| What does Omega -3 fish oil do for you. | | | | that, taking fish oil supplements while takinghigh blood |
| Omega-3 is the name given to a family of | | | | pressure medications may cause their blood pressure |
| polyunsaturated fatty acids. | | | | to lowersignificantly. Another possible risk of |
| The parent Omega-3 - alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) - is | | | | supplementing with fish oil is thatfish can often |
| described as 'essential'as, like vitamins, it must be | | | | contain significant levels of contaminants. |
| obtained from diet. Omega-3 fatty acids havebeen | | | | Fish are often found to be dangerous because of |
| well documented for their ability to reduce | | | | their mercury level. |
| inflammation, with stronganti-inflammation properties. | | | | Consuming fish oils could put at risk, young children, |
| Adding fats to your diet is essential if youwant to | | | | and women who arepregnant or nursing. |
| live a healthy lifestyle that results in feeling and | | | | Fish to avoid: |
| looking great,but it has to be the right kind of fats. | | | | Shark (high mercury contamination) |
| Essential fatty acids fall withinthis category and are a | | | | Swordfish ( high mercury contamination) |
| crucially important addition to anyone's diet. | | | | Tuna Farmed salmon (PCB and dioxin contamination, |
| Omega-3essential fatty acids are made up of two | | | | pollutes coastalwaters, depletes wild fish) |
| components: DHA (which stands fordocosahexaenoic | | | | Chilean sea bass |
| acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) | | | | Tilefish King mackerel |
| Omega 3 deficiency signs: | | | | To avoid these risks, make sure to find a |
| Do you have dry skin? | | | | low-mercury fish. |
| Do you have any inflammatory health problems? | | | | Good fish choices: |
| Do you suffer from water retention? | | | | Wild salmon - including most canned (high omega-3s) |
| Do you get tingling in the arms or legs? | | | | Sardines (high omega-3s) |
| Do you have high blood pressure or high triglycerides | | | | Oysters (high omega-3s) |
| (the name for fatin the blood)? | | | | Freshwater trout (high omega-3s) |
| Are you prone to infections? | | | | Farmed catfish Black cod/sablefish |
| Are you finding it harder to lose weight? | | | | Halibut Clams and mussels |
| Have your memory and learning ability declined? | | | | The good news: beside these risks, consuming fish |
| Do you suffer from a lack of coordination or impaired | | | | oils generally causesvery few side effects. The side |
| vision? | | | | effects that do exist are relatively minor,and may |
| If you are a child, are you small for your age or | | | | consist of stomach disturbances and gas. |
| growing slowly? | | | | If you do not like fish you can get omega-3's from |
| The main benefits of Omega-3 | | | | vegetable sources: |
| The Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary to life at | | | | Vegetable sourcesunrefined whole grains,dark & |
| every stage, beforebirth even. They are found in the | | | | leafy greens ( such as spinach,kale and |
| membrane of every cell in the body and helpto | | | | arugula)walnuts,flaxseedspumpkinflaxseed oil (can be |
| ensure that the cell membrane is capable doing it's | | | | taken in liquid or capsule form; it can be added inmost |
| job. They are also usedin the regulation of all biological | | | | of your cooking including salad dressings and |
| functions, including those of thecardiovascular, | | | | sauces)canola oil,soybean oilarugula |
| reproductive, immune and nervous systems. So | | | | You are better, however, to get your omega-3's |
| optimum healthcan only be achieved when sufficient | | | | from seafood because yourbody converts only |
| Omega-3s are obtained from the diet.ilizes blood | | | | about 15 percent of dietary ALA to EPA and much |
| sugar levels and lowers insulin levels - boosts your | | | | less to |
| immunesystem - encourages your body to burn fat | | | | DHA. But what do you do if you don't like, and |
| and decreases appetite - improvesyour mood and | | | | absolutely refuse to eat,seafood? |
| attention span - reduce inflammation - improve your | | | | Well, fortunately you can get omega-3's in capsule |
| skin toneand radiance.Omega-3 also helps to maintain | | | | form. But do be awarethat not everyone's stomach |
| good health, promote brain andvision development | | | | can handle these capsules, but try them out forone |
| and protect against disease. | | | | month. It's an extremely convenient way to add |
| In chronic illness, it has been shown that an increase | | | | omega-3's to your diet. |
| in the Omega-3fatty acids of marine origin can effect | | | | When purchasing omega-3's in pill form, you'll notice |
| an improvement across a range ofconditions, both | | | | some products alsocontain the other two |
| physical and mental. | | | | components of essential fatty acids: omega-6 |
| With the already mentioned, strong anti-inflammation | | | | andomega-9.It is best if you stick with the products |
| properties, itmakes sense that fish oils have been | | | | that contain only highamounts of omega-3's. |
| touted as the next big thing in arthritiscare. But do | | | | When adding omega-3's to your diet through pills, |
| these oils really work? Are they a cure for that | | | | look for 1,000 mgpills and take 3-9 per day with food |
| constantarthritis pain? | | | | depending on your current health statusand healthy |
| As with most alternative medicine therapies, there is | | | | living goals. Your physician should be able to consult |
| not yet adequateresearch to conclude whether fish | | | | with youabout this. So now you have a good |
| oil is truly effective in relieving thesymptoms linked | | | | introduction into omega-3 fatty acids andthe different |
| with arthritis. | | | | ways to add them to your diet, but what are the |
| However, early investigating is encouraging. Recent | | | | health benefitsassociated with them? Plenty! Here's a |
| clinical trials andlaboratory studies have concluded that | | | | quick list and you can also easily dosome research by |
| fish oil, because of its omega-3makeup, may be | | | | searching for "benefits of omega-3" in your favorite |
| helpful in reducing the feelings of stiff morning | | | | searchengine. - stabilizes blood sugar levels and lowers |
| muscles andjoints that so many arthritis sufferers | | | | insulin levels - boostsyour immune system - |
| experience. Researchers have not yetconcluded the | | | | encourages your body to burn fat and decreases |
| appropriate dosage for maximum effectiveness, nor | | | | appetite -improves your mood and attention span - |
| how longtreatment should last. However, researchers | | | | reduce inflammation - improve yourskin tone and |
| have also discovered possible sideeffects of fish oil | | | | radiance If you not excited about this proven, |
| supplementation. In some cases, fish oil has been | | | | inexpensive andeasy-to-get fatty acid supplement, |
| shown toincrease the risk of the blood's ability to | | | | then check your pulse! At the very least |
| clot. For some people, consumingfish oil may affect | | | | Omega-3,added to your diet that will help improve |
| the time it takes for their blood to clot. This can be | | | | your health by leaps andbounds. |
| anvery important concern in cases where the patient | | | | As the Omega-3 fatty acids have powerful |
| is taking medications thataffect their blood. | | | | physiological effects, it isimportant that people on |
| Fish oil supplementation has also been shown to | | | | prescribed medicines, or who take aspirin on aregular |
| interact with bloodpressure medications. It seems | | | | basis, consult their doctor before taking Omega-3. |