Friday, February 8, 2008

Natural Healing with Fish Oil: Omega 3 and Heart Health, Cancer Prevention, Depression, Weight loss, ADHD and Arthritis


So what kinds of health conditions does omega 3 fish oil have an effect on?

Here are some recent scientific findings:

Lowering blood pressure, preventing sudden death by heart attack, regulating the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, improving fertility, preventing premature birth, managing and overcoming depression, improving children's IQ, controlling and reducing inflammation and reducing the risk of asthma.

The far reaching health benefits and possibilities for natural healing with omega 3 fish oil are incredible. Simply put, natural healing with omega 3 fish oil is amazing. Scientists and researchers are reporting more and more of the incredible health benefits of omega 3s every day.

More than 85% of Americans are deficient in omega 3 fatty acids. Knowing that, you can see why a little supplementation can go a long way towards better health. Taking Omega fish oil you'll see many positive changes in your health and your body when you begin giving it the nutrients – like omega 3 fatty acids - it needs to get its job done.


Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

American Heart Association Recommendation

Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of — or who have — cardiovascular disease.

We recommend eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times a week. Fish is a good source of protein and doesn’t have the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

We also recommend eating tofu and other forms of soybeans, canola, walnut and flaxseed, and their oils. These contain alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), which can become omega-3 fatty acid in the body. The extent of this modification is modest and controversial, however. More studies are needed to show a cause-and-effect relationship between alpha-linolenic acid and heart disease.

The table below is a good guide to use for consuming omega-3 fatty acids.

Summary of Recommendations for Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake



Population Recommendation
Patients without documented coronary heart disease (CHD) Eat a variety of (preferably fatty) fish at least twice a week. Include oils and foods rich in alpha-linolenic acid (flaxseed, canola and soybean oils; flaxseed and walnuts).
Patients with documented CHD Consume about 1 g of EPA+DHA per day, preferably from fatty fish. EPA+DHA in capsule form could be considered in consultation with the physician.
Patients who need to lower triglycerides 2 to 4 grams of EPA+DHA per day provided as capsules under a physician’s care.

Patients taking more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids from capsules should do so only under a physician’s care. High intakes could cause excessive bleeding in some people.

The Straight Skinny on Fish Oil and Heart Disease

In 1996 the American Heart Association released its Science Advisory, “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Lipids and Coronary Heart Disease.” Since then important new findings have been reported about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular disease. These include evidence from randomized, controlled clinical trials. New information has emerged about how omega-3 fatty acids affect heart function (including antiarrhythmic effects), hemodynamics (cardiac mechanics) and arterial endothelial function. These findings are outlined in our November 2002 Scientific Statement, “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease.”

The ways that omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD risk are still being studied. However, research has shown that they

  • decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death
  • decrease triglyceride levels
  • decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque
  • lower blood pressure (slightly)

Summary of Recommendations for Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake

Population Recommendation
Patients without documented coronary heart disease (CHD) Eat a variety of (preferably fatty) fish at least twice a week. Include oils and foods rich in alpha-linolenic acid (flaxseed, canola and soybean oils; flaxseed and walnuts).
Patients with documented CHD Consume about 1 g of EPA+DHA per day, preferably from fatty fish. EPA+DHA in capsule form could be considered in consultation with the physician.
Patients who need to lower triglycerides 2 to 4 grams of EPA+DHA per day provided as capsules under a physician’s care.





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