Recently the noise makers in the health industry have been
bombarding us with all this information about good fat versus bad fat,
sometimes it just gets so confusing that you don’t know what is what. Today
they are harping about fat being the enemy, the next they tout the health
benefits of consuming fat in your diet.
Until a few months ago I was as confused as the next guy. So
I did some digging around and I discovered the wonderful health benefits of
omega 3 fatty acids which is most popularly found as omega 3 fish oil. I know
you are wondering if fish oil is all it’s cracked up to be and the short of it
is yes! If you are not getting your daily dose of omega 3 by eating oily sea
fish e.g. mackerel (Titus to you in Naija!) then you had better start now and
if you can’t stand the taste of fish, start taking supplements.
Today I am going to break down all you need to know about
fish oil and why it should be a priority for you if you want to live a long and
healthy life. Please read on and share this information with family and
friends. I promise you won’t regret it, read on and have a lovely day.
WHAT IS OMEGA 3 FATTY
ACID:
Omega 3 fatty acid or fish oil is derived from the tissue of
oily fish and contains the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA. They are known to
help reduce inflammation in the body and have other health benefits. Fish high
in omega 3 fatty acids include: tuna,
mackerel, salmon and sardines.
BENEFITS OF OMEGA 3
FATTY ACID IN YOUR DIET:
IT REDUCES THE RISK OF CANCER:
A recent study found that daily doses of omega 3 fatty acid
may help reduce the risk of developing breast, prostate and colon cancer. The
study which included 35,000 women found that those who took a daily dose of
omega 3 had a 32% less risk of developing breast cancer.
IT HELPS TO REDUCE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:
Omega 3 fatty acid has been found to help reduce high blood
pressure and also helps in the treatment of secondary heart disease. For this,
the American Heart Association recommends the consumption of at least 1 gram of
fish oil daily. However pregnant women should consult the physician first.
PREGNANCY MANAGEMENT:
Omega 3 can also protect against foetal brain injury, promote
foetal health and helps to prevent premature labour and delivery. In fact a
study of 5 year olds found that those whose mothers had taken omega 3 during
pregnancy and breastfeeding showed
better attention span and motor development than those who did not.
IMPROVED FAT BURNING:
It turns that omega 3 also helps to increase the rate of fat
burning and is a useful tool if you want to lose body fat. A study by the
University of Southern Australia found that people on an exercise program who
supplemented with omega 3 lost more abdominal fat than those who did not. Need
I say more?
BOOSTS BRAIN POWER AND MEMORY:
It has also been found that omega 3 consumption helps to
boost memory and reduce the rate at which the brain shrinks as we age. There is
also some evidence that it may help prevent or mitigate the effects of
Alzheimer’s disease which is associated with old age and a loss of brain
function as it affects memory.
IT HELPS TO PROTECT LEAN MUSCLE:
Omega 3 has also proved useful by helping to protect lean
muscle through its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Hence a daily
dose helps to reduce muscle soreness after your workout.
HOW TO GET YOUR DAILY DOSE OF OMEGA 3:
There is bad news and good news, the bad is that most of us
are majorly deficient in omega 3 as we do not get enough from our diet as we do
not consume enough from the fish and other foods we consume. However the good
news is that we augment this by taking fish oil supplements, of which I am a
very big advocate (and of supplements in general: Screw the experts!). Don’t
worry about availability; fish oil is readily available at your local pharmacy
though they vary in price and dosage you can get good quality fish oil i.e. Cod
liver oil which is reasonably priced. Whatever brand you buy, please be sure to
find out how many milligrams you are getting per dose and always check the
expiration date on the package!
I hope you add omega 3 to your diet as you will reap its
wonderful health benefits. On a personal level it has helped lower my bad
cholesterol while boosting the good one. Need I say more? See you at the
pharmacy.
Do have a wonderful day.
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