Little Step No. 53
What to do:
Know this VERY GOOD reason to increase omega 3s.
Why this step works:
There's lots of good reasons to increase omega 3s. This one’s not very well known but I think probably tops them all.
So here it is. Our bodies are incredibly clever and have in-built processes to protect us against harm. One such process is inflammation - a protective response that springs into action when we are faced with a threat such as injury or infection. Inflammation is essential and we couldn’t survive without it. But it’s also essential that it subsides once the threat has passed. If this doesn’t happen and inflammation stays switched on, it can start to work against us. Unfortunately, this happens all too often and chronic inflammation is now known to be a major factor underlying many common health problems, from cardiovascular disease to obesity, depression, cognitive health problems and more.
But what does this have to do with omega 3s?
Scientists have discovered only fairly recently that we produce in our bodies, substances that act as inflammation’s ‘stop signals’. In very simple terms, when inflammation has done its job and needs to subside - it’s these 'stop signals' that make this happen. And what’s fascinating is that our bodies make these from omega 3 fats.
So your body's ability to switch off inflammation when it’s no longer needed depends on you having omega 3s in your diet yet sadly, typical Western diets don’t contain anywhere near enough. Omega 3s are found in walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds and oily fish such as mackerel and salmon.
Knowledge is power and my aim with this little step is simply that when you understand why omega 3s are so crucial for keeping inflammation in check, it will increase your motivation to include them in your diet. And that will translate into a big tick for your health x
“Food is information that transforms our biology with every bite."
Dr Mark Hyman