The American Heart Association recommends
eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at
least two times a week. Fatty fish are high
in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids,
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Many experts now
urge taking fish oil softgels instead of
loading up on fish that may be contaminated
with mercury and other environmental toxins.
Our ancestors' dietary ratio of omega 3 to
omega 6 fats was 1:1. Today, due to the
decline in food quality and our diets in
general, that ratio has fallen to 1:25.
Taking fish oil as a supplement is
recommended because it is very hard to
obtain enough long chained omega 3 fats from
diet alone to correct the imbalance between
omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in our body.
Eating fish several times a week is an
essential part of any cholesterol-lowering
plan. But believe it or not, eating fish
regularly is still not enough. To get the
amount of omega-3 fatty acids that,
according to the latest research, can lower
triglycerides, counter inflammation, reduce
blood stickiness, and provide other heart
benefits, it is beneficial to supplement
your diet with a fish-oil supplement.
Fish oil may have other advantages as
well, such as strengthening immune function,
improving LDL/HDL ratio, staving off
depression, helping with allergies,
countering inflammation in people with
conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and
Crohn's disease, and possibly helping stave
off certain cancers.
Other benefits worth noting are fish
oil's ability to lower blood pressure, slow
blood clotting, and stave off type 2
diabetes in conjunction with statin drugs.
In addition, fish-oil supplements appear to
help regulate your heart's electrical
activity, lowering the risk of heart attack
or sudden cardiac death from arrhythmias, or
irregular heartbeats.
EPA and DHA are very important for normal
brain development, nervous system function,
and eyesight. Most omega-3 research has
focused on the relationship these fats have
with heart disease. According to the
American Dietetic Association, omega-3 fatty
acids "are believed to contribute to an
overall vascular environment less prone to
occlusion by atherosclerotic plaques."
Routine consumption of fish oil is highly
encouraged as a key ingredient in improving
health. Fish oil contains the highest levels
of the best omega-3 fats - those with the
EPA and DHA fatty acids. |
