If you believe health podcasts and social media, inflammation is something to be avoided at all costs. However, despite its ominous reputation, the term is seldom clearly defined—it’s used to describe everything from redness and swelling to pimples, itching, and overall body pain. When I recently delved into it, I was somewhat surprised: it turns out that inflammation itself is not as bad—it’s actually a sign that your immune system is at work. And it only becomes a problem when its protective, therapeutic response is chronically accelerated. That’s when inflammation becomes “chronic” and becomes a contributing factor to things we don’t want: think heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and asthma.
Like many things in life, dealing with inflammation is really about finding balance—you want to support your natural inflammatory response so that it works for you, not against you. Fortunately, many foods, plants, and ingredients have been proven to help achieve this, including turmeric, olive oil, and perhaps surprisingly, cannabis. But there’s a substance that unexpectedly proves beneficial and is often overlooked—fish oil.
Why is Fish Oil Good for You?
It all comes down to omega-3 fatty acids, and fish oil is packed with them. Derived from the tissues of oily fish, fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are essential nutrients for optimal health.
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation by fundamentally helping regulate the inflammatory response—and that’s not even half of it. Omega-3 fatty acids provide many additional benefits, such as enhancing brain function, alleviating joint pain, improving eye health, and even enhancing the appearance of the skin.
Omega-3 is also crucial for the heart—health-wise, that is. Consuming dietary sources of omega-3, such as fish and seafood, promotes heart health and may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Moreover, larger doses of long-chain omega-3 supplements, like fish oil, can effectively lower triglyceride levels—especially for those with heart disease.
However, the thing about omega-3 fatty acids is this: our bodies don’t produce them on their own. Despite their numerous benefits, research indicates that we often don’t get enough of them; adults’ intake has dropped by 80% over the past 80 years. So, deliberately consuming them is more crucial than ever—whether through our diet or supplements.
Omega-3 is crucial for the structure of cell membranes. They play diverse roles in the body’s cardiovascular, pulmonary, immune, and endocrine systems, and have been proven to have significant anti-inflammatory and immune functions.
Fat is Your Friend
Research found that when it comes to obtaining the superstar omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, eating fish is indeed the best choice. And since fish oil comes from fatty fish, it all ties back to those rich-in-fat fish: salmon, trout, oysters, mackerel, sardines, herring, tuna, and bass.
It’s possible to get this crucial good fat from other sources too. Another type of omega-3 fatty acid is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which can be found in plant-based foods. Some ALA-rich foods include flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, flaxseed oil, canola oil, and soybean oil. However, obtaining enough omega-3 fatty acids from these foods may be challenging. The body converts ALA into EPA and DHA in small amounts, so while these foods may not guarantee as much EPA and DHA, they are still an option.
Supplement with algae oil to increase DHA and EPA. Algae is the source of omega-3 in fish, making algae oil a plant-based source of EPA and DHA without consuming fish. In other words, algae oil is entirely plant-based, making it suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
For others, as long as you are mindful of what you ingest, you can get enough omega-3 fatty acids through your diet. Dress up your fruit oatmeal with chia seeds for breakfast, or sprinkle flaxseeds or hemp seeds on nut butter toast. Then, for lunch, a salad with a piece of salmon and walnuts, or a smoked salmon sandwich with walnuts and fruit. Come dinner, consider enjoying a fatty fish like mackerel or trout with quinoa, flaxseeds, and your favorite vegetables.
