Omega Fats
The Power of Omega Fatty Acids
Omega fatty acids, commonly known as “good-fats” are a family of essential fats (3-6-7-9) that provide multiple health benefits for your heart, brain, mood, skin, eyes, joints and metabolism, during infancy, childhood, pregnancy and breast-feeding. Many health disorders have been linked to omega fatty acid deficiency ranging from heart problems, joint pain, skin outbreaks, fatigue, mood swings to fetal development anomalies and nerve dysfunction, to name a few.1
Many people are not sure how omega oils feature in their diet and in what quantities they should be consuming them. Puzzled and confused by acronyms such as PUFA, EPA, DHA and ALA which refer to these different types of fats? It’s tempting just to eat a piece of fish or spoonful of chia-seeds for vegetarians or vegans and hope for the best. Evidence collected and published by the World Health Organization (WHO), recommends that at least 0.5% of your total energy should be coming from omega-3s (this equates to 0.25g/day, or 0.3g/day in pregnancy) and 2.5% from omega-6 (1.25g/day). WHO also advises that children need between 0.5 and 1.6g of omega-3 per day, depending on their age, diet, and body weight.1,2
A recent global study revealed that people in USA, UK, Europe, the Middle-East, South-East Asia, and Africa are just not eating enough omega fats. Only 20% of Australians are eating the recommended amounts. It also showed that 80% of the world’s population has low or very low blood levels of DPA and EPA (omega-3’s). When questioned, 1 in 3 of consumers in Germany, UK and USA were unsure how much they should be consuming. Considering that many of us are not getting even the minimum levels in our diet that are deemed “essential” to health by WHO, maybe we should rethink our attitude to these fats and consider supplementing.3,4
References
① Claire Saunders (12 April 2021) Omega oils 3, 6, 7 and 9 – what’s the difference? CABI Accessed 10 August 2023 Available at https://blog.cabi.org/2017/04/12/omega-3-6-7-and-9-whats-the-difference/
② Mateos, H., Lewandowski, P. A. Vaughan, et al. 2020. Journal of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics: Vol 9, Issue 1, pp. 12-27. doi: 10.1159/000445350
③ Stark, K., Van Elswyk, M., Higgins, R., Weatherford, C., Salem Jr., N. 2021. Global survey of the omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in the blood stream of healthy adults., Progress in Lipid Research: Vol. 63, pp. 132-152. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.plipres.2021.05.001.
④ Bailey, R., Denby, Nigel R., Haycock, B., Sherif, K., Steinbaum, S., Von Schacky, C. 2020. Perceptions of a Healthy Diet: Insights From a 3-Country Survey., Progress in Lipid Research: Vol. 50, Issue 6, pp. 282-287. doi: 10.1097/NT.0000000000000119
Women are more than twice as likely as men to have bladder or urinary tract symptoms 1
Reference: ① Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. ‘urethra’. Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Dec. 2022, Available at https://www.britannica.com/science/urethra. Accessed 23 February 2023
Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with stress 2
Reference: ② Maureen Salamon (1 June 2022). The truth about nutrient deficiencies. Harvard Women’s Health Watch. Available at https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/the-truth-about-nutrient-deficiencies Accessed 23 February 2023.
Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Folic acid, B-vitamins and Vitamin D are common nutrient deficiencies in women 2
Reference: ② Maureen Salamon (1 June 2022). The truth about nutrient deficiencies. Harvard Women’s Health Watch. Available at https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/the-truth-about-nutrient-deficiencies Accessed 23 February 2023.
Are there routine self-care health screenings I can do at home? 1
This information does not provide professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment but provides this maintenance schedule as a reminder of your need to take responsibility for safeguarding your health, especially if you are among a high risk group (e.g. ageing, gender, stressed, smoking, alcohol & other stimulants, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle) or have a family history. You should consult your health care provider to determine if, these screenings are right for you.
Reference: ① American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist. Your guide to women’s health direct from the experts. Available at https://www.acog.org/womens-health Accessed 23 February 2023
What should I do if I miss or forget a dose?
What nutrients does women need daily?
Tips for Women’s health
- Eat the rainbow
- Stay hydrated
- Make health a top priority
- Add healthy habits into your daily routine
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get enough beauty sleep
- Lower your stress levels
- Spend time outdoors in nature everyday
- Supplement with women’s multivitamins daily
- Do routine self-health checks at home
- Get routine medical exams and screenings, even if you feel well
In need of a good combination multivitamin mineral supplement for women?
- Herbs: red clover, dong quai, soy isoflavones, ginseng
- Vitamins: vitamin D-C, folic acid , B complex, chromium, choline, inositol
- Minerals: calcium, magnesium
Having health and beauty problems with your hair, nails or skin?
- Herbs: horsetail, kelp, rooibos extract
- Amino acids: Collagen, methionine, cysteine
- Fatty acids: Omega-3
- Vitamins: Biotin, vitamin C-A-D-E
- Minerals: Zinc, silica, iron, copper, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
Is low thyroid to blame for your symptoms of fatigue, mood swings, weight changes and appetite fluctuation?
- Herbs: kelp, ginger, turmeric
- Amino acids: tyrosine
- Vitamins: vitamin C-D and B vitamins
- Minerals: iodine, iron, zinc, selenium
Are you going through menopause?
- Herbs: red clover, dong quai, soy isoflavones, ginseng
- Vitamins: vitamin D-C, folic acid , B complex
- Minerals: calcium, magnesium
*The contents of this website are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
