Many scientists believe that the discovery of fish oil as brain food
150,000 years ago became is the starting point that separates modern humans
from the ragtag band of earlier species. The discovery was actually an
accident since fat or oil from fish was a common diet of many early people
in the East African Rift Valley.
Fish oil is a brain food that caused their thinking skills to expand with
incredible speed, allowing them tremendous advantage over every other
species on the planet. Within a short time, they were able to dominate the
earth. For these believers’ fat or oil form fish is most likely the
candidate for the brain food that initiated their mental development. Fish
oil by then was a rare type of fat that would have been in short supply on
the plains of Africa but was found in great abundance in the lakes of the
East African Rift Valley.
They believe that fish oil is the crucial dietary factor that enabled early
generations to evolve into modern humans about 150,000 years ago. For them
it is the missing link that will allows us to age with our mental
capabilities completely free from many disorders. Dementia and depression
are one of these disorders, both a mental health problems.
Dementia is a loss of brain function and usually occurs with other
diseases. The causes of dementia are mostly not preventable. There are
studies that say that dementia can be controlled by practicing healthy
habits like quitting smoking, controlling high blood pressure and diabetes.
Dementia has many types and one of them is the vascular dementia, a type
that is caused by series of small strokes or changes in the brain’s blood
supply. A notable healthy habit that can help reduce vascular dementia is
by taking a low-fat diet and exercising regularly.
Depression on the other hand, is a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder
with symptoms like severe sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and
concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and sleeping
time, feelings of hopelessness, and sometimes can lead to a suicide. A
recent study revealed that higher blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) are associated with a lower risk of these two diseases among elderly
persons. EPA is found in certain fish and are believed by some to lower the
risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
New medical research also revealed that almost every chronic disease is
affected by an imbalance of eicosanoids. It is by constantly controlling
insulin levels that a person can gain control of eicosanoids which is the
key to prevent diseases and maintain wellness. Eicosanoids affect our body
as a whole including the heart, mind and even emotions. Excess in insulin
leads to a wide range of disease conditions.
There is also a need for a person to regulate calorie without hunger or
deprivation. It is believe that by doing so, aging is reversed. And lastly
for a person to gain balance in her well-being, a person most supplement
her diet with tolerable amount of fish oil.
Hormones are the key to longevity and optimal health and you have the power
to control your hormones through your diet. Once you achieve this, you can
have the power to reverse the aging process, prevent heart disease, reverse
cancer, reduce pain and inflammation and treat neurological disease.
And since controlling your hormones is the key to a longer and better life,
fish oil is the missing link that allows you to achieve it with no side
effects.
A breakthrough in medicine practice happened 550 million years ago was
brought about by single-cell algae. There was an explosion in biological
diversity as multi-cell organisms started to evolve from single-cell algae.
These new organisms had to develop a communication system to enable
specialized cells to transmit messages to one another. The purpose of
communication was two way; one was to build nerve connections between
specialized cells and the other involved the use of hormones.
Eicosanoids were the first hormones product of these communications and
they utilize fats in cell membranes as their building blocks. These
eicosanoids don’t just use any type of fat for their synthesis but they
also require the long-chain highly-saturated fat (polyunsaturated) which is
only found in algae-derived fats. And this is what many scientists of today
believed to be the cause of breakthrough that separated smart man from
average man.
Some 150,000 years ago our ancestors had discovered that fats or fish oil
makes them smart. The healthy eicosanoids that are derived from those fats
that control our health today – the omega-3 rich fish oil.
The first recorded production of fish oil happened in 1775 in England.
However, when the cod was brought back from America, the livers appeared to
be disgusting as it were slapped onto the filthy streets of London, for the
oil would ooze out. This was collected together with other stuffs on the
streets and sold as cod liver oil.
Despite of its filthy beginnings – for many people at that time the crude
liver oil was considered a miracle oil for diseases like arthritis. The cod
liver oil isn’t actually contaminated by street sewage but it’s still full
of industrial contaminants like mercury and PCBs. These contaminants
pollute the waters where cod live. Because of this the end products has
some foul taste that turned the stomach of every child in America who took
it two generations ago.
So while it’s true that 1 tablespoon of cod liver oil supplies 2.5 grams of
long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, it is also true that it supplies
contaminants and a high dose of vitamin A, which is stored in the body’s
fat tissues and can cause toxic effects like hair loss if taken in high
enough doses.
The final breakthrough in fish oils happened when Ultra Refined EPA and DHA
concentrate Omega-3 product was developed. EPA and DHA are almost found
exclusively in sea foods. The process required advanced chemical
engineering that starts with the removal of most of the saturated fat by
fractional distillation and the removal of virtually all the PCBs (measured
in parts per billion) by more sophisticated molecular distillation. In the
process called polishing, impurities are removed through hot water. The
fish oil are also added with anti-oxidants for longer life and added
nutrients.
With these innovations, a new type of fish oil was developed. The
end-product ensures you to have a concentrated amount of long-chain Omega-3
fatty acids without unwanted substances like chemical contaminants or
harmful fatty acids that can harm your well-being.
It is only with the use of pharmaceutical-grade fish oil that you can get
high enough levels of long-chain Omega-3 fats for your brain and body. The
effect of the high-grade fish oil usually occurs after taking it everyday
in 30 days.
First you need to understand that fish oil has a lot of benefits. The
omega-3 fish oil belongs to the essential fatty acids which our body needs.
Our body does not have any capabilities of producing the omega-3 so we rely
on external sources, mainly fish rich in oil, as our main source. The fact
that it is labeled essential fatty acid means that our body really needs it
and the lack of which could result to a variety of health consequences.
Among the known benefits of taking omega-3 includes reducing the risks of
having heart disease, can reduce the development of cancer cells, prevents
pregnancy complications, improves eyesight and helps prevent depression. We
can have a longer list but I won’t trouble you with that, needless to say
the benefits of fish oil are real. But unknown to quite few, the fish oil
supplements that we all think of as friends has the dark side too, has side
effects which when left uncheck can be quite harmful and can even prove to
be fatal.
If our list of benefits is quite long, the side effects not as many. The
side effects only manifests when one overdoses with the intake and can even
disappear after a few days. Sometimes that body just needs to get used to
the fish oil and once it has adjusted, the side effects would disappear.
Some of the minor and immediate side effects include a fishy after taste
and diarrhea.
These two often appears during the first few days of taking the fish oil.
These symptoms should disappear after a couple of days but in case they
don’t changing brands of fish oil supplements might help. But setting up a
meeting with your doctor would be the best idea.
After a couple of weeks of taking fish oil capsules, you might notice some
fishy burping before and after each meal. This can just be because your
body is still adjusting. Give it a couple of days and the burping might
stop. Although, you should check the expiry dates of your of your
supplements. You might also want to consider that what you have been taking
are bad quality produce. Changing brands might help. Some suggest keeping
the supplements in a freezer to prevent the various gastrointestinal side
effects.
On the other hand, blood thinning is something that you cannot eliminate by
just simply changing brands. You see omega-3 from fish oils is great for
the heart because it is a natural blood thinner. They help coagulate the
blood which helps prevent blood clots which helps prevent heart diseases.
But because omega-3 is already a blood thinner, people who are already
taking blood thinning medications should avoid the intake of either the
fish oil or the blood thinning drug. The possible problem with this is that
people will get too much blood thinners resulting to patients bleeding out.
The bleeding could be internal which can damage organs and could result to
something fatal.
You should watch out for signs of internal bleeding like black stools or
the presence of blood in the stool or vomiting of blood which are all signs
of gastrointestinal bleeding. When you bleed in the brain the signs could
be changes in your vision or speech, numbness of an arm or leg, and severe
headache.
The dark side of fish oil is just that, one part of a fairly good
supplement. There are ways to prevent the side effects and most of them
through proper consultations before you even start taking those fish oil
supplements.
The known benefits of fish oil are not just limited to the more common
conditions. Of course, many people have already known how using fish oil
may help improve skin health and reduce the risk of heart disease. But
there are also surprising benefits that fish oil seem to offer to those who
regularly consume them. Here are just some of them.
Depression And Anxiety
People may not be aware of it, but fish oil seems to help put people in a
good mood. In fact, many studies have shown that fish oil may be beneficial
in trying to help treat depression and anxiety in people. Thanks to the
omega 3 fatty acids contained in fish oil, it seems a good means to relieve
anxiety, depression, stress and sadness in people.
Fish oil seems to have good mood stabilizing properties that make them
quite interesting as a treatment for depression and other related
conditions. Evidence suggests that countries where oily fish such as salmon
is regularly eaten also seem to have low incidence of depression. Similar
studies involving prisoners have also shown that having them on a diet rich
in omega 3 fatty acids resulted in a significant drop in homicide rates.
Although more studies may be needed in order for such findings to be
conclusive, it already shows some good evidences of the other surprising
benefits of fish oil.
Cancer Fighter
It may seem quite surprising enough that fish oil may also benefit patients
with certain forms of cancer. Preliminary studies have shown that fish oil
may be useful in trying to delay the weight loss in people suffering from
pancreatic cancer. Still further research may be needed to solidify this
claim as well as how fish oil may affect certain types of cancers.
Type II Diabetes
Some studies also have shown positive findings on the effect of fish oil in
Type II diabetes. Since people suffering from this form of diabetes are
also prone to developing diseases such as coronary heart disease,
atherosclerosis and stroke, medical experts believe that taking fish oil
supplements may also help in trying to reduce such risks in diabetics. Some
studies have already shown that fish oil may also be effective in lowering
triglyceride levels in people with diabetes.
Pregnancy
Fish oil might also be able to help women bear healthier children. Taking
fish oil supplements may help pregnant women ensure the healthy development
of their child while still in the womb. The DHA found in fish oil is known
to help babies undergo healthy eye and brain development. Pregnant women
who are also taking fish oil supplements run fewer risks of having
premature births, miscarriage or delivering babies with low birth weights.
As an added benefit, pregnant women who regularly take fish oil supplements
run lesser risks of getting into depression following the baby’s delivery.
Fertility
Fish oil supplements may also help in improving fertility. In a study done
on male boars, those who were fed with a diet rich in fish oils were able
to show better sperm quality. After ejaculation, the sperm from the boars
fed with fish oil seem to resist the effects of lipid peroxidative attacks
in the female boar genital tract, giving the sperm higher chances of
conception.
Inflammation occurs as our body’s natural protective response to fend off
any outside aggressors and to begin the process of healing. Its effect on
our tissues usually involves pain, heat and redness. However, there are
some cases that this outward effect is not visible.
Inflammation is a double-edges sword; its effect can be helpful or harmful
depending on the circumstances. When an inflammation is in chronic state,
devastating consequences are likely to happen like arthritis, heart disease
or stroke. It usually happens when the cause of inflammation is continually
reintroduced or if the acute inflammatory response is not able to eliminate
it. This situation is very likely to happen nowadays because of our
exposure to implausible amounts of toxins.
Some of these toxins can be avoided like poor food choices, smoking, and
prolonged sun exposure. While some things arise from things from things we
don’t have control like genetics, accidents and pollution. Inasmuch as
there are factors you can’t help being exposed to unnecessary and harmful
factors detrimental to your good health, you can also take food supplements
effective in strengthening your body against the sometimes lethal effect of
inflammation. The most effective food supplement according to recent
studies happens to be fish oil.
The prevalence of destructive or chronic inflammation among Western
countries makes it imperative for many specialists to deal with preventive
measures. The reason behind this is that the Western population is more
exposed to stress, obesity and poor health in general. Many pharmacological
anti-inflammatory drugs offer reduction of inflammation, however, long-term
medication have potentially lethal side effects.
So what is your safest option if you have inflammation? Research on
alternative medicines revealed that certain dietary supplements can help
reduce levels of pro-inflammatory factors, with significantly lower side
effects. One of these dietary supplements is the essential fatty acids or
EFAs.
Essential fatty acids are necessary for various aspects of normal
physiology like: mediating immune response, regulating bodily secretions
and their viscosity, dilating and constricting blood vessels, regulating
collateral circulation, directing endocrine hormones to their target cells,
regulating smooth muscles and autonomic reflexes, being primary
constituents of cell membranes, regulating the rate of cell division,
maintaining the fluidity and rigidity of cellular membranes, regulating the
flow of substances into and out from cells, transporting oxygen from red
blood cells to the tissues, maintaining proper kidney function and fluid
balance, keeping saturated fats mobile in the bloodstream, preventing blood
clots, mediating the release of inflammatory eicosanoids that may trigger
allergic conditions, and regulating nerve transmission and communication.
(Source: Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-inflammatory by Joseph C. Maroon and
Jeffrey Bost, 2006, page 39).
For this reason, it is very important for over-all health to have a regular
intake of foods rich in omega-6 or omega-3 EFAs. The omega-3 pathway,
activated by trauma, injury, or chemical stimulus, is the process of
converting the omega-3 EFAs found in the cell membranes to various
eicosanoids. If the omega-3 EFA components of the cell membranes become
dominant, an anti-inflammatory state can result, with preventive health
benefits.
Fish oil is the best source of the omega-3 essential fatty acids. But why
fish oil, you might ask? The needed nutrients can also be found in green
plants; algae (phytoplankton); leaves and seeds of the perilla plants; and
linseed oil but fish oil is considered the most important dietary source of
omega-3 EFAs because it contains concentrated amounts of the ALA
derivatives with APA and DHA.
The two mentioned nutrients can almost exclusively found in seafood. Fish
contains high amount of EPA and DHA because they are at the top of food
chain based on algae, a single-marine organism that manufactures huge
amount of EPA and DHA.
How can one benefit from fish oil supplements and there are actually a
hundred and one reasons why people resort to taking fish oil supplements,
whether it be the result of aggressive marketing and commercial campaigns
or simply because it was proven effective by one and word spread like
wildfire about its therapeutic or healing wonders.
Generally, a common view about fish oil supplements is that it gives the
public a sense of security knowing that a particular ‘alternative’ or
‘natural’ health supplement is sourced from a commonly recognized raw
material, for example, an herb possessing healing properties or plant life
known for vitamin and nutrient qualities.
Psychologically, the public is much more at ease knowing that fish oil
supplements are sourced from commonly known raw materials found in the
environment, rather than medication or supplements synthetically or
chemically-generated in pharmaceutical laboratories.
Among the most common popular – yet sometimes debatable – benefits one can
get from fish oil supplements are the following;
An all-natural approach to healing and therapy. People are more comfortable
knowing that alternative approaches to healing and therapy promotes the
human body’s ability to heal itself, and with the introduction of fish oil
supplements could enhance the body’s resistance to disease and illnesses.
Fish oil supplements are good sources of vitamins and minerals needed by
the body. Many experts believe that natural resources of vitamins and
minerals that are commonly found in the environment are more likely to
supplement the body under ‘natural’ conditions.
A cheaper alternative than conventional prescription synthetic health
medicines. Although this claim is a highly debated issue by health buffs
and pharmaceutical hardliners, economics play a key role in determining
this issue. While millions of dollars go into the research and development
of vitamin and mineral substitutes for mass production, cultural and
traditional forces are at play in rallying the cause of alternative
supplements to boost one’s health.
All-natural supplements are safer than conventional medicines. Sometimes
true and sometimes not, researches are still being conducted regarding the
adverse effects of some ‘natural’ remedies and supplements, aside from
promoting healing or therapeutic capabilities.
There is a wide array of choices in the long list of alternative health
supplements, depending on one’s needs for supplementation and therapeutic
needs. From seed to fruit extracts, depending on one’s preference for
taste, health effects or supplementation needs, there are hundreds of
options one can have in the choice for the best fish oil supplements in the
market.
Natural and fish oil supplements are less-likely to create allergic or
adverse reactions for the user. This again is another debatable topic,
however, the public should take caution as to determining what is good or
bad for their health.
Many fish oil supplements provide treatment for a wide range of major and
minor health conditions, compared to the limited efficacy of their
synthetic counterparts that only target a particular illness or disorder.
Almost all fish oil supplements are used for the prevention of illnesses by
strengthening the immune system, rather than as a palliative measure at the
onset or during the affliction of a disease.
Fish oil supplements can be taken to augment good nutrition and cater to
the body’s need for the recommended standard dosage of vitamins and
minerals. If one particular mineral or nutrient is not found in a standard
diet, supplements can be taken to address the deficit.
Finally, fish oil supplements are good sources of fortified vitamins and
minerals. Depending on our individual needs for vitamins and minerals, it
can add to the body’s need for specific nutrients, for example,
breast-feeding or pregnant women need more calcium, folic acid and every
other essential nutrients for fetal development, compared to teens and
men.
Whether these benefits bear truth or not, it is still essential to seek
expert opinion about the medicines or supplements we take- be it synthetic
or natural- since what may be good for one may be bad for another. It would
still be good to know and understand what is best for us.
Cardio vascular disease and Fish oil are currently two of today’s popular
words that bear relation to pain and alternative treatment.
But to the uninitiated, they would aptly ask the question, “What are the
healing benefits of Fish oil and what can it do to help someone with cardio
vascular disease?”
This question can be answered by the thousands of cardio vascular sufferers
who have benefited from the healing wonders of Fish oil, as well as with
those who are currently undergoing treatment using this natural food
supplement.
Apparently the most common benefits of Fish oil with cardio vascular is
that it alleviates the major symptoms of the disorder, specifically since
Fish oil is a highly effective method for treating the symptomatic
conditions commonly found among cardio vascular sufferers.
The use of Fish oil supplements promote healing among its patients, and the
process is usually done by ingesting the extract in capsule, pill or even
powdered form.
For cardio vascular patients, the process involves daily intake of
controlled and administered doses of the fish oil supplement.
The healing wonders of fish oil is believed to have originated from Asia,
after noting that fishermen staying for long periods of time at sea and
have mostly a regular diet of fish turn out to be more healthy and are less
susceptible to . It was practiced by Buddhist monks for over a thousand
years and was passed on through generations.
Fish oil practitioners reckon that it is a powerful healing process using
natural universal energy that keeps us alive, and is the energy responsible
for the body’s ability to heal itself. It is this energy that flows through
the hands of what is called the ‘Fish oil channel’ in a concentrated and
powerful energy form on to the body to correct the energy imbalance of the
patient.
Although Fish oil is derived from deep sea fish and is not meant as a cure
for diseases, it complements and can also work as a support mechanism to
conventional disease treatment in cases where medication is generally
required.
Specifically, Fish oil is not a cure for any disease, even cardio vascular
disease, however, it’s healing benefits enhances over-all health and
general well-being, as well as a cursory factor to living a healthy
lifestyle, thus, relieving patients of stress and other pain-related
symptoms.
Realistically, Fish oil is not for everybody, but the main focus of this
therapy is that the cardio vascular patient should discipline themselves
and take full responsibility for their own health, and that by giving one’s
self up to take active and committed participation to allow self-healing,
then can only Fish oil be fully embraced and allow the healing power to
take its effect.
Cardio vascular disease affects millions of people in the United States,
regardless of age or social status, and no studies have been established
pinpointing to the very cause of the disease, except that it is closely
associated to lifestyle, diet, genetic history, depression and stress.
Ideally, thousands of cardio vascular sufferers have benefited from Fish
oil supplements and although it is not a proven cure-all for cardio
vascular disease, it provides cardio vascular patients with the hope that
there are alternative and holistic solutions to treating this disease. Be
it Fish oil or conventional treatment, the final decision rests with the
patient, whichever they find suitable and comfortable for them.
After all, fish oil is turning out to be a ray of hope for those with
cardio vascular disease.
For people who came to know the health benefits of fish oil, the next
question they ask is how much quantity does one take? Well, some would
recommend at least 3.5 grams a day while others suggest a mere 2.5 grams of
omega-3 fatty acids would be enough to get the whole health benefits of
fish oil. To be on the safe side, it would be better to consult your doctor
of nutritionist for the proper dosage of fish oil.
There are in fact a number of factors to consider. Take age for example. It
has been found out that the needs of younger people for essential fatty
acids are higher than the older folks. One of the possible reasons is the
fact that young people are more active which makes their needs for
essential fatty acids greater than old people who have gone on with their
retirements.
However, this should not be misunderstood that older people do not need
daily intake of fish oil. The dosage or amount only diminishes but the
importance of taking fish oil does not. Nothing can stress this more than
the studies that have been conducted in the past which shows that the
healthy essential fatty acids in fish oil help reduce and prevent the
inflammation of blood vessels which is linked to heart disease.
According to experts, the lack of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and the
docoxahexaenoic acid (DHA) can result to depression and heart disease. And
since EPA and DHA are the primary omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil the
significance of fish oil in one’s diet cannot and should not be undermined.
Plus, our body cannot produce essential fatty acids so our only hope to get
them is through an outside source. Only by eating fish rich in fats and oil
or taking those commercially available fish oil supplement capsules does
our body get the necessary supply of omega-3.
Probably one way of determining the amount of omega-3 you take also depends
on your intake amount of omega-6 fatty acids. You can find omega-6 acids
from common vegetable cooking oils like canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil
and sunflower oil. These are present in a lot of food available in the
supermarket, most especially the processed ones.
We need to balance the intake of omega-3 and omega-6 since the latter
compete for enzymes with the former. And too much omega-6 could result to
inflammation which can later affect the heart. The effects of omega-6
counters the benefits omega-3 gives the heart. According to some experts,
having a ratio of 2 to 1, omega-6 to omega-3, would be the best combination
to have. The ratio properly balances the effects of both essential fatty
acids.
Other doctors recommend taking only a minimal quantity of say 2.5 grams per
day or even lower depending on how much it will take to maintain your state
of health. Taking too much might result to bodily imbalance which can
become harmful to your overall health. However, if you have a certain
disease or existing condition like, your doctors might prescribe you a
stronger daily dosage of fish oil to help you cope and regain your health.
To sum up, the quantity of fish oil you should take depends on your state
of health, diet, age, among other factors. Consulting your doctors would be
the best move before starting on a daily intake of fish oil.
It seems that a lot of research and studies are showing how effective fish
oil is in helping improve our heart conditions. Studies in Denmark showed
that fish oil could reduce heart attacks by 50 %. While the Journal of
American Medical Association published a report from Harvard School of
Public Health that states that women who consume fish with higher Omega-3
fatty acid lessens their risk of incurring any heart disease.
These evidences show us how good Omega-3 fatty acid is to our body. This
would actually improve our life and lengthen our life span. High contents
of Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish like salmon, mackerel,
sardines, herring and anchovies. They have docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and
eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA which have anti-inflammatory and
anti-coagulant effects.
Omega-3 fatty acid belongs to the polyunsaturated fats, along with omega-6
fatty acid. Omega- 6 acid come mainly from vegetable oil. Omega-6 oils
can also provide the body with heart and health benefits, but too much is
also bad for the body. Omega-3 fatty acids do not only help in heart
issues, but also support brain development.
EPA and DHA are very important to our body. But the body does not produce
Omega-3 fatty acid. We have to get the nutrients from our food. Omega-3
acids are called or referred to as building blocks of the body. They help
the brain and vision development, not only for children but for adults as
well.
Italian researchers actually say that consuming about 1 gram of Omega-3 per
day would show significant effects on reducing heart attacks. A gram of
Omega-3 fatty acid can be present in a medium sized serving of salmon.
How do these acids exactly reduce heart attack risks?
They reduce triglyceride levels. Triglycerides come from fats of the food
that we eat and calories not digested. In excessive amount, tryglycerides
can cause coronary heart disease. They are just like cholesterol, they
block the arteries and these can lead to heart attacks.
Aside from that they can also stabilise irregular heart beat. It can lower
blood pressure and increase the level of good cholesterol. They also have
anti-inflammatory characteristics. They are also anti-coagulant which
means they make sure that they platelets do not stick together are clot.
These clotted platelets can also block the arteries and the blood flow. You
call this Thrombosis.
But according to a research led by Dr. Jochen Senges of the University of
Heidelberg, the risk for a second attack among patients who used
recommended medications compared with those who are using fish oil has no
significant difference. It just show how important it is to avoid getting
any heart attack in the first place.
You can take fish oil supplement or eat a lot of fatty fish but if you do
not combine them with a healthy heart diet, still it is going to be
useless. A healthy heart diet would include high fiber food like
vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and nuts. Aside from eating fish,
eating good quality protein products like lean poultry, non-fat dairy, and
other products that does not contain saturated fat or trans fat.
Fish oil is not a magic pill which can transform you immediately into a
healthy person just by taking them. Being a healthy person does not only
require taking food supplements but also eating properly and healthily.
Fish oil is not only good for the heart and for our overall health, this is
also good for our brain. Fish oil comes from fatty fish like salmon,
mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies. It contains Omega-3 fatty acid
docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA. These kind
of Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be produced by the body so it is important to
take in food that contain these kinds of nutrients.
Fish oil is said to improve brain development and memory. DHA plays a
major role in the structure and development of the brain. It is also
important in developing vision. Pregnant women’s diet should constitute
fish oil since DHA is important for the baby to develop their brain.
According to the research by the University of Western Australia, expectant
mothers who include DHA in their diet are said to give birth to babies with
better eye and hand coordination and less risk of giving birth prematurely.
Their children are also better speakers and could understand more at the
age of two and a half. Although, if you are pregnant and would like to take
fish oil supplement, it is better check with your doctor first. Fish oil
is also said to result into bleeding as a side-effect.
Research and studies showed that adding fish oil to your diet could also
reduce possibility and risks of mental and psychological disorders like
depressive orders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), bipolar
disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Actually, according to a study by Aberdeen University they identified that
fish oil can actually increase IQ scores and can even slow the ageing
process. According to a Swedish study published in the Archives of
Neurology, patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer were given 1.7 grams of
DHA and .6 grams of EPA. They showed less cognitive decline in six months.
As mentioned, fish oil is recommended for children who have ADHD. There
are studies showing that the lack polyunsaturated fatty acids can
contribute to this disorder. This can also be the reason behind dyslexia.
There were studies conducted among children, they were given fish oil
supplements for the period of three months. These children showed
significant improvements in behaviour, reading and spelling. They were
also able to focus and concentrate more.
There were studies that showed that Omega-3 fatty acids had the same
effects as Prozac which is a known anti-depressant. Studies showed that
countries with high fish consumption have lower rates of depression. Aside
from that, pregnant women and those who have just given birth who include
fish in their diet regularly have lower risk of experiencing postpartum
depression.
If you have decided to take fish oil supplements to address these mental
problems for yourself or for your kids or relatives, then it would be best
to consult a doctor first. You would have to know how much you are going
to take. Just like any vitamins or anything, when taken in excess it can
have bad effects.
Too much of fish oil supplement can also cause some serious problems like
oxidative stress. Some doctors would recommend taking Vitamin C along with
the fish oil supplement. This would actually balance the nutrients that
you are getting.
Fish oil has amazing effects on our health and body, we just have to
remember to keep it balanced with a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle.