If you are feeling “down,” there is a simple approach that may prove effective. In a study from the Laval University in Quebec Canada, women taking 1 gm of Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil related significant improvements in their depression after 8 weeks as compared to placebo. Omega-3 fats increase the amount of serotonin in the brain which improves mood. Other known benefits of Omega-3 fats include: reduction in cholesterol and blood pressure, improvement in arthritis, reduction in heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, improvement in menopausal symptoms (hot flashes), along with many others. Optimal intake of Omega-3 fats would be about 3 grams daily. While most studies use fish oils as the source of Omega-3 fats, you can receive the same amount of this very beneficial nutrient by using 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal daily; and you also miss the mercury, cholesterol and carcinogens found in fish. Other excellent source of Omega-3 fats include walnuts, soybeans, and tofu. So for better health, make sure you get your Omega-3 fats daily.(Reader’s Digest May 2009 p. 76)