Those basic building blocks include omega-3 fatty acids. And numerous studies indicate that the rapid increase in the rate of depression in America has increased as our consumption of omega-3s has declined over the past 50 to 100 years.3
When it comes to the brain, we are talking particularly about the omega-3s called docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids, or DHA and EPA for short.
The human brain is 60% fat, almost entirely comprised of omega-3 fatty acids. Without these omega-3s, the brain cannot build or maintain high-quality cells.
DHA concentrates in the brain's gray matter, especially the "mood zone." It becomes part of the cell membranes and helps electrochemical signals jump between brain cells.
But DHA cannot work alone. It needs EPA to control inflammation and to stabilize the brain's metabolic processes.
If the brain cannot get enough DHA and EPA, it uses second-rate materials and creates second-rate brain cells that can't do their job properly. Studies show how the brain needs EPA and DHA to ward off depression and suicidal tendencies.4,5,6,7
Our ancestors consumed plenty of these omega-3s from wild plants, grasses, fish and seaweed. They also ate wild fauna that fed on the wild flora. Today, we're more likely to eat farm-raised, corn-fed salmon or corn-fed beef. So our vegetables and our meat end up deficient in omega-3s.
Replenishing the Omega-3s has worked wonders. And numerous studies back up the experience of the patients who come to my wellness clinic.8 Omega-3s reduced symptom severity in patients with bipolar and unipolar depression, as well as ADHD.
But maintaining healthy Omega-3s is also the best way I know of preventing depression, even when the stresses of modern living assault you from every angle.
Most mainstream medical experts recommend eating two servings of oily fish a week. The best sources are mackerel, herring, salmon, trout and fresh tuna. This kind of diet should provide between 800 mg. and 1,000 mg. of those vital omega-3s per week.
But after years of tracking my patients' omega-3 levels, I know it is almost impossible to get enough EPA-DHA from your diet.
Based on my experience, you need at least 500 mg. of DHA and about 60 mg. of EPA — EVERY DAY!
Without a doubt, supplements are the best way to boost your EPA-DHA levels... although though not just any supplement.
If you use fish oil, you're likely to run into the toxicity problems you face if you were to eat fish every day.
Fortunately, there are better alternatives. I recommend krill oil and squid oil to my patients.
The tiny shrimp-like krill do not live long enough to absorb large amounts of toxins. And squid live miles below the ocean, far from the pollution on the surface.
And krill oil has another advantage. Its omega-3s are stored in phospholipid form instead of triglyceride, which helps DHA cross cell membranes better and explains why it is so good for brain function.9,10,11
I always recommend combining krill oil with natural astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that can help DHA cross the blood-brain barrier even more efficiently.
So if you want to live longer and smarter, this is one of the easiest ways to improve your chances...
Take at least 500 mg. of DHA and 60 mg. of EPA from a combination of squid oil and krill oil with astaxanthin.
And make sure you take them with meals, so the DHA and EPA can be digested properly.
To Your Good Health,"
: "Those basic building blocks include omega-3 fatty acids. To Your Good Health,"
