I was inspired to write this post today while eating my lunch: Wild Alaskan salmon lox on a sprouted bagel with pesto and avocado slices with a salad made with fresh picked greens from the garden on the side. I aim to eat fish a couple times a week as a way to get good, anti-inflammatory, “omega-3″ fats in my diet. These are fats that our bodies can’t make. That’s why they are called essential fatty acids. Therefore, we need to get them from our food.
Other food sources of these “good fats” include walnuts, flax seeds, purslane and fresh, free range chicken eggs. In addition to the rainbow of fruits and vegetables we should be consuming daily, adding in a daily serving or 2 of foods rich in omega-3 fats to help round out a healthy diet. Including these foods in your diet, and reducing inflammatory omega-6 fats (found in dairy, grain fed meat, etc.) can prevent and treat many diseases and keep you looking and feeling young and vibrant. Click here for more info.
The fish richest in omega-3 fats include: Salmon, Cod, Sardines, Tuna and Halibut. Be careful though, as many of these fish are overfished, threatened with extinction or contain toxic heavy metals. Check out seafoodwatch.org for a handy guide outlining the best fish choices and the fish to avoid. You can download the guide and print it out or access it from your mobile phone to check the fish on the menu next time you dine out or shop at the market.
Margaret Philhower, ND
