David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Omega 3 and depression: The food and supplements you need
by Amanda Rose, Rebuild From Depression Blog
January 19, 2010 7
Studies are published regularly that reinforce the need for Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy brains. When we are newborn babies and living on our mother's milk, nature puts these beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids in her milk to provide us with this necessary fat for our developing brain. As we age, low Omega 3s are linked to Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's. In between, low Omega-3 fatty acids can cause depression.
We need a strategy for the short game and the long game. Both supplements and food can optimize our strategy.
Omega 3 supplements
To fight depression in the short term, we probably need an Omega 3 supplement and research suggests we need a pretty big dose of Omega-3 fatty acids to fight depression.
Supplements with other Omega fats generally are not going to be useful to improve our Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio. In particular, avoid supplements like Omega 3-6-9 supplements. You definitely don't need more Omega-6s in your diet and if you have olive oil on your salads, you're good on the Omega-9s as well.
Omega 3 foods
For the longer-term, begin a diet make-over reducing the Omega-6 fats in your diet and increasing Omega-3s. Ultimately, you want to be consuming about equal portions of Omega-3s and Omega-6s, as your ancestors did. Middle America now consumes fifteen to twenty times more Omega-6 than Omega-3. Work on reducing Omega-6s. An easy way to do this is by selecting the right oils for your meals. Here is a list of vegetable oils and their Omega-6 content. Cut out the worst offenders.
Next you should be replacing some of your protein foods with protein foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Your best Omega-3 option is fish and seafood. These foods are in a league of their own in the Omega-3 department. The only animal food that comes close that is not from a water-bound animal, is actually the liver of beef cattle or sheep fed a diet of grass. (Grass fed beef liver and Omega-3s). And while I'm on the topic of liver, I should add that liver is a great source of vitamins and minerals as well. Here's my favorite liver recipe.
Grass fed beef can also be a good choice in keeping your Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio in check, but it is not in the same league as seafood or liver.
If you are not won over by seafood or liver, a good vegetarian option is actually an egg from a chicken that is free to roam and eat weeds and bugs. In the spring and fall when the grass is moist and bugs are in abundance, this type of egg can be a nutritional powerhouse. The Omega-3 eggs in stores are a good option as well.
An plant-based alternative is flax seed.
If you are allergic to fish, by all means don't eat it. Do not take a fish oil supplement either. Work on those Omega-6 levels and read this article on Omega-3s and fish allergies.
Visit the Omega 3 foods photo gallery for ideas.
Trans fats
Trans fatty acids are being banned in a number of places in the country but you will still encounter them in most restaurants during your outings. In the context of your Omega-3 status, you should know that trans fats actually block your absorption of Omega-3s. So the French fries are not only adding to your calories and fat intake, they are reducing your body's ability to incorporate Omega-3 fatty acids into its brain. Avoid them.
by Amanda Rose, Rebuild From Depression Blog
January 19, 2010 7
Studies are published regularly that reinforce the need for Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy brains. When we are newborn babies and living on our mother's milk, nature puts these beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids in her milk to provide us with this necessary fat for our developing brain. As we age, low Omega 3s are linked to Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's. In between, low Omega-3 fatty acids can cause depression.
We need a strategy for the short game and the long game. Both supplements and food can optimize our strategy.
Omega 3 supplements
To fight depression in the short term, we probably need an Omega 3 supplement and research suggests we need a pretty big dose of Omega-3 fatty acids to fight depression.
Supplements with other Omega fats generally are not going to be useful to improve our Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio. In particular, avoid supplements like Omega 3-6-9 supplements. You definitely don't need more Omega-6s in your diet and if you have olive oil on your salads, you're good on the Omega-9s as well.
Omega 3 foods
For the longer-term, begin a diet make-over reducing the Omega-6 fats in your diet and increasing Omega-3s. Ultimately, you want to be consuming about equal portions of Omega-3s and Omega-6s, as your ancestors did. Middle America now consumes fifteen to twenty times more Omega-6 than Omega-3. Work on reducing Omega-6s. An easy way to do this is by selecting the right oils for your meals. Here is a list of vegetable oils and their Omega-6 content. Cut out the worst offenders.
Next you should be replacing some of your protein foods with protein foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Your best Omega-3 option is fish and seafood. These foods are in a league of their own in the Omega-3 department. The only animal food that comes close that is not from a water-bound animal, is actually the liver of beef cattle or sheep fed a diet of grass. (Grass fed beef liver and Omega-3s). And while I'm on the topic of liver, I should add that liver is a great source of vitamins and minerals as well. Here's my favorite liver recipe.
Grass fed beef can also be a good choice in keeping your Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio in check, but it is not in the same league as seafood or liver.
If you are not won over by seafood or liver, a good vegetarian option is actually an egg from a chicken that is free to roam and eat weeds and bugs. In the spring and fall when the grass is moist and bugs are in abundance, this type of egg can be a nutritional powerhouse. The Omega-3 eggs in stores are a good option as well.
An plant-based alternative is flax seed.
If you are allergic to fish, by all means don't eat it. Do not take a fish oil supplement either. Work on those Omega-6 levels and read this article on Omega-3s and fish allergies.
Visit the Omega 3 foods photo gallery for ideas.
Trans fats
Trans fatty acids are being banned in a number of places in the country but you will still encounter them in most restaurants during your outings. In the context of your Omega-3 status, you should know that trans fats actually block your absorption of Omega-3s. So the French fries are not only adding to your calories and fat intake, they are reducing your body's ability to incorporate Omega-3 fatty acids into its brain. Avoid them.
