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Boost Your Health With Fish Oils

Fish oils, aka omega-3s, are considered to be essential fatty acids with the two main ones being DHA and EPA. Fish oils are terrific anti-inflammatory supplements.

Our modern North American lifestyle has led us to have high levels of chronic inflammation, the body’s natural response when there’s an injury to the body. Inflammation is healthy and normal when it’s short-termed or short-lived. It becomes a problem when the inflammation is not shut off, and it’s there all the time for a long time.

Problems Associated With Inflammation

Having high levels of inflammation all the time can lead to typical things like aches and pains as well as different chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis and all the various chronic lifestyle diseases that are affecting North American societies.

Balancing the Omega-3 and Omega-6 Ratio

While fish oil represents omega-3 fatty acids, our western diet is high in omega-6. Omega-6 fatty acids cause inflammation while omega-3 are the fatty acids that reduce inflammation. The key marker is the balance between the two. Ideally, we’d like to see a ratio of 1 to 1. At a minimum, you want to be below 5 omega-6 to 2 omega-3. Research shows that the average North American is between 9 omega-6 to 1 omega-3, even as high as 18 omega-6 to 1 omega-3. So if someone is at an 18:1 ratio, for example, they’re basically a walking ball of inflammation inside their body.

There are doctors who have proposed that levels of 70:1 are responsible for things like psychosis, and they can cause abnormalities in the brain pathways and the way people think. That’s why it’s essential to balance that omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.

What You Can Do

The easiest way to attain that proper balance is to take fish oil supplements. Talk to your chiropractor or health care practitioner about getting the right omega-3 fish oil for yourself. When it comes to the diet there are some things we can do:

  • Remove omega-6 sources such as corn oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil.
  • Replace these omega-6 oils with olive oil and coconut oil.
  • Reduce or eliminate grain-fed beef and dairy products because they are high in omega-6.
  • Eliminate tofu and other soy-based products from your diet.
  • Remove corn from your diet.
  • Choose raw nuts but avoid eating too many roasted nuts.
  • Eat more foods that are high in omega-3s. These include leafy, dark green vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli. Flax, chia and hemp seeds are good sources, too, as are cold water fish like salmon, cod and sardines.

How to Select a Good Quality Oil

As most people cannot eat cold water fish in high enough quantities to be beneficial, it’s critical to supplement with a high-quality fish oil. At the practice, we sell Innate Choice®. We also can provide guidance as to which fish oils are the best bets. Avoid purchasing lower-quality fish oil at your local grocery store that may contain mercury and other toxins due to ocean pollution. The fish oil is likely to be cheaper for that reason. It also may not contain a high enough dose of the omega-3s. So though a cheaper brand may be a quarter of the price of a superior grade of fish oil, you won’t be getting enough of what you’re looking for. Usually, with the higher price oil, you don’t need to take as many because the concentration is greater.

Instead, select a high-quality fish oil that has been properly distilled, so it’s a clean source. By doing so you won’t be ingesting a load of chemicals that can be found in poor grade or inferior quality fish oils. Don’t cheap out on your supplements!

Ideal Amount to Take Daily

According to research, most North Americans require a minimum of 3,000 milligrams of fish oil daily to keep the omega-3 and omega-6 ratios in balance. Everyone can benefit from fish oil and it’s particularly important for kids to take omega-3s every day for optimal brain function.

Contact Lindenwoods Chiropractic today to learn more! (204) 474-1159

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