The skinny on fat!

Touted for its amazing health benefits, from preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammation including rheumatoid arthritis and fighting depression, it’s a supplement worth looking into. Health store shelves will often sell supplements combining Omega 3-6 & 9, but don’t be misled into thinking this is your best route to optimal health. The ideal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3, one humans evolved with, is about 2:1. We now get such a tremendous amount of Omega 6 in our diets (mainly from vegetable oils used in processed foods such as bread) that the ratio is now 10:1. This imbalance means too much Omega-6, which can be harmful to our health as it promotes the development of heart disease, skin cancer, and diabetes along with contributing to inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and asthma. Supplementing your diet with Omega-3 counteracts the negative effects of Omega-6.

There are many foods that provide us with this EFA such as fish (best sources are salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring) as well flax oil, green leafy vegetables and nuts such as almonds and walnuts. Although with some effort we can be sure to obtain an adequate amount from our daily diets, the surest and safest form of ingesting Omega-3 is fish oil.

Although there is no daily recommended dose, 1 gram is the current standard. If you are currently taking blood thinners or have diabetes, speak to your doctor. As with all supplements it is best to treat them as seriously as you would any medication so verify with your doctor beforehand, to ensure there are no contraindications.

Julie Beaumont

juliebeaumont@videotron.ca

Health & Fitness Columnist

Co-Owner Crossfit de l’ouest

www.crossfitdelouest.com