Omega 3 Fatty Acids Reduce Heart Disease Risk

There’s a polyunsaturated fatty acid found in fish called omega-3, and it seems to support cardiovascular health.

Inflammation seems to be a leading cause of heart and blood vessel disease, and the buildup of plaques is another big problem. Both of these can contribute to atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries formed by plaque gathering on artery walls. When this plaque breaks away from the vessel wall it can become very dangerous. Traveling plaques can cause vision loss, strokes, and more severely a heart attack!

When people were having their plaques surgically removed, they were also being analyzed for signs of inflammation and for fatty acids. People with symptoms of vision loss and stroke had a higher inflammation levels than those who didn’t have any symptoms. The people that didn’t suffer any such symptoms also had higher levels of EPA and DHA which are the two major omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.

Long story short, the results taken from the 40 people who underwent surgery suggest that omega-3 fatty acids from fish may prevent stroke. The American Heart Association recommends eating two 3 oz. servings of fatty fish per week. Some examples of fatty fish include salmon, tuna, herring, and mackerel. These fatty acids are also found in some plant sources too, like walnuts, oils from soy, canola, and flaxseed. The benefit of the plant sources is that they do not contain heavy metals like fish often do.
Also, even if you have heart disease or at risk for heart disease, you should consider taking a daily fish oil supplement which provides at least 1-1.8 grams of omega-3 fatty acids.