THE SURPRISING BENEFITS OF OMEGA 3 (PART TWO)

Omega-3 Significantly Aid Autoimmune Diseases

Omega-3 fatty acids are powerful allies of the immune system. Various studies have demonstrated their ability to modulate both the immune response and inflammation.

The first data in this regard date back to 1932, when it was observed that certain inflammatory states could be countered by treatment with Omega-3, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Autoimmune diseases are so named because they are based on an abnormal response of the immune system, which attacks its own body.

Among chronic inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatic diseases are the following conditions:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Psoriasis
• Spondylitis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Scleroderma
• Other rare diseases

All these conditions share a common denominator: a state of chronic inflammation, affecting about 1% of the population, with women being affected three times more frequently than men.

Officially, in most cases, the cause is unknown, but it seems that individuals affected by these conditions are genetically predisposed to their development. In reality, it is now clear that many autoimmune diseases depend on a single cause: intestinal permeability (Leaky Gut).

Leaky Gut Syndrome is Rapidly Growing

Millions of people are dealing with it without even knowing it, and autoimmune diseases have tripled in the last 20 years.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Imagine the lining of the digestive tract having extremely small holes where only specific substances can pass through. Your intestinal lining acts as a barrier that repels larger particles that can damage the system. Having this syndrome means your digestive system has larger holes, allowing bigger particles to pass through, such as proteins like gluten, bad bacteria, and undigested food.

Moreover, toxic waste can leak from the inside of your intestinal wall into the bloodstream, causing an immune reaction. This creates inflammation throughout the system and can lead to the aforementioned autoimmune diseases.

Another problem with leaky gut is that it can cause malabsorption of vital minerals and nutrients such as zinc, iron, and vitamin B12.

Foods that Contribute to Leaky Gut

Grains, legumes, and dairy products can cause leaky gut, whereas substances that combat it include Omega-3.

One of the first clues was the low percentage of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases among the Eskimo populations living in Greenland, whose diet is rich in fish high in Omega-3.

The beneficial effect of fish oil is also due to the ability of EPA/DHA to modulate the activity of pro-inflammatory molecules. Thus, treating autoimmune diseases with fish oil reduces their severity. At the same time, Omega-3 reduces the need to use anti-inflammatory drugs.

Fish oil introduced into the diet reduces the formation of certain pro-inflammatory molecules, making Omega-3 potentially effective in treating inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. EPA and DHA are also effective in improving the functions of the blood vessel walls.

Intake of Omega-3 Reduces Inflammation Markers

Taking Omega-3 through diet reduces certain markers, indicating a reduction in inflammation that could explain the preventive effect of these fatty acids on cardiovascular diseases.

In a 2016 study, a team of researchers from Michigan State University announced that frequent intake of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can block the development of lupus and potentially other autoimmune diseases (14). The results of the preclinical study, published in the prestigious scientific journal PLoS One, were extremely positive. Researchers analyzed the effect of DHA on lesions caused by lupus in the lungs and kidneys of female mice genetically predisposed to the disease and noted that “96% of the lesions were reduced with DHA supplementation.”

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE or Lupus)

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect various organs and tissues of the body. Like other autoimmune diseases, the immune system produces autoantibodies that, instead of protecting the body from viruses, bacteria, and foreign agents, attack the body’s cells and components, causing inflammation and tissue damage.

Lupus often affects the heart, skin, lungs, vascular endothelium, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. Since it also affects the joints, the condition is classified among rheumatic diseases. The prognosis of the disease is unpredictable, with symptomatic periods alternating with remission periods.

The Disease Mainly Affects Women

Lupus is considered a genetic disease and is triggered not only by inhalation of toxic crystalline silica substances but also by other environmental factors such as sun exposure. Quartz is the most common trigger and is often found in agricultural, construction, and mining industries where workers can inhale the mineral dust.

Singer Selena Gomez Suffers from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The disease predominantly affects females, with an incidence nine times higher than in males, especially in those of childbearing age (between 15 and 35 years) and of non-European descent.

In childhood, systemic lupus erythematosus typically manifests between the ages of 3 and 15, with a female-to-male ratio of 4 to 1. Typical clinical manifestations include butterfly rash and photosensitivity.

DHA as a Powerful Remedy

“Crystalline silica,” said Jack Harkema, one of the study’s lead authors, “kills lung cells. When these cells die, alarm signals are sent to the immune system. The body then produces a strong response that starts attacking healthy cells as well.”

The use of DHA appears to have been found to be a very powerful remedy against lupus and other autoimmune diseases: “I have never seen such a drastic protective response.”

According to Harkema, DHA may alter the way macrophages react to silica in the lungs and somehow modify the immune system’s response.

The Action of DHA Remains Unclear

Although scientists do not yet fully understand the exact protective action of DHA, the study provides researchers with a fundamental model for determining the quantities of DHA needed to prevent lupus.

The next step for scientists will be to understand exactly what happens in the lungs after DHA supplementation.

The most plausible hypothesis seems to be that docosahexaenoic acid helps cells send an anti-inflammatory signal throughout the body, thereby blocking the autoimmune response.

Another theory, still to be confirmed, is that DHA somehow allows cells to remove toxic silica from the lungs, blocking any inflammatory signals sent by the organ.

Why Omega-3 Deficiency is Common

Most people do not consume enough Omega-3 fats, and this deficiency can lead to various diseases and premature death.

It is estimated that the lack of adequate Omega-3 levels is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, resulting in up to 96,000 premature deaths each year.

In fact, dietary fat intake has been among the most studied risk factors for breast and prostate cancer.

Two studies from 2002 explain how Omega-3 can protect against breast cancer.

BRCA1 (breast cancer gene 1) and BRCA2 (breast cancer gene 2) are two tumor suppressor genes that, when functioning normally, help repair DNA damage, a process that also prevents tumor development.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats influence these two genes; Omega-3 tends to reduce tumor cell growth, while highly processed and toxic Omega-6 fats can promote cancer growth.

It is important to remember that Omega-6 is found in grains, whole-grain bread, most vegetable oils (especially flaxseed and hemp oil), nuts, spirulina, hemp seeds, borage, and evening primrose.

These are all common foods, especially among vegan/vegetarian populations, who are therefore at greater risk of an imbalance in the proper Omega-3/Omega-6 ratio.

Paradoxically, Omega-6 in Animal Foods Is Present Only in Very Small Amounts

The whole world is convinced that these foods are carcinogenic, whereas the real culprits are the foods consumed as substitutes for fish, meat, and eggs. This is an absurdity of the one-track vegan-nazi mindset.

The Impact of Omega-3 Deficiency on Heart and Brain Health (Especially in Women)

Considering that Omega-3 deficiency is a common underlying factor for cancer and heart disease, it is not surprising that statistics show this deficiency may be responsible for about 100,000 deaths each year.

Particular attention should be given to the fact that most women have severe Omega-3 deficiencies.

A 1991 study at the Mayo Clinic focused on 19 pregnant women consuming “normal diets” and found that all were deficient in Omega-3 fats.

Another study compared Inuit (Eskimo) women with Canadian women and revealed Omega-3 deficiency in the breast milk of Canadian mothers.

Animal cells cannot form Omega-3, so a fetus must obtain all its Omega-3 fatty acids from the mother’s diet.

The mother’s dietary intake of DHA directly influences the level of DHA (a component of Omega-3) in the developing fetus, impacting the brain and eye health of the baby.

Therefore, it is important to remember that during pregnancy, the baby depends on the Omega-3 from the mother’s diet, which it receives through breast milk. It is crucial to maintain an adequate intake of DHA/EPA through fish and/or specific supplements.

It is believed that the so-called postpartum depression, which affects many women, is due to the body directing all the Omega-3 to the fetus for proper development.

The problem is that if the maternal diet is low in Omega-3, after nine months the mother will find her DHA levels below the safe threshold: the brain, rich in DHA, will be in crisis due to severe deficiency.

Omega-3s continue to be essential for brain development after birth.

Phyllis A. Balch and Dr. James F. Balch in “Prescription For Healing Nutrition,” write: “Breastfed babies are smarter than those who have taken formula and in adulthood, they need to consume higher than normal levels.”

In the Paleolithic era, women breastfed until the child was 3 years old, and they grew up healthy and strong because the diet was rich in Omega-3 and low in Omega-6.

Dr. Earl Mindell, in “The Supplement Bible,” writes: “There is a reason fish is known as brain food. It is a rich source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a fatty acid found in high concentrations in the gray matter of the brain. DHA is instrumental in the function of brain cell membranes, which are important for brain signal transmission.”

According to Dr. Ray Sahelia, author of “Mind Boosters”:

“By making cell membranes more fluid, Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, improve communication between brain cells.”

As a Result, Omega-3 Deficiency in the Body Can Cause a Lack of Communication Between Cells in the Brain

This leads to the consequences we see around the world, with increasing levels of depression and madness.

According to Steven G. Pratt and Kathy Matthews, authors of “Superfoods Rx,” Omega-3 fatty acids are so crucial for the development and proper maintenance of the brain that “some scientists even postulate a link between these substances and the evolution of the brain in human development.”

Unfortunately, the average diet usually does not contain the right balance of these fatty acids.

If you eat a typical modern diet, you probably get a lot of Omega-6 from corn, soy, oils, and fats in processed foods.

The most frequent symptoms of a slight deficiency or special needs, for example in young people, can be: lack of interest in studying, poor concentration, disturbed sleep, bad mood, mild depression, and memory lapses. (12)

Your Body Must Always Have a Balance Between Omega-3 and Omega-6

Omega-3 and Omega-6 are two types of fats that are essential for human health.

However, the Western population (including Italians) consumes too many Omega-6 fats in their diet and too few Omega-3s.

The increase in vegans/vegetarians has worsened this ratio because these groups tend to recommend a high consumption of foods with high Omega-6 content, such as grains and vegetable oils.

The ideal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats is 1:1.

Currently, however, our average ratio is between 20:1 and 50:1!

As mentioned earlier, Omega-6 mainly comes from grains, corn, soy, canola, safflower, and sunflower oils, which are often predominant in the typical Western diet, representing an excess of Omega-6 levels.

Omega-6 fats dominate the diet in the United States and partly in Italy, encouraging inflammation in the body.

Meat is Accused by Professional Liars of Being Inflammatory

However, the reality is that animals are fed grains (instead of grass rich in Omega-3, which would be natural), resulting in our steaks having a low Omega-3 content.

So, paradoxically (for them), pasture-raised meat would contain an adequate amount of Omega-3, which protects against cancer, while they recommend grains and other foods that contain the carcinogenic Omega-6!

This is the madness of the pseudo-animalist and pseudo-environmentalist dietary ideology that has invaded the world.

Why? Simple, It Is Not Possible to Replace Animal-Based Omega-3 with Plant-Based Sources

In recent years, many people, particularly those who strictly follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, are convinced that there is no need to consume animal products to get Omega-3, as they can consume high amounts of plant-based Omega-3.

In reality, most of the health benefits that can be obtained from Omega-3 fats are linked to animal-based EPA and DHA – not plant-based ALA.

They are simply not interchangeable.

Let’s examine the composition of these two fatty acids; EPA and DHA contain between 20 and 22 carbon atoms, while ALA has 18 carbon atoms. All these fatty acids have their first double bond in the third position, which is why they are called “Omega-3.”

However, this difference in carbon chain length gives these two types of Omega-3 significant characteristics.

EPA and DHA are long-chain fatty acids, while ALA is a short-chain fatty acid.

Long-chain fatty acids are more important for cellular health.

Another Omega-3 fat, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), can also be better synthesized by the body from EPA.

Dr. Nils Hoem, a leading scientist in the study of Omega-3s, describes these processes very well.

He says that when observing the absorption and distribution of EPA and DHA, something strange is seen.

After Ingesting a Good Amount of EPA and DHA

Such as those from salmon or krill oil, the level of these fatty acids in the plasma (blood) remains elevated for the next three days.

“Your body works on its distribution, redistribution, and re-redistribution for three days. This is hardly compatible with being ‘just food’,” says Hoem.

In contrast, ALA Omega-3s are rapidly absorbed, peaking a couple of hours after ingestion, and then disappearing within 10 hours.

This means the body uses ALA very differently from EPA and DHA.

Hoem adds that short-chain fatty acids like ALA are simply food, a simple source of energy.

But long-chain fatty acids, such as fish Omega-3s, are structural elements.

They are not just “food” – they are actually essential in the composition of cells – meaning they play a major role in the structure of your body.

Therefore, ALA is just a precursor to EPA and DHA.

Certain enzymes are needed to elongate and desaturate ALA so that it can become long-chain Omega-3.

Unfortunately, this does not work in some people, particularly those who are deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, leading to very low conversion rates: only 1 percent of ALA is converted into EPA/DHA.

In some, the conversion rate can even drop to 0.1 to 0.5 percent!

This is why relying solely on plant sources to get your Omega-3 (ALA) intake is a very inefficient health strategy.

You might do better if you get your Omega-3s directly from marine animals, such as salmon oil.

Many scientists believe that one of the reasons for the high incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, premature aging, and some forms of cancer is this profound Omega-3/Omega-6 imbalance.

What Are the Animal Sources of Omega-3 Fats?

Let’s analyze the sources you can rely on to get the right dosage of EPA/DHA.

• Fish: In Theory, Fish Can Provide All the Omega-3 You Need

Unfortunately, most of the fish supply is now heavily contaminated with toxins and industrial pollutants, including heavy metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, PCBs, and radioactive poisons.

With these toxins, recommending fish consumption requires some limitations; for example, avoiding tuna and swordfish, which are heavily contaminated with mercury.

These two fish should be consumed a maximum of once or twice a month, and only glass-packed tuna should be used since it is more refined and better quality, considering that canned tuna also contains heavy metals.

Independent tests by the Mercury Policy Project found that the average concentration of mercury in canned tuna is well beyond the “safety limits” of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Instead, wild-caught salmon and small fish like sardines and herring can be consumed.

It is also important to avoid farmed salmon, which contains only about half the Omega-3 levels of wild salmon.

Additionally, farmed salmon can also host a wide range of contaminants, including environmental toxins, synthetic astaxanthin, and harmful metabolic by-products and agrochemical residues from GMO and soy feed.

• Fish Oil: One of the Main Ways People Increase Their Omega-3 Intake

High-quality fish oils can certainly provide many health benefits, but these products are deficient in antioxidants.

This means that as you increase your Omega-3 intake through fish oil consumption, you actually increase the need to add antioxidant protection.

This happens because fish oil is somewhat perishable, and oxidation leads to the formation of harmful free radicals.

Antioxidants and other protections are therefore necessary to ensure that the fish oil does not oxidize and become rancid in the body.

Cod liver oil is not recommended due to problematic ratios of vitamins A and D.

My choice, therefore, is salmon oil, which contains a natural and balanced richness of the right EPA/DHA ratio and also includes the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin, a marine-sourced flavonoid that creates a special bond with Omega-3 to allow direct antioxidant metabolism, making them more bioavailable.

Additionally, it has a very low level of heavy metals.

In Summary

To prevent and/or treat this plethora of health problems and ensure a long, happy, and healthy life for you and your children, consume fatty fish at least 3-4 times a week, with the addition of 2-3 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) per day as a supplement.

Your doctor or nutritionist doesn’t agree?

On TV, some nutritionists say there are “no studies”?

Show them these two articles or print them out and bring them to them; you might find that they haven’t even read one of the over 24,000 scientific studies that attest to the great benefits of Omega-3.

The choice is yours.

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