As health awareness levels rise in North America, so too does the need to stay informed on all of the top nutritional advancements. Omega-3 fatty acids might sound like something that’s going to add inches to your waistline, but these healthy fats are far different from that fatty cut of beef you may have been eyeing at the supermarket. Omega-3 has many benefits that can help in multiple areas of your life, including, believe it or not, a reduction in obesity levels.

Heart Health

If you’ve heard of omega-3 then you’re probably familiar with the fact that the number one reason for ingesting foods with this healthy fat is to help your heart and cholesterol levels. Although the lowering of cholesterol is a huge deal, the main benefit that this type of fat gives your body is a component that decreases inflammation that damages your blood vessels and eventually leads to heart disease.

“According to recent research, omega-3 reduces the risks of cardiac arrests when used in small quantities when it is taken in higher doses it drastically lessens the complications involved in non-fatal heart problems.” – Healthagy

Healthy fats like this have the ability to lower your blood pressure by decreasing the number of triglycerides in your system. This also reduces the fear of clots that could lead to stroke or a heart attack in the future; it can also help treat irregularity in heartbeats.

Better Body Functionality

Believe it or not, people who don’t get enough omega-3 in their diet risk dementia and other brain illnesses. It can also cause problems with your short-term and long-term memory. The DHA in Omega-3 fatty acids, not only protect your brain, but it also helps it to properly heal itself after trauma like that caused by a stroke. Your brain isn’t the only part of your body that benefits, aside from the typical above mentioned heart health benefits, omega-3 also has some great advantages for your eyes.

“DHA omega-3 fatty acids help protect your vision. They also slash your risk for low vision and blindness. These good fats help by cooling inflammation, slowing the overgrowth of blood vessels in the eyes, and keeping your retinas – the “movie screens” in your eyes – free of damage.” – Sharecare

Cystic fibrosis is another area that has been linked with omega-3 fatty acids and studies show that there may be a preventative or protective relationship due to the ability of these healthy fats to slow the overproduction of mucus that is created by pulmonary bacterial colonization.

Anti-Aging Qualities

Many scientists have been making recent claims that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-aging properties that may not only assist with the above mentioned memory restoration, but also prevent diseases that often accompany old age such as arthritis and diabetes. The anti-aging doesn’t stop there, think about the way that your hair looks, and how much more shine it has when you condition it. Well, think about omega-3 as conditioning from the inside. This healthy fat can make your skin smoother and more healthy looking, and give your hair a shiny luster that young or old is aesthetically appealing.

Where You Can Get More Omega-3

Unfortunately, the human body doesn’t make its own omega-3, which means that you’ve got to get it from other places in your diet. The most common place that people turn to for this healthy fat is cold water fish. Tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel are loaded with oils that will help your body. But if you’re not much for fish, you can get the same benefits from a fish oil or krill oil supplement that are available in most pharmacies. Flaxseed and canola oil are other types of food where omega-3 lives naturally, although you might want to be careful with the canola oil, as it’s been known to cause some problems with weight loss in large doses. Soybeans, tofu, and walnuts also have some level of omega-3, but the highest levels that will be beneficial to your system will come from the above mentioned seafood. Introducing just two servings of these oily fish into your diet is enough to raise your levels of omega-3 to a point where real health benefits begin to take root.

Supplements and ingredients that include omega-3 work well to prevent and help in the treatment of certain disorders and diseases, but they are in no way a replacement for medications prescribed by your physician. If you’re interested in changing your dietary habits in any extreme way, it’s always best to speak with a doctor or nutritionist before doing so, especially if you’re already dealing with a disorder that is based on dietary restrictions like diabetes.