The Wonders of Omega 3

Omega-3 oils have been called “the miracle food of the 21st century.” It has been proved to prevent heart disease, maintain optimum blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It also serves as great relief from joint pain, migraines, depression, autoimmune diseases and many other unwanted health conditions. Omega 3 can improve brain and memory development. It also provides the perfect brain food. Here are the following diseases that omega 3 can help prevent: * Coronary heart disease and stroke; * Essential fatty acid deficiency in infancy (retinal and brain development); * Autoimmune disorders (e.g., lupus and nephropathy); * Crohn disease; * Cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate; * Mild hypertension; * Rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish have been shown to be protective of heart disease and lower death rate from coronary disease, especially cardiac arrest. Omega 3 fats are good and recommended to your health. You can certainly get them from cod liver oil or fish oil. People with certain circulatory problems, such as varicose veins can benefit greatly from fish oil. Fish oil helps stimulate blood circulation, increases the breakdown of fibrin, a compound involved in clot and scar formation. But be cautious, those who have congestive heart failure or evidence that their heart is receiving insufficient blood flow are advised to consult a doctor before taking omega 3 fatty acids. For people with congestive heart failure, the heart is barely pumping blood well enough to keep them alive. In these patients, Omega%26#8722;3 fatty acids may eliminate enough of these few pumping cells that the heart would no longer be able to pump sufficient blood to live, causing an increased risk of cardiac death. So you better be careful when trying Omega-3. To learn all about the importance of Omega-3 for your health and its benefits, check out benefits of Omega 3 for more information.

Omega 3 Benefits Your Body Can’t Be Without

One set of nutrients that play a vital role in protecting the body are the Omega-3 fatty acids and the Omega 3 benefits are many. Basically, these are a class of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids which must be supplied to the body through the foods you eat. Keeping in mind that cells are the very building blocks of the body, it is important to remember that these fatty acids play a crucial role in the formation and maintenance of healthy cell walls. The body’s organs can be negatively impacted if cell membranes form improperly, due to a domino effect of harmful changes in cell chemistry.

For those people suffering from the inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, they may find relief from the painful symptoms by simply adding Omega 3 fatty acids to their diet. They play a vital role in the regulation of several bodily processes, blood clotting, blood pressure, inflammatory as well as allergic response, and nerve transmission, for example, because they facilitate the production of hormone-like chemicals called prostaglandins.

One of the important Omega 3 benefits is a greater likelihood of cardiovascular disease prevention. This is because the have the ability to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and even lower blood pressure. They also help raise the good cholesterol level (HDL), prevent thickening of the arterial walls, and inhibit platelet segregation (and hence prevent blood clots).

Omega 3 fatty acids reduce the likelihood of obesity and diabetes by helping blood insulin levels to stay stabilized.

Sometimes known as a brain food, it can help give the brain a boost - improving intelligence, memory and concentration. It has been established by systematic clinical investigations that Omega 3 fatty acids are helpful in treating various mental ailments including Alzheimer’s disease, depression, dyslexia, psychosis, migraine, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), etc.

Omega 3 promotes healthy cell walls, thereby providing protection against undesired mutations in the DNA that may trigger the growth of cancerous cells, reducing your risk to commonly occurring cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. Your immune system will be boosted by getting enough Omega 3 fatty acids which will mean an increase in your ability to fight off colds and other respiratory diseases.

Eating the right foods and taking supplements is the only way to ensure you enjoy these Omega 3 benefits. With current high interest and higher gas prices families may find serving salmon or scallops on a regular basis difficult, but don’t despair - less costly alternatives like tofu, dark green veggies, even nuts and seeds offer an important source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements also have value but should not be taken without consulting your doctor if blood-thinning medicine has been prescribed for you.

Nutrition: Eleven Superfoods You Ought To Know About

There’s a lot more to foods than just the nutrition they contain. Some can act as medicines, helping to tame inflammation in the body, or protect cells from DNA damage. Others can act as aphrodisiacs (see number 2 below). Still others can protect your memory. Superfoods are “super” precisely because they offer more benefits than what you can find on the “nutrition facts” label. Every one on this list qualifies!1.BlueberriesThese amazing berries are on anyone’s list of superfoods. Recent research shows that they’re brain food– feeding blueberries to rats actually slows their age-related mental decline. Blueberries contain pterostilbene, a plant compound recently shown to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Their ORAC value (antioxidant rating) is the highest of any fruit. And blueberries are rich in fiber. Tip: try them frozen. They taste like sherbet!2.MacaBased on a long history of traditional use in Peru, maca has recently become known as a “natural Viagra”, and is popular as an aphrodisiac, and for increasing fertility and stamina. (I talked about it in my book ‘The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth” as part of a natural treatment for restoring sexual potency.) But maca’s also a superfood from a nutrition point of view. It’s an important staple for the Andean Indians, has been around since 3800 BC and is rich in sugars, protein, starches and essential minerals, especially iron and iodine. You can buy it as a supplement, or, even better, as a powder which you can add to shakes. 3.CherriesCherries are absolutely loaded with anti-inflammatory, antiaging, anticancer compounds that don’t show up on your average nutrition facts label. These include quercetin, a member of the flavonoid family which has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Cherries also contain anthocyanains which act like natural COX-2 inhibitors, reducing pain and inflammation. That’s one reason why they’re so great for gout. My favorite “healthy” desert- frozen cherries mixed with full fat yogurt. Tastes like Cherry Garcia only way better for you.4.GuavaAmong the superfoods of the world, guava is a sleeper. With a taste that’s been described as “part strawberry part pear”, one low-calorie cup of this vitamin rich fruit contains a whopping 8 grams of fiber. And in one widely used nutrition lab test for antioxidant power, guava scored second only to blueberries, and right behind kale. Guava also contains cancer fighting lycopene.5.KaleKale is a member of the brassica family, vegetable royalty that boasts cabbage and broccoli among it’s relatives. It’s simply loaded with nutrition. It’s rich in potent cancer fighting substances called indoles, and loaded with bone-building vitamin K. Kale also contains sulforaphane, a powerful nutrient that helps the liver detoxify carcinogens and other toxins. Kale has the highest antioxidant rating of any vegetable and is ridiculously low in calories. Try it tossed with olive oil, a few dried cranberries and some pine nuts.6.SardinesThese are the best kept nutrition secret in the world when it comes to health foods and the secret weapon of travelers looking for a cheap, portable, easily available source of protein. Sardines are rich in omega-3 fats, and one of the least contaminated of any seafood since it’s so low on the food chain. Eat them out of the can or throw them on some salad.7.Coconut oilThis superb oil has been long neglected as a healthy oil because it contains saturated fat. But not to worry: the saturated fat in coconut is a very healthy kind called MCT (medium chain triglyecerides) which is easily burned by the body for energy. Coconut oil also contains lauric acid, a natural anti-viral and anti-microbal. And today’s excellent virgin coconut oil- unlike the inferior products of a few decades ago- doesn’t contain trans fats. Note to skeptics: The Puka Puka islanders consumed 80 % of their diet from coconut products and had virtually no heart disease.8.Green teaHere’s a superstar beverage if there ever was one. Green tea helps with weight loss and helps fight against cancer. It contains EGCG, a catechin (plant compound) which stimulates metabolism and has anti-cancer properties to boot. Green tea also contains theanine, a natural relaxant which helps explain why the caffeine in green tea doesn’t make you nearly as jittery as coffee.9.FlaxseedsFlaxseed oil is one of the only plant sources of omega-3 fats, but the flaxseeds themselves provide the added nutrition benefit of fiber along with the omega-3’s. Flaxseeds can be thrown on salads, tossed into smoothies, or sprinkled on vegetables. They also contain lignans, a group of plant nutrtients that have been studied by the National Cancer Institute for their cancer preventive properties.10.EggsThe protein source against which all others are judged. And for goodness sake, stop with the egg white omlettes. The yolk is loaded with good stuff! Half of the measly 4.5 grams of fat are actually monounsaturated fat, the same heart-healthy fat that’s in olive oil. The yolks are also one of the best sources of lutein, the superstar of eye nutrition. Plus they contain choline, which helps support brain function and help keep harmful homocysteine levels down. Look for the new designer eggs with increased omega-3 content.11.Pomegranate juice If you’re wondering if all the hype about pomegranate juice is for real, stop wondering: it is. Animal studies suggest that pomegranate juice combats artherogenesis (hardening of the arteries) as well as other cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. It’s rich in antioxidants and has a higher amount of polyphenols- heart healthy plant compounds– than even red wine. Look for the pure pomegranate juice (not the watered down cocktail). You can always dilute it with water or mix it with other juices.In the long run, the rules for healthy eating are a lot simpler than you might think: Eat food that your ancestors could have hunted, fished for, gathered or plucked. If it’s food your grandmother would have recognized as food, it’s probably good for you. And if it doesn’t have a bar code, so much the better.

Food Cravings

A food craving is an intense desire to consume a particular food, as opposed to food in general. Food cravings are especially common in people following structured diet plans, and often interfere with the best of intentions to adhere to a particular style of eating. Foods with higher sugar glucose, such as chocolate, are often more craved than foods with lower sugar glucose, such as broccoli. Food cravings are also commonly seen in pregnant women. The craving of non-food items is called pica.What Causes Food Cravings?The general consensus among most doctors and dietitians is that cravings stem from a complex combination of emotional, hormonal and biochemical factors. Blood sugar imbalance is seen as the foundation for most cravings, but emotional and hormonal factors are also contributory factors. A small number of cravings can be the result of a food allergy - we crave the very food to which we are allergic! - and a few people still believe that we crave certain foods because our body is “telling us” to remedy a specific nutritional deficiency, although in view of the fact that most of our cravings tend to be for less healthy high-sugar or high-fat foods, this view is now less popular. For many women, powerful food cravings for certain foods come with the territory during pregnancy. You’ve probably heard tales of loved ones being dispatched at all hours to search for a certain brand of bacon double cheeseburger or rocky road ice cream to quell an expectant mom’s desire. Perhaps you’ve felt an overwhelming urge to splurge firsthand.Sugar cravings may be a habit, a kind of comfort food, or a very pleasant way to end a meal. Sugar cravings may also be due to low serotonin levels and depression. We may crave the taste of sweets or we may crave the effect of sugar on our brain.Food cravings involve the recollection of taste and smell of food. Food craving is linked to happy memories, causing us to reach for foods our mothers used to make. Grandmother used to cook stews, mashed potatoes, and homemade chocolate cakes. Everyone had a warm and fuzzy memory associated with food. We all have different favourites when it comes to comfort foods. For some of us it is chocolate, for others it may be potato crisps, doughnuts, cheese, pizza, the list goes on.Similarly, a craving for red meat seems like a transparent cry for protein. And the reader who consumed great quantities of peaches may have been responding to her body’s need for beta carotene. Still, Somer doesn’t see much of a link between a pregnant woman’s cravings and what her body needs.”People think their cravings are significant, but studies show no link between cravings and nutritional requirements,” she says. “If people craved what the body needs, we would all eat more broccoli and less chocolate.”Food cravings are associated with three very distinct stages in life: menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. Although many women sail through their monthly menstrual cycle, many others do not. Among the symptoms often reported by menstruating women are food cravings. Other unpleasant and debilitating conditions reported during this time are pain, breast tenderness, fluid retention, feeling bloated, headache and fatigue.