How Omega 3 Fish Oil Can Reduce the Risk of Heart Attacks

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Evidence is mounting that pure fish oil rich in omega 3 can help to prevent heart attacks after studies of more than 40,000 heart patients globally in the past 30 years.

Known in the medical profession as myocardial infarction, heart attacks are the leading cause of death among adults in the United States. Research has proved that a daily dose of omega-3 can significantly reduce the risk of a heart attack.

Every year, more than one million people suffer heart attacks in America, with around 400,000 being fatal. The major causes of heart disease have long been linked to lifestyle and diet. This is because the average American consumes mostly processed foods high in saturated fats and dietary cholesterol. These are typically found in burgers, fries, cookies and cakes that are a stable of Western diets.

Years of eating this food result in cholesterol and plaque building up in the heart walls. Over time, this can lead to a narrowing of the arteries and shortness of breath as the heart is forced to pump harder to get oxygen around the body. Ultimately, this can lead directly to a heart attack or stroke.

One of the clearest examples of omega 3 fish oil preventing heart attacks was identified in Japan. For years, doctors and researchers had been baffled by the low incidence of heart disease among the Japanese compared to Western countries.

Studies found that the typical Japanese diet was high in seafood and extremely low in dairy products and animal products. Similar finds were found among Inuits living in Greenland whose diet is almost exclusively fish, seal and whale.

The naturally rich fatty fish oil in these seafood diets protected their hearts. Therefore heart disease among the Japanese and Inuits was very uncommon. Conversely, more than 85 percent of the American population is deficient in these fatty acids because of the highly processed foods that they eat.

So what is it about omega 3 fish oil that is good for hearts? Researchers have discovered that good fatty acids known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are the key.

These are easily absorbed into cell membranes where they go to work protecting the heart muscle. They do this by reducing the build-up of plague inside the heart that can lead to the hardening of arteries, irregular beating of the heart called arrhythmia, heart failure and sudden cardiac death.

People who have actually suffered a heart attack can also benefit from daily does of DHA and EPA. Their chances of another life-threatening attack are reduced by up to 30 percent by taking fish oil for heart supplements. Naturally, one of the best sources of omega 3 is from eating fish. But an even easier way to maintain a healthy heart is simply by taking regular omega 3 supplements like me and my family does.

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