Tag: Heart disease

Choosing Fish Oil Supplements

Choosing the right fish oil supplement may not always be easy. One of the things to consider is that one should know about what makes such supplements valuable to health, which is its omega 3 fatty acid content. There are various sources of such essential fatty acids. It can be easy to question if there is indeed a difference between getting this nutrient from different sources.

Three Types Of Omega 3 Fatty Acids
One of the things that people should know is that there are three known types of omega 3 fatty acids, the essential nutrient found in fish oil supplements. The three types of omega 3 fatty acids include EPA, DHA and ALA. ALA, or alpha-linolenic acid is a short chain omega 3 fatty acid that is usually found in plant sources such as flax seed, walnuts, canola and soybean oil. DHA or docosahexaenoic acid and EHA or eicosapentaenoic acid are considered as long chain omega 3 fatty acids. The latter two are those found in fish oil supplements.

The difference between short chain omega 3 fatty acids such as ALA and long chain omega 3 fatty acids has to do with how the body processes them. In order for the body to make use of such essential fatty acids, it has first to convert the short chain types into its long chain form. This does not usually happen readily. That is why fish oil supplements are considered more effective in providing the omega 3 fatty acids that it needs because it is already the long chain form which does not require any more conversion before the body can use them.

Effectiveness
One of the other things to consider when choosing between fish oil supplements and ones that are sourced from plants deals with their effectiveness and benefits. Experts believe that the long chain omega 3 fatty acids being sourced from fish oils prove to be more effective in terms of health benefits. These essential fatty acids have already been known to offer some benefit in preventing heart disease. With the short chain fatty acid ALA however, experts are not too sure if ever it does provide the same benefit because it may still require additional conversion before it can be used by the body.

Fish Oil Source
Now that one already knows the difference between omega 3 fatty acids sourced from fish as well as those from plants, it seems that fish oil seem to have the upper hand. But this time there are some other things to consider. In order to get the type of fish oil supplements that offer the best source of long chain omega 3 fatty acids, people should know where they are being sourced from.

One important thing for consumers to look at when buying fish oil supplements is the label. It should contain information of where the fish oil used in the supplement is being sourced from. Because there can be more than just one fish species to source out such supplements, it is important to clearly know what types of fishes these may be.

Certain labels may contain information of the fish oil being sourced from salmon, tuna or anchovies. This might be considered safe. But if labels on the said supplements only tell of fish oil or marine lipids, this should ring some warning bells. It may be possible that fish oils in such supplements may not be too sure where the source may come from, which might also cast some doubt on the purity of the fish oil being used

The Dark Side of Fish Oil: The Side Effects

First you need to understand that fish oil has a lot of benefits. The omega-3 fish oil belongs to the essential fatty acids which our body needs. Our body does not have any capabilities of producing the omega-3 so we rely on external sources, mainly fish rich in oil, as our main source. The fact that it is labeled essential fatty acid means that our body really needs it and the lack of which could result to a variety of health consequences.

Among the known benefits of taking omega-3 includes reducing the risks of having heart disease, can reduce the development of cancer cells, prevents pregnancy complications, improves eyesight and helps prevent depression. We can have a longer list but I wont trouble you with that, needless to say the benefits of fish oil are real. But unknown to quite few, the fish oil supplements that we all think of as friends has the dark side too, has side effects which when left uncheck can be quite harmful and can even prove to be fatal.

If our list of benefits is quite long, the side effects not as many. The side effects only manifests when one overdoses with the intake and can even disappear after a few days. Sometimes that body just needs to get used to the fish oil and once it has adjusted, the side effects would disappear. Some of the minor and immediate side effects include a fishy after taste and diarrhea.

These two often appears during the first few days of taking the fish oil. These symptoms should disappear after a couple of days but in case they dont changing brands of fish oil supplements might help. But setting up a meeting with your doctor would be the best idea.

After a couple of weeks of taking fish oil capsules, you might notice some fishy burping before and after each meal. This can just be because your body is still adjusting. Give it a couple of days and the burping might stop. Although, you should check the expiry dates of your of your supplements. You might also want to consider that what you have been taking are bad quality produce. Changing brands might help. Some suggest keeping the supplements in a freezer to prevent the various gastrointestinal side effects.

On the other hand, blood thinning is something that you cannot eliminate by just simply changing brands. You see omega-3 from fish oils is great for the heart because it is a natural blood thinner. They help coagulate the blood which helps prevent blood clots which helps prevent heart diseases.

But because omega-3 is already a blood thinner, people who are already taking blood thinning medications should avoid the intake of either the fish oil or the blood thinning drug. The possible problem with this is that people will get too much blood thinners resulting to patients bleeding out. The bleeding could be internal which can damage organs and could result to something fatal.

You should watch out for signs of internal bleeding like black stools or the presence of blood in the stool or vomiting of blood which are all signs of gastrointestinal bleeding. When you bleed in the brain the signs could be changes in your vision or speech, numbness of an arm or leg, and severe headache.

The dark side of fish oil is just that, one part of a fairly good supplement. There are ways to prevent the side effects and most of them through proper consultations before you even start taking those fish oil supplements.

Surprising Benefits Of Using Fish Oil

The known benefits of fish oil are not just limited to the more common conditions. Of course, many people have already known how using fish oil may help improve skin health and reduce the risk of heart disease. But there are also surprising benefits that fish oil seem to offer to those who regularly consume them. Here are just some of them.

Depression And Anxiety
People may not be aware of it, but fish oil seems to help put people in a good mood. In fact, many studies have shown that fish oil may be beneficial in trying to help treat depression and anxiety in people. Thanks to the omega 3 fatty acids contained in fish oil, it seems a good means to relieve anxiety, depression, stress and sadness in people.

Fish oil seems to have good mood stabilizing properties that make them quite interesting as a treatment for depression and other related conditions. Evidence suggests that countries where oily fish such as salmon is regularly eaten also seem to have low incidence of depression. Similar studies involving prisoners have also shown that having them on a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids resulted in a significant drop in homicide rates. Although more studies may be needed in order for such findings to be conclusive, it already shows some good evidences of the other surprising benefits of fish oil.

Cancer Fighter
It may seem quite surprising enough that fish oil may also benefit patients with certain forms of cancer. Preliminary studies have shown that fish oil may be useful in trying to delay the weight loss in people suffering from pancreatic cancer. Still further research may be needed to solidify this claim as well as how fish oil may affect certain types of cancers.

Type II Diabetes
Some studies also have shown positive findings on the effect of fish oil in Type II diabetes. Since people suffering from this form of diabetes are also prone to developing diseases such as coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and stroke, medical experts believe that taking fish oil supplements may also help in trying to reduce such risks in diabetics. Some studies have already shown that fish oil may also be effective in lowering triglyceride levels in people with diabetes.

Pregnancy
Fish oil might also be able to help women bear healthier children. Taking fish oil supplements may help pregnant women ensure the healthy development of their child while still in the womb. The DHA found in fish oil is known to help babies undergo healthy eye and brain development. Pregnant women who are also taking fish oil supplements run fewer risks of having premature births, miscarriage or delivering babies with low birth weights. As an added benefit, pregnant women who regularly take fish oil supplements run lesser risks of getting into depression following the babys delivery.

Fertility
Fish oil supplements may also help in improving fertility. In a study done on male boars, those who were fed with a diet rich in fish oils were able to show better sperm quality. After ejaculation, the sperm from the boars fed with fish oil seem to resist the effects of lipid peroxidative attacks in the female boar genital tract, giving the sperm higher chances of conception.

THE DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE

The deep tissue massage is a kind of massage therapy which centers its attention primarily on the ailing, the sore, the painful and the distressed deeper layers of muscles and connective tissues. Its therapeutic benefits are particularly beneficial for chronically tight and constricted areas such as in cases of stiff necks, tightness of lower backs and aching shoulders. The strokes of the Deep Tissue massage are not very different from those of any other types of massage therapies but they are slower and with more pressure applied to reach deeper while focusing on troubled areas.

The Deep Tissue massage is so important in certain painful contractions and spasms due to stress, strain or injury because that is the only way to get to the root of the problem as it is embedded deep under the surface where adhesions which are the causes of the pain and rigidity in muscles, tendons and ligaments are found. Left to their own wills, adhesions obstruct circulation in the affected areas to limit the blood flow which leads to the pain, the restricted movement and, ultimately, to the inflammation. By applying firm pressure and direct friction across the grain and fabric of the muscles, the Deep Tissue massage aims to break down those troublesome adhesions to restore proper blood circulation, reinstate full movement and heal the inflamed tissues. The therapists performing the Deep Tissue massage may use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows and forearms during the therapy session and alternate them during the various stages. Clients are frequently asked to take in deep breaths as the therapists dig deeply into a particularly tense area.

Because the Deep Tissue massage is somewhat intense, it should not be applied under the following conditions:

* Infectious skin disease, rashes, bruises, inflamed skin, tumors or open and unhealed wounds.
* Immediately or soon after surgery or recent fractures.
* Immediately or soon after chemotherapy or radiation treatments, unless approved by the clients physician.
* Osteoporosis patients, unless approved by the treating doctor.
* Clients who are prone to blood clots.
* Heart disease patients, unless recommended by their cardiologists.
* Pregnant women should get their massage treatments from professionals who are certified in pregnancy massage.
* Abdominal hernia.

The good news is that Deep Tissue massage really works and it usually works very fast. Often, clients will walk into a session with excruciating pain and walk out a couple of hours later with smiles of relief on their faces. The bad news is that, depending on their tolerance level to pain, most clients experience it to one degree or another at certain point during the session. In addition, there is usually some measure of soreness immediately after the treatment which can last up to an entire day. However, the pain of the Deep Tissue massage therapy and the lingering soreness afterwards is nothing compared to the pain before the treatment and it comes with the knowledge that it will all be over very shortly. The massage therapist may suggest applying an icepack to the sore area but it is rarely severe enough to warrant it.

When most massage therapies are aimed at relaxation of the body and mind and the massage is generally applied to the entire body, the Deep Tissue massage sets its sights on precise problematic areas such as those afflicted with:

* Chronic or acute pains
* Diminished mobility or limited range of motion.
* Healing areas after traumas or injuries caused by falls, sports injuries, whiplashes from car accidents and so on.
* Strains from repetitive motion such as the carpal tunnel syndrome.
* Pains due to incorrect posturing of the body.
* Pains from osteoarthritis. According to a study conducted and reported by the Consumer Reports magazine, over 34,000 people classified Deep Tissue massage therapy as being more effective in alleviating osteoarthritis pain than physical therapy, exercise, prescribed or over-the-counter drugs, glucosamine, diets, acupuncture or chiropractic treatments.
* Fibromyalgia. Statistics have shown that Deep Tissue massage is more successful in easing symptoms of Fibromyalgia than any other available curative remedy.
* Muscle tension, contractions or spasms.

To flush out metabolic waste from the massaged tissues, clients should drink plenty of water after the Deep Tissue massage therapy and enjoy the fact that they are as good as new again.

PPPPP

(Word Count 718)