Fitness Supplements: August 2010

Tuesday, 31 August 2010

The Truth About Organic Flax Seed Oil

Let's face it, companies hide many things from us in the hopes that they will make a product. That's why I urge you to read this article and find the truth about organic flax seed oil.

1. Are the oils certified USDA organics?

If not, then you can't be sure that the plant has grown with the help of herbicides or pesticides. Organic flax seed oil will cost you twice the amount of farm-grown plants.

Therefore, if it doesn't cost a lot, it probably isn't organic. The truth of the matter is that as long as a few seeds in the product were grown organically, then they can label their product as such.

2. Should you pay more for flax seed oil which is organic?

The herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilisers used to grow plants which aren't organic are not actually found in the oil, but on the seed or the plant itself. This makes organic oils unnecessary.

3. Should you even be taking flax seed oil?

Flax oil, even organic, isn't the best dietary supplement. This is because, of the three essential fatty acids, flaxseed oil contains ALA.

This is important because it is difficult to convert ALA into DHA and EPA for it to be even useful, and this is even truer for the sick and elderly folk. Therefore using a supplement which naturally supplies DHA and EPA is the best choice.

Fish oil supplements do this. ALA will benefit your health, but not nearly as much as natural supplementation of EPA and DHA.

Conclusion

First off, organic flax seed oil is pretty much the same as normal, farm-grown oil. The herbicides and pesticides make no difference.

Second, it isn't as beneficial to take flax seed oil anyway. Fish oil supplements are healthier and more beneficial to your health.

Monday, 30 August 2010

The Positive Effects of Fish Oil Revealed

You might not be aware of this, but the positive effects of fish oil weren't always widely regarded as truth. In fact, they were considered to be similar to largely ignored remedies like castor oil for every ailment.

However, recently the upsurge in scientific interest and progress with fish based oils has lead to a wide array of proven benefits. These aren't just rumours or hearsay, they are proven scientific fact.

This is because fish oil contains two essential fatty acids responsible for good health. These two acids are EPA and DHA, which are both long chain polyunsaturated fats.

Studies and research indicates that the positive effects of fish oil are mainly due to the inflammatory properties of the essential fatty acids. For example, the pain of arthritis is due to inflammation.

Therefore the anti-inflammatory nature of fish oils can ease this pain and make your life more comfortable.

Also, other evidence suggests that a major imbalance of the omega6-omega3 ratio is to cause for many of the problems our society is afflicted with. A healthy ratio is supposed to be twice is much omega6s and omega3s in our body.

However, our Western diet means we can have twenty or fifty times as much omega6s -- clearly not health.

However, using a fish supplement which is rich in omega 3 can negate these negative effects and balance this ratio. This should lead to an overall more healthy lifestyle.

However, to get these benefits you cannot simply use a low quality fish supplement. These benefits are only taken from a quality supplement.

Features of a quality supplement include:

- Twice as much DHA than EPA.
- About 270mg of DHA per capsule.
- A blend of hoki and tuna oil.
- A purified supplement.

By combining these factors you can find a supplement which truly brings the positive effects of fish oil. In fact, I know of one just like this.

Sunday, 29 August 2010

The Truth About Flax Seed Oil Benefits

If you're like me, you'll know that there are a range of flax seed oil benefits for your body. However, you might also be aware that flax seed does not benefit you as much as fish oil does.

This may be confusing. If they both contain omega 3, then why is fish oil more beneficial than flax seed? This is because omega 3 is the term for a family of acids, and the two oils contain different acids.

ALA, DHA and EPA

ALA is found in flax seed oil whereas both DHA and EPA around found in fish based oil. ALA is what is known as the "parent" fatty acids, meaning it can convert into either DHA or EPA, based on what the body needs.

So now you're wondering what the difference is again, considering they both result in the same thing. The problem is that the body is inefficient at converting ALA into DHA and EPA.

This is especially true for the sick and the elderly, who will actually need this conversion to work most. But they find it more difficult.

Basically, this inefficiency means that you will need to eat tons of flax seed oil for it to actually be effective. This can cost good money.

However, fish oils provide DHA and EPA in their natural form, meaning no conversions take place as they go about benefitting the body. This is why fish oils are better.

However, fish oil is also more important because DHA actually makes up one third of the brain. This means that getting enough DHA into your diet is vital in trying to promote the proper functioning of the body.

So now that you know this, you can start researching fish oil benefits rather than flax seed oil benefits. This will ensure you really benefit as much as possible from omega 3.

However, make sure your fish supplement has been properly purified by molecular distillation so that it is safe.

Scott D Oakley is a passionate researcher and reviewer of fish oil supplements. This research is published on his website. To find out about the purified omega 3 supplements which he personally uses and recommends

Saturday, 28 August 2010

Flax Seed Oil - The Alarming Truth

You might not be aware of this, but although it is edible, flax seed oil has a powerful, displeasing taste and smell. Even though it does benefit your health, there are critics who claim that other supplements benefit your health more.

Fish oil supplements are one of these. As fish are richest known source of omega 3 fatty acids, their supplements are considered just as good. Particular fish contain high levels of DHA. This is beneficial because one third of our brain is made from DHA, therefore having enough of it is essential to the proper functioning of our most important internal organ.

Without enough DHA, our brain begins to behave weirdly.

Fish supplements can also bring a range of other benefits to our health. They can help to prevent certain cancers (breast, prostate, colon), can lower blood pressure, improve our memory, lower blood triglycerides, reduce the risks of strokes and maintain our eye health.

Flax seed oil also has similar benefits. This is because the fatty acid in the oil of flax seed, ALA, actually converts into DHA and EPA (the fats found in fish oil) depending on what the body needs.

However, the reason fish oil is better than flax oil is that this conversion is difficult and there is a low chance of succeeding. This means a lot of the ALA will go unused whereas the natural supply of DHA and EPA from fish oil will always be used.

This may mean that you must spend a lot of money getting enough ALA into your system to benefit as much as you would from fish supplements. But why bother?

Fish oils bring more benefits to your health and may even be cheaper because you don't have to buy as much. Now that you are armed with this information, you should set aside your ideas for flax seed oil and consider purchasing a fish based oil.

You need to make sure it comes from a fatty fish, is properly purified and also has the right ratio of fatty acids for it to be effective.

Friday, 27 August 2010

What is the Best Multivitamin?

You want to do right by your family and your own body by feeding it the nutrients it needs to function well. With this in mind, what is the best multivitamin?

With so many to choose from, searching is a daunting prospect when the consumer is not armed with information. Many companies will tell you it is their brand, but finding the best requires a look at many components.

For one thing, who is taking the vitamin? Is it an adult woman or male? Will your young child take the product, or a teenager? Pregnant women are advised to take a multivitamin for their specific needs. Each of these individuals requires something different according to age, sex and so on.

Your next decision revolves around product format. Many people believe that liquid vitamins are absorbed into the body more thoroughly than any other media. They often contain all-natural ingredients too, which health food sales people will tell you make these products better than synthetic. (Many experts actually dispute this claim). The trouble is that you could end paying more for little or no additional benefit.

Chewable and capsule-type multivitamins form the more common types. There are numerous examples at lower costs than liquid vitamins in both synthetic and natural varieties. For kids, chewable versions may simply taste better than liquid ones which also look a bit yucky compared with a brightly colored cartoon shape. These, being more like candy, will go down much more easily than a large pill seemingly made for a rhinoceros too.

For kids and for older consumers, there is no point buying a product which is too big to swallow or which tastes so bad you put off taking it. Whether it is the best brand or not, if a product sits in your cupboard the vitamins do you no good. Consumers are better off purchasing something palatable, even if the quality cannot be considered best.

More than vitamins, your supplement should contain minerals and other ingredients if they are to work to optimal effect. This is because many ingredients work together to improve function. If we were to eat a natural diet without supplements and fulfill our daily requirement of minerals, vitamins and so on, our diets would be varied to include numerous vegetable, whole grain and protein components.

We could never survive on just one of these. Nor will a vitamin work optimally without these other supplements. Unfortunately, consumers must expect to pay more for such a thorough product.

Another option comes from the liquid meal replacement shake. Lots of companies have entered the market in the last few years, eager to take advantage this popular way to maintain good health, lose weight and absorb appropriate amounts of vitamins.

Check these out carefully for what types they contain as well as other ingredients for sweetening and bulking up the finished, blended product. Ingredients in certain brands are not suitable for vegans or gluten intolerant. Others are made especially for their benefit. Beware of drinks with too much sugar and artificial sweeteners, however, even if the spectrum seems good and the fat content is low.

The same goes for chewable vitamins. While no child is likely to accept a tablet that tastes like kale, there are many sweeteners out there, many of them natural. Feeding your kids chemicals and colorant is unnecessary, though again, often cheaper. Companies which sell the tablets and chewable vitamins are coming out with products to meet the needs of specific dietary requirements.

Bulk Omega 3 Fish Oils - The Truth

If you're like me, you'll know when you find a bargain. As always, buying something in bulk is cost-effective and so is buying bulk omega 3 fish oils. However, this could actually end up costing you in the long-term.

Why You Should Avoid Bulk Omega 3 Fish Oils

Omega 3 fatty acids can come from a wide-range of fish, especially the wild fish found in deep waters. They are usually richer in omega 3, but also harder and more costly to catch.

Therefore some profit-driven manufacturers search for fish which are cheaper. They usually find these from fishing fleets which have been out at sea for a while or have perhaps sold the best fish to another buyer.

The problem with this is that fish quickly become rancid. Therefore clever manufactures give cover their supplements in enteric coating in order to mask the sour smell of their rancid fish.

You will know a quality product because they will simply be odourless or smell faintly like the ocean.

Omega 3 fish oils bought in bulk may also contain less concentration of omega 3 fatty acids. This could be because they come from fish not as rich in omega 3.

It is important that your supplement is rich in both omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) so that you truly benefit from them. DHA makes up one third of your brain and it is therefore vital to your body's proper functioning.

Many manufacturers fish richer in EPA despite DHA being more beneficial, merely because EPA is cheaper to process. This is why you need to look for a product with twice as much DHA (the 2:1 ratio recommended by experts.)

So now that you are armed with this information, you can set about finding the product most beneficial to your health. Bulk omega 3 fish oils simply aren't as good for you.

Look for a product made from hoki, a fish naturally rich in omega 3.

Thursday, 26 August 2010

Discover How to Decrease Inflammation Naturally and Live a Longer and Much Healthier Life

One of the biggest killers in society today is inflammation in the body as it has no symptoms and strikes without warning. It is thought that due to our lifestyles and diet, many of us are walking time bombs. Discover how to decrease inflammation, keep yourself safe and protect your health in the future.

Most of the problems stem from our diet which is too rich in omega 6 foods like dairy, fried foods, pastries, potato chips and so on. On the other side of the coin most of us are deficient in omega 3 fats from fatty fish!

So part of learning how to decrease inflammation is to try and reduce your intake of these sorts of foods. You don't have to cut them out completely as these tend to be the ones we like best!

Omega 3 fatty acids are the good polyunsaturated ones you need especially as your body cannot make them so they must come from your diet. Fatty fish are the best source but today they have too many contaminants and the reason why many of us are lacking in omega 3.

It is the DHA fats in omega 3 that provide the best protection against inflammation as the body converts them into a powerful anti-inflammatory chemical called Resolvin D2.

The other many benefits of increasing your omega 3 intake include improved cardiovascular health, lower cholesterol, improved brain health, better cognitive thinking, stronger immune system, anti aging benefits for your skin and prevention of some cancers.

Studies have shown that taking daily fish oils can reduce your chances of a heart attack or stroke by more than 40%.

So what should you look for in the most effective oil?

You want a high ratio of DHA to the other main fatty acid EPA. A 2:1 ratio of DHA to EPA is ideal with a minimum of 270mg of DHA in each capsule.

Distilled oil will have had all the toxins removed to leave it safe and pure and a blend of New Zealand Hoki and South Pacific Tuna yields more than 250% more anti-inflammatory benefits than any other oil.

Now you know how to decrease inflammation naturally with the right fish oils, you can look forward to better health now and avoid many potentially fatal diseases in the future.

A Guide - Information on Omega 3 Nutrition

It seems like every time you turn your head you hear about report on omega 3. Okay, perhaps that was an exaggeration, but there are a bucket load of reports out there nowadays.

Almost each day there is a new research confirming different information on omega 3 nutrition. Why? What I found surprised me. You, reading this now, are most likely deficient in omega 3. In fact, about 90% of the readers of this article will be, as 90% of the population is deficient in omega 3.

You may even be wondering what omega 3 nutrition is. With as little as jargon as possible, omega 3 is long chain polyunsaturated fats that our body requires in order for it to function properly.

There are two acids you require from the omega 3 family -- DHA and EPA. These acids bring sizable benefits to your health.

DHA actually makes up 30% of your brain. How is that for information on omega 3 nutrition?

These two acids bring us many benefits. They can help to prevent many inflammatory conditions like arthritis, asthma, eczema and gout. They even have more spectacular benefits, like reducing the risks of cancers, strokes, heart attacks and heart disease. They can even lower your blood pressure.

Without these acids you put yourself at risk from suffering from the ailments mentioned above. You're half as likely to develop breast cancer if you're taking an omega 3 supplement.

These benefits are amazing, I know, and hard to believe. But the fact of the matter is that they are proven by scientific research. You can trawl the internet yourself for such examples.

Only high quality supplements bring these benefits though; low quality or substandard supplements won't. High quality supplements have been purified by molecular distillation, are DHA rich and contain more DHA than EPA (about twice as much.)

So now that you have some information on omega 3 nutrition, you can decide whether or not you want to massive health benefits listed above. My website you explain more to you about omega 3 if you're interested.

Wednesday, 25 August 2010

The Herbal Patch - The Benefits

We are not all created equally, we all have different metabolisms. We can see this fact everyday, from the celebrities we worship to the people you see everyday. It may seem that many people are able to eat what they want without gaining weight, most people are struggling with their weight.

If you are looking to lose weight often you will look to diet and exercise, yet often this does not work. Now there is a way to raise your metabolism, the Herbal Patch.

An effective way to get your thyroid gland to work is the Herbal Patch, with its 100% natural ingredients. This patch is unique as it is attached to the body so any ingredients are absorbed into the blood without losing any benefits through the digestive process. Diet pills are therefore slower to work and offer less benefits than the Herbal Patch.

This patch is so effective and works so quickly, you won't have to vary your diet and exercise routine.

We are often too busy to spend hours on a treadmill or lifting weights, the patch can enable you to lose weight without as much work. You may even be asleep, yet your metabolism will still be working.

If you want to lose weight, you will need to reduce your favourite foods, you won't have to if you use a Herbal Patch. You won't even need to diet; the patch will help you burn calories.

There is no need to stress about side effects; the patch is made from 100% natural ingredients.

Stop worrying about weight loss and at long last become the master of your own destiny. Using the Herbal Patch can help you lose weight quickly and easily.