Fish Oil Benefits
Fish oil supplements have never been so popular as they are now. Many people have started taking supplements on a daily basis without understanding of the full effects of fish oil or how it benefits the body. The truth is that fish oil has been shown to prevent and treat a host of medical conditions including heart disease, asthma, and diabetes.
First, to understand fish oil in context, you must look at it from a historical perspective. One of the first Western discoveries of the benefits of fish oils came from scientists who observed the health of natives of Greenland. They discovered that people there who ate a traditional diet had significantly lower mortality rates due to heart disease. Eventually, scientists learned that the people of Greenland had healthier hearts because of their high-fish diet, specifically, a diet filled with omega-3 fatty acid.
Omega-3 fatty acids are natural nutrients that the body cannot produce for itself. Omega-3 is rarely found in the standard American diet, so many people lack sufficient omega-3 within their diet. Fish oil supplements typically contain several types of essential omega-3 fatty acids that your body could not get elsewhere. Fish oils also contain other beneficial nutrients including calcium, iron, and other vitamins.
Fish and fish oils have long been called brain food because of the many positive effects they have on the central nervous system. They have been shown to improve memory and cognitive ability, and they help prevent neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Fish oils provide a natural chemical balance to the brain, helping with issues like ADD, ADHD, and even depression and psychosis.
The hallmark benefit of fish oil is its ability to help prevent cardiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes. The body will actually replace the “unhealthy” fats, or triglycerides, with the “healthy” fatty acids found in fish oil. This process inadvertently helps to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and makes a healthier heart.
Fish oils have been shown to benefit the body in a variety of other ways. Many people use it to prevent glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and other conditions involving loss of sight. Women use it to abet the pain of periods and breast pain. Women also use it to help prevent complications during pregnancy. Fish oils also are used to help prevent other metabolic health conditions including diabetes, asthma, kidney disease, arthritis, and obesity.
What is the best ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6.
Hi Leslie,
There are different schools of thought on this question, but there seems to be a general agreement that a ratio close to 1:1 is ideal for most people.
Thanks for finally writing about >Supplement with Fish Oil
– Smile Herb <Liked it!
Thanks for the feedback!
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the blogosphere. Brief but very precise information… Many thanks for
sharing this one. A must read article!