R writes in that she is following the Harris Teeter yourwellness for families dietary guidelines but is having some difficulty because she doesn't like salmon.
No worries, R. Eating salmon isn't the only way to get your omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA (docosohexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), offer unique health benefits when ingested regularly. They are essential fatty acids, meaning they cannot be produced by the body and so must be obtained through the diet.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for the proper functioning of cell membranes, and help to decrease inflammation in the body, prevent abnormal heart beats, lower triglycerides in the bloodstream that may contribute to heart disease, and in some studies act to elevate mood.
A very good source of omega-3 fatty acids is salmon. However, some people simply don't enjoy its taste. The first option is to consider other ways to prepare salmon, maybe with a teriyaki glaze (great recipe ideas for salmon and many other foods can be found on the Harris Teeter web site).
But even if that helps, you can't eat salmon every night (at least I can't!). So what are other reasonable options? You might try other good tasting fish like black cod (also known as sable), herring, sardines, whitefish, arctic char and lake trout. Nuts and seeds like walnuts, ground flax and chia also contain omega-3 fatty acids but the body does not utilize them as efficiently as it does those omega-3 fatty acids from fish. Still, these nuts and seeds contribute to your daily omega-3 intake.
An excellent option is to use a good fish oil supplement daily. A typical dose might be 2,000 mg of the combination of DHA and EPA (make sure to look at the back label where the DHA and EPA contents are listed - you don't want to have to take 10 tablets a day to get your omega-3s!), but talk with your doctor first. Fish oils, while generally healthy for us, do thin the blood like aspirin, and so may not be appropriate for everyone.
I hope this helps, R. Not enjoying salmon certainly doesn't mean you can't be healthy!
Be well.
Dr. Russ
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