Now that we’re all grown up, we willingly seek out good sources of essential fatty acids (EFA) – of which cod liver oil is one – for its numerous health benefits. A new study reported in the August issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reminds us why we should get plenty of EFA into our bodies. The study examined 15,000 people aged 65 and older in China, India, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Peru and the Dominican Republic, and found that regular fish consumption helped to keep dementia at bay. According to the study’s senior author, Dr. Emiliano Albanese, a clinical epidemiologist at King’s College London, “there is a gradient – the more fish you eat, the less likely you are to get dementia”.

Meat had the opposite effect. “The more meat you eat, the more likely you are to have dementia”, said Dr. Albanese.

The study found that people who ate fish a few days a week were almost 20 per cent less likely to develop dementia than those who ate no fish at all. Those who included fish in their diet almost every day were almost 20 percent less likely to get dementia than those who consumed fish just a few days each week.

Fish, especially oily cold water fish like salmon, mackerel, sardine, tuna and herring, is rich in omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, one of the essential fatty acids required by the body to keep cells healthy. Omega-3 supports cell health and regeneration, and normal growth and development, including healthy brain function.

Dr. Albanese also said that in animal studies, omega-3 fatty acids were found to reduce the build-up of atherosclerotic plaque and may also prevent amyloid plaque accumulating in the brain, a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.

So eating fish regularly helps protect against dementia. Just as well that fish is my favorite animal protein. If you don’t like to eat fish as much as I do, you can always take essential fatty acids supplements like Neways EFA Recovery Plus to ensure that your body gets all the EFA it needs.

Join me for sashimi?

Nuts and seeds are great sources of omega-6 essential fatty acids and the antioxidant Vitamin E. Together, these two compounds work to keep skin elastic and reduce the signs of aging. Free radicals cause aging, sickness and disease and antioxidants fight free radicals. A study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2005 found that eating almonds together with heart-friendly foods like soya products can also significantly reduce cholesterol levels.

I like to eat my nuts and seeds raw. They taste sweeter this way, and they also retain their nutrients and other health benefits. For guilt-free snacking which is even anti-aging, always keep some nuts and seeds handy. They’re great in salads and cereals too.

Our bodies are made up entirely of cells, each with its own membrane. Cell health and regeneration, normal growth and development, including healthy brain function, is dependent on Omega-3. A deficiency in this fatty acid threatens the health of our blood, bones, skin, organs, tissue and even hair. Health problems associated with this deficiency include:

• Inflammatory conditions like arthritis
• Mental and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, depression, dementia
• Skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
• Other ailments like stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, adult onset diabetes, and allergies

Researchers have found that infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include extreme tiredness (fatigue), poor circulation, mood swings or depression, poor memory, dry skin, and heart problems.

Omega-3 can be found in fish oils and plant oils from green leafy vegetables and certain seeds and nuts, while Omega 6 is from a wide variety of foods, especially plant oils from vegetables and grains.

In the 1980s, Danish researchers studied the diet and health of the Inuits, or Eskimos. Their diet was rich in coldwater fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, halibut etc) and the fat of whales and seals. These foods contain large amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). Despite their massive fat intake, the Inuits had very low levels of heart disease – and low levels of rheumatoid arthritis as well. Fish oil has been found to decrease certain blood fats called triglycerides, raise the good cholesterol HDL, and thin the blood. Studies suggest that Omega-3 fatty acids also prevent fatal cardiac arrhythmia or heart attacks.

The traditional Japanese and Mediterranean diets are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Followers of these diets are generally very healthy and enjoy long life.

The most important dietary essential fatty acid is linoleic acid, which occurs in large quantities in plant oils. However, linoleic acid is biologically inactive and cannot be used by the organism in its natural form. The body must first change linoleic acid into gamma linolenic acid (GLA). Sources of GLA include mother’s milk, evening primrose, blackcurrant and the medicinal herb borage. Flaxseed oil, hemp oil, evening primrose oil and olive oil are examples of supplementary Omega-6.

GLA facilitates production of the beneficial prostaglandin PGE1. Beneficial effects include:
• Reduction of cholesterol production
• Improvement of the activity of the immune system (primarily via its influence on the T-Lymphocytes)
• Reduction of the risk of blood clots by reducing the tendency of blood platelets to aggregate
• Regulation of blood vessels
• Expansion of the respiratory passages, and prevention of mucous formation, infections and asthma attacks

The Mediterranean diet has a good balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Many studies have shown that people who follow this diet are less likely to develop heart disease. It also includes the Omega-9 fatty acid, which has been reported to help lower risks associated with cancer and heart disease. Omega-9 can be produced by your body as long as your diet is rich in the Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids. The Mediterranean diet does not include much meat but, instead, is rich in foods like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic, as well as moderate wine consumption.

Food processing tends to remove or even destroy essential fatty acids. Omega-3 from fish and plant oils, for instance, are destroyed by heating and other processing methods. As a rule of thumb, remember that fresh, unprocessed foods are always nutritionally superior to processed foods. If you are unable to eat enough of foods like oily fish – a rich source of Omega 3 – and seed oils like flaxseed – from which you get Omega 6 – a complete, balanced supplement like Neways EFA Recovery Plus will help provide the essential fatty acids you need to keep your cells healthy.