According to Mary Enig, author of Know Your Fats, we need about 1% to 1.5% of our calories to be from omega-3 fatty acids. For a 2,000 calorie diet, this would be between 2 to 3 grams, or about 1.5 teaspoons of flaxseed oil. Since flax oil is about 58% ALA, the 1 gram of flaxseed oil that you’re taking is providing roughly just more than half of a gram. Based on this, the 1 gram of flaxseed oil by itself is probably not enough, but your diet may be providing enough to make up the difference. Personally, I think it would be preferable to rely on your diet as much as possible anyway.

As I mentioned in the article, some people don’t convert the ALA form of omega-3 to the EPA and DHA forms. This is why seafood is often considered the best source of omega-3. Unlike flax, it contains EPA and DHA. As such, it might be worth making an effort to consume more of the seafood that you’re not allergic to.

It’s also important realize that there are many factors that contribute to depression. Exercise and reducing consumption of sugar and processed foods are perhaps two of the biggest. Eating enough protein to obtain the amino acids that are precursors to neurotransmitters can be a significant factor as well. Here’s an article I wrote about improving mood through diet that you may find helpful. It’s based on The Mood Cure by Julia Ross which is a great resource.

When I tried EFA’s via fish oils, I cannot digest them and can’t tolerate the odor, so I have been taking daily, 1,000 mg flax seed oil and 1,000 mg of D3 oil capsules. I also regularly snank of healthy trail mix, nuts and seeds. Do you think I ‘m taking enough to benefit my health, and specifically, eliviate syptoms of depression? Thanks for your response!

That’s understandable, but fish is so good for you (assuming it’s not contaminated) that I think it’s worth giving it another try. In the meantime, it’s good to hear that you’ve found a way to get your daughter to consume some essential fatty acids.

I did try giving her fish oil but she refused to drink it. Same problem when I mixed in orange juice (which she adores but we rarely give her, so it’s a real treat) — she tasted the juice and refused the rest. We did today buy some Nordic Naturals lemon-flavored fish oil gel caps, which she seems to adore — she’s been begging for more every time she notices the jar in the kitchen. So hopefully it will be a step in the right direction!

If you’re willing to give your daughter fish oil, why not just feed her high quality seafood? If that’s not a viable option, how about using a fish oil supplement in oil form rather than capsules?

You might be interested in what Jordan Rubin and Dr. Joseph Brasco, authors of Restoring Your Digestive Health, have to say about prebiotics:

“The problem with prebiotics is that selectively feeding bacteria in the gut is not a realistic proposition. Instead of selectively feeding intestinal flora, prebiotics most likely feed all the bacteria, friendly and unfriendly.

Popular prebiotic supplements include FOS and inulin. In our experience, these supplements do not help patients, but instead cause them to develop bloating and gas. We have seen patients become significantly worse by taking FOS and inulin. … lacto-fermented foods, and whole-food probiotic products serve as excellent probiotics and prebiotics in their own right. You don’t need prebiotic supplements.”

Yes, phytoestrogens are definitely a concern, especially with the popularity of soy and the prominence of xenoestrogens from plastics. Thank you for bringing this up.

I’m a big fan of fermented foods and the critical importance of intestinal flora, but I still think we need to have a balanced outlook of feeding ourselves as well as the bacteria.

Scott said, “Its not so much what we eat… its what I friendly bacteria eats that nourishes us.”

I have never heard that before. That is an interesting statement that really causes me to concentrate on what my gut may need. I consume a good bit of fermented foods: kefir, cultured veg’s, and viili but I have not paid as much attention to prebiotics.

Lee