Should I balance Omega 3 Cod Liver Oil with Omega 6 Borage Oil?
Be sure to complement your Omega 3 fatty acids intake with Borage Oil-Omega-6 which contains GLA (gamma-linolenic acid). This is because EPA and DHA inside Cod Liver Oil has shown to decrease the body's ability to make GLA, an important ant-inflammatory fatty acid critical for optimal hormonal function and health. Thus increasing the need for this fatty acid. Human research also suggests these two fatty acids work together to support bone health.
General Health
Omega-3 fatty acids are a critical components of a healthy diet. The body cannot manufacture essential Omega-3s and must obtain them from either foods such as flaxseeds, fish, and walnuts, or through supplementation. The most important types of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils are Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). The body needs EPA to produce prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that help to protect the heart and the cell membranes. DHA is required for the normal development of the brain, the eyes, and the reproductive system.
Infection Fighter
Vitamin A is knows as the “Original Infection Fighter” often used in respiratory and sinus infections as well as to quicken the recovery from chicken pox. There are very few foods which provide significant doses of Vitamin A, but those which do include liver and cod liver oil.3
Cancer
Both laboratory and animal tests have shown that Omega 3 fatty acids help prevent cancer, and build up the immune system so that it can better fight against certain types of cancer cells.5, 15
Cardiovascular Disease
Omega 3 Fish Oils are well known and recommended as dietary supplements to lower triglycerides, counteract inflammation, and thin the blood to prevent atherosclerosis.
Heart disease and stroke.
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils increase the concentrations of good cholesterol (high density lipoproteins, HDL) in the blood while decreasing the concentrations of bad cholesterol (triglycerides). They also lower the total cholesterol level. Furthermore, these omega-3 oils protect the heart by preventing the formation of blood clots and fatty deposits (plaque) on the arterial walls. In people with coronary heart disease, fish oils may help to reduce the risk of blood clots in the brain or in the lungs; pain associated with angina; and the risk of cardiac arrythmias.
Investigation of the possible benefits of fish oils began when researchers discovered that Eskimos rarely suffer from heart attacks or rheumatoid arthritis even though their diet is high in fat from fish, seals, and whales. Because these sources of fat have a high omega-3 fatty acid content, it was discovered that the type of fatty acid that they contained helped to protect the Eskimos from the usual consequences of high-fat diets. The Eskimos high omega-3 fatty acid diet helped decrease their risk of heart attacks, strokes and abnormal heart rhythms.
A study of 20,551 doctors who ate at least one fish meal per week cut their risk of heart attacks in half compared to those who ate fish once a month or less. In the 5-year Lyon study, men who followed a Mediterranean diet with emphasis on omega-3-rich oils and fish, fruits and vegetables had their heart attack rates reduced by 70% compared to subjects in the control group.3
History of Cod Liver Oil
It first became established in the fishing communities of Scotland, Iceland, Norway and Greenland several centuries ago where they used it to protect themselves against the rigour in the intense cold that they were exposed to. Traditionally, Cod Liver Oil (CLO) has been used to relieve such complaints as rheumatism, aching muscles and stiff joints. During the 1890s, it was commonly used to treat rickets, which affected nine out of ten malnourished children. In the 1950s, more research was carried out into the essential fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) contained in Cod Liver Oil and other oily fish. This research has led to the modern view of Cod Liver Oil as not only beneficial in such conditions as rheumatism, but also as a benefit to the heart and circulatory system.3 |