THE OMEGA FACTOR

Women are obsessed with avoiding every trace of fat but some is vital. The Omega factor is the key and you avoid these essential fatty acids at your peril, says Woman’s complementary health editor Michael van Straten.

There are good fats, bad fats and essential fats. Trans fats are the worst and only found in manufactured artificial foods like margarines and are even worse for your heart than fats.

The best are the liquid fats, rich in Omega-3 and 6 essential fatty acids. You need both but it’s the balance between them that’s important. Our ancestors’ diet provided almost equal amounts of 6 and 3 but modern habits provide twenty times as much Omega-6 as 3 that is a recipe for disaster. The Omega-6 fats come from cheap vegetable oils widely used in the food industry.

GRANNY WAS RIGHT

When granny insisted that eating fish was good for the children’s brains she was almost right. In fact the human brain needs the Omega-3 fats to grow and function so they’re essential during pregnancy, breast-feeding and infancy. Omega-3s from oily fish are now known to be a vital part of the way the brain transmits messages. Oily fish and used to be a staple part of the diet, even in the poorest communities. London’s East End for instance was famous for jellied , cockles, , winkles, potted , pickled herrings and even . Maybe this was part of the reason for traditional Cockneys being so smart.

The truly essential fatty acids (EFA) are linoleic acid (Omega 6) and alpha-linolenic acid (Omega 3). Omega-3 fats from oily fish are converted to the vital EPA and DHA and these make up a major portion of brain tissue. Although vegetarians and vegans believe that flax seeds are just as good, it’s not true, even though they have many other valuable health benefits.

OMEGA-3 AND CHILDREN

Some of the most important experiments have been conducted by Dr. Alex Richardson, Senior Research Fellow, Mansfield College and the University Laboratory of Physiology, Oxford. She has been the lead investigator in the famous Oxford/Durham study. Over 100 children took part in the six month trial which included 12,000 different assessments and Alex is thrilled by the results that have changed the lives of whole families.

CASE HISTORY

THE DUFFIELDS

Ann Duffield has four children - triplets Megan, Michael and Ellie, now 10 and Ivy, 12, and they all joined in the study. Ivy had real problems with numbers and maths, Megan needed speech therapy, was shy, quiet with below average school work and Michael also needed speech therapy and had problems with co-ordination and motor skills as well as being boisterous and sometimes difficult. Ellie didn’t have any obvious learning problems but was included as a comparison.

Ann soon noticed changes. Within a few months Megan was more perceptive and absorbed information faster than before. She seemed happier and school reports showed improvement across all subjects. With Michael and Ivy the changes showed up in the second three months so they were probably on the dummy pill for the first three. Michael was calmer with improved memory and even his chess playing got better. Ivy’s maths came on by leaps and bounds and more sustained interest.

Overall the Durham trial, like previous studies, showed a reduction in disruptive behaviour, better concentration and improvements in reading, writing, maths and all- round performance. During the trial the children were taking two capsules a day of fish oils but Ann has now reduced the dose to one daily and the children are doing fine.

But the Omega factor isn’t just for children ………….

THE EYES HAVE IT

Ever since Dr. Jackie Stordy conducted early trials at Surrey University it’s been known that essential fatty acids could help around a third of children with dyslexia and ADHD. Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely important for the general function of the eyes. Deficiencies may show up as blurring, glare, sensitivity to light, poor night vision and eye strain.

YOUR HEART AND OILY FISH

Many studies have already shown that a diet rich in the Omega fats is a valuable heart protector. French scientists found men eating most oily fish had slower heart beats. There’s now so much information that even the American Heart Association recommends supplements as one of the important self help steps for heart health.

OMEGA 3 – THE X FACTOR FOR MEN?

Fish oils are good for men too as a 14 year study of nearly 50,000 American health professionals found that those with the highest intake of Omega-3 from oily fish were 11% less likely to develop prostate cancer. This ties in with Swedish scientists who found that Omega-3s are generally protective against cancer development.

FISH DON’T GET ARTHRITIS EPA and DHA are the two most important of the Omega-3 essential fatty acids in fish oils and they are powerful anti-inflammatories. So much so that as little as a teaspoon a day or one good portion of herring, mackerel or sardines can relieve joint pain in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. The effect is so marked that morning stiffness and daily pain improve enough for patients to stop most or sometimes all of their conventional anti-inflammatory drugs.

CASE HISTORY 2

I met Rose Latchman, 40, two years ago. She was a yoga teacher but due to an injured shoulder she had to give it up.

“In my mid 20s I studied to become a yoga teacher, learned martial arts, fitness training and had a new career,” says Rose. “It all ended 10 years ago after a boating accident damaged my left shoulder. Massage, physiotherapy, electrical treatment, pain killers – all gave temporary relief but the arm got so weak and painful I could hardly use it. In the end I couldn’t even do my own shopping or housework and could only supervise yoga classes with a student demonstrating for me.

“When the consultant said there was nothing he could do and just be grateful I wasn’t left handed, I got desperate and was prepared to try anything. I’d read about the benefits of Omega-3 fats in oil and after just a couple of weeks of taking TunaCaps I had more movement and less pain. A month later I was exercising and training and it wasn’t long before I was back to normal. Now, two years later, I still take one capsule a day and I’m working harder than ever. At £20 for seven weeks it’s cheaper than the prescription charge for pain killers and I don’t get any side effects.”

ARE SARDINES THE NEW WONDER DRUG?

There aren’t many wonder drugs that help so any different health problems as the Omega-3 fats in half a dozen sardines. As well as being terrific for brain, heart, eyes, skin and digestion, there are even more benefits. Fish oils are a powerful anti- inflammatory. They can help reduce asthma and other allergies, they can lower the bad fats in your blood and reduce the symptoms of Type II Diabetes. Some patients with bipolar disorder and even with schizophrenia have been shown to improve with large doses. Oily fish and fish oil supplements are as good as it gets in health terms. If you’re eating the fish, taking supplements or both, carry on. If you’re not start now.

GETTING VALUE FOR MONEY

The optimum dose is at least 500mg of fish oil Omega-3 fats per day. As a result of all the publicity there are new products coming on the market constantly. But before you buy do make sure you’re getting what you pay for.

MorEPA 1 a day £0.32p per day

MorEPA Mini 2 a day £0.47p per day

Healthspan Omega-3 pure fish oils 1000mg capsule 3 a day £0.15p per day

Haliborange Omega-3 36 a day £4.80 per day

Lamberts High Potency EPA 2 a day £0.27p per day

Eskimo 3 Capsules 6 a day £0.78p per day

Boots Smart Omega 3 fish oil (chewable capsules for kids) 71 per day £7.69 per day

Fruit explosions 10 a day £1.00 per day

Eye-q 6 a day £0.80p per day

(per day price based on recommended minimum intake of 500mg EPA)

A wide selection of Omega-3 products are available from The Nutri-Centre www.nutricentre.com MorEPA from www.healthyandessential.com

For more information see: www.fabresearch.org, www.dyslexic.org.uk www.healthyandessential.com