Making Brain Waves |
| By Kelly Maguire |
Essential Fatty Acids Help Keep Your Nervous System on Its Toes
Randal McCloy Jr. might gladly serve as
a poster boy for omega-3 fatty acids.
The only survivor of the January
2006 Sago mine explosion in West Virginia,
McCloy was experiencing multiple organ
failure and severe brain damage as the result
of oxygen deprivation.
Then one of McCloy's physicians, Julian
Bailes, MD, chief of neurosurgery at the West
Virginia School of Medicine, decided to try highdose
omega-3 fatty acids as part of the stricken
miner's overall treatment regimen. Eventually,
the inflammation in McCloy's brain eased and
he went home within three months.
McCloy received eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two of
the three omega-3 fatty acids. (The third, alphalinolenic
acid, or ALA, is converted to DHA and
EPA within the body.) Vital for optimal brain
health, some scientists even think that omega-3
in the early human diet is what allowed our
brains to evolve. That's because DHA is found in
the gray matter of the brain, where it is needed
for proper cell membrane function and nerve
signal transmission.
Food for Thought
The average American diet is low in omega-3
fats, which are found in such coldwater fish as
herring, mackerel, salmon, tuna, and sardines.
Omega-3's cousin, omega-6, is far more plentiful
in the processed food many Americans eat, and
experts warn that an imbalance between the two
omegas can be detrimental to health.
Research shows that the most beneficial fatty-
acid ratio is four parts omega-6 to one part
omega-3. The current estimated balance of omegas
in the American diet is around 20:1 -- 20
parts omega-6 for every part omega-3. Because
omega-6 tends to promote inflammation, researchers
believe this imbalance may contribute
to the rise in inflammatory disorders.
Babies and Omega-3
The need for omega-3 fatty acids starts early in
life: A deficiency in a pregnant woman's diet
can impair development of the baby's brain
and retinas, which in turn can affect the child's
intelligence, nerve functioning, and vision.
Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, MD, author
of Health and Nutrition Secrets, says, "Several
studies...have shown that babies who receive
adequate amounts of this vital fat have betterfunctioning
brains and higher IQs." In one
study, children with reduced attention span
who received an EPA/DHA mixture showed
improvements in test scores.
Kids aren't the only ones helped by
omega-3 fats. "Japanese studies have shown
that supplemental DHA sharpens memory in
patients with dementia and depression, and
improves behavior and speech in those with
Alzheimer's disease," says Julian Whitaker, MD,
author of The Memory. Scientists believe that
omega-3 can also help alleviate symptoms of
mood disorders; one study found a correlation
between an omega-6/omega-3 imbalance and
depression. What's more, the brain isn't the
only organ that benefits from omega-3 fatty
acids -- they also help promote cardiovascular
well-being and support peak skin and joint
health as well.
Whether you're an expectant mom or a
great-grandmother, look to the omega-3s for a
better brain.
Reprinted with permission from
Energy Times, September 2008.
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