Optimize your Health With Omega (Part-2)
Chapter 3 – Selecting An Omega 3 Supplement & Getting The Most Out Of It
If you want to reap all of the benefits of Omega-3, but you don’t like the type of foods that contain Omega-3, that is fine, because there are supplements out there with Omega-3 conveniently loaded into a pill.
These supplements are often referred to as “Omega-3 supplements” or “fish oil supplements.” They come in many forms and doses. In fact, this is one of the most popular supplements available on the market today.
Fish oil supplements are generally considered safe for most people. In very rare cases, such as those where patients already have an underlying bleeding condition, large doses of Omega 3s can cause a slight risk of bleeding, so it is important to always check with your physician before beginning any type of regular supplementation.
For most people, the only unpleasant side effect of taking a fish oil supplement may be mild indigestion or “fish burps” that are a result of ingesting the oil derived from fish.
This complaint is generally not too bothersome and can be reduced or eliminated by taking the supplement with a meal. Omega 3 supplements can round out a healthy diet and increase the amount of beneficial fatty acids that we consume each day. They are not, however, a replacement for nutritious eating habits that include vegetables, whole grains, fish, and lean meats.
Supplements, especially Omega 3s, are like an insurance policy for your health, making up for whatever is lacking in your diets as a whole. We shouldn’t think of supplements as an invitation to eat fast food and junk, but rather as a way of making sure that we are getting the maximum health benefits available from both the food we eat and the supplements we take.
Why Are Omega-3 Supplements Recommended?
It’s not hard to understand why the world is suffering from obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and other preventable diseases: simply put, it’s our diet.
Large portions of highly processed and fried foods have become staples in most people’s
diets.
It’s no wonder we have epidemic levels of childhood obesity and increasing cases of type 2 diabetes every year.
We need to return to a more balanced diet high in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and foods that are high in Omega 3 fatty acids. This will put all of us on the path to good health and an Omega 3 supplement will ensure our destination.
Many so-called miracle drugs have hit the market making huge promises to improve health or cure disease. More often than not, however, it is later revealed that they have done more harm than good. In addition, there is a lot of hype and misinformation regarding supplements.
Many have not been researched thoroughly and can’t live up to the claims they make for better health or improvement of symptoms. Omega 3s are the rare component that bridges the gap between traditional and alternative medicine. Experts on both sides agree that there are real and significant health benefits when the amount of Omega 3 fatty acid is increased through diet or supplementation.
How Can You Get More Omega-3s in Your Diet?
Many people know that a good way to add Omega 3 fatty acids to their daily diet consists of eating more fatty fish like salmon and tuna, tofu and soybeans, and natural olive oil.
How Much Omega-3 Should You Take?
Dosage requirements may vary according to an individual’s needs, but most experts agree that at least 2 and 4 grams daily are necessary.
That, however, would require eating quite a bit of the food items listed above; so many doctors are urging their patients to begin Omega 3 supplementation. This ensures that you are getting a consistent and sufficient Omega 3 fatty acid supply.
It is also important to keep in mind that experts recommend Omega 3 supplements for many people because the fish that might supply the necessary dietary fatty acids may be high in mercury. In addition, fresh fish is unavailable for many people across the country and heavily processed fish products don’t supply the same quantity or quality of fish oil and Omega 3s that fresh fish would.
Dosages of Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for good health, but most of us just don’t get enough of them in our regular diet. Fish oil supplements that supply the necessary amounts of Omega 3s are abundant and varied, making it difficult to know how much is enough... We know that Omega 3s are linked to better cardiovascular health, brain function, reduction in inflammatory, and may help fight off other health problems.
Decoding the Supplement Label
You must learn how to decode the supplement label. There are two important numbers on a fish oil label that you should be familiar with – the number of pills contained in a single serving and the actual Omega-3 content, expressed in milligrams of EPA and DHA.
To determine the actual omega-3 content of a dose, you will need to read the supplement facts level and add up the listed milligrams of both DHA and EPA to see what dose you’re getting.
Take note that one gram is 1,000 milligrams and two grams are 2,000 milligrams. These numbers are hardly ever listed on the front of the label. Some fish oil marketers mislead consumers by claiming a high number of milligrams of total fish oil listed on the front label, like “1,200 milligrams fish oil.” However, this is referring to the amount of the oil itself, not the actual Omega-3 content
Chapter 4 – Benefits Of Omega 3 For Your Health & Your Body
Our bodies don’t produce Omega-3s, so you must get Omega-3 fatty acids from your diet, or by taking supplements. There are so many health benefits you can get from daily consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids. In this chapter, we’re going to take a look at the benefits of Omega-3 for your body and health …
Nuts
Don’t Forget to Include Nuts in Your Daily Menu to Help Prevent
Heart Disease
Nuts are rich sources of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. It helps in preventing heart disease and this is the reason why it is recommended to eat a handful of nuts every day. Nuts are the ideal snack that you can think of having between breakfast and lunch. It is also a healthy snack when compared to other fat-rich oily snacks.
Some of the different ways that you can prepare the nuts to add taste to your daily menu: Add toasted almonds to your baked chicken dish to increase the taste of the chicken.
You can garnish your salads with walnuts to add a nice crunchy taste to your salads.
Eat stir-fries with almonds or cashews.
Helps to Builds Bone Strength
It has been researched that people who take adequate amounts of omega-3s daily help in increasing the calcium levels in their bodies. This will ensure that the bone strength is increased.
People who do not eat sufficiently amounts of fatty acids that contain EPA, GLA, and DHA have lesser bone strength and density than people who take in normal recommended levels of fatty acids.
Reduces Cancer Risk
An Omega 3 fatty acid diet is found to be very helpful in preventing as well as reducing the risk caused by colon cancer. Women who take adequate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids foods in their diet will find that they are less prone to diseases such as breast cancer and prostate cancer in Men. A low-fat diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil is ideal in preventing the progress of prostate cancer.
Lowers Depression
Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and it helps in reducing depression levels. People eating foods that contain higher levels of omega-3s are found to enjoy reduced mood swings and also enjoy an increase in the effects of antidepressants.
It has also been found out that the omega-3 fatty acids help in increasing your memory
power as well as helping the nervous system to perform properly. It is a powerful source that helps fight depression.
People who are suffering from bipolar disorder will be able to easily fight depression and other mental problems if they regularly take in Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are also found to reduce depression and manic problems in juvenile bipolar disorder.
It is highly effective for treating women that are experiencing postpartum depression. The supplementation of fatty acids also helps in reducing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
Helps to Control Diabetes
It has been researched that eating fatty fish that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids has positive effects on blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Regular consumption of omega-3 rich foods, especially fish helps diabetes people to lower fasting glucose concentration and also helps in increasing insulin levels significantly. It is also found out that eating fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids reduces the development of type-2 diabetes.
Taking in omega 3 fatty acid supplements regularly resulted in reducing homocysteine levels in patients suffering from diabetes. It will also help in improving the micro and macro-vascular functions concerning type-2 diabetes mellitus. Taking in fish oil and long-chain Omega-3 fatty acid foods reduces the risk of total mortality associated with coronary heart diseases in women suffering from diabetes.
Controls Physiological Functions
Omega 3 fatty acids are found to play a very vital role in the development of prostaglandins. This will in turn help in taking care and regulating all the important physiological functions of the body. It will help in controlling blood pressure levels, better nerve transmission, preventing blood clotting, and also takes care of allergic responses.
Fights Dementia and Alzheimer’s
If you do not take adequate amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, then you are likely to see an increase in the risk of catching dementia. It has been researched and proved by scientists that people who take adequate amounts of Omega-3 fatty acid foods that are particularly rich in DHA is safe from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Consuming fatty fish rich in DHA at least twice a week will decrease the risk of catching Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Regular consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids was found to be very effective in treating children with autism. Taking in Omega3s along with required quantities of zinc and magnesium proved to be beneficial for treating emotional, attentional, and behavioral problems in children as well as adolescents.
Reduces the Risk of Children Developing Asthma
One of the ways to decrease the risk of developing asthma is to eat a lot of Omega-3 fatty acids. You need to eat a lot of fish that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids to decrease the risk of getting asthma.
It has been proved that children who ate fatty fish are less likely to develop asthma throughout their life cycle. The risk of wheezing was found to be reduced by about 36 percent in children who consumed fatty fish regularly between the ages of six months to one year. Adults also can enjoy the benefits of Omega-3 rich fatty fish that helps in reducing asthma symptoms and problems.
Lowering Heart Disease
The fish oils are rich in Omega -3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA and are found to reduce the level of triglycerides in our body.
Having elevated triglyceride levels is a reason for heart diseases. Consuming fatty fish regularly, at least thrice a week will help in getting two important forms of omega 3 fatty acids, called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
These fatty acids will help in reducing inflammation and thereby prevent heart disease. People who are suffering from coronary heart disease are advised to take more quantities of fatty fish to prevent artery blockage and blood clotting.
You should be going for a diet that is low in saturated fat and rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to prevent heart diseases. Fish oil has been shown to reduce the problems of irregular heartbeats or arrhythmias. It is very effective in reducing the risk of stroke and also helps in effectively treating the narrowing and hardening of the arteries.
If you take fish oil supplements regularly after you have had a first heart attack, then the risk of getting another heart attack is greatly reduced. It will also help in reducing total mortality and sudden death in patients who have a history of heart diseases.
It will also help in preventing atrial fibrillation in men and women who have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. DHA-rich omega 3 fatty acids will help in reducing the risk of peripheral arterial disease that is associated with chain smokers.
Taking foods that are rich in higher concentrations of EPA and DHA reduces the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction in women. Consumption of fatty fish will help in reducing the chances of stroke in elderly people.
Fish oil improves endothelial function in peripheral arterial diseases and also has an amazing effect on blood viscosity for people who suffer from peripheral vascular disease. An omega-3 fatty acid that is rich in docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) will help in reducing the risk involved in peripheral arterial disease seen in smokers.
Reduces Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Omega-3 fatty acids are highly effective in reducing stiffness and joint pains. Hence, they are good for people suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis. Omega-3 is also found to enhance the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs.
The fish oil supplements that contain rich amounts of EPA and DHA help in reducing the stiffness of the body as well as reduce joint pains to a great extent. Omega 3 fish oil helps in greatly reducing the severity of systemic lupus erythematosus symptoms.
Preventing Cancer
Taking dietary foods that contain rich amounts of EPA and DHA inhibits the development of breast cancer in women and also reduces metastasis. Consumption of fatty fish will help in reducing prostate cancer-specific mortality by over 60%. Omega3s are said to have a protective effect against bacterial colonization in cystic fibrosis. It also reduces inflammations in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis.
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