and clinicians believe that the ratio of triglycerides to HDL is much more important for heart health than overall cholesterol numbers. Obviously, as Omega-3s reduce triglycerides and raise HDL, this might be one way they are very effective for promoting good cardiovascular health.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Meredith Warner is the creator of Well Theory and The Healing Sole. She is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Air Force Veteran.
She is on a mission to disrupt traditional medicine practices and promote betterment physically, spiritually and mentally to many more people. She advocates for wellness and functional health over big pharma so more people can age vibrantly with more function and less pain.
At Well Theory, Our surgeon-designed products are FDA Registered and formulated to help people:
- Manage the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain
- Recover vibrantly from orthopedic related surgeries
- Fill the gaps in our daily diets
- Manage pain associated with inflammation