Preventing Heart Disease With Omega 3

You went to the doctor and got the bad news. They took the detailed tests, the Blood Test, Electrocardiogram, a Stress Test, and more. The results that came out were quite undesirable.

You have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease or CHD which is when your small blood vessels that transport the blood and oxygen to your heart have narrowed. CHD is the major cause of death for both men and women in America.

Coronary Heart Disease is a result of plaque accumulating along walls of the artery which slows down the rate of blood flow to your heart putting it under stress. Your first step should be toreduce cholesterol in your diet. You should definitely give it a try before going in for a more complicated treatment.

Even if you have already developed CHD, it’s never too late to start trying some precautionary measures by including omega 3 to your diet. One of the best ways to prevent CHD is to limit the amount of the saturated fat in your diet and add more omega 3 rich foods.

Watching your cholesterol has almost become a laughing matter in the US, but it really is not something to laugh about. Nearly all Americans have high cholesterol. Then we have the other factor, triglycerides. They aren’t taken as seriously as cholesterol but are just as bad if out of control. Research has shown that including omega 3 into your diet can assist in raising the amount of HDL, the good type of cholesterol while lowering both the LDL or bad cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. Cholesterol causes the plaque that is forming in your arteries that will in time give you heart disease. It doesn’t happen fast, it’s a slow progressive disease that knocks you down with a heart attack usually before you know you have it.

Some of the common symptoms to warn you of a heart problem could be:

Tiring easily
Short of breath
Feeling weak
Last of all, you could be suffering from chest pain, angina.

Angina is the most common sign of heart trouble. You get a feeling as if someone is grabbing your heart and squeezing it. The pain is a result of your clogged arteries not getting enough blood and oxygen to your heart. It varies in the intensity of pain. Some people only suffer mild pain while others may face a severe pain. The pain can also be felt in your arms, neck, in your stomach or in your upper back.

Omega 3 acids have proven to be very effective in preventing angina. Even if you have already had a heart attack, increasing your dietary intake of omega 3 fatty acids will benefit you. It lowers the risk of death, having another heart attack, or stroke. It prevents the hardening of the arteries by slowing down the building up of plaque and blood clots which slows the blood flow.

Now for a warning. Some people like to over do a good thing. Excessive omega 3 in your diet can also be harmful. Eating fish thrice a day or taking over 3 grams of omega 3 supplements can cause other complications. It is advisable to consult a doctor if you intend to take more than 3 grams of omega 3 per day, it’s always better to consult your doctor before starting any new medicines if you are already taking other medications.

If you are young and healthy, why not start a dietary change or add supplements to your diet to help you remain healthy and live a longer healthier life.


Sandy is a common guest blogger at http://www.whatisomega3.com/ and offers some sound advice on What's Omega 3 good for, which could be very helpful for you to lead a healthy lifestyle.