At this time of year, it’s not unusual to have dry, damaged, irritated skin or even breakouts of eczema. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s normal or okay.
It also doesn’t have to be this way. My wife and I both have healthy, glowing skin, even in the winter. So what’s our secret?
And why is dry skin potentially a sign of a more serious problem?
Dry skin is the canary in the coal mine for a deficiency in Omega-3 fatty acids.
Letting this problem go, or get worse, can lead to other health issues and even major illnesses including:
- Heart disease
- Memory problems
- Mood swings
- Depression/postpartum depression
- Anxiety and other mental health disorders
- Hair loss
- Increased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome
- Fatigue
- Poor circulation
What is Omega-3? And why do we need it?
You’ve heard of it, but what exactly is Omega-3?
All Omega fats are polyunsaturated fatty acids. You might have heard them called essential fatty acids, which means that it is essential that you consume them. Your body cannot produce them on its own and they are necessary. In fact, without fat, you will die.
There are 3 main types of essential fatty acids:
- Omega-3 – this is the type that humans are most deficient in because it’s found mainly in oily fishes
- Omega-6 – found in vegetable oil like canola, soybean, safflower, and sunflower oil, as well as non-grass-fed animal proteins, and lots of processed foods
- Omega-9 – found in olive oil, nuts, and nut oils
Within Omega-3 fatty acids, there are a few main types – and this difference is very important for how they function in your body.
- EPA – this only comes from fish and it’s the type that fights inflammation. There are no vegetarian sources of this fatty acid.
- DHA – critical for a healthy brain, and for the growth and development of children and their nervous systems. Like EPA, it only comes from fish.
- ALA – found in nuts and seeds, this type is commonly found in most of our diets, and is the plant-based version of Omega-3 fatty acids. But here is where most vegetarians get into trouble!
Many vegetarians think they get plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids from eating chia and flax because they are high in ALA, but this is not the case.
In order to be utilized, plant-based Omega-3s in the form of ALA must be converted to DHA and EPA in the body through a complicated process that requires enzymes (it is specifically governed by the enzyme delta-6-denaturase, which gets completely used up by the pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats).
Research shows the maximum they will convert is 5 percent, and that’s being conservative, as many studies show conversion rates of less than 1 percent.
This is WHY it is SO important for EVERYONE, including vegetarians, to take a good quality Omega-3 fish oil supplement in the optimal ratio of EPA to DHA.
Now ideally, you want a 2:1 ratio of EPA to DHA in the fish oil supplement you take – what is the ratio in the fish oil you are currently taking?
Why is this important? Because the research shows that this is the ideal ratio to fight inflammation in your body!
Because EPA is the part of fish oil that gets put to work fighting inflammation in your body.
This is why many unhealthy vegetarians have more inflammation than meat eaters, which is a very inflammatory diet, and this is for two reasons…
Many vegetarians are consuming a diet high in sugar and grains which is pro-inflammatory, as well as consuming many pro-inflammatory Omega-6 fats (mostly found in vegetable oils).
Second, they are not taking fish oil, so they have a huge deficiency of Omega-3 fatty acids.
I have measured the Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratios on thousands of clients, and vegetarians have some of the worst ratios I have seen (even more imbalanced than meat eaters).
But this is not the case for HEALTHY vegetarians, which consume an alkaline diet high in dark green leafy vegetables and healthy fats. When a vegetarian takes fish oil, they have the most optimal Omega-3 / Omega-6 ratios, which is one of the most important numbers you need to know about (and we can easily test this for you with our Omega-3 Acid Index at-home test kit).
Out of all the Omega-3 / Omega-6 ratio tests I have done, I have only seen ONE 1:1 ratio (that is ideal – and it wasn’t me) – it was my wife Chelsea, who is a healthy vegetarian.
We measured her ratio right after the birth of our son Brayden, when she was pumping healthy fats into her body, and here were the results…
CHELSEA’S OMEGA-3 ACID INDEX TEST SCORE:
Yes, she is vegetarian, BUT, she understands how critical it is for her health to take fish oil. If you are a vegetarian and philosophically don’t want to take fish oil, I appreciate that and respect that. Then please double the amount of ALA you consume in your diet, because being deficient on Omega-3s can be devastating to your health.
Not getting enough EPA will mean more inflammation. And inflammation means more Alzheimer’s, more autoimmune diseases, and more heart disease.
That’s why it’s so important you take a good source of EPA. And that’s why with Alkamind Daily Omega-3, you can take about 1/3 the number of softgels of your typical Omega-3 supplement and still get enough DHA. That’s huge because if you are like me, I hate taking tons of pills.
LESS IS MORE! Most fish oils you have to take 8 softgels to get your required amount – with Alkamind, you only need to take 3!
What are the benefits of Omega-3 consumption?
Research has found links between taking and eating Omega-3s and so many health benefits. These include:
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Improve mood, memory, and focus
- Studies suggest that people suffering from depression or anxiety see an improvement in their symptoms when they add an Omega-3 supplement. This single change in their treatment might be as effective as prescription mood-stabilizing medication!
- Research has shown a link between ADHD and low levels of Omega-3.
- Omega-3 has been shown to benefits patients with Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Borderline Personality Disorder.
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Better hair, skin, eyes, and nails
- Omega-3 naturally slows the aging process and keeps skin looking younger, according to research.
- Acne, psoriasis, and even skin cancers like melanoma are reduced through proper Omega-3 supplementation.
- Omega-3-rich diets correlate to lower risk of macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness and loss of vision.
- Deficiency of Omega-3 causes dandruff and even thinning hair.
- Research has even shown Omega-3 leads to faster sunburn relief!
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Optimize brain function
- Particularly in the early years, brain development benefits from DHA and EPA in utero during pregnancy, through breastmilk, and directly to children, according to several studies.
- High levels of Omega-3 improve the symptoms and may even reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia in aging adults.
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Heart health
- Although heart disease is the #1 killer worldwide, the exception is cultures of people who eat diets rich in fish with Omega-3, where heart disease and stroke are strikingly rare.
- Lower triglyceride levels, which correlate to lower risk of heart disease, are associated with Omega-3 supplementation.
- Increased HDL, or good cholesterol, appears to correlate with higher levels of Omega-3.
- Evidence is mounting that a diet rich in Omega-3 is associated with lower risk of blood clots, lower risk of plaque buildup in the arteries, and lower blood pressure.
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Better immune function
- Taking Omega-3 supplements, particularly in the first year of life, may lead to lower risk of developing autoimmune diseases such as Type-1 Diabetes, Lupus, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
- Studies show that fish oil boosts the immune response to injury and stress.
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Diminish muscle aches and joint pain
- Omega-3 enhances bone density when taken with calcium and vitamin D, decreasing the risk of osteoporosis.
- Evidence suggests Omega-3 decreases inflammation in patients with osteoarthritis.
- Fish oil may boost muscle endurance and recovery by promoting blood and oxygen flow.
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Reduced risk of certain cancers
- There is correlation between less risk of colorectal cancers and consuming DHA and EPA.
- Breast cancer grows more slowly or even reverses with a diet rich in Omega-3 according to lab studies.
- Skin and oral cancer cells appear to grow slower or die off when patients take fish oil supplements, according to one study.
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Reproductive health
- Omega-3 supplementation improves the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
- Studies show a link between improved fertility and fish oil in both men and women.
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Reduce inflammation
- The single most important thing Omega-3 does throughout the body is decrease inflammation. This is so important, in fact, that next week’s blog post will go more in depth on this particular topic.
Can you believe one simple supplement does all of that?
Our new supplement, Alkamind Daily Omega-3, is the world’s best fish oil.
What’s our secret to being the best?
We formulated our fish oil to provide the ideal 2:1 ratio of EPA to DHA in a highly-concentrated, purified form. That means you can take less, but get more.
It’s also:
- Free of heavy metals and contaminants
- Regularly tested for potency, purity, and freshness by an independent, 3rd party in a FDA-approved facility
- Committed to sustainability of the ocean’s natural resources
- Sourced from alkaline wild anchovy, sardine, and mackerel oil
- Produced in Norway
- Has no fishy after taste and a natural lemon flavor
- Infused with antioxidants to ensure they don’t go rancid
Many fish oils are made with cheap ingredients, don’t use the proper antioxidants, and will actually turn rancid before you even open the bottle.
With fish oil, you pay for what you get. This is one supplement you absolutely need, but need to make sure it is of the BEST quality.
Can you say all of that about your current Omega supplement?
Make the switch to Alkamind Daily Omega-3 today, and if you are currently taking a fish oil, let me know which kind. I am happy to put our fish oil to the test, and will compare ours against any other out there – the Alkamind Omega Challenge!