How much and how often should people be taking fish oil supplements?
SAM BENJAMIN, MD: I think it depends on the medications you're taking. For example, if somebody is taking a blood thinner like Coumadin, or is taking aspirin, or both, they really need to discuss dosage with their physician, because fish oils will also affect the clotting mechanism, and that's an important consideration.
Also, if people are struggling with conditions in addition to their heart problems, they need to discuss these with a doctor before deciding on a dosage.
Are there other natural sources of omega-3?
SAM BENJAMIN, MD: Flaxseed oil and hemp oil are both rich sources of omega-3. Hemp oil comes from the marijuana plant, but is not psychotropic in any way.
And in fact, both the flaxseed and hemp oils also contain a substantial amount of omega-6 fatty acids, which are also really good for you and your heart.
Grape skin is also said to be heart healthy. Why is this?
NATE LEBOWITZ, MD: There were studies done on certain populations of the world who eat a high fat diet, but who also drink red wine every night. It turns out they have lower levels of heart disease than you would expect, relative to the amount of fat that they take in. They found that in the skin of the grape, there is a substance that has almost fifty times the antioxidant ability of even Vitamin-E, called resveratrol.
