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Fish Helps You Keep the Beat
This Week's Tips
In this ever more polluted world, sometimes you just can't avoid a little bit of particulate matter in your lungs.
So go fish! Eating finny food not only reduces your risk for heart disease but also may protect your heart from air-pollution-induced arrhythmias.
Taking Heart Against Pollution
Short-term exposure to small airborne particles spewed from cars, power plants, and other industrial sources may cause an irregular heart rate. Serious stuff, because it could open the door to heart arrhythmias and even heart attacks in people who are over 60 or have heart or lung diseases.
Airing Things Out
But fish could help thwart that unhealthy chain of events. A study found that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may help alleviate those irregular beats. That's just what happened when people over 60 who were exposed to particulate matter took a daily fish oil supplement. Fish oil supplements aren't for everyone, though, and should be discussed with a doctor first.
But most people can eat a couple servings of fish each week without worry. Discover the top five low-mercury, heart-healthy fish.
RealAge Benefit:
Eating nonfried fish three times a week can make your RealAge up to 3 years younger.
Omega-3 fatty acid prevents heart rate variability reductions associated with particulate matter. Romieu, I., Tellez-Rojo, M. M., Lazo, M., Manzano-Patino, A., Cortez-Lugo, M., Julien, P., Belanger, M. C., Hernandez-Avila, M., Holguin, F., American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2005 Dec 15;172(12):1534-1540.
