DocsFocus Omega Balance

Omega 6 is found in abundance in many plant species. Olive oil, grape seed, canola, wheatgerm, cot­ton seed, safflower and soy bean oil are rich in omega 6 oils. By taking these oils in as part of a healthy diet, it is not necessary to use omega 6 oils as a food supplement.

The diet of earlier generations was rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. The typical Western diet contains mainly omega 6 fatty acids in the form of linoleic acid, with very small quantities of omega 3 fatty acids (e.g. linseed or flax seed oil). This imbalance places a physiological burden on the human body which the specie has not yet had the time to adapt to and prepare for through genetic modification. It is therefore important to supplement the human diet with EPA and DHA (omega-3 fatty acids) in the form of cold water fish oil such as found in salmon oil. To take in a sufficient quantity in the diet alone, you would need to eat about 1 kg of oily fish (e.g. sardines, salmon, trout, mackerel) a week.

Functions of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids

• Essential fatty acids maintain the fluidity of all cell membranes. This ensures that fluids, nutrients and oxygen can move in and waste prod­ucts out of, cells.
• Essential fatty acids help the red blood cells in transporting oxygen to cells. This prevents the blood in the blood vessels from clotting, as hap­pens in atherosclerosis, after heart attacks and stroke, thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
• EFA’s help to suppress the inflammatory process from going on too long, for example after injury, in contact dermatitis, arthritis and other joint infections.
• EFA’s are also used to reduce blood pressure in hypertension, to decrease harmful LDL-cholesterol and increase beneficial HDL-cholesterol.
• The essential fatty acids form part of the phospholipid structure of cell mem­branes. This is an important function of EFA’s as part of fluid transfer through cell membranes, electrolyte balance, hormone function and the immune function. Some of the omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA, are also precursors of prostaglan­dins. EPA and DHA play a role in the prevention and treatment of car­diovascular disease such as hypertension, high LDL-cholesterol, stroke and heart attacks.