Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Food for Thought

Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are essential to your health. Foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids are mainly seafood, like salmon, herring, oysters, sardines, anchovies and caviar, but can also be nuts and seeds, such as flax seed, walnuts, soybeans, and chia seeds. The omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA can reduce the risk for cardiovascular issues and even ease depressive symptoms.

In one study, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine monitored the diets of 260 healthy, cognitively normal older adults for ten years and found that participants who consumed blackened or broiled (but not fried) fish at least once a week had healthier brains over time. In fact, a comparison of MRIs revealed that these weekly fish consumers had greater gray matter volume in the areas of the brain responsible for memory (4.3%) and cognition (14%).

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

• Promote neuron growth in the brain
• Improve cerebral blood flow
• Reduce cellular inflammation

Eye-Opening Facts:

In a study published in an issue of Archives of Neurology lead doctor Ernst Schaefer analyzed completed dietary questionnaires and DHA blood levels of 899 study subjects who were participating in the Framingham Heart Study.  This study revealed that participants with the highest DHA levels had a 47% reduced risk for all-cause dementia and 39% lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Converse to omega-3 fatty acids are omega-6 fatty acids. Although the National Institutes of Health have yet to determine the right balance between the two acids, we do know that cognitive decline and dementia are more likely in those who have higher omega-6 fatty acid serum levels.

Fast foods are often high in omega-6 fatty acids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 36.6% of adults in the United States consume fast food on any given day!

Although there is no magical fountain of youth and we can expect a certain amount of cognitive decline as we age findings suggest that eating a healthy diet that’s high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fatty acids can help keep the mind sharp.