HealthyLife Articles

Tag: omega3

  • Keeping Your Brain Healthy

    WELL-BEING

    Elderly female painting.

    Brain health is your ability to learn, remember, plan and concentrate on things. Exercise is good for your brain – but it’s a different type of workout. Here are some things to know about boosting your own brain health.

    Puzzles are great – but they don’t fight dementia.

    There is no evidence that crosswords and sudoku puzzles can prevent Alzheimer’s disease. But they’re still great brain exercise, so keep doing them!

    Bring out your creative side.

    Recent studies show that doing a creative art can help improve memory, comprehension and problem-solving abilities as you age. So pick up that musical instrument, paintbrush or whatever is fun and creative for you to do.

    Talk to your doctor.

    If you’re worried about memory loss or brain changes, talk to your doctor. They can help you find out the cause of any brain changes and work toward a solution. For instance, lack of sleep and certain medications can cause changes in mood or memory.

    Source: National Institute on Aging

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Get The Health Benefits Of Fish

    Nutrition

    Image of cooked fish ready to eat on a plate.

    While Eskimos probably eat more fat than any other group of people, very few Eskimos get heart disease. The answer to this medical puzzle seems to lie in their fish-rich diet. Cold-water fish like salmon and mackerel contain abundant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, special substances that seem to benefit the body by:

    *  Reducing blood levels of harmful cholesterol and other blood fats known as triglycerides.

    *  Preventing blood clots from forming in arteries.

    *  Slowing the growth of breast tumors (according to animal studies).

    *  Relieving the pain of migraine headaches (a vascular problem).

    *  Easing the swelling of rheumatoid arthritis.

    To get more omega-3 fatty acids into your diet, try to eat fish rich in omega-3’s (at least two 3-ounce servings a week). Some good sources include:

    *  Anchovies.

    *  Atlantic mackerel.

    *  Chinook or pink salmon.

    *  Herring.

    *  Lake trout.

    *  Norway sardines.

    *  Tuna.

    {Note: These fish may contain mercury. Follow your doctor’s advice for what kind of fish to eat and how much, especially if you are pregnant. Discuss whether or not you should take fish oil supplements, too.}

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine