Fish Oil
Recently, I attended to my annual eye exam. While in the waiting room, I encountered some lovely seniors who inquired about a crochet project I was working on while waiting to be taken back. One lady was more talkative than the others and our conversation quickly turned to dementia.
She confided that she was taking a plethora of dietary supplements including coconut oil and fish oil to stave off dementia. She was very worried about it because her sister had died about six months ago from Alzheimer's Disease. She wasn't sure if she should believe her doctors when they said "Misplacing your keys is normal. Not knowing what your keys are for is when you should be concerned."
We talked briefly about coconut oil and the risks to her heart. I asked her to look into the information available on-line about it. She politely shot down the suggestion indicating she was "not much one for computers." I had to concede her point and so I asked "Would you eat a couple tablespoons of pure fat each day simply because someone asked you too in connection with dementia?" She was fairly disgusted by that concept and said she would ask her doctor about it.
She mentioned fish oil was also in her supplements, having been suggested by our mutual doctor. I asked if the fish oil was for eye health or dementia and she wasn't sure.
When my turn came around, the doctor also suggested that I start taking fish oil supplements. I asked the reasons for it and the doctor explained that she believed fish oil helped maintain good vascular health and good vascular health helped maintain your eyes longer. She was quite dismissive of using fish oil as a ward against dementia.
The research on fish oil is mixed at this time. As recently as last year, it was being touted as a possible aid in the fight to stave off dementia. This month, however, saw the announcement that it is not effective. The vascular supports of fish oil do not seem to be in question. So, if any benefit is derived from fish oil, it is in maintaining a healthy heart and vascular system. Unlike coconut oil which would directly negatively impact your health, fish oil still has benefits even if not directly against dementia.
She confided that she was taking a plethora of dietary supplements including coconut oil and fish oil to stave off dementia. She was very worried about it because her sister had died about six months ago from Alzheimer's Disease. She wasn't sure if she should believe her doctors when they said "Misplacing your keys is normal. Not knowing what your keys are for is when you should be concerned."
We talked briefly about coconut oil and the risks to her heart. I asked her to look into the information available on-line about it. She politely shot down the suggestion indicating she was "not much one for computers." I had to concede her point and so I asked "Would you eat a couple tablespoons of pure fat each day simply because someone asked you too in connection with dementia?" She was fairly disgusted by that concept and said she would ask her doctor about it.
She mentioned fish oil was also in her supplements, having been suggested by our mutual doctor. I asked if the fish oil was for eye health or dementia and she wasn't sure.
When my turn came around, the doctor also suggested that I start taking fish oil supplements. I asked the reasons for it and the doctor explained that she believed fish oil helped maintain good vascular health and good vascular health helped maintain your eyes longer. She was quite dismissive of using fish oil as a ward against dementia.
The research on fish oil is mixed at this time. As recently as last year, it was being touted as a possible aid in the fight to stave off dementia. This month, however, saw the announcement that it is not effective. The vascular supports of fish oil do not seem to be in question. So, if any benefit is derived from fish oil, it is in maintaining a healthy heart and vascular system. Unlike coconut oil which would directly negatively impact your health, fish oil still has benefits even if not directly against dementia.
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