subject: Your Cardio Vascular System And Fish Oil [print this page] The digestive system in conjunction with the circulatory system provides necessary nutrients enabling the heart to keep pumping and thus maintains the flow of blood.
Fish Oil- Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids: These are necessary nutrients and the best known source is of omega -3 fatty acids is fish oil. It has proven benefits for the cardiovascular system. Here are some of these.
Fish Oil - Blood Clots
The most often prescribed diet for those having survived heart attack includes fish oil and an aspirin. But, aspirin is known to irritate the digestive system and causes strains on the liver. However, as both these items are known anticoagulant and therefore recommended to such patients. Anticoagulants are necessarily needed because they prevent blood from forming clots. If you get a cut on some part of your body, it is the process of clotting that prevents further loss of blood.
However, at times clots may be formed in the blood vessel itself. In a bigger blood vessel the clot restricts the flow of blood, prompting the heart to work harder. But, if the vessel itself is small, the flow may be stopped completely. So, the tissues or cells that were being fed by this vessel naturally die. Thrombus is a clot formed in the larger vessel. It begins to float freely on getting dislodged from the arterial wall and may put a stop to the closing action of the heart valve, leading to heart attack. Whereas if supply to the brain is stopped by such a free floating clot it causes a stroke. Omega-3 fatty acids are proven to prevent the formation of such clots and therefore helpful for reducing the chances of a stroke or heart attack.
Another very common disease that affects cardiovascular system is known as atherosclerosis. It often affects older people. In this case the inside of the arterial walls get inflamed, mainly due to build up of white blood cells and LDL (low density lipoproteins). In due course of time the build ups harden to form a plaque.
Low density lipoproteins are proteins and function as carriers of triglycerides and cholesterol, needed for nourishing cells. High density lipoproteins, HDL's are responsible for carrying the LDL elements back to liver for being disposed off. High level of LDL, as well low level of HDL is risky factor for diseases of the cardiovascular system. Studies have revealed that fish oil with omega-3 fatty acids raises the circulatory level of HDL and lowers that of LDL, thus diminishing chances of atherosclerosis. All fish oil may not have sufficient quantity of omega-3 fatty acids for delivering these benefits. It's important that the label lists the quantity of omega3s and each type (DHA, EPA, DPA and ALA) that it has, as DHA is considered to be most beneficial for cardiovascular system and the brain.
