Ω Omega's Ω

You’ve probably heard the terms “fatty acid” and “omega 3″ before, but do you know what a fatty acid is or why your body needs it? What about the different types of fatty acids, what foods you can naturally find them in and how much your body needs to live a long, healthy life?

          

Fatty acids are important for all systems of the body to function normally, including your skin, respiratory system, circulatory system, brain and organs. There are two fatty acids, termed essential fatty acids (EFA) that your body does not produce on its own. EFAs have to be ingested.

The two essential fatty acids that the human body cannot produce are the omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid, which are important for brain development, immune system function and blood pressure regulation.

What is Omega-3 Fatty Acid?

Omega-3 fatty acid (Alpha-linolenic acid) is an essential fatty acid that plays an important role in brain function and may aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association recommends a diet in which fatty fish, like salmon, herring, sardines and tuna are consumed at least twice a week.

 

While these foods are high in omega-3 fatty acid, I personally do not agree with this recommendation as fish is contaminated and may be high in mercury, which can have detrimental health effects. Plus, I believe a raw food diet consisting of little to no meat is better for the human body.

Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acid

Research on the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acid have shown that it may be useful for supporting the following conditions.

Asthma Diabetes Arthritis Osteoporosis Some Cancers Skin Disorders

High Cholesterol High Blood Pressure Attention Disorders Depressive Disorders Macular Degeneration Digestive Difficulties

Omega-3 fatty acids are found naturally in:

Grains Spirulina Brazil Nuts Hempseed Oil Mustard Seeds Pumpkin Seeds

Chia Seed Oil Wheat Germ Oil Canola Oil (Rapeseed) Green Leafy Vegetables Raw Walnuts & Walnut Oil Flax seeds or Flax seed Oil

(I personally recommend using only organic sources)

 Barleans: Omega Swirl Flax or Fish Oil Omega-3 $17.99


Here at Get Healthy we sell Omega Swirl by Barleans. A Smoothie like supplement that tastes great and is full of Omega-3. These come in flavors such as Strawberry Banana, Lemon Zest, Mango Peach and Blackberry. Stop in the store to sample our flavors, we guarantee you will be hooked!

What is Omega-6 Fatty Acid?

Omega-6 fatty acid (Linoleic Acid) combined with omega-3 fatty acid produces many of the health benefits described above, but the trickiest part about playing the fatty acid game is that it is best to eat them in the right amounts.

You should be eating about twice as much omega-6 as omega-3, so that your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is 2:1, but in today’s world of fast food, frozen entrees, and high calorie snacks, it is not uncommon for most people to actually be getting about 15 times more omega-6 than omega-3. Washington DC’s center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health suggest that eating omega-6 and omega-3 in the wrong proportions may actually negate the health benefits.

The best sources of omega-6 are seeds, nuts and grains and green leafy vegetables, like lettuce, broccoli, purslane and kale, and in certain raw vegetable oils. Care should be taken to use raw cold pressed vegetable oils because cooking destroys the benefits of the fatty acids.

Omega-6 fatty acids are also found naturally in:

Olive Oil Wheatgerm Grape seeds Pistachios Sesame Oil Hemp seed Oil

Pumpkin Seeds Chia Seed Oil Safflower Oil Sunflower Oil Cottonseed Oil Raw Nuts & Seeds

What is Omega-9 Fatty Acid?

Omega-9, or monounsaturated oleic and stearic acid, is a non essential fatty acid produced naturally by the body whenever there is enough of either Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids.

However, if you do not have enough omega 3 and omega 6, then you must get omega 9 from your diet.

This fatty acid plays a role in preventing heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. Other benefits of omega 9 are that it reduces hardening of the arteries and improves immune function.

Omega-9 fatty acids are also found naturally in: 

Avocados Pecans Cashews

Almonds Hazelnuts Pistachios

Macadamia Nuts Chia Seed Oil Olives & Olive Oil

 
Barleans: Total Omega Swirl: Flax & Fish Oil Omega - 3, 6, 9 $23
This Omega Swirl Smoothie like Supplement tastes like Orange Cream (Yum!) and has both Fish and Flax Oil integrated. A best seller here in our store because it contains Omega 3, 6, and 9 all in one tablespoon size dose. Make sure to stop in to sample this AMAZING product.



New Chapter: WholeMega: Whole Fish Oil Capsules $25
This 100% Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Supplement contains SEVENTEEN Omegas - 3,5,6,7,8 &9's. It is a soft gel capsule. This supplement offers a whole-food alternative to conventional fractionated, highly processed and "purified" fish oils. It is pressed in a proprietary process similar to that of fine olive oil and therefore preserves natural antioxidants and Vitamin D3 that can be destroyed in other fish oils after processing.

**Stop in our store today and receive 10% off our already discounted prices when you mention this blog**