Omega-3
Omega-3 essential fatty acids can only be obtained through diets and supplements. These beneficial fats are found in fatty fish, free-range eggs, and the meat and milk of pasture-fed cows.
Omega-3s provide protection against a wide range of conditions involving our cardiovascular, emotional, immune and neurological systems.
There is very good evidence that having the correct balance of omega-3 fatty acids vs omega-6 fatty acids is a contributor to maintaining healthy blood pressure and preventing the accumulation of triglycerides (blood fats), which lead to hardened arteries. In addition, omega-3s may help provide protection against heart arrhythmias and blood clots.
Omega-3s have important effects in the brain, which is largely made up of fat. Correct amounts of DHA, an important essential fatty acid, affect serious mental health problems such as depression and bipolar disorder, as well as more general issues with memory and attention span.
In addition, omega-3s have important effects on inflammatory conditions and other immune system issues, such as asthma and allergies.
The drugs known as statins—the most widely prescribed drugs in the US—stake their claim to fame on their ability to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. That’s the kind that gunks up your arteries and increases your risk of congestive heart failure and heart attack, among other bad situations. Lowered LDL is a good outcome for many […]
Impaired vision and total blindness are far more common than most people realize. In fact, more people lose vision to some degree than lose hearing or cognitive function. I don’t know why so little attention is paid to what can be a very serious problem. Especially when the most common form of impaired vision is […]
It’s all but embedded in our dietary culture that fat and cholesterol are the devil’s way of making us overweight. An entire “no-fat, low-fat, fat-free, cholesterol-free” industry thrives around this notion. Please exorcise this devilish notion and stop eating foods that make such claims. The right fats and cholesterol are your body’s way of keeping […]
Omega-3 fatty acids are one of several types of essential fatty acids (EFAs). They’re called EFAs because they’re essential to human health, but the body can’t make them, so they must come from dietary sources. Omega-3-rich fish oil supplements are the easiest, most common, way to supplement your diet with extra Omega-3s, but cold water […]
It was a beautifully simple memory test. A group of men 20 or older and postmenopausal women completed a questionnaire about their diets. This gave the research team an estimate of how much trans fat they consumed. Each participant was then given a deck of 104 cards, with one word on each. They then had […]
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My patient Jonathan called not long ago, anxiously asking for an emergency appointment. We found a time for him to come in that day. He rushed in and told me he’d just read a new study linking omega-3 essential fatty acids with an increased risk of prostate cancer. I’ve been recommending omega-3 supplements to many […]
Omega-3 fatty acids are one of several types of essential fatty acids (EFAs). They’re called EFAs because they’re essential to human health, but the body can’t make them, so they must come from dietary sources. Omega-3-rich fish oil supplements are the easiest, most common, way to supplement your diet with extra Omega-3s, but cold water […]
With so many moving parts in our bodies, the trillions of cells, in the multiple major organs, all endlessly interacting with each other, why single out the heart? What about cognitive health? Kidney, liver, joint and mobility health, lungs, skin, and digestive system health? Good question. One reason is that heart disease remains the number […]
