Fish oil is something that everyone should have in their diet, as a nutrient-dense and healthy diet is very important for our health. Knowing how to look after your body is key and fish oil is a good way to make sure you remain healthy. This article discusses some of the benefits of having fish oil in our diet and why it can not only benefit us as adults, but also our children.
Lowering The Risk of Heart Disease
It is thought that people who have a lot of fish in their diet or take a fish oil supplement have a reduced chance of getting a form of heart disease. The reason for this is that it increases levels of HDL cholesterol which is good for the body and also reduces blood pressure when taken small doses, which helps the heart to function healthily. Not to mention, it could also reduce the amount of plaque in your arteries which is what clogs them up.
There is no clear evidence that it prevents any heart disease or heart attacks, as some heart attacks can be caused through genetics which is hard to prevent. There are other ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, such as a healthy diet or regular exercise, as well as dietary changes like reducing your intake of red meat. It is suspected that this can increase your chances of having heart disease.
It Can Help Fight Depression and Anxiety
This is something that a lot of people might have experienced during lockdown and the pandemic which is why it is important to mention it here. Studies have shown that people who have plenty of omega-3 are less likely to be anxious or depressed. Not only that, but people’s symptoms of depression and anxiety are reduced when they start taking omega-3s.
Now that is not to say that as soon as you start taking an omega-3 supplement, your anxiety and depression will start to improve, but over time it can help when taken consistently.
Suspected To Improve Eye Health
If you do not get enough DHA (a type of omega-3) then the health of your eye might decline over time, which could cause many different types of vision problems. DHA is a massive structural component for our eyes and it is also connected to reducing macular degeneration, which is the world’s leading cause of damage to our eyes.
May Improve Asthma Symptoms and Allergies
Many people suffer from asthma and for some people, it is a lot worse than others. In some studies, fish oil has shown that it can reduce asthma symptoms, especially when you are a lot younger. Additionally, the fatty acids found in Omega-3 are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties, which can improve both asthma symptoms as well as a range of allergies.
Can Help To Maintain Good Brain Health
Once we get to a certain age, the brain starts to slow down naturally. This can affect both physical and mental activities which is something that we cannot help on the most part, as it is part of the ageing process.
There are many diseases out there that can affect us mentally such as dementia and Alzheimers. However, some studies have suggested that if you eat a lot of fish then there is a chance that it could help slow the decline in brain function as we get older.
Fish oil is also suspected to improve our memory which is what some health experts say to children to help with their revision and studies at school. Although, there is no clear evidence yet that proves that fish oil improves our memory and slows down the decline of the brain.
May Reduce The Symptoms of ADHD in Our Children
Several studies have proven to show that children who have low blood levels of omega-3 are more likely to have ADHD than children who have high levels of omega-3.
It is one of the most promising treatments for ADHD and can also help improve inattention and task completion. If you have children and they have exams coming up which they need to revise for, maybe you should start including fish in their meals more or give them a fish oil supplement to improve their concentration.
There are many ways to manage the symptoms of ADHD but some work better than others. Our bodies react differently to each other and the same goes with the symptoms of ADHD and how to manage it. Make sure you research multiple different ways to help you manage your symptoms of ADHD.
Last But Not Least, Improving Bone and Joint Health
Omega-3 can boost the amount of calcium in our bones which is a vital mineral we need in our diet to improve bone strength. Omega-3 may also treat arthritis and osteoporosis which are two common skeletal disorders that we suffer from as we get older.
It is reported that if you take some sort of an omega-3 supplement, it is likely to reduce pain in your joints as well as improving grip strength. It is recommended that if you take fish oil, it should be taken in two small doses, one dose in the morning and one at night as this can help reduce acid reflux.
Summary
Those are only some of the benefits that fish oil brings to the table but they are very important in all areas of our health. The way to keep a well-balanced diet is by having a multivitamin supplement or taking a range of individual supplements such as fish oil and magnesium tablets. This will help to provide us with all the right vitamins and minerals that we need in our diet. Accessing omega-3 through diet alone is possible, however, having access to fish oil supplements can be handy in order to make sure you are consuming everything you should be!
