Omega 3 Fish Oil – An Important Supplement for a Healthy Heart
Fish oils, also known as essential fatty acids, have been known to help the prevention of heart attacks by helping you with a healthier heart. It is suggested that people increase their consumption of fish oils to prevent and, in certain cases, slow down any chances of a heart attack.
Eating fish regularly is a good option for some people but because most people cannot get adequate levels of fish oils from their foods, experts recommend that they add fish oil supplements to their diet.
Many studies have shown that consumption of omega 3 essential oils have various health benefits including lower blood pressure, better cholesterol levels, a healthy cardiovascular system and reduced occurrences of heart attacks. It has been proved that certain regions that have a diet high in fish oil, like the Japanese and Mediterranean cultures, have lower levels of heart attack and heart diseases in their population.
How can omega 3 oils help with a healthy heart?
Omega-3 fatty acids consist of 3 acids, namely – DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) which work together and individually to reduce the various risks associated with heart disease.
Of all the three acids, DHA is considered the most important and is very crucial for a healthy heart. It is not only important for our hearts but also for our brains. In fact, lower DHA levels have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Since our bodies are not able to manufacture the amount of DHA required by us for optimum health, we need to supplement this requirement by adding dietary supplements to our daily intake.
The following are some of the benefits associated with fatty acids:
– Adding essential fatty acids to our diets decreases our risk of the 2 main factors responsible for cardiovascular ailments- atherosclerosis and arrhythmia. These are the two main causes for a heart attacks and other heart diseases.
– Fish oils also help with reducing inflammation which is caused due to the production of prostaglandin. While both omega 3 as well as omega 6 acids produce prostaglandins, the ones produced by omega 3 oils are less active (sometimes as much as by 50 times) than the ones produced by omega 6 acids thereby lowering the rate of inflammation.
– Fish oils also help thin your blood preventing blood clots and also help lower the blood pressure.
– Omega 3’s help keeping healthy cholesterol levels. Fatty acids are said to reduce LDL (low-density lipoprotein) also known as the bad cholesterol and increase the levels of HDL (the good cholesterol).
Most people begin with levels of 500 mg of omega 3 fatty acids but if you or your family members have a history of heart diseases or have not been able to adhere to a healthy diet, you can consume up to 1000 mg of omega 3 oils. But, of course, it is recommended that before you begin with any dietary supplements, it is better you check with your physician, especially if you are on any medications.
