The standard American diet (SAD) is high in omega-6 from usually processed hydrogenated oils like soy, cotton, and canola oils. These oils are used in a multitude of processed and packaged foods, even those sold in health food stores and restaurants of all stripes.
Poor quality hydrogenated trans fatty oils cause health problems, and they are heavy with omega-6 fatty acids. Without being balanced by omega-3, omega-6 causes tissue inflammation.
Tissue inflammation is considered the source of virtually all disease. A ratio of 3:1 or less with omega-6 to omega-3 is recommended.
There are many sources of omega-6 fatty acids. Some recommend cutting back on even cold pressed olive oils (good oils) to lower omega-6 inflammations, but increasing omega-3 consumption also supports the brain and nervous system. Increasing omega-3 sources seems better.
A little about seafood sources of omega-3Many health experts promote fish oils or fish foods such as salmon, tuna, and sardines, but ocean and freshwater pollution have become rampant over the past couple of decades.
Mercury is in many ocean waters and PCBs in fresh waterways make their way into ocean waters. Fish farms have proven to be sources of inbred contamination and lower nutrition, similar to the meats from animal factory farming.
More recently, seafood sources have become contaminated with BP oil and toxic oil dispersant agents in the Gulf of Mexico. Add Fukushima radioactive matter dumped into the Pacific Ocean to complete the seafood quandary.
Both the Gulf and Pacific situations have been down played by health officials, governments and the mainstream media.
Choosing seafood resembles playing Russian roulette, unless you're willing to do extensive research and pay a higher price for premium seafood harvested from sources that are proven to be uncontaminated.
Though some still consider animal sources of omega-3 superior to plant sources, organically produced plant sources are effective, inexpensive, and safer sources of omega-3.
