Focus on
Health and Fitness
by Bernard Moore, CFS
from August 2002
Caller
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Focus on by Bernard Moore, CFS |
" These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, that you may eat". (Leviticus 11:9 NKJV)
God spoke to the children of Israel through Moses about clean and unclean foods of which to eat and not to eat. Fish not only was considered clean but also nutritious and heart healthy.
Almighty God knew back then what we're learning about fish today. Fish could be the most important change you could make in your diet. If prepared properly, fish contain fewer calories and less bad fat than the same portion of any poultry or meat.
Fish is thought to protect against death from heart attack because it contains good fats called omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that eating 8 1/2 ounces of fish a week (just one or two dishes) may cut the risk of dying from a heart attack by 50%. In its guide to healthy eating, the American Heart Association puts fish at the top of its list for protein. Health professionals spotted the benefits of fish when they studied the Inuits, a people living in the upper-most reaches of North America. The Inuits, whose diet is based on fatty fish such as salmon, cod and mackerel, have little heart disease.
Researchers concluded that omega-3 fats in the Inuits fish-laden diet were good fats that lowered blood triglycerides, components of the body's fat tissue. Excess fat in the blood can cause heart disease. Further studies linked fish in general, not just the omega-3 fats, to lower risk of heart disease. If there is a problem with fish, it lies with the way it's often prepared. You don't want to deep fry it, smother them in butter or serve them with a cream sauce; instead, picture yourself eating grilled, broiled or roasted fish with a low fat dressing. With heart disease being the number one killer disease of mankind, let us thank God that he has provided the wisdom for us to learn about this remarkable food.
May God bless you with vibrant health.