You've heard it many times, haven't you? 'Make sure you get enough Omega-3 in your diet ' it's good for you!'

So what's all the fuss about? What is Omega-3 and why should you take it every day? Well, let's take a closer look at what is so great about Omega-3!

Omega-3 is a class of fatty acids (the building blocks of fat) that are essential to our health. Because our bodies cannot synthesize them they must be obtained from food or supplements.

Omega-3 is available from both plant foods (such as flaxseed) and cold-water fish (such as Hoki). Omega-3 from fish oil is superior to plant-sourced Omega-3 because fish oil contains the most important Omega-3 fatty acids for our bodies ' DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid). Both of these are long-chain fatty acids. Plant-based Omega-3 is only in the form of ALA (Alpha-linolenic Acid), a short-chain fatty acid which must first be converted by the body into DHA and EPA for it to use. The efficiency of this process is low ' it is estimated that an average adult would need to consume 10 - 40 grams of flaxseed oil to produce only 200 mg of DHA. So obviously taking Omega-3 from a fish source is much preferred.

What are some of the Benefits of Taking Omega-3?

To begin with, the western diet contains far too much Omega-6 fatty acids. These come mainly from vegetable oils such as corn, soybean, sunflower, safflower, canola, and so on. These fats are found in margarine, shortening, and most processed foods. They are associated with high cholesterol levels, heart disease, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, etc. Scientists seem to agree that the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 should be in the range of 4:1 to 1:1. However, because the typical diet is so low in Omega-3 and at the same time so high in Omega-6, the actual ratio is estimated to be as high as 50:1!

Omega-3 from Fish Oil has many Health Benefits Including:

' Cardiovascular ' Studies show that Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for overall heart health, increases HDL while lowering LDL cholesterol, lowers mild hypertension due to cardiovascular disease, helps avoid blood clots, reduces heart irregularities, and improves all circulatory problems.

' Brain Function ' Fish oils, especially DHA, is known to improve mood disorders such as depression, to positively affect overall mental functions, curb aggression, support the formation and repair of brain cells to improve conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Alzheimer's disease, as well as improve memory and learning abilities.

' Allergies ' Omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent the development of allergies and protect against symptoms of hay fever, sinus infections, asthma, food allergies, hives, and eczema.

' Skin health ' Fish oils have shown to reduce inflammation in the skin of persons with psoriasis, and generally improve the health of skin, nails, and hair.

' Autoimmune Conditions ' Omega-3 in fish oil inhibits inflammatory compounds which can benefit sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriasis, etc.

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