Fish Oils Help Lower Blood Pressure

By Dr. Len Lopez, Christian Post Guest Columnist Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Was mom right for all those years, when she was making us swallow spoonfuls of cod liver oil, to keep us healthy. Studies show that fish oils, (omega-3's) can have a tremendous healing effect for anyone struggling with high blood pressure, cholesterol, hot flashes, arthritis, depression or ADHD.

Fish oils aren't anything new, nor are the benefits we get from them. In ancient, biblical times many people were eating fish. In fact, Jesus knew the benefits of fish, which might be one of the reasons why he multiplied the few fish he had and fed thousands.

Unfortunately, most people aren't getting enough of the good fats in their diet. Saturated fats have become the scapegoat in this whole 'heart healthy' craze. I don't think the good Lord made a good or bad fat. The fact is, people aren't getting enough of the good fats, the monounsaturated fats, in their diets.

We have become a society that eats too much saturated fat. It is the balance of the two types of fats (monounsaturated & saturated) that keep us healthy. Saturated fats can be found in the foods we eat, including most grocery store beef, chicken and milk. It is the essential fatty acids (EFA), the monounsaturated fats that we don't get enough of. This causes an imbalance and leaving us vulnerable to many health problems.

In the old days, before mass agriculture, cows and chickens grazed the plains and were grass-fed. This caused their body to carry a higher percentage of omega-3 fats, compared to the cows and chickens of today, which are grain-fed. Livestock, which are fed grain, have a much higher percentage of saturated fats to monounsaturated fats. Thus, when we eat grain-fed beef and chicken, we ingest much more saturated fats than we did years ago. This further exaggerates the huge imbalance of saturated to monounsaturated fats. This is why it is recommended that we eat beef and chicken that are grass-fed.

Inflammation and Diet…

Inflammation has long been associated with arthritis, joint pain and fibromyalgia, but research is showing that inflammation is intimately associated with heart disease. Drug manufacturers understand the importance of reducing inflammation and recommend using aspirin, ibuprofen, Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) and cox-2 inhibitors such as Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra, to reduce inflammation. Unfortunately, the side effects such as gastric bleeding, increased cardiac risk and death are costly.

Diet holds the key to reducing inflammation, because saturated fats trigger the body to produce inflammation, while monounsaturated fats reduce it. Inflammation isn't a bad thing, but you can easily produce more too much inflammation. The good Lord designed our body to function as its own little pharmacy – and can easily produce the same type of anti-inflammatory molecules that you are paying good money for at your local pharmacy. However, if the balance of saturated to monounsaturated fats is out of balance your body will be producing more inflammation than it can handle. This can easily explain all the joint pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, as well as, increased blood pressure and cholesterol.

The body can only handle so much inflammation. At some point, it can't keep up with it. This is why fish oils, the EFA, are so important. They trigger your body to produce anti-inflammatory molecules, which reduce inflammation. This is what most people are trying to do with aspirin, ibuprofen, NSAID and other drugs. If they would eat more fish, raw nuts and cook with olive oil, they would increase the amount of monounsaturated fats in their body. This will help produce more of its own natural anti-inflammatory molecules and lessen their need for those drugs and the side effects that come with them.

As far as bad fats go - the only bad fats we consume are "trans fats' which are the result of today's technology. These are man-made fats that are extremely unhealthy. Unfortunately, economics motivated manufacturers to use 'trans' (partially hydrogenated oils) fats in their foods. It basically makes the food last longer on the shelves, but it increases bad cholesterol, makes our arteries less elastic, which ultimately increases blood pressure.

EFA do so many good things. They make our arteries and red blood cells more elastic which lowers blood pressure and reduces clots. They are needed to make our hormones and brain messengers, which is why they are an absolute must for those struggling with menopause, PMS, depression or mood swings. They are great for diabetes and keeping our blood sugar stable. Let's not forget that the brain is made up mostly of fats and the lack of good fats could also be associated with difficulty concentrating, focusing and maintaining attention.

There is so much research showing the importance of fish oils. I highly recommend them as a first line of defense for anyone struggling with heart disease, arthritis, menopause, PMS, depression, fertility and ADHD.

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Dr. Len Lopez is the author of "To Burn or Not to Burn, Fat is the Question" and hosts the radio show "Action Steps for Health. He is a nutrition and fitness expert and speaks extensively on how to "treat the cause – not the symptoms. To learn more about health and healing take the "online health quizzes" or sign up to receive his weekly health journal Health Tips with Dr. Len.