Stuart Tomc Omega-3 vs Omega-6 Interview

Stuart Tomc Omega-3 vs Omega-6 Interview

Australians must immediately tip the balance of omega fats to protect their health, according to global omega-3 health expert and consultant to the World Health Organization, Stuart Tomc.

Tomc will visit Australia in October for The Big Fat Story tour to present recent research into omega-3 fats and the dangers of dietary fat imbalances.

Tomc says the balance between the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 has tipped to unhealthy levels. He is urging Australians to take an at-home omega-3 blood test in a bid to improve public health and save the national health system millions of dollars per year.

'We need both types of fat but we need them in balance," Tomc said. 'Too much omega-6 has the potential to negate the benefits of omega-3 and may put us at risk of inflammatory diseases."He says that modern Australian diets are heavily loaded with omega-6 fats, found in most vegetable oils and processed foods, and called on Australians to proactively avoid excessive omega-6 in their diet and increase omega-3 intake, by eating more cold-water fish or supplementing with omega-3 fish oil or algae oil.

'We must make a concerted effort to tip the balance in the right direction," he said. 'We're drowning ourselves in omega-6s and dangerously lacking in omega-3s. While these two fats are both essential, what's really vital is maintaining a balance between them. We must increase our omega-3 intake and decrease the omega-6s we consume."

Tomc will present international research heralding the urgent need to balance our fat intake to include more omega-3s. Clinical studies show balanced omega-3/omega-6 blood lipid levels support overall health, particularly heart health.

'We all know animal fats should be limited," Tomc said. 'But this -polyunsaturation craze' has seen a skyrocketing of omega-6 oils like vegetable oil. Unfortunately we are also chronically deficient in omega-3 fats. When we don't get enough omega-3s from fish, and we get too much omega-6, we cancel out the benefits of both. This imbalance of omega-6 oils increases inflammations in the body and put us at risk of heart disease."

Tomc will present The Big Fat Story tour, which will commence October 12th in Perth, followed by Sydney, Gold Coast and Melbourne.

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Interview with Stuart Tomc

An authority on evidence-based dietary supplements, Stuart Tomc is a certified natural health professional with over 25 years experience in the field of Nutritional Medicine. He is a respected consultant to the World Health Organization and integrative physicians worldwide. Having been mentored by some of the leading nutritional biochemists in the world, he specialises in the niche area of omega-3/omega-6 balance and authored 'The Essential Debate," an article that is currently the most widely read and referenced article on the subject. Stuart was a contributing writer in Dr. Perricone's Seven Secrets to Beauty, Health and Longevity and has conducted 4,000 lectures and interviews across TV and Radio as an expert in the science of Natural Products. Question: What is the difference between omega-6 and omega-3?

Stuart Tomc: Although omega-3 and omega-6 have many differences, they are both essential fatty acids (EFAs) that are required for every single biological process necessary to keep us healthy. Our bodies cannot produce these crucial fats, which is why they must be consumed via diet or supplementation.

Omega-6 tends to be pro-inflammatory and can be found in foods such as meat, processed foods, and vegetable and seed oils.

Omega-3, on the other hand, is converted into largely anti-inflammatory compounds that research shows are beneficial to heart, joint, brain, and skin health. Sources of omega-3 include flax and dark green, leafy vegetables. However, the most active and beneficial omega-3 is found in cold-water, fatty fish. In order to balance the excess omega-6 in our diet, we must seek omega-3 rich foods from sources such as anchovies, sardines, tuna, and mackerel.

Taking a high-quality fish oil supplement is an easy way to boost the amount of omega-3 in our diet.


Question: How are we drowning ourselves in omega-6s and dangerously lacking in omega-3s?

Stuart Tomc: In order to experience their benefit in the body, we need to ensure there is a 50:50 balance of both omega-6 and omega-3. However, the Western diet is abundant with omega-6, dramatically tipping the balance between the two.

While omega-6 is essential, it produces largely pro-inflammatory hormone compounds that, left unchecked, may lead to grave health conditions. That's why I recommend people 'skip the 6 and eat the 3."


Question: Why is this a modern issue and what has caused this?

Stuart Tomc: The Western diet is high in processed foods, meat and eggs from animals fed with soymeal and grain, and vegetable and seed oils that all have high levels of omega-6. At the same time, consumption of omega-3 rich foods, including leafy green vegetables, flax and cold-water, fatty fish, has decreased – so the balance is heavily skewed to omega-6, and is a product of a modern, Westernised diet.

The Western diet is rife with omega-6 EFAs, and as our foods become more processed over time, we need to be considerate of maintaining the omega-3/omega-6 balance.


Question: What are the disadvantages of low omega-3 levels?

Stuart Tomc: Having an appropriate balance of omega-3 and omega-6 will benefit skin and hair health, brain function, joint and muscle health, and eye health. Without this balance of omega-6 and omega-3, our bodies will not receive the same benefits.

Question: Why is it important to have omega-3 in our diet?

Stuart Tomc: Omega-3 is involved in orchestrating nearly every important biological function. Starting at the earliest stages of life, omega-3 helps to produce neurons that are the primary functional unit of the nervous system. Omega-3 also helps to regulate healthy lipid levels and healthy cholesterol architecture. Increasingly, research indicates that unresolved inflammation drives early mild cognitive impairment so to keep your brain as healthy as possible, omega-3 is non-negotiable.

In general, extensive research shows that adequate intake of omega-3 supports heart health, immune function, circulation, joint function, learning and memory, eye health and function, healthy pregnancy and lactation, positive mood, and normal brain and nerve cell function.


Question: How can we increase our omega-3 levels?

Stuart Tomc: Perhaps we should start thinking about this balance like a see-saw in a children's park. The more omega-6 we have in the diet, the more omega-3 we will need on the other side to find balance. A recent study suggested that if we can get total polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 from all food sources down to only 2.5% of energy, our bodies would effectively convert our dark green leafy vegetables directly into critical elements for the brain. Although this is encouraging, the reality is that reducing total polyunsaturated fatty acid intake to below 3% is nearly impossible in the developed Western world. Therefore, a can of sardines every day or 1000 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in addition to reducing the consumption of vegetable and seed oil, is an effective strategy for correcting the omega-3 deficiency.


Question: How can we correct the imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6?

Stuart Tomc: We can correct the imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 in a variety of ways, as discussed above. Eating less processed food, and more green leafy vegetables, cold-water, fatty fish or fish oil supplementation will balance out your omega levels.


Question: Is it possible to test our personal levels?

Stuart Tomc: Yes, it is possible to test our personal levels of omega-3 and omega-6 through a take home testing kit. The results will show your balance, and eliminate the guessing game to how much omega-3 you really need.


Question: What do you hope to achieve from your visit to Australia?
Stuart Tomc: I hope to spread awareness of the omega-3 deficiency, not only in Australia but throughout the world. I believe that when there is enough education, people will understand the necessity of balancing their omegas through diet and supplementation.


Question: What inspired you're career in Nutritional Medicine?

Stuart Tomc: My career in nutritional medicine was inspired by the belief that by changing my mental and physical environment, I could change the course of pre-ordained health conditions; and in turn, help others to see that we can change the world by changing ourselves.


Interview by Brooke Hunter