Herman Nation,
I just wanted to throw out my thoughts on Omega 3 fatty acids. I have been experimenting and tweaking my diet as I have trained over the last 30 years. I primarily focused on eggs, chicken, and tuna to get my dietary protein and protein supplements to fill in the gaps. I have come to realize in the last 2 years that the saying "you have to eat fat to lose fat" is really spot on. In my younger days, I would eat only egg whites and I stayed away from a lot of fats that I now know are good for you - avocados, salmon, nuts, etc.
I then started reading and researching more about the misinformation pushed on Americans by the AMA and pharmaceutical industries about the dangers of cholesterol, saturated fats, and fats in general. It wasn't until the "discovery" of the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet and the diets of South Pacific populations (very high in Coconut oil - a very dense saturated fat) and the diets of the people of Okinawa - who are the longest living people on the planet, that I realized that maybe what we are being told isn't all correct. The diets of these people listed above consist of not only a lot of vegetables and fruits but also a lot of fat yet they have the lowest incidences of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The only times these people see an increase in these diseases is if they adopt Western style diets and habits (smoking, drinking too much, etc). Our American diet is too high in Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 6's, while important, cause inflammation at the cellular level in high quantities. This inflammation is the root cause of ALL disease states we experience - and science is discovering every day how everything to Alzheimers and Parkinsons to bipolar, ADD, and schizophrenia, diabetes and cancer have a root cause in inflammation.
So to my point. The best most natural ways to get your Omega 3's which DRAMATICALLY reduce inflammation is from fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackeral, etc. Getting from fish is better than taking pills in my opinion. Your body evolved to extract nutrients from food not pills. There is an epidemic in the US of males from as young as 30 and older having low testosterone levels. ALL our hormones are made from fats and cholesterol - especially saturated fats. It is no wonder with all the cholesterol lowering drugs, low fat diets with tons of processed sugars, salt, and man-made fats that this has become epidemic. A doctor's answer - "we will just have you take testosterone shots or patches." Good solution - be dependent on steroids the rest of your life. Since I have been eating fish regularly, using coconut oil, and eating lots of healthy fats (egg yolks, avocados, etc), I feel great and have been losing body fat and gaining lean mass.........Just wanted to share :-)
John