You have no doubt heard the claims that fish oil, and omega 3 fatty acids in general are very important with regards to our overall health. Some even call them "essential" fatty acids...but how important are they really? 

First off, fish oil supplements are just that, they are supplements. They are meant to supplement an already healthy diet, not fill in the gaps of an unhealthy, out of balance diet. In a healthy diet you want your ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids to be as close together as possible. Anthropological research suggests that our ancestors evolved on a diet of a 1:1 to 3:1 omega 6 to 3 ratio. Our ancestors were free of many of the modern health challenges and diseases we face today such as: heart disease, arthritis, autoimmune disease and cancer.

All of these conditions have a strong link to excess inflammation in the body. Omega 6 fatty acids are inflammatory where as omega 3 fatty acids are said to be anti-inflammatory. Now that our modern diets consist of lots of low quality vegetable oils & highly processed junk foods cooked in these junk vegetable oils, the average Americans omega 6 to 3 ratio is now estimated to be between 15:1 to 25:1! This is a dramatic shift with potentially dramatic health consequences!

Fats break down into three main groups: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated (PUFA’s). Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids both belong to the polyunsaturated group. PUFA's (both omega 3 and omega 6) are very fragile, and can easily breakdown and turn rancid.  This is why many fish oil and omega 3 supplements will state directly on the bottle that they are to be stored in the fridge and should never be exposed to heat.

Despite this, many people today are using polyunsaturated fat loaded vegetable oils (canola, soybean, corn, safflower, etc.) to cook their food in! It is also a safe bet that any time you go out to eat, the restaurant will be cooking your food in these low quality, cheap vegetable oils! The high heat exposure during this cooking process will no doubt break down and speed up the oxidation process of these fats, which will result in increased free radical damage in the body.

Interestingly, the fat most resistant to heat and oxidation is saturated fat, which has been far more demonized by the mainstream media and dietary "experts".

How much omega 3 fatty acids do you need to consume? In our opinion it all depends on how much omega 6 you are consuming. We believe that limiting your intake of polyunsaturated fats as much as possible and having the majority of your fats coming from quality saturated and monounsaturated fats is the best approach.

To accomplish this, the majority of your fat should come from sources such as: coconut oil, olive oil, avocado’s, grass fed butter, ghee, grass fed beef, eggs and cheeses. When you eliminate all of the vegetable oils, margarines, and processed junk food that is made with these low quality oils, your intake of omega 6’s will drop drastically! At this point you will need far less omega 3’s in your diet to get that ratio of omega 6 to 3 closer together. In fact you probably won't need to supplement fish oil at all, especially if you occasionally eat fish. 

Having said all this, if you decide to supplement with extra omega 3's, OmegaGize is our recommended supplement due to it’s purity and antioxidant properties. 

OmegaGize is truly unique in that it contains CoQ10, vitamin D and vitamin E to go along with the omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These core nutrients support the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, eyes, bones and joints.

In addition to the nutrients listed above, OmegaGize also contains the essential oils of Spearment, German Chamomile, and Clove. The addition of essential oils really set this supplement apart from other Omega 3 supplements currently on the market. Here are just a few of the benefits of each essential oil:

-German Chamomile: Rich in Chamazulene, a compound shown to support the body’s response to irritation & injury

-Spearmint: Supports the digestive & respiratory systems and will oppose those nasty "fish oil burps"

-Clove: Extremely high in antioxidants which help oppose the breakdown and oxidation of the fragile Omega 3 fatty acids

The addition of clove essential oil and vitamin E will help oppose the breakdown and oxidation of the fragile omega 3 fatty acids.

If you decide to supplement with fish oil it is crucial that you choose a high quality supplement that is both low in contaminants, and one that also contains additional ingredients that help oppose the oxidation and breakdown process that commonly occur in omega 3 supplements - such as vitamin E.

Our current opinion is that instead of loading up on fish oil or any other omega 3 supplement - the better approach is to focus on getting your overall consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids as low as possible. This will automatically bring your omega 6 to omega 3 ratio in balance, and at this point supplementing will not be needed.

According to researchers, omega 3 fatty acids are even more prone to oxidizing, breaking down and turning rancid in the body than omega 6's. This is due to the high amount of double carbon bonds they contain. Research "lipd peroxidation" for more info here. In fact, we now would recommend supplementing with a quality vitamin E instead of any omega 3 supplement. Here is the vitamin E we are currently using:

https://amzn.to/2TGUUM2

When it comes to supplements - especially fish oil and omega 3 supplements - it is crucial that you prioritize quality and purity above everything else. Otherwise you could truly be doing more harm than good.

Thank you for reading!

#Oilyevanstribe

Written by Will Evans

*This information includes ideas and suggestions that is educational in nature, and is provided only as general information. We are not medical professionals; and our advice should not be looked upon as medical treatment plans. This information does not represent the views or opinions of Young Living.*

https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/omegagizehttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/71/1/179S.full?ijkey=5c7af875f3dc71a303f7df78c52145e8b7c31643https://donmatesz.blogspot.com/2010/02/paleo-life-expectancy.html
http://alwaysomega3s.com/learn/epa-dha-ala-omega-3s
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/71/1/179S.full?ijkey=5c7af875f3dc71a303f7df78c52145e8b7c31643
https://chriskresser.com/how-much-omega-3-is-enough-that-depends-on-omega-6/