Why Is Fish Oil Good For You?

You may have heard a lot about the benefits of adding fish oil to your diet and wondered what all the hoopla was about. Studies done of the Inuit peoples in Greenland over a 24-year period showed that the incidence of heart disease was half that of Westerners, despite the fact that significant amounts of high-fat foods, such as whale and seal blubber, were consumed. Not unlike the later French paradox, where researchers noted a reduced rate of cardiovascular disease in those who ate a diet high in saturated fats, scientists have narrowed down Omega-3 essential fatty acids, most notably docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), that protect the heart against bad cholesterol (LDL) while raising the good type (HDL).

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), fish oil, whether added to the diet by eating trout, halibut, tuna, sardines or salmon, or from nutritional supplements, can reduce your chances of a heart attack, arrhythmia, athlerosclerosis and stroke. Moreover, fish oil can reduce serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which have been shown as factors in Alzheimer's disease. Omega-3 fatty acids also have shown to offer immunity against the common cold and flu and reduce inflammation in patients who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and intestinal disorders. Fish oil has even been shown effective in children who suffer from ADHD and dyslexia by improving brain function. So these are some of the many reasons for fish oil's popularity. 

Believe it or not, your grandmother and her grandmother knew the benefits of fish oil in the form of cod liver oil. Although this dietary supplement has gotten a bad rap over the years for its taste, it's now available in a much more palatable form, including orange, lemon and berry flavors. Just like Mary Poppins said, "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down," but these formulas use natural essential oils for a pleasant tasting formula. Consider Pharmax's Finest Pure Fish Oil flavored with orange essential oil, which can be taken by kids and adults alike. You'll get the recommended dose of DHA and EPA in this all-natural formula, made from anchovies and sardines, without the unpleasant, fishy aftertaste.

Pharmax also their High EPA Finest Pure Fish Oil, also flavored with essential orange oil in an extra virgin olive oil base. The AHA recommends that a heart-healthy diet should include two servings of fish per week, but recent studies have shown that some fish, including tuna steaks and farmed salmon, should be avoided due to high levels of mercury and other carcinogens. The fish oil contained in Pharmax's formulation is guaranteed to be free of measurable levels of mercury, heavy metals and PCBs, so you know you're getting all the health benefits of fish oil with none of the risks.

Check out the other heart-healthy fish oil supplements from CAM Formulas, in both liquid and powder form, to keep you and your family's nutritional goals on the right track in the fight against heart disease.