What are omega 3s?
Omega 3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids and three types get involved in human physiology: α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Why do we need omega 3s?
The health benefits of omega 3s are very diverse. They go form preventing heart attacks, strokes, and other vascular diseases, to treat the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Omega 3s also helps in treating inflammations. Neurodevelopment and cognition benefit from its presence in the body, while they give a hard time to neurodegenerative disorders.
Omega 3s in humans
The human body can’t produce these fatty acids. Neither can the fish for that matter. But since they feed with phytoplankton, the omega 3s end up being deposited in their meat. Humans need to take care so their diets include omega 3 rich foods.
Where do we get them from?
ALA can be found in plant oils, such as walnut, sage seed, algal, flaxseed, Sacha Inchi, Echium, and hemp oils. EPA and DHA can be found in fish, fish oils, eggs (if the chickens were fed EPA and DHA), squid oils, krill oil, and certain algae.
Omega 3s and isolation
Since our mental health might have been affected by the 2 months of isolation and the constant threat of infection with COVID-19 we need all the help we can get to keep the balance. Either we lack focus, or experience mood changes, or an episode of depression, and even anxiety, omega 3s are a good shield against those impairments.
The trouble with depression and anxiety is that if they’ve touched us, they will probably do it again. this is why we need to keep the chemical balance inside our body. We need to take care so that our diet gives us the necessary amount of omega 3s, and also magnesium and vitamins B (especially B3).
