No doubt the human body needs a lot of various fats, and most of them it gets in a natural way. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen with Omega-3 fatty acids. They are needed, and they can be gotten from food only. It means a balanced diet should include foods with sufficient content of Omega-3 – that is, plenty of fish, leafy vegetables and vegetable oils, walnuts and other nuts, flax seeds, and flaxseed oil.
Omega-3 fats really deserve special consideration. They form a part of cell membranes in the entire body and there conduce to good function of the cell receptors. Without them, some of the hormone-making processes get slowed down, so hormones regulating inflammation, blood clotting, and movements of artery walls can turn up in smaller amounts. Besides, these fats are active in cells responsible for the genetic function.
Being so salubrious by nature, Omega-3 fats are known to be instrumental in preventing heart diseases, stroke, other conditions and even cancer to some extent. Also, these healthy fats come in useful for people with eczema, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Are Omega-3 fatty acids really so good for my health?
According to medical studies, multiple health issues of taking Omega-3 fatty acids regularly embrace:
- Alleviating cardiovascular conditions.
- Those with cardiovascular disease have a lower risk of its being terminal.
- Cardiac deaths due to abrupt changes in the heart rhythm happen more rarely.
- Since a good amount of Omega-3 fatty acids in the blood can keep platelets from clumping, the formation of blood clots occurs more slowly.
- Omega-3 fatty acids can maintain the smoothness of the arteries’ lining so that the arteries can remain thick and hard. This way there will be less arterial plaque forming.
- They control the formation of triglycerides in the liver. If the level of triglycerides in the blood runs up higher, it could conduce to developing heart diseases.
- The risk of inflammation is lowered. As your arteries get harder and you develop atherosclerosis, your body can exhibit an inflammatory response and start releasing certain substances. Being present, Omega-3 fatty acids can slow this process down.
- Bringing up the level of “good” cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein.
- Balancing blood pressure. Individuals who are keen on fish were found to boast lower blood pressure compared to those who eat little fish.
- Children struggling with ADHD also get health benefits from more Omega-3 supplements: they reduce the symptoms, help concentrate, and play down aggression and hyperactivity.
- The good fats can calm down bouts of anxiety and depression. As emerges from studies, people who habitually intake Omega-3s show less susceptibility to depression. Moreover, when sufferers from anxiety and depression started on Omega-3 supplements, their symptoms were registered to have improved.
- The retina of our eyes has DHA as one of its major components – and DNA is a type of Omega-3, so Omega-3 is very beneficial for eye health. Actually, lacking a sufficient amount of DHA, people can have problems with their vision. On the other hand, having ample amount of Omega-3 can lower the risk of a very harmful issue known as macular degeneration, the condition that can cause blindness at worst.
- Would-be mothers should be aware that Omega-3 is benign to the oncoming baby’s health. A plentiful intake of Omega-3s before and after birth can ensure the child’s proper development. They can enhance intelligence and diminish the risk of a number of diseases.
- Metabolic syndrome can also be sensitive to Omega-3s. These fatty acids can bring down inflammation and insulin resistance as well as play down certain heart disease factors.
- Furthermore, they can be helpful against some particular autoimmune diseases, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis among others, also good for psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
- Additionally, Omega-3 may strengthen bones and ensure the health of joints, thereby potentially weakening the chances of osteoporosis, arthritis, and the like.
- In the long run, Omega-3s might hold back the development of Alzheimer’s disease and ease up mental decline at a mature age.
- Omega-3 can also work as an anticarcinogenic, helping stave off colon, breast, and prostate cancer as well as some other types of cancer.
- Bad menstrual pain can succumb to Omega-3 fatty acids; if you need an anti-inflammatory drug, they can do the work of ibuprofen, maybe even better.
- At an early age, Omega-3 in the body can alleviate the bouts of asthma and make it milder.
- DHA and other Omega-3 fatty acids may prove to be an efficient help to people with troubled sleep.
- Other benefits may include clean smooth skin, prevention of sunburns, and delaying the aging process.
Omega-3 fatty acids are indispensable for those who care for health
Conclusively, it is worth your while to ensure an ample Omega-3 intake, for instance, by satiating yourself on fatty fish. But if you can’t treat yourself to plenty of fatty fish at least twice a week, you can resort to investing in omega-3 supplements.
To provide a good supply of Omega-3 acquire a stock of foods such as flaxseed and canola oil, ground or milled flaxseeds, chia seeds, soy foods, nuts, and mostly walnuts; try algae or algae oil rich in DHA. Fortify your favorite foods with algae oil to get the benefits of Omega-3. So, vegetarians who do not touch fish have other options to enjoy salubrious fatty acids.
