How Omega-3 fatty acids can change your everyday life.

This exerpt is from the original article found HERE.

"What do criminals have to do with fish?

Well, according to one study, maybe they should be eating more of it.

Researchers gave one group of prisoners recommended daily amounts of vitamins, minerals, and healthy omega-3 fatty acids (as fish oil supplements). Another group of prisoners simply continued to follow their regular prison diet.

The result: There was a 35 percent reduction in violent offenses in the group taking these supplements (British Journal of Psychiatry, July 2002)!

That's impressive evidence -- but what's the link?

In my book Ultrametabolism, I explain that food is information, and that we can influence the function of our genes through the types of foods we eat.

A prime example of this process?

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in wild fish and certain nuts and seeds like flaxseeds, are healthy fats that help determine how well your brain, eyes, heart, and immune system work.

That's because omega-3s affect every cell in your body. They help form the cell membranes of all of your trillions of cells and regulate hormones and inflammation throughout your system.

Think about it: If you're not getting enough omega-3s, your body -- including your brain -- just can't work to its optimum potential!

On the other hand, Americans are getting way too much linoleic acid, which you'll find in oils made from soy and seeds. The problem? All that linoleic acid isn't normal. In fact, our bodies evolved to eat more omega-3 fatty acids, not linoleic acid. For millions of years, humans got most of their fats from seafood, not French fries and donuts.

The Japanese stay true to these genes, getting some 80 percent of their fats from omega-3s. But here in the US-where we're practically swimming in packaged, processed foods--it's exactly the opposite. A whopping 80 percent of our fats are in the form of unhealthy linoleic acid.

But does the balance of fats you eat really make a difference to your health? Absolutely!

I recently attended a nutrition conference where I watched a presentation by Joseph Hibbeln, MD, who studies nutritional neurosciences at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hibbeln delivered some startling news.

The flood of soy and seed oils we're currently consuming adds up to big problems, he warned. That's because the linoleic acid they contain not only promotes inflammation, it harms mental health.

That's not just a fish tale. Take a look at some recent research on fats.

Studies across the globe -- from the United States and Canada to the United Kingdom, Australia, and Argentina -- suggest that the more linoleic acid from soy oil people in these countries eat, the more dramatically homicide rates rise.

But here's the kicker. When people eat more omega-3-rich seafood, murder rates go down!

That's not all. Research shows that people who eat fish are less likely to be depressed, and that EPA, a type of omega-3 fat, may even help treat depression that doesn't respond to other approaches. There's also evidence that women whose breast milk is high in another omega-3 fat called DHA have lower rates of postpartum depression.

These healthy fats aren't just for grown-ups. In fact, kids with dyslexia (difficulty reading), dyspraxia (difficulty writing), attention deficit disorder, and other learning disabilities tend to be deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have found that when kids supplement with fish oil, their reading, spelling, and behavior improve.

It's clear to me: Your nervous system needs omega-3s to function.

Want to reap the benefits of omega-3s? Here's how:

1. Find out the omega-3 content of your body. Just click on http://efaeducation.nih.gov to learn more about omega-3s. You can also download an interactive computer program to that helps you make better food choices.

2. Eat more omega-3 fatty acids. You'll find them in foods like wild salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, flax seeds and oil, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds.

3. Eat less linoleic acid. That means cutting way back on soy, safflower, and sunflower seed oils and foods made from them -- that's most processed and prepackaged foods.

4. Consider supplements. Unless you subsist on a diet of wild Alaskan salmon, you may not get optimal levels of omega-3s from food alone. Look for fish oil capsules that are purified and metal- and pesticide-free.

From the research I've mentioned here, it's obvious that omega-3 fatty acids are a crucial part of a healthy diet. Without enough of them -- and with too much linoleic acid -- your brainpower really suffers. Fortunately, fixing the problem, and improving your health, can be as easy as following the steps above."