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Learn how balancing omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids can calm inflammation, restore your heart’s rhythm, and transform your health from the inside out.

Why I Wrote This Article

My understanding of the power of omega-3 fatty acids began more than twenty years ago. In 2002, I was invited to speak as part of a group of celebrity health experts on Maui, Hawaii. Another speaker was Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard-trained physician, bestselling author, and leader in integrative medicine.

During that event, I spent three full days with Dr. Weil. No matter what we discussed, he always came back to one message: people are not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. At that time, there were no simple ways to measure omega-3 levels. The concept of the Omega-3 Index, which measures the amount of EPA and DHA in red blood cell membranes, was first proposed in 2004 by Dr. William S. Harris and Dr. Clemens von Schacky (Preventive Medicine, 2004). It later became commercially available for clinical and research use around 2009, when OmegaQuant Analytics began offering testing to laboratories and health professionals.

Fast forward to today, and Dr. Weil’s message is even more important. The typical omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio has worsened. Most people are above 20:1, and I have personally seen individuals as high as 102:1.

Thanks to advanced laboratories like Vitas Analytical Services in Norway, anyone can now take an at-home blood test and learn exactly where they stand. In my view, that is a game–changer. When people can test, follow a proven nutrition plan, and then retest, they can see their progress. Since red blood cells renew every 120 days, that is the perfect window, so test, take BalanceOil+ for 120 days, and test again. The results speak for themselves.

A Clinical Moment That Sparked This Article

Years later, I was preparing for a clinical trial with the University of Memphis. We were tracking common health markers, including blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index (BMI), and body fat percentage. I also included the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, omega-3 index, arachidonic acid (AA), and the arachidonic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid (AA to EPA) ratio.

When I presented these markers to a group of 17 cardiologists, one asked why I included them. I explained that these numbers help reveal inflammation inside the body, which sits at the root of heart disease and many other health problems.

All 17 cardiologists became interested, got tested, and began using BalanceOil+ after learning how it helps restore balance naturally. One of them later asked, “Robert, have you written an article about this and cardiovascular health?” I had not, until now. I hope you will print this article and share it with your cardiologist.

A New Way to Think About Heart Health

When most people think about heart health, they think about cholesterol or blood pressure. There is another number that says a lot about your heart: your omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio.

Both omega-6 and omega-3 are essential fats your body needs. The problem is that most people get way too much omega-6 and not nearly enough omega-3. This imbalance creates silent inflammation that can damage blood vessels, raise blood pressure, and lead to heart disease.

The Global Nutrition and Health Alliance has reported that 98 percent of people worldwide do not get enough omega-3s. As Dr. Weil has said, “You cannot be in optimal health if you are not getting an adequate amount of omega-3s, period. Most of us are not getting enough.”

How Our Diets Got Out of Balance

Long ago, humans ate about the same amount of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, roughly a 1:1 ratio. By 1960, it was around 3:1 to 5:1. Today, the average American is closer to 20:1 or higher.

Why did this happen? Our food supply changed. We began using large amounts of seed and vegetable oils, such as soybean, corn, safflower, and sunflower oils, which are high in linoleic acid, the main omega-6 fatty acid in the diet. At the same time, we eat far fewer omega-3-rich foods, such as wild fish, grass-fed meat, walnuts, and chia seeds. Even farm-raised fish and poultry often contain less omega-3 fatty acids today because they are fed grains and corn.

Why This Ratio Matters for Your Heart

When omega-6 fats greatly outweigh omega-3s, the body makes inflammatory chemicals that can harm your arteries. This can:

• • raise blood pressure,
  • make cholesterol more likely to stick to artery walls,
  • reduce healthy blood flow, and
  • increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

People who maintain a healthier omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio tend to have healthier hearts, better cholesterol profiles, and lower inflammation.

For example, a study of adults found that as the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio rose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides also increased, even after adjusting for age and sex (Mahalle et al., 2018). A 2023 meta-analysis also showed that higher intakes of EPA and DHA were linked to lower triglycerides and improvements in non-HDL cholesterol (Bernstein et al., 2023).

What Dr. Artemis Simopoulos Shows

Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulos, a leading physician and nutrition researcher, has shown that when the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is too high, the risk for heart problems rises. Her reviews of major studies, including the Lyon Diet Heart Trial, found that people whose ratio improved had much lower cardiovascular mortality. Her work also explains that modern diets push the ratio too high, which fuels inflammation that harms blood vessels. Bringing the ratio closer to 3:1 or lower strongly supports heart health.

How to Know Your Levels

Knowing your omega balance is as important as knowing your blood pressure. You cannot fix what you do not measure.

That is where Vitas Analytical Services comes in. Vitas is one of the world’s top laboratories for analyzing fatty acids using dried blood spot (DBS) samples. Vitas has tested hundreds of thousands of samples worldwide and helped set standards for measuring the omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio, the AA-to-EPA ratio, and the omega-3 index.

Vitas Analytical Services has been a leader in dried blood spot biomarker analysis for more than two decades, providing high-quality analytical data to research institutions, universities, and clinical laboratories worldwide. Their laboratory partners include some of the most respected names in medicine and research, including Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, the Karolinska Institute, and several major European health systems. Vitas’ expertise and precision in fatty-acid testing have helped establish the scientific foundation for test-based nutrition, giving both physicians and consumers a reliable way to track inflammation and cellular health.

The largest study of its kind, published in Lipids in Health and Disease in 2025, analyzed more than 590,000 whole-blood samples from around the world. It showed that most people have low omega-3 levels and high omega-6-to-omega-3 ratios, confirming that this is a global problem. The research was possible because Zinzino provided anonymized BalanceTest data for Vitas to process. (Lipids in Health and Disease, 2025)

What Makes BalanceOil+ Different

Over the past year, my team and I, along with other nutritionists, have tested more than 2,000 individuals using the BalanceTest to evaluate omega-6-to-omega-3 ratios. Among those tested, 22 were my personal clients who were already taking popular omega-3 or fish oil supplements. When their blood results came back, none achieved a healthy ratio. Despite regular supplementation, their results showed that not all omega-3 products deliver measurable improvements.

The only product I have seen consistently move people into the ideal 3:1 or lower range is BalanceOil+.

Why is BalanceOil+ different?

• • It is a patented formula from Norway.
  • It combines high-quality eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from wild fish with polyphenols from unripe olives, which protect omega-3s from oxidation and improve absorption.
  • It includes natural vitamin E and other supportive nutrients.

Many fish oil supplements lose their natural antioxidants during purification, which makes them unstable and less effective. BalanceOil+ restores those protective compounds, helping omega-3s reach the cell membrane, where they support fluidity and overall cellular health.

Because of this unique formula, I have watched people move from out of balance to in balance, with measurable drops in inflammation markers and noticeable improvements in how they feel, from energy and focus to joint comfort and mood.

Company materials summarize consistent improvements over about 120 days of BalanceOil+ use. For peer-reviewed population data demonstrating the widespread prevalence of poor omega balance, see the 2025 global study listed in the references below.

A Personal Story That Hit Home

When I first discovered the dried blood spot test, the first person I called was my mother. Years ago, she had three stents placed in her heart, and her cardiologist had her taking an omega-3 fish oil supplement for the last four years. I had always questioned the quality of that supplement, and this test gave us the chance to find out if it was actually working.

At first, my mother wasn’t interested. But as her son, and someone she had watched for years helping people improve their health through nutrition, she eventually agreed to be tested.

Unfortunately, her results were not good. Her omega-6 to omega-3 ratio was 32:1, indicating that the supplement she had been faithfully taking was not helping her reach balance. I immediately had her switch to BalanceOil+, and after 120 days, we tested again. This time, her ratio was 2.7:1, well within the healthy range.

In her own words:

“I feel better, and I definitely have less inflammation.”

Seeing my mother’s health improve so dramatically reminded me of why this work matters. It’s not just about data, it’s about helping people live longer, healthier lives.

How to Check and Improve Your Ratio

With an at-home dried blood spot test (the BalanceTest, analyzed by Vitas), you can learn your exact omega balance.

Then take these steps:

1. 1. Cut back on processed foods and seed oils.
   2. Eat more omega-3-rich foods, such as wild salmon, sardines, walnuts, and chia seeds.
   3. Use a clinically supported supplement like BalanceOil+, which combines omega-3s with olive polyphenols that protect and enhance absorption.

Because red blood cells are renewed every 120 days, retesting after 4 months shows the true impact. Most people see strong improvements.

Call to Action

If you received this article, contact the person who shared it to learn more.
You can also email me directly at robert@dietfreelife.com or schedule a free consultation to learn about the at-home test, your omega-6-to-omega-3 balance, and how BalanceOil+ can help you get into a healthy range.

Bottom Line

Heart health is not just about cholesterol numbers; it is about inflammation balance. When you bring your omega-6 and omega-3 levels into harmony, you help your body work the way it was designed, protecting your heart, boosting energy, and supporting every cell.

If you are serious about heart health, test, do not guess. Know your numbers, share this article with your cardiologist, and start your journey to better balance today.

References

1. 1. Bernstein, A. M., et al. (2023). Effects of EPA and DHA intake on blood lipids: A dose–response meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 117(6), 1142–1154. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37264945/
   2. Calder, P. C. (2017). Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: From molecules to man. Biochemical Society Transactions, 45(5), 1105–1115. https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20160474
   3. Global Nutrition and Health Alliance. (2016). Global report on omega-3 insufficiency. [White paper]. Global Nutrition and Health Alliance.
   4. Harris, W. S., & von Schacky, C. (2004). The Omega-3 Index: A new risk factor for death from coronary heart disease? Preventive Medicine, 39(1), 212–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.02.030
   5. Mahalle, N., Kulkarni, M. V., Garg, M. K., & Naik, S. S. (2018). Serum omega-6/omega-3 ratio and risk markers for cardiovascular disease. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 12(1), BC05–BC08. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5598746/
   6. OmegaQuant Analytics. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved 2025, from https://omegaquant.com/about/
   7. Simopoulos, A. P. (2006). Evolutionary aspects of diet, the omega-6/omega-3 ratio, and genetic variation: Nutritional implications for chronic diseases. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 60(9), 502–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2006.07.080
   8. Simopoulos, A. P. (2008). The importance of the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio in cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Experimental Biology and Medicine, 233(6), 674–688. https://doi.org/10.3181/0711-MR-311
   9. Simopoulos, A. P. (2016). An increase in the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio increases the risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Nutrients, 8(3), 128. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8030128
   10. Stark, K. D., Van Elswyk, M. E., Higgins, M. R., Weatherford, C. A., & Salem, N., Jr. (2016). Global survey of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, in the bloodstream of healthy adults. Progress in Lipid Research, 63, 132–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plipres.2016.05.001
   11. Torrissen, M., Gisslevik, E., Gundersen, T. E., Bolstad, T., Eide, O., Rizzo, A. M., Clayton, P., Robertson, C., et al. (2025). Global variations in omega-3 fatty-acid status and omega-6:omega-3 ratios: Insights from more than 500,000 whole-blood dried-blood-spot samples. Lipids in Health and Disease, 24, Article 260. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-025-02676-6
   12. Vitas Analytical Services. (n.d.). Dried blood spot services. Retrieved 2025, from https://www.vitas.no/articles/dried-blood-spot-services
   13. Weil, A. (n.d.). Biography of Andrew Weil, M.D. The Weil Foundation. https://www.drweil.com/about-dr-weil/
   14. Zinzino. (n.d.) Balance your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in 120 days. Company summary on DBS results and product science. https://www.zinzino.com/2006785810/fi/en-us/explore/balance-concept/

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Robert Ferguson is a California- and Florida-based single father of two daughters, clinical nutritionist, Omega Balancing Coach™, researcher, best-selling author, speaker, podcast and television host, health advisor, NAACP Image Award Nominee, creator of the Diet Free Life methodology, and Chief Nutrition Officer for iCoura Health. He also serves on the Presidential Task Force on Obesity for the National Medical Association and the Health and Product Advisory Board for Zinzino, Inc.

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