Total Health Breakthroughs: Free Natural Health Newsletter and Alternative Health Articles

“If you had to give me just one piece of advice about health, what would it be?” Rob asked.

I was at a Christmas party this past weekend, catching up with our family friend Rob. I was telling him about Total Health Breakthroughs and what I do. And he was telling me about the positive changes he has made to his health in the past year.

Several things came to mind to answer his question. “You should be sure that you are getting enough vitamin D,” I said. “Eat an antioxidant rich diet. And cut out the sugar and stick to low-glycemic foods.”

“That is three things,” he said. “If you could tell me just ONE thing to do, what would it be?”

“Consume more omega-3 fatty acids,” I said.

Rob and I were just making conversation. Of course, there is more than one thing you should do to maintain and protect your health. But eating a diet rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids is certainly near the top, in terms of importance.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for your brain and your heart. They can boost your immunity. They can improve athletic performance. They can tame inflammation. They improve lung function. They can even help you lose weight.

In fact, there are more positive, peer-reviewed studies about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids than any other food or nutrient. You would be hard pressed to find a single health condition that cannot be improved by optimal omega-3 levels in the body.

On the flipside, the risks of every degenerative disease increase when omega-3s are deficient in the diet. Unfortunately, our modern diet is chronically deficient in these healthy and essential fats.

In this issue, I will discuss a few of the many, many benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. I will also show you why fish oil (not flaxseed oil) is the best source of omega-3s… and why mercury pollution in not a concern in fish oil…

Want to Lose Fat? Take Your Fish Oil…

Contrary to the government’s faulty Food Pyramid, not all fats are created equal. Certainly, some fats will increase your risk of cancer and heart disease, and cause you to gain weight. But healthy fats can not only improve the health of your heart and protect against cancer, they can even help you lose weight.

Consider omega-3 fatty acids, for example. The Journal of Nutrition published a study where rats ate diets rich in DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil). The researchers found that these rats experienced a significant decrease in body fat mass, compared to rats that did not receive the supplement.

Other studies have shown why this takes place. First of all, DHA prevents undifferentiated cells from becoming preadipocytes (the precursor to fat cells). It also inhibits the fat-storage capacity of adipocytes (the cells that store fat). So, not only does DHA decrease the total number of fat cells, it also diminishes the ability of existing fat cells to store more fat.

It is also important to note that when rats are fed corn oil (omega-6 fatty acids) they tend to accumulate fat. By the same token, if you eat a lot of processed food, fried foods and conventionally raised meats, you are probably consuming far too many omega-6 fats and too few omega-3s. If you are carrying too much fat, this could be one reason why.

Why Flaxseed Oil Is NOT the Best Source of Omega-3s

When it comes to omega-3 the question often arises, what is the best source?

As always, the optimal source for any nutrient is from food. The very best food sources of omega-3s are wild Salmon and sardines. These fish have several times the amount in most other fish. And they have extremely low levels of pollutants, compared to other fish. Grass-fed beef, buffalo and wild game are also a good source of omega-3s.

But it also makes sense to supplement your diet. And in that case, you might have heard that flaxseed oil is the best source. This is not true.

Flaxseed oil does contain omega-3s. But the omega-3s found in plant-based sources are short chain fatty acids (ALA). The fatty acids your body needs most for cardiovascular, brain and skin health are long chain fatty acids (EPA and DHA).

Your body can convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but it is a very inefficient process. Many factors can impact the amount you convert. But most studies show that about 15% of the ALA you consume is converted to EPA. Then only 5% of that amount is converted to DHA.

In other words, to get the all-important DHA your body needs, you would have to consume a huge amount of flaxseed oil.

Or… you could take fish oil. Fish oil is made up almost entirely of usable EPA and DHA. If you want the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3s, take fish oil, not flax oil.

Does Fish Oil Contain Dangerous Mercury?

As a proponent of fish oil supplements, I am often asked about safety. After all, if fish are contaminated with mercury, wouldn’t the oil of those fish also contain mercury? THB reader, SC, writes:

“I took salmon oil for several years but recently stopped after I read that wild salmon is one of the biggest carriers of mercury. How much mercury are you ingesting from salmon oil? And is there a safe fish oil? Mercury toxicity is serious business. What are your thoughts?”

First, I should point out that wild Alaskan salmon is one of the few fish that is predominantly free of mercury. It is farm-raised raised salmon which commonly contains mercury, PCBs and dioxins. Do not eat farm-raised salmon.

So what about fish oil?

Fish oils are produced by a process called “molecular distillation.” By its very nature this process removes most contaminants, including mercury. A few years ago, the nutritional supplement testing company, Consumer Labs, tested 41 leading brands of omega-3 fish oil. They found EVERY brand tested to be free of mercury.

However, a few brands were spoiled (fish oil is susceptible to oxidation). And one brand only had half of the claimed omega-3s. That’s why you should always stick to a reputable brand.

Fatty Fish Shown to Prevent Kidney Cancer

Scientists at Sweden’s famed Karolinska Institute have discovered that eating fatty fish just a few times per month can significantly reduce the risk of kidney cancer. In the late 1980s, these researchers carefully surveyed 90,000 Swedish women about their diet. Then they followed up with the women more than 10 years later to review their health status.

What they found is that the women who ate at least one portion of fatty fish per week reduced their risk of kidney cancer by 74 percent, compared to women who never ate fatty fish. That is a remarkable risk reduction. But here is the important part. The scientists found NO risk reduction from consuming lean, white-fleshed fish.

So, what’s the difference? According to an article by noted cancer researcher, Dr. Ralph Moss, “Oily fish contains up to 30 times more omega-3 fatty acids and three to five times more vitamin D than lean fish.” Laboratory studies have shown that these two nutrients are strongly protective against a variety of cancers (not to mention the cardiovascular benefits).

Take your fish oil…

I have only scratched the surface in regards to the benefits of omega-3s. But I hope I have helped to emphasize their importance.

Boost your consumption of these healthy and essential fats by consuming wild Alaskan salmon and sardines. If you eat beef, be sure that it is grass-fed.

And do your health a favor by taking a fish oil supplement. Carlson’s lemon flavored is the brand I recommend and take every day. It tastes great. And in my opinion, the liquid is much easier to stick with than taking the capsules every day. In the Consumer Labs report, Carlson’s received the highest marks for purity and quality.

Jon Herring
Editorial Director
Total Health Breakthroughs