Habits of modern life may shorten life-span of the Millennium Generation

Mar 1 2010

All parents dream of a better life for their children, but because of the habits of modern life, the Millennium Generation may be the first to suffer a shorter life-span.

“We have to arm this generation with the information they need to save themselves. Why? Because this generation has to save the world.”

Dr. Carol Locke, a graduate of Harvard Medical School and the founder of the non-profit International Omega-3 Awareness Day, has a solution.

“A recent Harvard study identified the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S.,” Dr. William Butler, a Harvard Medical School neurosurgeon and Dr. Locke’s husband states. “Among these causes is dietary omega-3 deficiency.”

Omega-3 levels can be raised by increased intake of Omega-3 in the diet. The omega-3 levels of EPA and DHA in red blood cell membrane have been shown to correlate with improved health and decreased cardiac disease. Now the omega-3 index discovered by Dr. William Harris and Dr. Clemons von Schacky is considered an important biomarker for health.

Higher omega-3 levels promote health and support development every stage of the life cycle from the fetus on, from promoting brain development in children all the way to slowing the rate of telomere shortening in the elderly with cardiac disease. Higher omega-3 levels may also increase longevity, some say up to five years.

Among the many things research shows omega-3 intake promotes:

• Cardiac health

• Anti-inflammatory support

• Increased longevity

• Neuro-protective properties including potential protection from Alzheimer’s

Omega-3’s also benefit children:

• Demonstrated improvement in reading and math scores

• Lower hostility ratings

• Cardiac protection and potential protection from metabolic syndrome associated with diabetes

• Benefit for positive mood

• Benefit for attention and learning

Leading the podium for the International Omega-3 Awareness Day will be Dr. Carol Locke, Founder of Omega Natural Science and the Center for Creating Health. She will be followed by Dr. William Harris, co-founder of the Omega-3 index; Harvard Medical School Neurosurgeon Dr. William Butler; and Dr. John Ratey, also of Harvard and author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.

The event will be MC’ed by Comedy Central Comedian of the Year Kyle Cease, avid Omega-3 fan.

The importance of this first-ever International Omega-3 Awareness Day is undeniable. “This generation may be the first ever to suffer a shorter life-span than the preceding generation,” Dr. Locke states. “We have to arm this generation with the information they need to save themselves. Why? Because this generation has to save the world.” Dr. Ratey agrees. “Two things I tell every patient and every person: if you only do two things, make it omega-3’s and exercise.”