As someone who leads a pretty healthy lifestyle I'm always looking for new ways to boost my immune system, burn fat, and slow the aging process. I don't go to extreme measures by taking supplements I see on infomercials that promise you will burn 15 pounds of pure body fat within 90 days though. I tend to look for more natural ways when it comes to nutrition. Fish Oil Supplements have been the rage for the past several years now because of preliminary evidence that it boosts the immune system, is good for your skin, and fights cancer and heart disease. While I definitely agree that Fish Oil is beneficial I'm wondering if it is more beneficial taken as a supplement than as part of your regular diet.
I have read extensively on this subject and most experts agree that all you need is 2-3 servings of fish per week in order to get the recommended amount of Omega-3's for optimal health benefits. Of course the fish that they recommend for the most part are Mackerel, Sardines, and Anchovies since they contain much higher oil concentrations than other fish. Wild Salmon is also a great source of Omega-3's as well. Since I'm a seafood lover I definitely make it a point to get at least 3 servings of fish per week. I would say Tuna sandwiches make up at least two of those meals since it has a good amount of Omega-3's.
I decided to take a Fish Oil Supplement three years ago after reading about all of the great benefits. In all honesty I never noticed a difference in how I felt. What I did notice was that my heart would start racing on me every once in a while which scared me. I figured it was just stress, which is still a possibility. I decided to stop taking Omega-3 pills last year after discussing it with my doctor. Since I don't suffer from high blood pressure or any other heart related condition she felt that I was feeding my body too much Omega-3 and that too much of anything is not good for you. During the past year I have not had any incidents of a racing heart which tells me the Omega-3 supplement I was taking may have contributed to this.
In conclusion, my advice is to discuss any supplements you take or plan on taking with your doctor before you take them. I understand that many supplements are natural and appear to be completely safe but you can never be too careful when it comes to your health. I may go back to taking Omega-3 at some point in my life but since I don't suffer from any conditions where Omega-3 supplements are beneficial I don't see a point in taking them any time in the near future. I'm really not sold that they are beneficial by themselves since it is a known fact that your body absorbs vitamins and minerals from food better than from supplements alone. I do think that Fish Oil supplements are more hype than anything else but there are definitely health benefits associated with Fish Oil. If you're a seafood lover my advice is to stick to eating 2-3 servings of fish per week. If you're not a fan of seafood you can get Omega-3's from Olive Oil and Nuts. Do yourself a favor and do some research and figure out how much Omega-3 is best for you and try to get it from natural sources rather than supplements.
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