Omega-3s and Your Memory

If there weren’t already enough health benefits to encourage you to add more Omega-3 to your diet, then perhaps the findings of a recent study published in the American Academy of Neurology’s journal “Neurology” will do it. The study has found that not getting enough Omega-3s in your diet is responsible for problems related to your memory and thinking.

About the Study

The study was conducted at the Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and the Division of Geriatrics, University of California in Los Angeles. The researchers used 1,575 people of an average age of 67 who were free of dementia. They were given tests that measured their mental function as well as their body mass, along with MRI brain scans and tests to measure the amount of omega-3 fatty acids levels found in their red blood cells.

What they found was that the participants who had the lowest DHA levels had lower brain volume than the participants whose DHA levels were higher (DHA is an essential omega-3 fatty acid).  The same was found for those who had the lowest omega-3 fatty acid levels, who went on to score lower on visual memory tests, as well as executive function tests such as those for problem solving, abstract thinking, and multi-tasking. They also noted that the participants with low omega-3 levels had brains that functioned as though they were two years older; showing that not getting enough omega-3s causes your brain to age faster.

What Omega-3 Will Do For Your Brain and Body
Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to positively impact your health on several different levels. Along with improving your memory and brain function, omega-3s have also been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and heart attack because of their ability to lower cholesterol, improve circulation, and reduce blood pressure.

Omega-3s are also known to lower the risk of certain cancers, including prostate, breast, and colon cancer. There have also been studies into the effects of omega-3 fish oils on rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, improved immune health, and even its impact on psychological disorders. Omega-3s are also crucial in your body’s metabolism process and have been shown to lessen wrinkles and the signs of aging on the skin.

How to Get Your Omega-3s
Along with several options for omega-3 supplements, you can increase the amount of omega-3s in your diet by incorporating foods that are rich in the nutrient, such as:

  • Salmon
  • Tuna
  • Flaxseed
  • Walnuts
  • Olive and Canola oil
  • Avocado

Incorporating these things into your diet is a natural way to get the omega-3s you need for better health, and will ensure that you are doing everything you can to be the healthiest you can be!

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