We know not why, but our bodies seem to thrive on the EFA (essential fatty acid) of Omega-3 and Omega-6. What is in these fatty acids that makes them so very essential? Well, these fatty acids play a very important role in the body and help your skin, respiratory system, circulatory system, brain and other organs to function normally. The only lack in these essential fatty acids is that the body does not produce them on its own, hence they must be ingested so that they may benefit brain development, the immune system function, and blood pressure regulations.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 is probably a name you have heard before and can already associate with foods like fresh salmon, herring, sardines, and tuna. This essential fatty acid plays a big part in the protection and health of brain function and also helps to protect the body against cardiovascular disease. Omega-3 can be found in oils like Chia Seed, Wheat Germ, Canola, Walnut, Flaxseed, and Hempseed. It may too be found in green leafy vegetables, raw walnuts, flax seeds, grains, Brazil nuts, Pumpkin seeds, and mustard seeds.

Not only does most the food forms of Omega-3 fatty acids taste good, but they are enormously good for the body as well. Recent health research articles have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids are useful for healing asthma, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, certain cancers, skin disorders, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, attention disorders, depressive disorders, oracular degeneration, and digestive difficulties.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Although this essential fatty acid is not as oft referred as the above, it is just as important and plays an equally large role in the overall health of the body. Omega-6 fatty acid, also known as Linoleic Acid), when combined with Omega-3 produces wondrous health benefits, but must be consumed in moderation. Diets that are filled with excess fats are said to contain excessive Omega-6 elements. The ratio between Omega-6 and Omega-3 should be at a 2:1 scale, not above that. Going overboard on Omega-6 can easily backfire and have adverse effects.

Omega-6, in its purest natural forms, can be found in olive oil, wheatgerm, grape seeds, pistachios, sesame oil, hempseed oil, chia seed oil, safflower oil, pumpkin seeds, cotton seed oil, and raw nuts and seeds. It can also be found in meat, dairy products, and green leafy vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, kale, and purslane. Omega-6 food products are best eaten raw and unprocessed so that they may retain their healing properties.

The Correlation Between Omega-3 and Omega-6

Both fatty acids are important to the body and are vital components of that are used by the body to produce eicosanoids (a vast range of highly bioactive substances), but the unique activities of both differ slightly. Eicosanoids that are found in Omega-6 are more active and reactive than those found in Omega-3. Omega-6 is aggregatory while Omega-3 is pro-aggregatory. Omega-6 helps to lower blood cholesterol and support the skin, while Omega-3 has anti-inflammatory benefits that aid in the prevention of heart disease.

The body requires an right balance of both fatty acids, as mentioned above. However the typically rushed life of many does not allow for a well balanced diet. In such cases omega 3 supplements and Equazen may be used if advised by your healthcare expert or doctor. Both omega 3 supplements and Equazen are effective supplements that help aid the body in supporting brain, heart, and joint health.

Researchers at Lund University have discovered an important new function for Vitamin C. Treatment with Vitamin C can dissolve the toxic protein aggregates
that build up in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.

The research findings are now being presented in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

The brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease contain lumps of so-called amyloid plaques which consist of misfolded protein aggregates. They cause nerve cell death in the brain and the first nerves to be attacked
are the ones in the brain’s memory centre.

“When we treated brain tissue from mice suffering from Alzheimer’s disease with vitamin C, we could see that the toxic protein aggregates
were dissolved. Our results show a previously unknown model for how vitamin C affects the amyloid plaques,” say researchers of Molecular Medicine at Lund University.

“Another interesting finding is that the useful vitamin C does not need to come from fresh fruit. In our experiments, we show that the vitamin C can also be absorbed in larger quantities in the form of dehydroascorbic acid from juice that has been kept overnight in a refrigerator, for example.”

There is at present no treatment that cures Alzheimer’s disease, but the research is aimed at treatments and methods to delay and alleviate the progression of the disease by addressing the symptoms.

Nutritional antioxidants such as vitamin C have a protective effect against
a number of diseases, from the common cold to heart attacks and dementia, has long been a current focus of research.

“The notion that vitamin C can have a positive effect on Alzheimer’s disease is controversial, but our results open up new opportunities for research into Alzheimer’s and the possibilities offered by vitamin C,”
say the researchers.

Story Source: Lund University

Journal Reference: “Suppression of Amyloid ß A11 Antibody Immunoreactivity by Vitamin C: Possible Role Of Heparan Sulfate Oligosaccharides Derived From Glypican-1 By Ascorbate-induced,
Nitric Oxide (NO)-catalyzed Degradation” Journal of Biological
Chemistry, 2011

Lund University (2011, August 18). “Treatment with vitamin C dissolves toxic protein aggregates in Alzheimer’s disease”

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.