It is common perception that eating a ton of fat may not be the healthiest choice in our diet. This leads to some who may wonder, “Why is my doctor recommending me to take a fat supplement?” Contrary to popular belief, ingesting fat is not a bad thing, but the kind of fat you are regularly eating is. Fat is critical for our bodies to function. It makes up the majority of your brain and surrounds every nerve allowing proper signal communication and function throughout your body. When talking about fat, there is good fat and there is bad fat. Processed food like butter and dairy contain the “bad” fats. This is why we need to supplement our diet with the “good” fat for our healthiest selves. Your doctors recommend taking an omega-3 fatty acid found in anchovies and sardine fish oil for this very reason.
So, what is omega-3? Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid which is found in fish, specifically fish oils. For any nutrient to be defined as “essential” means it is required for healthy cell function, therefore any deficiency results in diminished cell function and overall diminished health. We are genetically designed to ingest and digest omega-3 essential fatty acids which are made of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the form they are found in nature. If science and experience have taught us anything it is that we cannot improve upon nature and the way we are meant to function.
Research indicates that deficient intake of these essential omega-3 fatty acids is a causal factor to many illnesses including cancer, heart disease, depression, arthritis, stroke, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, diabetes, obesity, digestive disease, osteoporosis, skin problems, vision problems, and developmental delays in children. Omega-3 fatty acid is important for regulating blood sugar, brain health, emotional health, bone health, digestive health, immune health and cancer prevention.2 There is research validating the ingestion of fish oil containing EPA and DHA leading to a decrease in cortical gray matter loss. Loss of brain gray matter leads to neurological disease such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s. This evidence proves the necessity for fatty acid in gray matter and overall brain health.3 The take home message: EVERY human requires sufficient intake of EPA and DHA which has nothing to do with which disease they may or may not have. If you are a human, you need EPA and DHA found in omega-3 – period.
The typical American’s diet is deficient in omega-3 and too much consumption of the unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids leading to widespread inflammation and disease. For most, omega-6 intake is almost 11 times greater than omega-3. For better health, the ratio should be closer to 1:1.1 Eating wild and farmed fish out of our world’s polluted water leads to an increase in toxins like mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) chemicals. This is why Thrive Chiropractic Wellness Center’s doctors recommend Innate Choice Omega Sufficiency omega-3 fish oil because all of those nasty toxins are removed. To receive sufficient amounts from Innate Choice supplements, adults should take 4 capsules and children take 2 capsules for every 40 pounds of body weight. If you have questions or comments, make sure to ask your doctor at your next visit at Thrive CWC. Hope you have a happy healthy day!
So, what is omega-3? Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid which is found in fish, specifically fish oils. For any nutrient to be defined as “essential” means it is required for healthy cell function, therefore any deficiency results in diminished cell function and overall diminished health. We are genetically designed to ingest and digest omega-3 essential fatty acids which are made of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the form they are found in nature. If science and experience have taught us anything it is that we cannot improve upon nature and the way we are meant to function.
Research indicates that deficient intake of these essential omega-3 fatty acids is a causal factor to many illnesses including cancer, heart disease, depression, arthritis, stroke, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, diabetes, obesity, digestive disease, osteoporosis, skin problems, vision problems, and developmental delays in children. Omega-3 fatty acid is important for regulating blood sugar, brain health, emotional health, bone health, digestive health, immune health and cancer prevention.2 There is research validating the ingestion of fish oil containing EPA and DHA leading to a decrease in cortical gray matter loss. Loss of brain gray matter leads to neurological disease such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s. This evidence proves the necessity for fatty acid in gray matter and overall brain health.3 The take home message: EVERY human requires sufficient intake of EPA and DHA which has nothing to do with which disease they may or may not have. If you are a human, you need EPA and DHA found in omega-3 – period.
The typical American’s diet is deficient in omega-3 and too much consumption of the unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids leading to widespread inflammation and disease. For most, omega-6 intake is almost 11 times greater than omega-3. For better health, the ratio should be closer to 1:1.1 Eating wild and farmed fish out of our world’s polluted water leads to an increase in toxins like mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) chemicals. This is why Thrive Chiropractic Wellness Center’s doctors recommend Innate Choice Omega Sufficiency omega-3 fish oil because all of those nasty toxins are removed. To receive sufficient amounts from Innate Choice supplements, adults should take 4 capsules and children take 2 capsules for every 40 pounds of body weight. If you have questions or comments, make sure to ask your doctor at your next visit at Thrive CWC. Hope you have a happy healthy day!
- Eaton, Eaton & Konner. Paleolithic nutrition revisited: A twelve-year retrospective on its nature and implications. Eur J. of Clin Nutr. 1997: 51;207-216.
- Maroon JC, Bost JW. 2006 Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) as an anti-inflammatory: an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic pain. Surgical Neurology. 65(3):326-331
- Pawelczyk T, Piatkowska-Janko E, Bogorodzki P, Gebski P, Grancow-Grabka M, Trafalska E. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may prevent loss of gray matter thickness to the left parieto-occipital cortex in first episode schizophrenia: A secondary outcome analysis of the OFFER randomized controlled study. Schizophr Res. 2017 Oct 24:eprint
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