The 'Track Nutrition' button below links to a site where you can track nutrition data for free. As discussed above, however, these plant sources contain ALA rather than DHA & EPA. Vegetarians can also take an algae based omega 3 supplement, which does contain DHA & EPA.Īt least until you get the hang of the diet, it may be tricky to figure out your omega intake. The most abundant sources of omega 3 fatty acids are fish products, but there are vegetarian sources of omega 3 such as flaxseed and chia. If you're a vegetarian, it may be difficult to meet the omega 3 goal. If you take omega 3 supplements, they should always be stopped before surgery. The FDA recommends not exceeding 3 g/day EPA and DHA combined, with up to 2 g/day from dietary supplements. Patients taking high dose aspirin or other blood thinning medications should use omega 3 supplements with caution. Omega 3 supplements may increase bleeding risk.

This diet is considered safe for most people to follow, but you should always discuss diets and supplements with your doctors. Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to have beneficial health effects. These fatty acids have opposing effects and compete with one another in the body. It is important that you reduce omega 6 in the diet, as opposed to just supplementing with omega 3. The goal of this diet is to balance that ratio by decreasing omega 6 intake and increasing omega 3 intake. Therefore, it is recommended to include sources of DHA & EPA when following this diet.Ī typical modern diet contains an omega6/omega 3 ratio of about 20:1. Some ALA is converted to EPA and DHA in the body, but research has shown that this conversion rate is low. ALA has not been shown to have the same anti-inflammatory effects as DHA and EPA. They contain a precursor called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Plants such as flax, chia, and walnuts do not contain EPA and DHA.

They can also be obtained from krill or marine algae. EPA and DHA are found in cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, black cod, and bluefish. There are two critical omega 3 fatty acids - eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega 6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory, while omega 3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects. Essential fatty acids play vital roles in a variety of bodily processes, including blood clotting and regulating inflammation. The modern diet contains an excess of omega 6 fatty acids and a lack of omega 3 fatty acids. Importantly, our bodies cannot produce these essential fatty acids - they can only be obtained in the diet. These studies focused on the benefits of adding omega 3, but the experts at The Brigham & Women's AERD Center believe that reducing omega 6 is even more important. There have also been case reports that supplementation with omega 3 fatty acids has alleviated symptoms in patients with aspirin and NSAID intolerance. A 1989 study found that a low fat diet high in omega 3 fatty acids could reduce the production of certain leukotrienes that play a role in AERD (Samter's Triad). There is other research to suggest that dietary fatty acid modification may help. Leukotriene and prostaglandin levels were decreased in patients following the diet and sinus symptoms were significantly reduced. The diet was studied in 10 AERD patients for 2 weeks. The results of the study were recently published. Omega-6 fatty acids in the diet produce some of the substances that cause symptoms of AERD (leukotrienes and prostaglandins), so researchers theorized that decreasing their intake might benefit patients.

This diet was studied at the Brigham & Women's AERD Center. Researchers believe that reducing intake of omega 6 is more important than boosting omega 3, but it's recommended that you do both. At the same time, you want to increase your omega 3 intake to about 3 grams per day. The goal of this diet is to reduce omega 6 intake to no more than 4 grams per day and no more than 2 grams per meal. This is a diet low in omega 6 fatty acids and high in omega 3 fatty acids. Andrew White of Scripps clinic have said that all patients should be offered this diet as a treatment option. According to the AERD Center's 2017 newsletter, patients following a diet low in omega 6 fatty acids and high in omega 3 fatty acids saw some dramatic improvement in their symptoms. The Brigham & Women's AERD Center has developed a diet specifically for the treatment of AERD symptoms and published their research on this diet in 2018.

Foods high in omega 3