Brain, Eyes and Heart Health
The omega 3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). It is an essential component of the brain and central nervous system. It also promotes cardiovascular health, reduces inflammation, supports mental focus, supports the immune system, enhances appearance of skin and hair and promotes optimal fat metabolism. It seems to concentrate in areas where there is a lot of electrical activity.
DHA is a major structural fat in the brain and eyes, representing about 97% of all omega 3 fats in the brain and 93% of all omega 3 fat in the retina. It’s also a component of the heart. DHA is important for brain and eye development and function throughout the lifecycle, but is particularly important during the first two years of life and early childhood.
Between birth and five years of age the human brain increases approximately 3.5 times in mass. It is important that children consume adequate amounts of DHA in their diet to support this period of rapid brain and eye growth and development. DHA ensures that cells in the brain, retina, heart and other parts of the nervous system develop and function properly. DHA continues to support brain and eye function throughout adulthood.
The standard American Diet sadly supplies so little of the essential Omega 3 fats that are crucial to infants and children. If a mother is deficient of her essential fatty acids, her baby will also be deficient. They go on low-fat diets for weight control and deplete the essential fats for later use of breast feeding. Even the elderly, they watch the fat intake for cholesterol reasons but then become deficient in the good fat in their diet, so memory gets weak, the eyes deteriorate and could even develop heart disease.