Eating Fish Migh Help body and Brain

When it's omega-3 fatty acids, the kind found in many kinds of fish, it can help lower blood pressure and prevent heart attack and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. They also say it can decrease the risk of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, which can lead to sudden cardiac death.

The American Heart Association recommends that Americans eat fish at least two times a week. They recommend mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. These "fatty fish" provide two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They're also a good source of protein and don't have the high saturated fat of some meats.

"But we're finding more and more that physicians are saying, when there's some type of inflammation in the blood vessels, it can lead to plaque build-up, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.

"What they're finding is that people have inflammation on the blood vessels just like you have inflammation on the surface of the skin," she says.

Omega-3 fatty acids help keep blood vessels smooth and elastic, says McClune, a cardiovascular nurse. Omega-3 fatty acids also can help increase high-density lipoproteins, or HDL, the "good" cholesterol. (The "bad" cholesterol is LDL, or low-density lipoproteins).

The old saw about fish being good brain food has its basis in fact, she says.
that protein is essential for brain function, as are certain fats. The omega-3 fatty acids help with conduction of the electrical impulses."

Ussually tell people it's something that doesn't take long to prepare.For someone who's working, fish is something that 's easy to fix."

Fish also is low in calories, as long as it's not deep-fried or prepared with other high-saturated fats, Raible says.

Many people aren't sure how to cook fish. Others don't like the fishy taste.

These folk might try halibut, cod or talapia, says Howard Darrow, operations chef at McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant, Southside Works. They have a milder flavor than more robust species such as salmon, swordfish, perch and walleye.

People who want to cook fish at home shouldn't feel like they're swimming upstream, Darrow says. Most fish recipes are relatively simple to prepare.
A nice place to start is salmon, Whether it's farm-raised or wild, salmon is very high in omega-3, very good for the heart. There's so many different ways you can prepare it."

These include poaching, broiling or steaming. It also can be lightly sauteed with canola oil.

Steaming fish, that's something that very easy to do at home,.You can use your vegetable steamer and keep the fish out of the water and cook the fish with the lid on."
Flavoring fish doesn't require slathering on high-fat tartar sauce.

"You can use Old Bay seasoning. You could season it with lemon grass and lemon zest to get more of a citrus flavor that would go great with white rice and steamed broccoli or asparagus."
Another option is buying a nice piece of yellowfin tuna and rolling it in Cajun spice, Fish-oil supplements are another option, although not as effective.