Why you need Omega 3s
What are Omega 3s?
Omega 3s are an essential fatty acid, which means that since your body does not produce them on it on its own, you must consume them. They are a polyunsaturated fat that make up our cell membranes( in conjunction with omega 6s).
There are 3 main types of omega 3s that you need to know about:
Alpha linolenic acid (ALA)- a short chained fatty acid that is found in plant based sources like green leafy vegetables, flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. Since it is a short chained fatty acid your body has to convert it into long chained EPA and DHA. This process is inefficient and less than 5% of ALA gets converted to EPA while less than .5% of ALA gets converted to DHA.
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)- a long chained fatty acid found in oily fish, free range egg yolks, and grassfed meat. Your body needs large quantities of DHA and EPA in order to receive all of the benefits of omega 3s.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)- a long chained fatty acid found in oily fish and grassfed meat. EPA can be converted in DHA.
So can omega 3 fats really help fix your gut??
Quick answer:
HELL YA THEY CAN
1. Healthy fats like omega 3s help reduce inflammation, this will in turn create an environment that is ideal for your good gut bugs to flourish in.
2. The anti inflammatory benefits can also counteract digestive disorders exacerbated by omega 6s and poor lifestyle habits.
3. Having sufficient omega 3s can improve sleep quality- those deficient in omega 3s have also been linked to decreased melatonin. And we know how important sleep is for healing your gut!
How else can you benefit from getting more omega 3s in your life?
Both EPA and DHA are good for heart health. Having sufficient omega 3 levels has been known to lower high triglycerides, regulate blood pressure, and lower high blood pressure.
Having sufficient EPA has been known to help with hormones, mainly estrogen, and mood based disorders.
Having sufficient DHA has been linked to good fetal development, decrease in nervous system issues, increased cognitive health, and increased eye health.
On top of that we know Omega 3s have been linked with decreasing inflammation overall in the body so any sort of inflammatory disorder can benefit from having sufficient Omega 3 levels.
How can you get more omega 3s?
You can either eat fatty fish like sardines, mackerel, wild salmon, anchovies 4x a week or supplement with a high quality fish oil!
Here’s what to look for in your fish oil supplements:
Exceptional freshness
Cold extraction
Minimal processing
No filler oils, just fish oil and nothing else.
Molecular distillation
Filtration
High EPA supplements, with DHA too.
Now who’s ready to add some more Omega 3s in their life??