Fish Oil and the Miracles Created By It

Fish oil is the panacea for many ailments. It’s the old wives cure for all coughs and colds. But that, you must believe, is just the beginning. Have you noticed that those who include fish regularly in their diet own skins that bloom and glow? That is the miracle of the fish oil. It is also extremely helpful in cases of dermatological problems such as eczema and psoriasis. It benefits the functions of the brain and improves neurological health. Cardiovascular conditions are made better and so is the immune system. Fish oil also profits in case of diseases of joints such as Gout and Arthritis and even Diabetes.

As if that is not enough, research is bringing forth more and more benefits of this miracle oil that possesses anti-inflammatory properties. It has been found out that it can also help in medical conditions of inflammatory bowel infection, hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis among others. Scientific studies are regularly conducted in this regard at the UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) and the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs).

Research with mice has uncovered the fact that eating a diet rich in docosa-hexenoic acid (DHA) radically abridged the development of Alzheimer's disease. Fish oil has a wealth of DHA in it. DHA works by scraping away the damaging brain plaques associated with the disease. The results of the study are available in the March 23rd online publication of the Journal of Neuroscience. New evidence also suggests that deaths from heart attacks have also declined with increased ingestion of fish oil.

Everyone, who is a bit health conscious these days, will know about the benefits o Omega 3 fatty acids. These are available in fish oil in abundance. In 1966, there was a study conducted at the Harvard University by P.K. Reissell's group. Not only do the Omega 3 fatty acids help in dealing with cholesterol but also the study clearly laid down that a diet low in carbohydrates and high in Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin C noticeably decreases the body’s triglyceride levels, which are harmful in the long run.

Triglycerides are often the culprit when it comes to heart attacks and uneven heart rhythms. Fish oil helps in controlling triglycerides in blood by generating Omega 3 fatty acids. Because of these advantages, doctors recommend heart patients to include oily fishes in their diet twice a week at the minimum. Patients having trouble with their Blood Pressure are also helped by a fish happy diet. Omega 3 fatty acids have again been linked to enhanced brain and eye development in the fetus. Oily fish also helps in healing eye problems such as the dry eye condition and muscular degeneration of the eyes.

If this is not enough to convince, them maybe the geographical facts will. Eskimos and Japanese thrive on fish due to their geographical lifestyles. Investigations show that the populations in these areas have lower rate of heart attacks as well as cases of depression. Nutritionists point out that the reason behind this trend is the high amount of oily fish in their diets. Research has also shown that fish oil is associated with reduced mood swings in patients suffering from depression.
And, what about the big threat- Cancer? Well, fish lovers have more reason to rejoice for it’s been investigated that among other benefits of fish oil is its anti-malignant properties. It reduces the risk of lung, breast and prostrate cancer.

It all seems like a lot of good news. It looks like there’s nothing that fish oil can not help in. But there are always two sides to a coin and it’s the same in this case. There are certain doubts and side effects associated with fish oil as well, which you must know of before starting on heavy fish diet or ingesting fish oil supplements. Too much of fish eating can lead to metal poisoning. A lot of fish have heavy metals such as mercury and lead in them which are damaging to the human body. Then they also contain contaminants such as furans, dioxins and PCB’s. So you should investigate and learn to differentiate between the good and the not so good fish.

As a basic rule, any kind of changes in diet and supplements must be seconded by your doctor. However, you can generally avoid fishes such as sharks, swordfish, sturgeon, king mackerel, tilefish and largemouth bass.

Author is an avid angler. He regularly participates in several fishing competition and earned
Worldwide recognition for his knowledge in deep sea fishing. He runs his own charter service in Indian Ocean. He regularly publishes article on fishing at his website. You can download his free report on fishing at bass fishing