Tip: Getting Your Omega-3s?

Fish oil is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, decrease inflammation, enhance mood, and encourage overall long-term health. Two ways to get your omega-3 fatty acids are through diet and supplements.

If you prefer to consume your omega-3s in food, try eating three servings of oily fish per week. Some good sources are wild Alaskan salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring. Walnuts and freshly ground flaxseed are also good sources. Avoid carnivorous fish such as swordfish and marlin, which spend a lot of time in coastal waters where pollution levels are highest. (Bluefish also tend to concentrate mercury and albacore tuna may harbor the same pollutants as swordfish and marlin.)

If you prefer to go the supplement route, you will want to choose a supplement which advertises that its products are distilled to remove PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls, a dangerous class of manufactured chemicals that remain in the environment for many years) and other contaminants. People with autoimmune or inflammatory disorders, heart disease, diabetes, mental or emotional disorders, or insulin resistance may want to take supplements in addition to consuming fatty fish.