Boost Your Mood with Alaska Salmon
A new year comes with renewed interest in improving one’s health. A stronger focus has also been placed on mental health following prolonged lockdowns and reduced human interaction due to Covid-19. We know that wild Alaska salmon is healthy, but did you know there is evidence to support that consuming omega-3s can boost your mood? Let’s start off with the basics:
What are omega-3 fatty acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids are fats that our bodies need to survive. Cleveland Clinic breaks omega-3 fatty acids into three different types. Two types of omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The third, alpha-linolenic (ALA), is found in plants .
Why are omega-3 fatty acids important to consume?
What we eat has a significant effect on our bodies, both mentally and physically. Since our bodies cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids on our own, it is important to eat foods that have adequate amounts of these nutrients. Cold-water fatty fish like wild Alaska Salmon are a great way to achieve this.
According to the National Institute of Health, “Omega-3s are important components of the membranes that surround each cell in your body. Omega-3s also provide calories to give your body energy and have many functions in your heart, blood vessels, lungs, immune system, and endocrine system (the network of hormone-producing glands).” As you can see, these essential nutrients benefit systems throughout our bodies.
WebMD provides a few additional key takeaways regarding the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. First, omega-3 fatty acids reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke by lowering elevated triglyceride levels. WebMD also suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce inflammation by slowing production of substances released during the inflammatory response. The article even states that DHA, one of the two types of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, appears to be significant for the visual and neurological development in infants.
How do omega-3 fatty acids support mental health?
Here are three observations from Healthline that support claims that omega-3 fatty acids may boost mental health:
Omega-3 fatty acids may benefit mild memory loss. Several studies have suggested that taking fish oil supplements may improve brain function in people with more mild types of brain conditions like mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or age-related cognitive decline.
A recent review of clinical studies suggested that fish oil supplements improved depressive symptoms in people with depression, with effects comparable to those of antidepressant medications.
In older adults, lower levels of DHA in the blood have been associated with smaller brain size, a sign of accelerated brain aging, which supports the claim that omega-3s fatty acids are essential to normal brain function.
Need further evidence that Alaska Salmon is an excellent choice for omega-3 fatty acids? Fatty fish, such as salmon, is even listed as the #1 food in Healthline’s “9 Healthy Foods That Lift Your Mood”. This article highlights EPA and DHA as types of omega-3s that are linked to lower levels of depression and suggests eating fish, such as salmon, a few times a week. Shoreline Wild Salmon provides excellent options for high quality wild Alaska King and Coho Salmon and ships in 5 lb, 10 lb, or 20 lb increments, right to your door. Or try the Alaska Salmon Sampler, which includes King Salmon, Coho Salmon, and Flaked Coho Salmon (great for salmon patties)!