Despite a fatty diet, Inuit Eskimos have a low incidence of heart disease. Scientists and medical professionals now know it is because Eskimos eat a lot of fish high in omega-3 fatty acid. Americans in the lower 48 states suffer a much higher incidence of heart disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 102 million adults have high cholesterol, and 35 million of these Americans have cholesterol levels poor enough to put them at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid
Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that your body needs to function correctly. Your body cannot manufacture omega-3; you must get it through the food you eat. Cold water fish, like salmon and mackerel, contain omega-3. Some plants, such as flax, contain smaller amounts of these essential fatty acids.
HDL
Omega-3 reduces triglycerides and LDL. A person with high triglycerides tends to have low HDL, according to the Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. HDL levels of 60mg/dL are healthiest. A man with an HDL of 40mg/dL or less is at increased risk for heart disease, as is a woman whose HDL is below 50mg/dL.
HDL Effects
HDL is very dense, allowing it to scrape plaque from arterial walls, which then reduces the damage done to the blood vessels leading to and from your heart. HDL has a reputation for being 'good cholesterol' because it acts as a mop, cleaning up excess cholesterol and transporting it to the liver where it is processed and eliminated from the body along with other waste. HDL also acts as an anti-inflammatory, further reducing the effects of cholesterol and the damage it does to your cardiovascular system.
Risks
Excess cholesterol and other fatty substances build up in your bloodstream and accumulate along the inside of your blood vessels. This accumulation, known as plaque, injures your arteries and prevents blood from flowing properly to your vital organs, such as your heart, brain and kidneys. Insufficient HDL levels cannot effectively reduce excess cholesterol in the bloodstream or scrape plaque from arterial walls. Left untreated, you could suffer a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure because these organs cannot receive the oxygen and nutrient-rich blood they need to function.
Treatment
Check your cholesterol levels through your doctor's office, health fair or home testing kit. Eat fatty fish known to be high in omega-3 once to twice a week. Omega-3 supplements are widely available without a prescription. Boost the effect of omega-3 has on HDL levels by eating low-fat, low-cholesterol foods that are high in soluble fiber, such as bananas and oatmeal.
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