Omega-3s for Optimal Health Function and Where to Find the Healthiest or “Purest” Source
As Americans are becoming more educated and taking control of their own health, Omega-3 Fatty Acids are becoming widely talked about an essential component for optimal health.
Omega-3s are important components of the membranes that surround each cell in your body. They are especially important in the eye, brain, and sperm cells. Omega-3s have many functions to support your heart, blood vessels, lungs, immune system, and endocrine system (hormones).
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How can Omega-3s provide optimal health?
Understanding where the Omega-3s function in your body provides insight on disease prevention and optimal function. Infant formula is fortified with Omega-3s to support brain development. Supplementing these important fatty acids should not stop after infancy. Studies show a lower risk of cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia in those who consume Omega-3s in their daily diet.
*We see a considerably lower risk of other diseases such as autoimmune disorders, cancers, and heart disease with a high consumption of Omega-3s.*
The #1 leading cause of death in America is heart disease. Increasing Omega-3s daily can lower your risk of heart disease.
Where can you get Omega-3s in your diet?
- Fish and other seafood (especially cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines)
- Nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts)
- Plant oils (such as flaxseed oil, soybean oil, and canola oil)
- Fortified foods (such as certain brands of eggs, yogurt, juices, milk, soy beverages, and infant formulas)
A vegetarian source would be from algae that fish commonly feed on. The fish are high in Omega-3s because they consume these algae. The algae and fish are the best sources of Omega-3s at the highest concentration. The other sources listed offer some levels but they are at a much lower level or come from untrustworthy fortified foods.
What are the risks of Omega-3 sources?
Unfortunately, the well-known sources of Omega-3s come with a catch-22. The catch on fish and anything coming from a water source is the amount of pollution, pesticide, heavy metals, and chemical contamination.
Articles will tell you the health benefits of obtaining Omega-3s from fish outweigh the contraindications of possible contamination. This may be true, but this sounds like an answer a physician will give you that supports a type of pharmaceutical that benefits his/her profit margin. Just like medications for heart disease.
A primary care physician will not tell you to take Omega-3s to prevent heart disease, the doctor will tell you the side effects from their recommended drug after you’ve been given a possible diagnosis of heart disease with the side effects outweighing the heart disease itself.
Here are some statistics that might make you think twice about consuming fish for Omega-3s:
- “1.4 Billion pounds of trash ends up into the oceans every year.”
- “Researchers found 6,648 Fracking and gas well spills between 2005 and 2014. This can be explained by reporting requirements. In North Dakota, any spill bigger than 42 US gallons has to be reported while in Colorado and New Mexico the requirement was 210 gallons.” Anything less than those numbers does NOT have to be reported!
- “According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 1.3 million gallons (4.9 million liters) of petroleum are spilled into U.S. waters from vessels and pipelines in a typical year. A major oil spill could easily double that amount.”
- “Chemical dispersants are used to clean up ocean oil spills, the chemicals, and broken-down oil can be absorbed by marine life including sub-tidal seafood that can enter into the food chain.”
- “Toxic pesticides have been found in every Northwest river and stream tested. Many rivers are contaminated with amounts of pesticides harmful to salmon and their survival. Scientists have found that, even at low levels, pesticides can cause abnormal sexual development of salmon and impair their swimming ability, growth, development, behavior, and reproduction.”
If the best source of Omega-3s are from fish but come with many other toxic chemicals, what is the purest and healthiest source of Omega-3s?
The current option that gives you the adequate amount of Omega-3s without all those toxic chemicals is from farmed algae that are grown away from pesticide or any other chemical contamination. Omega-3s from algae is the purest source as long as it is not taken from the contaminated sources talked about above. Algae come with many other health benefits as well. Surprisingly, it’s becoming known as a “super food”.
Who can really eat algae though? That would be a tough item on the menu to swallow. The best way to get your daily Omega-3s from algae is in a supplement. There are organic farmers who grow algae with the same organic growing precautions in mind as their other crops. The supplements can even come added with natural flavoring.
Garden of Life Algae Omega-3
We support the Garden of Life company and their products because we have tried them ourselves and everything they have is from organically grown ingredients, tested, certified organic, NON-GMO and tastes the best out of any supplements or meal replacements anyone we know has tried. Their reviews on Amazon are in the thousands with nothing below 4 stars. You can’t beat this brand when looking for pure healthy nutrition choices.
There are other companies who offer similar Algae Omega-3 but we found this one to have the best reviews for flavor. You can order the Garden of Life Algae Omega-3 here from Amazon. The Omega-3s are coming from the actual oil extract from Algae called “Minami”. This is the oil fish oil to receive EMAS(Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) status – a VERY stringent European standard.
Unfortunately, the best way to get a balanced healthy nutrition these days are through supplements. Not all supplements are the same and you do need to watch out for companies who are not certified safe to use. These rules go along with everything in society. You must do your research before you purchase or take anything. If you are taking other medications, consult your physician or research any adverse reactions with supplements before you take them. Natural health supplements tend to not mix well with chemical pharmaceuticals. Fortunately, natural health supplements do not come with the side effects of chemical pharmaceuticals.
The New Health Cycle wishes to offer the most reliable nutrition and health education along with supporting businesses who do have a healthy product that will help you become healthier. Businesses who do not pollute the oceans and lands or pour chemicals into your food should be encouraged to grow. This encouragement and support promote nutrition, health, and change.
Click on the images below for recommended pure and organic nutrition choices from the Garden of Life:
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