Does anyone play cards anymore? Do you remember from childhood, the card game, Go Fish?
Getting the right nutrients for our body to me is like the card game Go Fish. As I recall the strategy of the card game was to collect a set of four cards of the same kind, with the game continuing until the first person got rid of the rest of their cards. I liken aging to the game, one has to hope he or she can match the right foods, lifestyle and exercise to age gracefully while maintaining a certain quality of health. If we miss the mark along the way, we can supplement, right?
Do you know what the biggest selling dietary supplement these days and why? It is not the multi-vitamin anymore but omega 3. In the early 80’s a study was published which paved the way for understanding the importance of omega – 3 fatty acids. The study followed the fishermen in Greenland, a population whose main dietary source is from the sea and is very rich in fatty acids. During the test period it was found less chronic diseases in the population being tested, compared to the Western population. It was found that the fishing population was healthier, although they consumed fatty acids. Since these days these fatty acids are now called called omega 3.
Although much attention has been focused on the need to reduce dietary fat, the body does need fat. Omega – 3 fatty acids are essential to the body, but our body is not able to produce them.
Just another reminder that heart disease is the number one cause of death for women especially African-American women of all ages in the United States, but there is an easy way to reduce your risk. Eating just two servings of a fatty fish a week can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 36 percent.
Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids provide the essential nutrients that have been shown to help protect your heart, lower triglycerides and raise high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol as well as reduce inflammation in the body to name a few benefits.
Oil-Rich Fish:
- Sardines
- Salmon
- Whiting
- Cod
- Shark
- Halibut
- Trout
- Flounder
- Tuna
My personal choice for a great source of omega – 3 is Cod Liver Oil, it has tremendous benefits, however as I child I don’t recall anything amazing about taking my daily dose my Mom insisted I take. Since I have matured, I do now see and feel the benefits of taking cod liver oil especially when my last blood test revealed I was slightly deficient in Vitamin D.
Cod liver oil is widely taken to ease the pain and joint stiffness associated with arthritis. It may have a positive effect on heart, bone, as well as helping to repair wounded skin, hair, nails, and teeth.
Additional sources of omega -3 include the following: flaxseed, walnuts, green leafy vegetables and olive oil sources will give your plant based omega -3.
If you don’t like to eat fish at least twice a week then I hope you Go Fish (pun intended) for an omega – 3 supplement.