Both Omega 6 and Omega 3 are essential for good health. They’re required for the optimal functioning of the brain, heart and immune system. But - and this is a big But - the Omega6:Omega3 ratio needs to be in balance. Omega 3 is well known as the anti-inflammatory fatty acid. Less well known is that Omega 6 in excess causes inflammation. When we have a higher concentration of Omega 6 in our system, it’s impossible for the body to be inflammation free. The Perfect Omega 6: Omega 3 Ratio Human beings have evolved to have an Omega 6:Omega 3 ratio of 1:1. This perfect balance means that our immune systems are able to produce just the right amount of inflammation for healing injuries and fighting bacterial and viral invasions, and are then able to reduce the inflammation quickly once the job is done. The World Health Organization recommends a ratio of 4:1 for cardiovascular health. But across Europe, the average ratio is 15:1, and in the USA, the average is 25:1. Note: they’re average figures, which means some people are living with much higher states of imbalance.Chronic Systemic Inflammation is a direct result of these vast imbalances in the Omega 6:Omega 3 ratio. To understand what happens, we can use the common analogy of arsonists and firefighters. Imagine arsonists (Omega 6) and firefighters (Omega 3) running around in your body. If there are enough firefighters to put out the flames every time an arsonist lights a match, then there’s no problem. But if there are too many arsonists and not enough firefighters, it’s simply not possible to put out the fire. When the situation of too-much-fire-too-few-firefighters becomes chronic, the immune system will eventually become weak and confused from constantly overworking. Disease will result.The problem is exacerbated by other factors. One is that often we aren’t aware that we’re already suffering from Chronic Systemic Inflammation - the symptoms have become so common that we think they’re normal. Another is ...
The Perfect Omega 6:Omega 3 Ratio
