There’s something fishy going on Downunder!
With fish oil becoming an essential nutrient in our daily diet and the quality of fish oil supplements increasing all the time, Omega 3 is not the only Omega to look for to promote your good health.
You may not be familiar with it but there is another great Omega oil, which comes from our seas. The Japanese call it ‘Samedawa’ and use it for everything from constipation to cancer.
Introducing Omega 2
Its name is Omega 2 or Squalene, and like it’s cousin Omega 3, it provides a host of major health benefits:- Anti-oxidant
- Immune Stimulant
- Anti-bacterial
- Oxygen generator – improves uptake and use of oxygen by your cells leading to increased vitality
- Cardiovascular System support
- Anti-Inflammatory
- Digestive Stimulant
- Anti-Cancer
- Anti-Histamine
- Anti-Allergic
The importance of Oxygen
Disease states are characterised by a lack of oxygen in your blood and cells. Squalene has been shown to increase the saturation and quality of oxygen in your cells. This in turn leads to greater health and vitality. A chemical reaction between Omega 2 Squalene and water, releases oxygen molecules, the effect of which is to purify your blood, and so distribute Oxygen to every cell in your body. This is expecially helpful for blood circulation itself and strongly supports your cardiovascular system. Squalene is stored in your skin and fat tissue; it is naturally present in your body in small amounts (with its highest concentration in newborns) and declines dramatically from age 30 onwards. This may be a reason that athletic performances decline after 30 too.Where does Squalene Omega 2 come from?
Squalene is also known as Shark Liver Oil (it’s 65-80% squalene) and is produced in Australia from the liver of deep-sea Southern Dog Fish sharks, which are caught off our coasts whilst fishing for other fish. Instead of being discarded these sharks are retained and their valuable Omega 2 essential fatty acid brought to you as Squalene.Where else do you find Omega 2 Squalene?
Interestingly Olive Oil contains 0.4 – 0.8% Squalene and being heavily consumed traditionally in and around the Mediterranean, has been shown to lessen the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Palm Oil, widely used in Asia with 0.5% Squalene also shows the same benefits. Shark liver Oil is 65-85% Squalene so it makes sense to think that it would provide an even greater benefit.How about Omega 3 then?
Omega 3 still holds pride of place among the most important supplements to take today. There was a time when you used to be able to get enough Omega 3 from your food but that isn’t the case today as vegetable sources and animal sources are not the quality they once were. Vegetable Omega 3 from Flax and other seeds needs to be converted into a form your body can use. With our often-compromised digestive systems, our ability to convert the vegetable form of Omega 3 into a form that we can absorb is limited.Why you need Omega 3
Here are a few of the major benefits:- Cardiovascular Health
- Cholesterol health
- Brain Health - Memory and Cognition
- Joint health
- Bone Health
- Anti-inflammatory
- Skin health