“Mmmmm, that’s good bass!” 

Those are the immortal words of Dan Akroyd from one of my favorite Saturday Night Live Skits.  Fortunately, you don’t have to go as far as Akroyd and puree your raw catch of the day in a Bass O’ Matic to get the health benefits of fish oil.

You probably have heard many advertisements for fish oil or Omega-3 fatty acids or have seen more and more Omega-3 fish oil supplements in your favorite health food store.  That’s because they have the full endorsement of the medical and scientific communities for preventing and treating a variety of common diseases – including arthritis, heart disease and ADHD.

I have been preaching Omega-3 supplementation to my patients for years and use them for myself, my wife and our 3 month old daughter. I’ve been aware of the many health benefits of taking Omega-3 fatty acids, so I plan on writing many articles about the subject.  But first, what the heck is an Omega-3 fatty acid anyway?

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid which means that our bodies need it to carry out many important functions.  However, we can’t produce them on our own.

For instance, your brain is 60% structural fat, just as your muscles are made of protein and your bones are made of calcium.  It’s not just any fat that our brains are made of.  It has to be certain types of fats, and since we don’t produce it on our own, we must take supplements to increase our Omega-3 intake.

Research has shown that the diets of hunter/gatherers were rich in Omega-3’s.  So, what did they eat that we aren’t eating anymore?  For example: a mix of unprocessed meats, fruits and vegetables, with little or no grains.  Green leafy vegetables, certain seeds and nuts, and wild, free range game are rich in Omega-3’s.

The American diet, as in most industrialized countries for that matter, is very low in Omega-3 fatty acids.  Our diets are actually overloaded with another fatty acid, Omega-6, which along with Omega-9 fatty acids, are also essential fatty acids.  However, we consume way too much Omega-6 fat (found in margarine and vegetable and sunflower oils), and far too little Omega-3’s.  We should have a ratio of around 1:1 Omega-3 to Omega-6, in other words, equal amounts. 

I will attempt to explain why that is in future articles, for now, it’s important to know that currently most Americans eat a dietary ratio that falls in the range of 20:1 to 50:1 Omega-6 to Omega-3! 

A great way to illustrate this is to go into your pantry and read the labels on the food you have. Notice how many foods are made with margarine, vegetable or sunflower oils. 

In future posts, I will get into much deeper details and specifics about Omega-3 fatty acids and how they affect your health. In the meantime, however, if any of you are in the Metro Detroit area, I am hosting a free lecture on Omega 3’s at