Tag: Dietary Supplements

How Fish Oil Can Cure Inflammation

Inflammation occurs as our body’s natural protective response to fend off any outside aggressors and to begin the process of healing. Its effect on our tissues usually involves pain, heat and redness. However, there are some cases that this outward effect is not visible.

Inflammation is a double-edges sword; its effect can be helpful or harmful depending on the circumstances. When an inflammation is in chronic state, devastating consequences are likely to happen like arthritis, heart disease or stroke. It usually happens when the cause of inflammation is continually reintroduced or if the acute inflammatory response is not able to eliminate it. This situation is very likely to happen nowadays because of our exposure to implausible amounts of toxins.

Some of these toxins can be avoided like poor food choices, smoking, and prolonged sun exposure. While some things arise from things from things we dont have control like genetics, accidents and pollution. Inasmuch as there are factors you cant help being exposed to unnecessary and harmful factors detrimental to your good health, you can also take food supplements effective in strengthening your body against the sometimes lethal effect of inflammation. The most effective food supplement according to recent studies happens to be fish oil.

The prevalence of destructive or chronic inflammation among Western countries makes it imperative for many specialists to deal with preventive measures. The reason behind this is that the Western population is more exposed to stress, obesity and poor health in general. Many pharmacological anti-inflammatory drugs offer reduction of inflammation, however, long-term medication have potentially lethal side effects.

So what is your safest option if you have inflammation? Research on alternative medicines revealed that certain dietary supplements can help reduce levels of pro-inflammatory factors, with significantly lower side effects. One of these dietary supplements is the essential fatty acids or EFAs.

Essential fatty acids are necessary for various aspects of normal physiology like: mediating immune response, regulating bodily secretions and their viscosity, dilating and constricting blood vessels, regulating collateral circulation, directing endocrine hormones to their target cells, regulating smooth muscles and autonomic reflexes, being primary constituents of cell membranes, regulating the rate of cell division, maintaining the fluidity and rigidity of cellular membranes, regulating the flow of substances into and out from cells, transporting oxygen from red blood cells to the tissues, maintaining proper kidney function and fluid balance, keeping saturated fats mobile in the bloodstream, preventing blood clots, mediating the release of inflammatory eicosanoids that may trigger allergic conditions, and regulating nerve transmission and communication. (Source: Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-inflammatory by Joseph C. Maroon and Jeffrey Bost, 2006, page 39).

For this reason, it is very important for over-all health to have a regular intake of foods rich in omega-6 or omega-3 EFAs. The omega-3 pathway, activated by trauma, injury, or chemical stimulus, is the process of converting the omega-3 EFAs found in the cell membranes to various eicosanoids. If the omega-3 EFA components of the cell membranes become dominant, an anti-inflammatory state can result, with preventive health benefits.

Fish oil is the best source of the omega-3 essential fatty acids. But why fish oil, you might ask? The needed nutrients can also be found in green plants; algae (phytoplankton); leaves and seeds of the perilla plants; and linseed oil but fish oil is considered the most important dietary source of omega-3 EFAs because it contains concentrated amounts of the ALA derivatives with APA and DHA.

The two mentioned nutrients can almost exclusively found in seafood. Fish contains high amount of EPA and DHA because they are at the top of food chain based on algae, a single-marine organism that manufactures huge amount of EPA and DHA.

How Fish Oil Can Benefit Your Health

Fish oils are extracted fats from fish, a concentrated solution of omega-3 EFAs. It is the best source of omega-3 EFAs. You could add more omega-3 EFAs to your diet in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). The richest plant sources of ALA are the leaves and seeds of the perilla plants common in North America, Japan, Korea, China and Vietnam.

Green plants and algae also contain ALA as well as linseed oil. However, fats or oil from fish is considered the most important dietary source of omega-3 EFAs because it has concentrated amounts of the ALA derivatives EPA and DHA. These two nutrients are found almost exclusively in seafood.

Eating fish on a regular basis has its own risk as you are can never be sure if the fish you are eating has no toxins on it such as mercury and PCBs. During the manufacture of fish oils, toxins are eliminated. The supplements are meticulously purified to remove heavy metals such as mercury, lead, PCBs and other toxins as well as to reduce the incidence of rancidity and improve the taste and quality of the fish oil.

These makes fish oils as safe and effective food supplement. A 1-gram fish oil capsule contains about 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA. An intake of three 1-gram capsules would provide 0.9 gram (900 mg) of EPA and DHA. This means it comply the daily dosage recommended by the American Heart Association. However, you should always bear in mind that fish oil supplements are basically dietary supplements, not drugs.

Studies shows that many people are getting too much of the wrong kinds of fats found in animals (saturated fats) and vegetables (polyunsaturated fats), and need the fish oil to balance the family of fat nutrients. Intake of the wrong kinds of fats should be lowered to total 20 to 30 percent of daily calorie serving while fats found in the oils of certain fish should be appreciably increased.

Fish oil prevents and/or alleviates heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and migraine, headaches, may be protective against cancer, immune deficiency diseases, kidney disease and others. Fish oils also have two special nutrients that protect the heart and arteries, reduce pain, inflammation and swelling, and protect cell membranes. Omega-3 EFAs found in oily fishes are believed to be essential for the healthy development of brain, retina, and nervous tissue among fetus and infant.

During pregnancy these fatty acids are transferred from the mother’s tissues to the fetus. However, the FDA has strict guidelines on eating fish during pregnancy because of the possibility of mercury or other toxic substances that may contain in fishes and the best solution is to take fish oil as food supplement

Over the past 30 years more than 7,000 scientific studies have provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of fish oil and omega-3 EFAs in the prevention and treatment of our most common diseases. Hundreds of clinical trials support the efficacy of fish oil’s omega-3 essential fatty acids in preventing, mitigating, and remedying an incredible range of health conditions. Some scientific and medical communities however are resisting to these facts and still support pharmacological treatment.

As a traditional dietary supplement that encourages good health, fish oil is a preventive medicine but as a natural alternative to NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other pharmacological and medical treatments, it is complementary medicine.

With all the undergoing studies to prove its affectivity, fish oil is on the threshold of crossing over into traditional Western medicine.

Arthritis Relief: How to Choose a Supplement

If you suffer from arthritis, you may look high and low for relief. Luckily, you dont have to look very far. Did you know that certain herbal, dietary, and natural supplements can aid with arthritis pain and discomfort? Some not only reduce pain and discomfort, but swelling too. If this is new to you, you may want to run out and purchase a bottle of supplements, but wait! If this is your first time buying these supplements, you must first know some important things.

Not all supplements aid in arthritis relief. There are wide ranges of dietary, herbal, and natural supplements available for sale, both locally and online. Do the research first to determine what supplements may reduce your joint pain and swelling. For example, Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) is believed to slow down the making of inflammation causing chemicals. Devils Claw can reduce inflammation and pain in arthritis patients. These are just a sample of the supplements that can help. Before heading to the health store, know what to buy.

Valid claims. When researching supplements or when browsing at the store, read all packages. Most will outright state what the product can do. For example, capsules of Devils Claw may state they assist with the reduction of arthritis pain and swelling. The keywords are reduce and assist. Arthritis has no cure. You can manage and temporarily treat the joint pain, stiffness, and swelling, but you cannot cure it. Avoid any supplement or product that claims it will cure your arthritis. This is an outright lie and usually a waste of money.

Price. Herbal, natural, and dietary supplements are not like over-the-counter pain relievers. They rarely provide you with immediate relief. Instead, they should be taken overtime. Most reduce the likelihood of pain and inflammation, especially with regular and continued use. Unfortunately, this means you may buy many supplements. To prevent the costs from becoming too high, price compare. Find a quality, yet cheap brand. Buy your supplements on sale, buy in bulk, use coupons, or shop at a store with good prices. Always compare price with quantity. A larger package of supplement capsules will cost more money, but it is usually a better value for that money.

Doctors recommendations. Most arthritis patients fear discussing supplements with their physician. Most believe they will only hear discouragement. Not all physicians believe in or recommend the use of supplements, but dont be afraid to discuss this with your doctor. Many now embrace supplements, when used with prescribed or recommended medicine. So, tell your doctor you want to try ASU to reduce your joint swelling, but that you will continue to take your over-the-counter pain relievers for pain, as directed.

Drug interactions. Why is it important to speak with your physician about supplements? Some can interact with common medications. For example, the above mentioned Devils Claw can counteract with diabetes medication, acid reducers, and blood thinners. Ask your doctor if the supplement you intend to take is risky with your current medications.

Side effects. Most supplements come directly from nature, but not all things in nature are safe for all. Some supplements can have side effects. For example, Gingko can reduce disease flare-ups for some. However, it does have many side effects. These include headaches, upset stomachs, and dizziness. Examine the side effects for your preferred supplement and compare. Are they manageable?

In short, many natural supplements can provide you with arthritis relief. But, dont run out and buy the first supplement you see at the health store. Opt for a supplement that will not interact with your current medications, one that is affordable, one that has little to no side effects, and one that will treat your troubling arthritis symptoms.

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