Once you have finished the teaspoon of Zinzino fish oil the Omega 3 fatty acids  go through a series of chemical reactions as your body converts them into compounds you can use. However, both EPA and DHA work in different ways.

EPA: A potent anti-inflammatory, EPA is used to diminish the effects of a family of compounds known communally as eicosanoids. The extra EPA you have in your diet, the less inflammatory eicosanoids you will produce in the first place. And that’s good news when it comes to the treatment and prevention of conditions related to inflammation such as arthritis and eczema.

DHA: Used to build cell membranes, particularly the nerve cells of the brain and eyes, DHA is crucial for proper brain development. It is highly concentrated in the brain, constituting around 40% of the organ’s polyunsaturated fats.

DHA studies shows it protect against depression and Alzheimer’s disease, while insufficiencies have been linked to ADHD. DHA has a role to play in the heart; DHA seems to lower blood pressure and increase HDL cholesterol.

Omega 6 Fatty Acids

Omega 6 fatty acids are an essential fatty acid that the body needs for normal growth and development. The body needs a healthy balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Excess consumption of omega-6s can trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals.

Omega 6  is of vital importance to us as well and is also used for the growth and development of the brain. The problem is that we eat too MANY of them. It’s hard not to do it; they’re practically everything we eat. These fatty acids are found in oils such corn, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, soy, peanut, and vegetable; mayonnaise; and many salad dressings. Often used by the industry as they are cheap.

It can be found in the healthy-looking granola and the oils we cook with. It can also be found in the animals we use for meat are fed grain rich in Omega 6 instead of their normal grass diet.

Too much Omega 6 in our diets prevents Omega 3 from working and is a major cause of disease and inflammation.

Just 150 years ago, the ratio of Omega 3 to 6 in our diets was 1: 1; now it is closer to 1:15 and as high as 1:25 in the US. That imbalance is really not good for us because once you’ve eaten all the Omega 6 you need, the excess becomes a type of prostaglandin that stimulates inflammation in the body.

With so many inflammatory compounds to contend with, the body enters a state of low-grade inflammation that “turns on” its immune system, something it is not designed to do for long periods of time.

Although conditions such as arthritis, coronary heart disease, and depression have their own recommended therapeutic doses, there is no established standard for the amount of Omega 3 we need for overall health. Suggestions range from 200 mg to 1,000 mg, including up to 13,000 mg of total Omega 3. It also depends on who you ask.

It may also depend on the amount of Omega 6 you receive in your diet. If you know you are eating too many processed foods and vegetable oils, you may need to be closer to the upper limit of the recommended amounts of Omega 3 to provide the correct balance.

In a perfect world, your diet will provide you with all the Omega 3 fatty acids you need to be healthy. Realistically, when was the last time you sat down to a good plate of sardines? And how often do your children eat blue fish? In places like Japan and Iceland, where bluefish is a staple (a bit like bread for us), people are much less prone to diseases such as heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Skin conditions such as acne are virtually unknown.

To obtain 500 mg of Omega 3 per day, an amount that is in the middle of the average range suggested for good health, you would still have to eat a portion of salmon every day, and that if you choose wild salmon, because the fish of Farm contains only about half of Omega 3 levels (as well as worrying levels of antibiotics).

Even if you manage to eat a portion of fish every day, there is also concern about the amount of environmental toxins that could expose it, such as mercury and heavy metals.