Womens Health Women & Omega 3sMany fish contain an oil, Omega 3 fatty acid, which is proving to have impressive health benefits. It seems Omega 3 fatty acids reduce the risk of heart attack and breast cancer -- two compelling reasons for women to pay attention.
The easiest way to characterize the essence of recent scientific studies is to think of Omega 3 fatty acid as the "good oil" and Omega 6 fatty acid as the "bad oil." Omega 3 is plentiful in cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, sardines, herring, yellow tail) and flax seed oil. Lesser amounts are present in soy and canola oils and in wheat germ. Omega 6 is the predominant fatty acid in polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as corn and safflower oil. To advance down the road to better health, imprint these lists in your memory, eat fish twice a week and reduce your intake of bad oils. These relatively minor lifestyle changes appear to be reasonably reliable life extenders.
In a study involving patients with breast cancer at the UCLA School of Medicine (reported in the August, 1997, Journal of the National Cancer Institute), corn and safflower oils were found to favor the growth of mammary tumors, while Omega 3 fish oils inhibited mammary tumor growth.
In the heart zone, researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that individuals who ate the equivalent of four 3-ounce servings of salmon per month were 50 percent less likely to experience primary cardiac arrest. It seems the Omega 3 fatty acids found in cold water fish increase the levels of fatty acids in blood cell membranes. This reduces the clumping of blood platelets and coronary spasm. Even small increases in the percentage of Omega 3 in total fatty acids can substantially lower the risk of heart attack -- and as the percentage of Omega 3 increases, the risk decreases accordingly.
The easiest way to characterize the essence of recent scientific studies is to think of Omega 3 fatty acid as the "good oil" and Omega 6 fatty acid as the "bad oil." Omega 3 is plentiful in cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, sardines, herring, yellow tail) and flax seed oil. Lesser amounts are present in soy and canola oils and in wheat germ. Omega 6 is the predominant fatty acid in polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as corn and safflower oil. To advance down the road to better health, imprint these lists in your memory, eat fish twice a week and reduce your intake of bad oils. These relatively minor lifestyle changes appear to be reasonably reliable life extenders.
In a study involving patients with breast cancer at the UCLA School of Medicine (reported in the August, 1997, Journal of the National Cancer Institute), corn and safflower oils were found to favor the growth of mammary tumors, while Omega 3 fish oils inhibited mammary tumor growth.
In the heart zone, researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that individuals who ate the equivalent of four 3-ounce servings of salmon per month were 50 percent less likely to experience primary cardiac arrest. It seems the Omega 3 fatty acids found in cold water fish increase the levels of fatty acids in blood cell membranes. This reduces the clumping of blood platelets and coronary spasm. Even small increases in the percentage of Omega 3 in total fatty acids can substantially lower the risk of heart attack -- and as the percentage of Omega 3 increases, the risk decreases accordingly.
