I only eat fish - no chicken, no turkey, just fish. I get all my protein from fish and egg whites. Jack LaLanne, Exercise Guru
Large-scale epidemiological studies and clinical trials suggest that people at risk for coronary heart disease benefit from consuming omega-3 fatty acids from plants and marine sources. The Inuit Eskimos inhabit the Arctic regions of Alaska, Greenland, and the Canadian Northwest Territories and Nunavut. They traditionally consume large amounts of fish, whale and seal. Several researchers have attributed this diet to their lower rates of heart disease. Japan boasts a robust number of centenarians. Many of the most celebrated centenarians are from Okinawa. This island's legendary longevity has been partly attributed to the local diet and lifestyle. And the diet is rich is fish. Fish contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
Several scientific studies have confirmed that consumption of fish and fish oil supplements can reduce death from heart disease. In the April 10, 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, investigators from the Harvard School of Public Health reported that women who consumed more fish and fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) significantly reduced their risk of heart disease. In this study, among 85,000 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study, those who ate fish 2 to 4 times per week reduced their risk of heart disease by 30%, compared to women who rarely ate fish. Similarly, in a study published in the April 11, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital reported that healthy men in the Physicians' Health Study who consumed omega-3 fatty acids had a significantly reduced risk of sudden death. And finally, investigators from Italy reported in Circulation that consuming 1 gram per day of omega-3 fatty acid supplements resulted in a significantly reduced risk of sudden death among survivors of heart attacks. Over 7000 reports, including nearly 900 human clinical trials have since been published on the study of fish oil and omega 3 fatty acids. And the research suggests that CHD mortality decreases by 14.6% for every 100 mg/day intake of EPA and DHA, reaching a plateau of 36% at about 250 mg/day.
The health benefits of eating fish are mainly due to their high content of omega 3 fatty acids. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). A third kind, alpha-linolenic acid, is less potent. It comes from plant sources: soybeans, canola, walnut and flaxseed and oils made from their beans, nuts and seeds. Since 2000, the American Heart Association?s dietary guidelines have recommended that healthy adults eat at least two servings of fish per week.
The mechanism by which omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD risk is multifactorial. Research has shown that they decrease the risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, slightly lower blood pressure and stabilize the blood clotting mechanisms. They also positively affect arterial endothelial function.
?I like to fish. Fishing is always a way of relaxing.? Actor Tom Felton. Eating fish has other benefits too. Fish consumption may also help asthma and certain cancers. Omega-3 oils play an important part in the development of our brains. Sea food contains an abundance of essential minerals - iron, zinc, iodine and selenium. Fish is a good source of vitamins helping to maintain healthy nerve tissues, strong bones and teeth and a glowing complexion. Fish is a low fat food and a good source of protein, essential for the healthy growth and maintenance of muscles and body tissues. Shellfish such as oysters have a reputation for acting as an aphrodisiac!
?Give a man a fish, and he can eat for a day. But teach a man how to fish, and he'll be dead of mercury poisoning inside of three years.? - Charles Haas. However, recent concerns of mercury and environmental toxins have clouded fish oil's potential clinical benefits. The FDA warns that mackeral king, shark, swordfish and tilefish from the gulf of Mexico, have the highest mercury content. These should be avoided. However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. The risk for most people is miniscule. However, pregnant women have to be careful. The FDA last year said that pregnant women should not eat some kinds of fish - king mackerel being one of them - because of the risk of mercury toxicity to the fetus. If you take fish oil capsules, remember, do not exceed 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. High intakes could cause excessive bleeding in some people.
?Ann, Ann! Come! quick as you can! There's a fish that talks in the frying-pan.? Walter de la Mare. Fish is readily available and can be eaten raw or cooked. Fish can be cooked in many ways. The usual ways include boiling, broiling, baking, frying and steaming. Fish can also be stewed. An old Polish proverb advises, ? Fish, to taste right, must swim three times -in water, in butter, and in wine.” Sounds yummy! So lets eat fish, at least twice a week. Your heart will be happy. And there is an abundance of it. As William Camden said, ?The sea hath fish for every man. ?
Dr. Shashi K. Agarwal is a Board Certified Internist and Cardiologist with a private practice in New York City and New Jersey. He is also a diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
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