Omega-3 and Omega-6 may sound similar because they are both essential fatty acids, meaning that your body needs them but cannot make them naturally. However, each type has different functions and effects. (All Omegas are not created equally!)
Omega-6 Fatty Acids Can Help Raise “Good” Cholesterol and More
Omega-6 fatty acids are commonly found in today’s modern diet because of its high concentration in popular foods:
Vegetable oil
Fast food items, such as French fries, popcorn chicken, onion rings
Dairy and eggs
Chicken, pork, beef
Many baked items such as muffins, cookies, bread
Omega-6 helps lessen the risks of diabetic neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis and even allergies. Interestingly, there has been a correlation between Omega-6 and decreased symptoms of ADHD. These polyunsaturated fats are often used to help lower the risk of heart disease by decreasing “bad” or LDL cholesterol, and increasing “good” or HDL cholesterol.
Because of our dependency on fast foods, most people actually have too much Omega-6 in their bodies. Too much Omega-6 can actually increase inflammation, which brings its own set of risks, and has also been linked to depression.
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Brain Health and Vision
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in a high concentration in fish, olive oil, garlic, and walnuts. Though these foods are common, people don’t eat them in the adequate quantities it would take to get beneficial levels and supplements are often recommended.
Omega-3 plays a crucial role in reducing inflammation, which, in turn, may reduce your risk of osteoporosis, some cancers, heart disease, asthma symptoms, and other conditions.
In addition to the prevention aspects, Omega-3 stimulates hair and skin growth, and because of how important it is during an infant’s development, pregnant women are encouraged to take it to prevent problems associated with vision.
When you consider the immense benefits that Omega-3’s unsaturated fats have on the body, it’s easy to see why they are recommended to nearly everybody for their preventative and medicinal qualities.
Some benefits are merely anecdotal and research based, such as their belief to protect against memory issues and conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and other dementia issues. Regardless, their proven benefits to decrease joint problems and heart disease make it worth adding to your supplement regimen.
Omega-3’s major health benefits come primarily from its long-chain fatty acids (EPA and DHA). In fact, DHA is the most prevalent fatty acid found in the brain and there’s a direct correlation between the volume of DHA in the brain and memory/intelligence.
We’ve all heard of fish being called “brain food” and DHA is the main reasoning behind that. DHA fatty acid is vital to the creation and maintenance of certain cellular parts of the brain and retina, making it essential for brain health.
As your body ages, your body makes less and less DHA, which is one of the reasons believed to be behind mental decline with age. It’s incredibly important that anyone looking to stay on top of their mental game incorporate Omega-3 into their health care regimen.
In our fast-paced world, there’s an overabundance of foods that are harmful to our health. While most people realize that eating a steady diet of hamburgers, French fries, and soft drinks isn’t beneficial for our health, the convenience of junk or fast food is a dangerous trap that many in our society fall into on a consistent basis.
The Diet Downfall
The standard American diet (SAD), or Western pattern diet (WPD), is filled with pro-inflammatory and allergenic foods, many of which are laced with artificial chemicals. This diet can damage and prematurely age your brain and increase your risk for many physical and mental issues.
The SAD diet is largely composed of unhealthy foods that Dr. Daniel Amen refers to as weapons of mass destruction. These foods are:
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Highly processed- essential nutrients lost
Pro-inflammatory- injurious to muscles, joints, and organs
Artificially colored and sweetened- toxic to the liver and other organs
High glycemic index- overworks the body’s sugar processing system
Low in fiber- robs probiotics of the food they need
Laden with hormones- can adversely affect the body’s delicate hormone balance
Pesticide sprayed- toxic to humans
Tainted with antibiotics- harmful to probiotics
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This diet typically is high in sodium, refined sugars, omega-6 fatty acids, trans fats, and excess calories. It’s also low in the vitally important long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. People who maintain a diet loaded with simple carbohydrates (such as bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, fruit juices, and sugar) have an increased risk for problems with their digestive system, liver, pancreas, heart, circulation, and overall brain health.
A SAD Study
According to a recent study,¹ published by the Royal Society, consuming the SAD diet for just one week may decrease learning and increase desire to munch on junk food. For this trial, volunteers spent one week splurging on high-fat foods and sweet treats with high amounts of added sugar. The SAD diet led to worse performance on memory tests and an increased desire to overeat junk food after they had finished consuming a meal.
The researchers suggest that the typical Western diet – think high-glycemic foods like waffles and high-fat fare like milkshakes – can rapidly impair function in the region of the brain called the hippocampus. One of the brain’s major memory centers, the hippocampus is also involved in appetite regulation. Dysfunction in this area is associated with memory issues and troubles with appetite control.
This study is just the latest to confirm the strong relationship between what you put in your mouth and the moment-by-moment functioning of your brain. Its finding suggests a vicious cycle where eating junk food impairs hippocampal function and appetite control, which leads to craving more junk food, and so on. It helps explain why the SAD diet is contributing to widespread weight problems in America where approximately 70% of the population is overweight, and 40% fall into the obese category.
Fast Food, Low Mood
A fascinating recent study² revealed a new twist in the food/mood connection. Researchers went to two remote islands in Australia – one with plentiful fast food and lower fish consumption, the other without fast food, and higher fish consumption.
On the island with fast food, 16% of the people had moderate-to-severe mood issues, compared to only 3% on the island without fast food. That’s a 500% increased risk of low mood, based on diet. This study doesn’t prove fast food causes mood challenges, but it does suggest a suspicious connection.
Good Mood Foods
Making healthier choices in your diet can benefit your waistline, help lift your mood, and provide a long-lasting increase in energy and focus. Your brain requires foods that are high in vitamins, essential minerals, and other nutrients to help meet its huge energy requirements throughout the day.
Consider adding these good mood foods to your grocery list: fresh vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, beans, free-range poultry, grass-fed meats, and wild-caught, cold-water fish. This diet tends to be higher in omega-3 fatty acids, folate, fiber, and many essential vitamins and minerals.
Brain Healthy Supplements
Due to the poor nutritional quality of the SAD diet, many people aren’t receiving proper nutrition from the foods they eat. Even those who eat a relatively healthy diet may find it challenging to get all the nutrients they need daily. By only eating foods, there will always be a gap in nutrition.
To help fill that gap, it’s essential to get energy-enhancing, stress-reducing nutrients. That’s where supplements come in. The reason they’re called supplements is because they supplement your diet with the nutrients you might be missing by fueling your body with food alone.
In a society where eating fast or processed food, consuming massive amounts of sugar, skimping on sleep, drinking too much caffeine and/or alcohol and not enough water, and consistently passing up on exercise has become the norm, supplements aren’t just a good idea, they’re critical to supporting and optimizing your health.
Daily Essentials
BrainMD has developed several products that are essential for everyone’s nutritional needs: our premium multivitamin, NeuroVite Plus Multivitamin, ultra-concentrated EPA and DHA fish oil, Omega-3 Power, and high-purity Vitamin D3 5000.
Our line of over 30 supplement products was designed to support a wide range of individual needs and is the only line of dietary supplements available today that was specifically developed to address the full spectrum of brain health concerns.
Never Too Late
Even if you’ve been eating the SAD diet your whole life, there is hope. Though eating junk food is bad for the brain, it’s never too late to start fueling your brain with healthy foods that boost brain function.
Feeding your brain and body with healthy foods, and high-quality, brain directed supplements, can provide tremendous nutritional health support for you and everyone in your family.
At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your energy, focus, mood, stress, immunity, and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen.
References:
1. Stevenson, R. J., Francis, H. M., Attuquayefio, T., Gupta, D., Yeomans, M. R., Oaten, M. J., & Davidson, T. (2020). Hippocampal-dependent appetitive control is impaired by experimental exposure to a Western-style diet. Royal Society Open Science, 7(2), 191338. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191338
2. Berger, M., Taylor, S., Harriss, L., Campbell, S., Thompson, F., Jones, S., Makrides, M., Gibson, R., Amminger, G. P., Sarnyai, Z., & McDermott, R. (2020). Cross-sectional association of seafood consumption, polyunsaturated fatty acids and depressive symptoms in two Torres Strait communities. Nutritional Neuroscience, 23(5), 353–362. https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2018.1504429
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