Fish and NutsIt has already been proven that fish and nuts are good for a complete diet. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings every week to help lower the risk of heart disease. The omega-6 and omega-3 acids found in fish and nuts were discovered to part of the healthiness of these foods. Even better, research dating as far back as the year 2003, has also found another benefit for fish and nuts – stopping Alzheimer’s disease and reducing memory loss in old age. In addition, pregnant mothers that had eaten a healthy dose of fish and nuts had babies who scored higher in cognitive abilities. Simply put, fish and nuts are brain foods that can prevent a variety of mental ailments.

In 2002, an important study was conducted at Loyola University that pointed out that the omega-3 and omega-6 acids found in fish and nuts are beneficial in preventing memory loss and strokes. The study, carried out using lab rats, showed that rats that were fed a healthy dose of omega-6 experienced a significant drop in blood pressure. Also, maze tests for the rats not fed omega-6 were significantly worse than the test subjects due to memory loss. Omega-6 fed rats experienced memory loss as well, only at a much slower pace, taking one third as long to deteriorate (nine months instead of six months).

While this study was conducted several years ago, a more recent study gave similar results. A study conducted in 2003 suggested that nursing home residents who reported eating fish at least once a week had a 60 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s compared to those who rarely or never ate fish. While the root cause of Alzheimer’s is still unknown, the researchers clearly established a connection with the fatty acids found in fish and nuts as being protectors against Alzheimer’s.

Even more recently, a Harvard Medical School study showed that women who eat fish during pregnancy may help increase their infants’ cognitive abilities. During the study, the Harvard team tested the cognitive ability of 6-month-old infants, and compared the results to the amount of fish the infants’ mothers ate during pregnancy. The researchers eventually found that the children by mothers with a higher fish intake were associated with a higher infant cognition. It turned out those infants whose mothers ate more fish during pregnancy scored highest on the cognitive test!

While eating a certain amount of fish is extremely beneficial for a healthy life, there are some dangers. The overindulgence of fish may be dangerous due to toxins that are frequently found in fish, such as mercury. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include tremors, difficulty concentrating, numbness, tingling, and visual difficulties. Pregnant woman are especially cautioned to carefully monitor the consumption of fish and their mercury levels. Luckily, mercury levels can be tested with a simple and inexpensive blood test, so scientists recommend checking mercury levels frequently when eating large quantities of fish.

Luckily, scientists from the American Heart Association offer the following suggestion: “We recommend eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times a week.” This amount ensures a healthy dose of the protein and the essential acids that a body needs, but significantly reduces the threat of harmful toxins. In fact, the American Heart Association suggests that people stick specifically to fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon.

In the end, it seems as though fish and nuts are essential to a complete diet. Not only do they help lower the risk of heart disease, but they help in combating several mental diseases as well. It is very possible that these foods may have even more benefits that the world has yet to know, but will eventually find out. For now, it is safe to say that people should eat, at least, some fish and nuts regularly. In the future, who knows what other benefits fish and nuts will have… until then, continue eating them for a great taste and a healthier life!