Is fish oil the fountain of youth??
January 12th, 2009
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by Becky · Filed Under: Nutrition and healthy aging · Tips to look younger
Well, there is nothing I know of that will maintain our youth forever, but as far as anti-aging nutrition goes, fish oil is at the top of the list!
Study after study shows that fish oil (and, more specifically the long-chain omega-3 fats DHA and EPA) can benefit us in so many ways. Based on scientific evidence, the American Heart Association (AHA) reports that the ingestion of fish and/or fish oil supplements can benefit us in the following ways:
-Reduce blood pressure
-Reduce triglyceride levels
-Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease
-Reduce inflammation
-Reduce the incidence of macular degeneration (an eye disorder)
These are only the top four benefits the AHA mentions as having “strong scientific evidence”. It’s the tip of the iceberg–the list of potential benefits from fish oil is several pages long!
We boomers are right smack in “mid-life” where a lot of life’s pains the rear (heart disease, high blood pressure, etc) start showing up. The evidence-based argument favoring fish oil in reducing the risk for these conditions is just too strong to ignore.
If you aren’t taking fish oil, I suggest you talk to your doctor about adding it in to your supplement regime. One word of caution: Folks who are allergic to fish or shellfish should not take fish oil capsules.
If you like fish, the best way to get omega-3 fatty acids is to eat fattier fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel. Trout is also high in both DHA and EPA.
If you don’t eat fish several times a week, a fish oil supplement may be in order.
What should you look for in a fish oil supplement?
-Look for a product containing Neptune Krill Oil. Neptune Krill Oil doesn’t give you “fish burp” or a fishy aftertaste, and reportedly has a higher antioxidant rating than other types of fish oil used for supplements.
-Look for a product that contains both EPA and DHA.
-Talk to your health care provider about the proper dosage of fish oil for your situation.
I use and recommend EFA-Icon from Prograde Nutrition for my Omega-3 supplement.
You can pick up some EFA icon at a discount right now!
Click here to get to the Prograde site. Once you’ve placed your order, put in the coupon code 012009 at checkout. You’ll save 10.9% off your entire Prograde order from now through midnight EST on Thursday, January 15th!
Yours in health,
Becky
Hi Becky, I really enjoy your information. there are so many people that don’t know what is out there that can truly help them. thanks and keep up the great job your doing.
Excellent post about the many and varied benefits of fish oil. Fish oil has also been seen to assist in delaying the onset of old age and in fighting the debilitating effects of memory loss that seem to be an inevitable part of old age.
Just in time. My husband’s doctor recommended fish oil or flax seed. I don’t understand why the choice nor do I understand what dosage to take. Why is the prograde better than something I can get from a healthfood store?
Hi Susan,
Great question. There are SO many choices for fish oil on the market. As consumers, it’s really hard to know what’s what out there, isn’t it? To answer your question about Prograde EFA Icon: One of the main reasons I chose Prograde is that the oil in their EFA icon capsules is from Neptune Krill Oil, which reportedly has a higher anti-oxidant rating than the fish oil used in most other products. It also doesn’t create the “fish burp” that some other fish oil capsules can create. That said, I’m confident that you can find a suitable fish oil product at your local health food store if you’d prefer not to purchase something online. Just make sure the supplement has DHA and EPA in it–these seem to be the ingredients that really give us the health benefits researchers are seeing in studies.
I’m not able to make a dosage recommendation for your husband, but you could ask your doctor if there is a specific dosage he/she recommends, or check with a local registered dietician.
Yours in health,
Becky