Tag: Fish Oil Supplements

Your Diet, Nutrition, and Arthritis

Your Diet, Nutrition, and Arthritis
Lee Dobbins

Arthritis symptoms often come and go without warning so it is
hard to attribute the addition or elimination of certain foods
to the relief or onset of symptoms. But studies show that adding
foods rich in certain nutrients, while eliminating some other
foods, can help relieve some symptoms of arthritis. If you have
arthritis, you might want to discuss dietary changes with your
doctor and you may find that you can control your pain with less
drugs and better eating.

Research has shown that a diet that has too many calories can
aggravate RA (rheumatoid arthritis), and 5% of sufferers in a
different study showed a flare-up of symptoms after drinking
milk. In other studies, reducing the intake of fat, red meat and
dairy products is shown to help relieve pain. Some other foods
that are suspected of aggravating your levels of pain include
tomatoes, white potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, corn, lemons,
grapefruit, wheat, rye, eggs, coffee and sugar.

While limiting some of the foods you eat, you may also be able
to help relieve arthritis symptoms by eating more of certain
foods, or taking supplements. In 1998, Finnish researchers
discovered that the lactobacillus helped improve symptoms of RA.
In this study, mice which were given lactobacillus were found to
be less apt to develop arthritis and their immune systems were
better equipped to handle it in those that did..

Another food that seems to have a beneficial effect on arthritis
pain is fish oil according to a study done in the 1950’s. Fish
oil supplements can be taken but sometimes cause a fishy
aftertaste so why not simply add fish high in Omega 3’s to your
diet? You want to eat cold water fish that are wild and not farm
raised. These fish include mackerel, tuna, salmon, bluefish,
mullet, herring and anchovies.

In a study by the University of Manchester, it was found that
individuals with high levels of beta-cryptoxanthin were 40% less
likely to develop arthritis. Beta-cryptoxanthin can be found in
yellow and orange colored fruits and vegetables and is a key
nutrient in helping your immune system as well as bone and skin
health. Some foods high in this nutrient include winter squash,
peppers and pumpkin as well as papayas, tangerines and
persimmons.

Another vitamin you might want to make sure you get enough of is
vitamin B. Studies have shown that people who have arthritis are
deficient in vitamin B. Although, this could be due to the fact
that taking aspirin depletes the bodies stores of the vitamin..

The antioxidant vitamin C is an important addition to any diet
as they help neutralize free radicals which contribute to tissue
damage as well as disease. In fact, findings show that damaged
knee cartilage cells can release large amounts of free radicals.
According to the study, people who take a lot of vitamin C have
much less risk of damage to their knees. The famous scientist
Dr. Linus Pauling recommends that you take 18 grams of V-C every
day as a preventative measure for arthritis.

Another antioxidant, Vitamin E works in a similar way and
German studies have proven that it also helps to reduce pain.
Vitamin E can be found in whole grains, corn oil, wheat germ,
sunflower seed, and legumes.

A deficiency in Selenium has been shown to cause a particular
type of arthritis – Kashin-Bek disease, but this happens mostly
where the soil is deficient in selenium. Interestingly enough,
sufferers of RA have less selenium in their blood than others.
You can add more selenium to your diet with nuts, Fish, whole
grains, organ meats, and beans.

Some trials have shown that zinc can help reduce swelling and
stiffness. To get more zinc, try eating more cheese, tofu or
oysters or ask your doctor about a supplement. There have been
conflicting results in studies on zinc.

In addition to what you eat, other non pharmaceutical ways to
relive pain from arthritis include exercise, losing weight,
hot-packs, and humor.

About the author:
Lee Dobbins writes for A2z Vitamins
where you can learn more about the role that vitamins play in
your health and well being.

Fish Oil, a Sign of Hope for Cardio Vascular Disease

Fish Oil, a Sign of Hope for Cardio Vascular Disease

Cardio vascular disease and Fish oil are currently two of today’s popular words that bear relation to pain and alternative treatment.

But to the uninitiated, they would aptly ask the question, “What are the healing benefits of Fish oil and what can it do to help someone with cardio vascular disease?”

This question can be answered by the thousands of cardio vascular sufferers who have benefited from the healing wonders of Fish oil, as well as with those who are currently undergoing treatment using this natural food supplement.

Apparently the most common benefits of Fish oil with cardio vascular is that it alleviates the major symptoms of the disorder, specifically since Fish oil is a highly effective method for treating the symptomatic conditions commonly found among cardio vascular sufferers.

The use of Fish oil supplements promote healing among its patients, and the process is usually done by ingesting the extract in capsule, pill or even powdered form.

For cardio vascular patients, the process involves daily intake of controlled and administered doses of the fish oil supplement.

The healing wonders of fish oil is believed to have originated from Asia, after noting that fishermen staying for long periods of time at sea and have mostly a regular diet of fish turn out to be more healthy and are less susceptible to . It was practiced by Buddhist monks for over a thousand years and was passed on through generations.

Fish oil practitioners reckon that it is a powerful healing process using natural universal energy that keeps us alive, and is the energy responsible for the body’s ability to heal itself. It is this energy that flows through the hands of what is called the ‘Fish oil channel’ in a concentrated and powerful energy form on to the body to correct the energy imbalance of the patient.

Although Fish oil is derived from deep sea fish and is not meant as a cure for diseases, it complements and can also work as a support mechanism to conventional disease treatment in cases where medication is generally required.

Specifically, Fish oil is not a cure for any disease, even cardio vascular disease, however, it’s healing benefits enhances over-all health and general well-being, as well as a cursory factor to living a healthy lifestyle, thus, relieving patients of stress and other pain-related symptoms.

Realistically, Fish oil is not for everybody, but the main focus of this therapy is that the cardio vascular patient should discipline themselves and take full responsibility for their own health, and that by giving one’s self up to take active and committed participation to allow self-healing, then can only Fish oil be fully embraced and allow the healing power to take its effect.

Cardio vascular disease affects millions of people in the United States, regardless of age or social status, and no studies have been established pinpointing to the very cause of the disease, except that it is closely associated to lifestyle, diet, genetic history, depression and stress.

Ideally, thousands of cardio vascular sufferers have benefited from Fish oil supplements and although it is not a proven cure-all for cardio vascular disease, it provides cardio vascular patients with the hope that there are alternative and holistic solutions to treating this disease. Be it Fish oil or conventional treatment, the final decision rests with the patient, whichever they find suitable and comfortable for them.

After all, fish oil is turning out to be a ray of hope for those with cardio vascular disease.

Fish Oil Effects That You Can Avoid

There has been a lot of buzz about fish oil and its benefits. Researches and studies have proved the numerous health benefits that fish oil can give. But every coin has two sides. So, is it possible for something beneficial like fish oil, to have bad effects, as well? Yes, it is possible.

If you have fish oil capsules or liquid at home, then you would have to make sure that it would not be exposed to heat, light and oxygen. When exposed for too long, the fish oil would get oxidized and would get bad. Once the fish oil gets bad, it would lose its nutritional value. Aside from that, bad fish oil and fatty acids are said to contribute to the development of cancer and other diseases.

Minor side effects of fish oil would include a fishy aftertaste, diarrhea, and fishy burps. Some would report nose bleeding as a side effect of fish oil intake. Aside from this, you would have to be conscious with vitamin A, E and D. Accumulated or large doses of these vitamins can eventually lead to poisoning.

There are also serious side effects of fish oil. If these side effects happen to you, it is best to consult a health care professional. You would have to stop taking fish oil supplements or it could mean other serious ailments.

Fish oil is said to increase the risk of bleeding, especially gastrointestinal bleeding. So if you would notice red blood on your stool and vomiting blood, the consult a health care professional immediately. Serious effects could also include hemorrhagic stroke or bleeding in the brain. Common symptoms would include vision and speech changes, numbness or loss of strength in the limbs and frequent and painful headaches.

If you have diabetes, then it would also be better to check with your doctor if taking fish oil supplements is safe. Taking fish oil supplements can sometimes result to hyperglycemia or high blood sugar. Be watchful or conscious of allergic reactions. Symptoms that you are allergic with fish oil supplement include rashes, itching, swelling, wheezing and difficulty in breathing or swallowing.

To avoid the minor side effects, you can take the fish oil supplement along with your meal. This would get rid of the aftertaste and make it easier to digest. It is less likely for you to experience abdominal or stomach pain. There are few who keep their supplements refrigerated. It is said that keeping them frozen or cold would help lessen gastrointestinal problems or side-effects.

Too much is always not good. The problem is we do not how much is too much. There is maximum amount that an individual should take. But there is a recommended amount, for male it is 1600 mg while women are recommended to have 1100 mg.

As mentioned, we should be cautious with Vitamin A,E, and D overdose. How do we deal with this?

Read the labels. Know what kind of supplement you are taking. You have to know if the fish oil supplements you are taking exceed the recommended level. To avoid an overdose of Vitamin A and D, avoid using fish oil that includes the internal organs like liver.

Fish oil is something that can very essential in improving our physical and mental health as long as it is taken in recommended doses and amounts. Let us remember that fish oil is not a magic pill that would immediately remove us of any ailments and pains. Its effects can be gradually noticed over time.

Customer Knowledge: Buying Fish Oil Supplements

Fish oil has many benefits to our overall health, whether it is for the heart or brain. Research showed that fish oil can reduce the risk of heart attacks, cancers, mental and psychological disorders and other sicknesses. The market is full of fish oil products, but how do we make sure that what we get are actually the ones that can benefit our health.

Not all fish contains Omega-3 oil or the essential fatty acids. Fishes that have the highest number of fatty acids are salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies.

There are things that you would have to consider when buying fish oil. Actually, health professionals would say that eating too much fish that contains fish oil and Omega-3 can cause mercury contamination. This can happen if you do not exactly know where the fish are caught. If the fish is caught in polluted waters, we can ingest mercury and other heavy metals.

To avoid toxins entering out body, we have to make sure that the fish oil that we are taking is molecularly distilled and pharmaceutical grade supplements. These kinds of fish oil are removed of all toxins. You would have to check at the label to make sure that they come from clean waters and properly refined.

When checking the label of a particular fish oil supplement, you check their websites and look for the Certificate of Analysis. This COA is an analysis performed by an independent laboratory to identify the freshness of the product. Aside from checking the source of the fish and the freshness of the fish oil, you would also need to know what kind of fish the oil is from.

Studies showed that fish oil with docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA have the most health and benefits. Studies showed that the brain uses or needs more DHA to function better. Aside from being free of heavy metals, it should always contain at least 60 % of EPA and DHA. You would also have to consider or be cautious with vitamins like Vitamin A and E which can be very harmful in large doses.

How would you know that you are buying the safe fish oil supplement? Only buy from companies that use fresh and high qualify fish and inform the public where they get their fish. You can check their websites or labels to be informed properly.

Fish oil supplements can be either liquid or tablet. Liquid fish oil costs more than oil capsules. But when compared with capsules based on the cost-per-gram it is actually less expensive. Capsules are tamper-proof and keep the oil from getting bad. Most people find fish oil to be expensive or over priced. Some experts would say that there are two ways to compare prices. You can compare the total amount of DHA in the supplement and the cost for each gram of DHA.

You would feel that you have low quality fish oil if you suffer from any ache or pain. So, we would have to be cautious when buying low-cost fish oil. They may not be the same as the high-quality fish oil. You would have to be cautious when buying cheap fish oil.

So, when buying fish oil, or any kind of product, read the label or the product information first. Getting informed will relieve you of any kind of health risk in the future. Reading the label or getting to know the product would not be more than a couple of minutes, anyway. So, spare the time.