Omega-3 fatty acids reign supreme! They are one of the healthiest essential fatty acids necessary for improving our health.
Our bodies however cannot produce these fatty acids and hence we have to get this essential nutrient from external sources such as foods and supplements. Regular consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids can provide us with numerous health benefits. Without further ado here are some healthy benefits of omega three fatty acids everyone should know about.
1. Fighting Chronic Inflammation
There are two types of inflammation, acute and chronic. Acute inflammation involves pain swelling and redness and is usually short term however chronic inflammation can last for months or years and may have links to various diseases such as arthritis, Diabetes, allergies and, psoriasi to name a few. Inflammation is part of the body’s defense mechanism and it gets activated and launches a response when an intruder such a bacteria or virus or even a foreign substance such as an eye irritant or a thorn pierces your skin. Sometimes the body may even attack its own cells because it sees it as harmful and this reaction can lead to what is known as autoimmune diseases. Therefore inflammation is the single most determining factor for your health because it can damage the body’s cells and tissue and cause life threatening disorders
This is where Omega-3 fatty acids come in. Omega-3 fatty acids protect the body against inflammatory changes and preserve the normal structure and functions of vital cells and tissues. Omega-3s reduces the production and release of the body’s inflammatory molecules and substances and stops the damage of tissues from taking place. Even though it is important that the body fights infections in order to repair damages caused by toxins, the body’s defense sometimes becomes over-reactive and continues to fight even in the absence of injury and it is these Omega 3s that when used in the right proportion provides a natural way to counter the effects of excessive inflammation and reduce the risk of life-threatening disorders.
2. Fight autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases are also a product of the body’s inflammatory response. This is where the immune system mistakenly identifies healthy cells for foreign substances. A key example is where the body attacks insulin-producing cells of the pancreas which in turn may develop into type 1 diabetes.
Omega-3s can combat and fight some of these diseases especially in its early stage Studies have shown that getting enough Omega-3 early in life is linked to reduce risk of many autoimmune diseases. Omega 3s have been shown to help other ultimate immune diseases such as lupus arthritis, rheumatoid Crohn’s disease and psoriasis
3. Fight depression and anxiety
There are many factors at play in today’s world that affect one’s mental and emotional state and puts us in a state of depression. Some of these include financial burdens, meeting deadlines and targets, insecurity about our job, nervous tension going to a job you dislike and strained relationships
omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have antidepressant properties and also produce an anti-anxiety effect. Studies have found a link between reducing depression and Omega-3. One study indicated that people who took omega 3 on a regular basis are less likely to become depressed and what’s more interesting is that when people who are diagnosed with anxiety or depression start taking Omega-3 supplements their symptoms seems to improve. Of great note too is that the molecules of the omega-3 fatty acids provide a neuroprotectant benefit that prevents the brain from shrinking Omega-3 provides relief of depression symptoms by regulating brain Transmissions.
There are three forms of omega-3 fatty acids at play here. These are EPA, ALA and DHA it is widely considered that of the three, EPA is the best and most effective at fighting depression
4. Improve risk factors for heart disease
Strokes and heart attacks tops the list as one of the leading causes of death in the world today. However the functions of your heart can be improved by supplementing your body with omega-3 fatty acids. It was observed that communities that ate lots of fish had very low rates of these diseases and this was linked to the consumption of omega 3s. From the time this was first observed Omega-3 fatty acids have since been tied to many different benefits of heart health such as the
lowering of blood pressure to help prevent the complications of hypertension
Increasing HDL CHolesterol which are good cholesterols so as to protects against cardiac failure and heart attacks
Reduction of Triglyceride levels to between 15 and 30% .
Stopping plaque formation within the arteries which can be highly dangerous for your heart.
…and prevents the abnormal clotting of Blood by preventing clumping of the platelets and preventing more complications
5. Fight mental Decline and Alzheimer’s disease
As we age there’s a decline in brain function and this is one of the unavoidable consequences of Aging. Higher intake of Omega-3 consumption has been linked to decrease in age-related mental decline and reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease
The gray matter in the brain is responsible for performing the functions of memory and processing information. There seems to be more gray matter in the brain when there is a high content of omega-3 fatty acids. By improving gray matter it promotes the functions of memory and information-processing thereby reducing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease . Continued intake of omega-3 fatty acids provide much-needed nutrition to the Aging brain and can preserve its functions even at an older age. More research is needed however on the link between brain health and omega-3s
6. May help to prevent cancer
One of the leading causes of death in the western world is cancer and omega-3 fatty acids have been claimed to reduce the risk of certain cancers. Studies show a reduced risk of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women when there’s a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been associated with a lower risk of cancers in several organs including in lungs, liver, colon and rectum. One way in which omega-3 fatty acids control cancer is by promoting apoptosis. This is the process by which abnormal cancer cells are attacked and destroyed by the body’s immune system. Omega-3 fatty acids also prevent angiogenesis which is a process that involves the formation of new blood vessels that feeds the tumor with nutrients and oxygen. Unlike chemotherapy omega-3 fatty acids can destroy cancer cells without providing any Toxic effect on healthy cells.
7. Reduce asthma in children
Asthma is a chronic lung disease and includes symptoms like shortness of breath coughing and wheezing. Asthma attacks can be very dangerous; they are caused by swelling and inflammation in the Airways of the lungs. It is usually triggered when the individual is exposed to substances that they are allergic to. because of the pollution in air today the cases of asthma are rising. omega-3 fatty acids aid in providing relief of these symptoms by relaxing the Airways while at the same time they reduce the swelling and mucus produced in the Airways and act as anti-inflammatory agents. Omega-3s produces an action that helps in liquefying excessive mucus thereby allowing an individual to breathe easily
8. Can help with fatty liver
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is quite common. It has now become one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease in the western world because of the increase in obesity stemming from unhealthy lifestyles. The consumption of foods that lack nutrients has led to the rise in the incidence of fatty liver.
Again supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids can effectively reduce liver fat and inflammation in people with this disease. Omega 3s protect the hepatic cells that are damaged by the high intake of fatty foods as well as prevent insulin resistance caused by the fatty liver.
As you can see it is very important to get your daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids and there are many foods that provide these fatty acids however if you think you are lacking in this department consider taking some Omega-3 supplements, Make sure your supplements contain enough of the recommended EPA and DHA needed. Now go ahead and make sure to check out the video located in the top right hand corner of your screen about 12 foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Thank you all for watching and see you in the next video.