Put fish on your dish--carefully.Although the American Heart Association American Heart Association (AHA), n.pr a national voluntary health agency that has the goal of increasing public and medical awareness of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and thereby reducing the number of associated deaths and disabilities. recommends eating fish at least twice a week to lower your risk of heart disease, and many studies have shown the correlation between fish and lower risk, the recommendation isn't non-controversial nor without some warnings. The cardiovascular health benefits of fish come primarily from omega-3-fatty acids, polyunsaturated fats Polyunsaturated fats A non-animal oil or fatty acid rich in unsaturated chemical bonds not associated with the formation of cholesterol in the blood. Mentioned in: Cholesterol, High known to reduce risk of coronary artery disease coronary artery disease, condition that results when the coronary arteries are narrowed or occluded, most commonly by atherosclerotic deposits of fibrous and fatty tissue. because they help to prevent the kind of clotting that causes stroke. These fatty acids also lower triglyceride levels, another cardiovascular risk factor, and are also associated with lower risk of some cancers, including prostate cancer prostate cancer, cancer originating in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is the leading malignancy in men in the United States and is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in men. . So why isn't this an unconditional endorsement for fish? Because some of the fishes with the highest levels of omega-3-fatty acids also deliver a dose of toxic methylmercury, an unfortunate result of industrial pollution of ocean ecosystems. Chronic low-level exposure to mercury can cause neurological problems and cardiovascular problems in adults, as well as significant developmental problems for children and infants. Prenatal exposure can be particularly insidious. You can have your fish and eat it too, but with caution. Most of the fish available at your local market have significant omega-3-fatty acids. Only a few contain dangerous levels of mercury. Avoid or limit shark, swordfish, king mackerel mackerel, common name for members of the family Scombridae, 60 species of open-sea fishes, including the albacore, bonito, and tuna. They are characterized by deeply forked tails that narrow greatly where they join the body; small finlets behind both the dorsal and , and tile-fish. Tuna has lower, but still significant, levels of mercury and should be limited especially for children and pregnant women. Fish is an important part of a safe and heart healthy lifestyle that prevents or controls high blood pressure. Also include exercise, weight control, a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy, and moderate alcohol consumption (if you drink). (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) is a weekly epidemiological digest for the United States published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 5 June 1981 issue of the MMWR published the cases of five men in what turned out to be the first report of AIDS. , 2001, Vol. 50., No. 8, pp. 140-143; Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association is an international peer-reviewed general medical journal, published 48 times per year by the American Medical Association. JAMA is the most widely circulated medical journal in the world. , 2001, Vol. 285,, No. 3 pp. 304-312; Prostate, 2001, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 262-268; Current Atherosclerosis Reports, 2001, Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 321-327) |
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