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Informative Articles

4 Ways to Prevent the Most Common Women's Health Problem
You have permission to freely publish this article electronically or in print as long as the resource box below is included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. Title: 4 Ways to Prevent the Number One Women’s Health Problem...

Acne Products
Few skin conditions are as bothersome and disturbing as acne. It is a skin condition that usually begins around the time of puberty. But it can affect people of every age, gender, and race. The scientific name for the condition is acne vulgaris...

Alcohol Addiction and Obesity
People who consume too much alcohol have good chance of making it to the Obesity chart. Pure alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. Endocrine disorders, hypothalamus dysfunction and pineal gland tumors can cause obesity. But many a times...

Anti-Aging In The 21st. Century
If this seems like a remarkable discovery, it's because very peopl heed the advice of their physicians and health journals. Eliminating processed foods from one's diet is one of the greatest tools you can have in your arsenal. Drinking your...

Ayurveda Ayurvedic Medicines and herbs
What is Ayurveda and Its Importance? Ayurveda is a traditional holistic healing. Translated from Sanskrit, Ayurveda means 'the science of life'. ayur means "life" and veda means "science. India system which largely depends on plant support...

How does inhaled insulin work
There has been lots of research in the field of insulin administration. To keep blood sugar under control insulin is injected. P atients would prefer inhaled insulin to injected insulin especially, when sometimes you have to take up to...

Medicare Is Missing The Obesity Target
On July 16, 2004 the headline posted all over America was "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Medicare now recognizes obesity as an illness, a change in policy that may allow millions of overweight Americans to make medical claims for treatments such as stomach...

No Fuss Weight-Loss
To lose weight and keep it off you need an easy to follow no fuss plan. You need a plan that is simple and sensible. You need a plan that you can use everyday to get slim and healthy. You need a plan that builds on your success day-by-day. A...

Suffering from vaginal dryness
Question : MY friend, who is 55, complains that her vagina is very dry, and that she is unable to have sex with her husband. Answer : VAGINAL dryness refers to a lack of moisture of the skin in the vulva and vagina. It usually results from an...

The Effects of Zinc Deficiency on Human Health
There is a range of effects that signal zinc deficiency such as retardation of growth in children, male reproduction, low blood sugar, poor bone growth, brain disorders, high blood cholesterol, poor circulation, eating disorders, problems...

 
 
 
Omega 3 Fatty Acids...Why are they so Important

While health experts argue the benefits of some health supplements, the evidence continues to mount in favor of fish oil. Fish and fish oil supplements supply us with the Omega 3 fatty acids that are needed for heart and brain health. Even the American Heart Association strongly endorses the use of fish oil for cardiovascular health. Why? Because those with diets rich in Omega 3 fats are less likely to have high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms, and are less likely to die from heart attacks or strokes.

Omega 3 fatty acids are also beneficial for brain health. The human brain is more than sixty percent structural fat. But, the type of fat needed for the brain to function properly is Omega 3 fatty acids. According to recent research, decreasing your intake of Omega 6 fats (primarily vegetable oils) along with increasing Omega 3 fatty acids, reduces the risk of depression, aggressive behavior, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia and lowers your risk of developing Alzheimer's. Other current studies with Omega 3 fats have shown benefits with regards to cancer, inflammatory diseases, diabetes and other health related conditions.

Of course we all know that there are good fats and bad fats. Any artificially produced fat, called transfats, are not good for us and saturated fats should always be kept at a minimum.

But there is a type of fat called EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids) that are not only good for you but essential for normal growth and development. Furthermore, your body can't manufacture them, so you must get them from your diet. Essential Fatty Acids are polyunsaturated and are grouped into Omega 6 and Omega 3's.

Although both types of Omegas are essential for health, experts agree that our diet ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids is greatly unbalanced. While our ancestor's diets consisted of a diet ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 of about 1:1, our modern dietary

 


habits now reflect a ratio closer to 20:1 to 50:1.

According to Dr. Donald Rudin, author of Omega 3 Oils, fatty acids are the main structural components of every cell membrane in the body, and therefore influence every process in the cell. He concludes that a balanced intake of essential fatty acids is necessary for both healthy cell function and a sense of well-being.

The permeability of the cell depends on the essential fatty acids. This allows nutrients into the cell and toxins to escape. When we rely on other fats to do the job required of Omegas 3 fats the structure of the membrane of each cell becomes stiff and unable to remain healthy enough to do its job.

The primary sources of Omega 6 fats are canola, soy, corn, safflower and sunflower oil. These oils are overabundant in the typical diet, which explains our excess Omega 6 levels. Omega 3 fats are typically found in flaxseed, walnuts and fish.

The Omega 3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish, such as tuna, salmon, trout and mackerel consists of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Omega 3's in the form of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) can be found in flaxseed and walnut oils, and seaweed. However, the body must convert ALA to DHA and EPA to derive the heart & brain healthy benefit. This conversion however, is often difficult for some people to make. Therefore getting your Omega 3 fat acids directly from cold water fish or fish oil supplements may be your best bet.

Omega 3 fatty acids...An important addition to True Healthy Living!

About the author:

Due to personal health issues we have been researching health & fitness for the last five years. The information we have obtained has helped us and our family members get off pharmaceutical drugs and regain a level of health we had never known. Please visit us at http://www.truehealthyliving.blogspot.com