Medical News

Growing up in the last century had many health benefits not readily available in this modern day and age. For those who remember, the Friday night fish fry was one of the greatest social events of the week! It was also one of the healthiest.

Ocean fish, especially high-fat fish from whale and seal meat contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. It is these very important fatty acids that bring a whole lot of health benefits, especially if taken throughout a lifetime.

The most important benefits include a healthy heart and blood vessels. While looking for a cure for high blood pressure and heart disease researchers discovered a several groups of people with healthy hearts. Yet, these people with a low rate of heart attacks and strokes eat a high-fat diet! The diet of both Eskimos and Inuit people include a large amount of high-fat whale and seal meat. Despite their unusual diet, these natives have healthy hearts and low blood pressure!

When searching for a natural remedy for hypertension, look to omega-3 fats as an important foundation for regaining health. Omega-3 fats can reduce hypertension, relieve rheumatoid arthritis, as well as prevent heart attack and stroke.

Two very important components of omega-3 fats are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Both are necessary to strengthen the heart and blood vessels. There are many different types of supplements available in the market, however, it is very important to understand which products provide true benefits.

Omega-3 fats can be found from both plant and marine sources. However, research shows that the fats found in ocean fish and krill contain the best quality of EPA and DHA. To complicate matters, many ocean fish have high levels of mercury in their fatty tissue which is then highly concentrated in the oils extracted from the fish. Studies have shown that high mercury levels can damage the nervous system resulting in cognitive loss, hypertension, heart palpitations, profuse sweating, increased salivation, and loss of feeling in the extremities.

Even though omega-3 fats can be part of a cure for high blood pressure, finding uncontaminated sources of omega-3 fats is essential. There are a few ways to obtain good quality DHA and EPA. The first good quality source of omega-3 fats is wild caught salmon. An occasional meal of wild, not farm raised, salmon can add healthy omega-3 fats to the diet.

Cod liver oil is another good source of omega-3 fats and will also contribute to lower hypertension. However, the amount of cod liver oil to ingest might be a bit too much for some people. For others, the fishy burps and aftertaste are not very pleasant. Flavored cod liver oil might just be the solution to avoid the unpleasant aftertaste. Lemon and orange flavored cod liver oil might eliminate the fishy odor and taste. Make sure to purchase a good quality oil, because the fishy aftertaste could indicate that the oil is old and has become rancid.

Another way to boost DHA and EPA is to take krill oil capsules. Krill are tiny shrimp-like crustaceans that inhabit the cold ocean parts of the world. Krill oil contains vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D, as well as phospholipids and a very potent antioxidant known as astaxanthin. The end result is that krill oil is about 48 times more potent than fish oil and is less likely to go rancid. Krill oil is too low on the food chain to have a lot of mercury contamination so it is a safer choice than cod liver oil. Best of all, because of it’s rapid absorption (due to the phospholipids) krill oils do not seem to have a fishy burp or aftertaste! Krill oil seems to be a great contributor to finding a natural cure for high blood pressure!

The major downside to krill oil is it’s cost. For that reason many people will take a combination of cod liver oil and krill oil to reduce costs. The only other reason to use cod liver oil instead of krill oil is if you are allergic to shrimp.

So, if you’re looking for a natural remedy for high blood pressure, begin by building a healthier body with a good quality source of omega-3 fats like krill oil or cod liver oil. Then discover other natural alternatives for blood pressure control that can safely and easily reduce high blood pressure.