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.
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