I recently heard of an older couple that eats salmon every day for breakfast. To my finicky palate that does not sound as appetizing as waffles. Why do they do it? They argue that salmon is
most perfect food on planet, full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. They do it because they plan on living a long time.Most of us know that fish makes for a healthier dinner than steak. It is lower in bad cholesterol and a few other things. But numerous studies support hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil have positive effects on a whole list of chronic disorders. Among these are high triglycerides, arthritis, Chrohn's disease, cancer, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, coronary artery disease and neural development of children. To say it would be difficult to cover all these topics in a single essay is an understatement. But here are a few examples.
Japanese women have a much lower risk of breast cancer than do their American counterparts. However, Japanese women who move to America and adopt its dietary patterns have an equal risk of contracting breast cancer as American women within one generation. Women living in Japan have a high ratio of omega-3 fatty acids compared to omega-6 fatty acids in their breasts. Studies have shown that women with breast cancer have up to a five-fold higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. Omega-6 imbalance has been shown to promote tumor growth.
Breast tissue changes in response to diet shift within about three months. Supplementing with three grams of fish oil a day (equivalent to eating two large salmon) has demonstrated a four-fold increase in ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 in blood and a similar ratio increase in breast tissue thus decreasing risk of contracting breast cancer.
The 1991 Rotterdam Study considered incidence of chronic diseases among elderly on a test population of 5,000 participants at least 55 years of age. In particular study focused on effects of dietary fat intake in relation to these chronic ailments. Dietary profiles were collected including statistics of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and polyunsaturated fats. Particular attention was directed toward fish consumption because fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Of total study population 1.1% suffered with Alzheimer’s disease. The statistics indicated a relation between Alzheimer’s and high saturated fat intakes. Fish consumption was associated with a low incidence of dementia, especially Alzheimer’s. Autopsies indicate that a decreased level of DHA in hippocampus and frontal gray matter of brain are associated with Alzheimer’s.
Saturated fats and cholesterol may negatively influence dementia because they affect cardiovascular health. Adverse cardiovascular events are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to this, omega-3 has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to play a role in brain and neurological development in infants. Omega-3 may have dementia preventing powers as well.
