Simply Heart Health

Fats and Cholesterol are considered to be the enemy of a healthy body and the source of numerous diseases including heart related ailments. But research has shown that not all fats and cholesterol are bad for health; some are not only good for our health but play a vital role in the development of a healthy body. For instance, LDL (Low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the bad cholesterol that is responsible for numerous ailments while HDL (High density lipoprotein) is the ‘good cholesterol’ which is extremely important for a good healthy body as it plays an important part in cleaning out LDL from the blood vessels.

Fats or fatty acids are present in foods such as beans, seafood, dairy products, meats etc. While fish is an important part of the daily diet many countries throughout the world, there are some locations where fish are not readily available. For people in those locations fish oil as a health supplement would provide them with the good type fatty acids.

Fish oil high in  omega-3 type of fatty acids, the good type, is extracted from cold-water fish such as Cod and others. It’s used all over the world for its nutritional benefits. Fish oil mainly contains two types of fatty acids which are omega-6 and omega-3.  Linolenic acid which is an omega-6 fatty acid is abundantly found in our daily diets. Though Linolenic acid is essential for the development of certain hormones in our body, the excess consumption of it can cause numerous diseases including arthritis and blood clotting.

The healthful reputation of fish oil comes from the presence of omega-3 type of fatty acids including EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA not only help our bodies develop but also protect us from heart related diseases by controlling the amount of LDL.  Although our bodies manufacture small amounts of EPA and DHA, the production doesn’t meet our daily requirement; moreover EPA and DHA are not present in our normal meals so it is essential to consume it as a supplement and fish oil is a good source for this. According to a research, just a few grams of fish oil in our daily diet are enough to provide sufficient amounts of EPA and DHA to our body. Omega -3 fatty acids have numerous health benefits and help in disease prevention by reducing the amount of LDL or bad cholesterol, the main cause of numerous heart diseases. Triglycerides, another cause of heart disease, are reduced with the inclusion of these acids in your diet.

According to research omega-3 can help in the prevention of coronary heart disease and reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest by 90 %. A report on the BBC channel noted the benefits of fish oil in reducing the chances of a heart attack.  Other heart related diseases such as congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest, and myocardial infarction, as well as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) are all treatable and preventable by consumption of omega-3 fatty acid.

Fish oil is, indeed a great help in the prevention of heart and circulatory diseases. Researchers have proved that the people who consume the recommended daily levels of omega-3 fatty acids are less likely to suffer from the above mentioned diseases. For your health and longevity, eat fish a minimum of twice a week. If you can’t do that, at least take a fish oil supplement daily.