Protective Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cindy_N./11084]  Cindy N.

Omega-3 appear to reduce the risk of heart attack. A 20-year project at the University of Leyden in the Netherlands, comparing the eating habits of more than 800 men at risk of heart disease, found that men who ate more than an ounce of fish a day had a 50 percent lower rate of heart attacks.

Since then, a lengthening list of studies has shown similar protection among men who eat fish at least two or three times a week. One possible explanation is that omega-3 reduce triglyceride levels. Another is that you body converts omega-3 to a compound similar to prostacyclin, a naturally occurring chemical that inhibits the formation of blood clots.

Homocysteine Heart Disease Risk Factor: What You Don't Know Can Kill You

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nicholas_Messina_M.D./12789]  Nicholas Messina M.D.

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are still the number one health problem in the United States. Approximately 35% of all heart attacks occur in people with normal total cholesterol levels.

Research has shown that high levels of an amino acid called Homocysteine contributes to the progression of heart disease. Many researchers believe that the connection between Homocysteine and atherosclerosis is even stronger than the case against cholesterol. Some studies have shown that for each 5 micromoles per liter increase in homocysteine level, your risk for heart disease can increase by as much as 60 to 80%. The American Heart Association has indicated that a reasonable therapeutic goal for homocysteine levels should be less than 10 micromoles per liter.