Daily Dose - Omega-3 = alpha medicine

[Guest guest]

" WC Douglass " <realhealth

Daily Dose - Omega-3 = alpha medicine

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 07:15:00 -0500

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Dose

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February 28, 2006

 

 

 

Would you submit to a cancer treatment that your doctor wouldn't use

himself? Me neither! Believe it or not though, millions do!

 

The truth is...they're lying to you left and right about the world's

most deadly disease... And they know it.

 

 

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One more feather in a cure-all's cap

 

For years, you've heard me singing the praises of Omega-3 fatty acids.

 

In various studies, they've been shown time and again to support

optimum heart health, enhance brain function, slow dementia, and even

help unruly children to be better behaved (sparing some from being

hooked on Ritalin, I can only hope). In my opinion, Omega-3s from

dietary fish, grass-fed red meats, and nuts are as close to a natural

" cure-all " as anything on Earth...

 

And now, some Japanese research reveals yet another common affliction

that Omega-3s helps to combat: COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary

Disease). COPD is the 5th leading cause of death on Earth. It causes

inflammation of airways in the lung, excessive mucous production, and

obstructive fibrosis. There is no cure. But now, it seems, there's at

least some hope.

 

The 2-year study, published in a recent issue of the Chest medical

journal, divided COPD sufferers into 2 groups. One group was fed a

diet rich in Omega-3s polyunsaturated fatty acids, the other a

" normal " diet (what defined normal I could not deduce from the study's

summary)...

 

At the 15-month point, the prevalence of pulmonary inflammation

markers were significantly lower among the Omega-3 group than in the

" control " group that ate normally. Also, shortness of breath and

capacity for exercise also showed marked improvement among the Omega-3

eaters.

 

The study didn't pinpoint exactly WHY these positive effects

manifested themselves in the Omega-3 group, but theories posited by

the study's authors propose a variety of reasons - from enhancing gene

_expression and cellular " signaling " to the repression of

inflammation-causing cytokines.

 

Whatever the actual, biological reasons are behind Omega-3s positive

effects on COPD, this study is just another feather in the cap of one

of my favorite " cure-all " nutrients. And it isn't the first time

Omega-3s have been shown to help the lungs - previous research from

the University of Indiana showed that Omega-3 supplementation helped

reduce symptoms of asthma and other forms of bronchial constriction.

 

But that's not all the good news from the Far East on the Omega-3

front. Keep reading...

 

 

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Something's fishy in the Far East

 

I've long advocated the daily consumption of Omega-3-rich fish oils

for keeping your heart healthy - and why not? It WORKS, as study after

study has shown...

 

But the American medical mainstream all but ignores Omega-3s and fish

oil. What's their solution for heart health? Statin drugs (and bypass

surgery, of course). These drugs (Lipitor, Mevacor, Crestor, etc.) are

the most commonly prescribed patent medications on Earth. Chances are

that you or someone you know is currently taking one of these right

now - they're that common.

 

Yet lo and behold, it seems that statins alone aren't nearly as

effective at preventing heart attacks as statins fortified with

ordinary, centuries-used fish oil!

 

That's the finding of some new Japanese research. The study, unveiled

at the American Heart Association's most recent annual meeting,

followed over 18,000 patients over more than 4.5 years - and found

that those who took daily doses of the same omega-3 fatty acid found

in most fish oils along with their prescribed statin drugs enjoyed a

19% reduction in the risk of adverse coronary events than those taking

statins alone.

 

Naturally, the study didn't measure the effects of fish oils alone. I

suspect if it did, there would have been a similar effect among those

only taking daily fish oil and eschewing the drugs altogether...

 

But hey, it's a small victory, right?

 

My advice: Take a daily dose of Omega-3-rich fish oil (or an

equivalent supplement) each day, no matter what your heart health -

but especially if you're taking statin drugs. Previous studies have

shown that statins actually leach Omega-3s from your body, so it's

extra important to keep these levels up if you're taking these pills.

 

Better yet, shelve the pills for a few months and see what aggressive

fish oil Omega-3 supplementation can do for your cholesterol (not that

you should even worry about it until it reaches 300 or more) and heart

health. Time and again, research points to it as a miracle rivaling

any drug - and with no side effects other than increased energy,

sharpened mental acuity, more flexible skin and joints, and a longer

life span.

 

Always dish-y on matters fishy,

 

William Campbell Douglass II, MD

 

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They can't silence us all!