Month: August 2013

Omega 3 – Are You Getting Enough?

Image credit: Health365

You have probably heard on the Dr. Oz show, or on other health shows, about the importance of getting enough Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. It serves so many beneficial purposes – and not just in the area of weight loss.

The fatty acids in Omega 3 are essential to our ability as humans to metabolize food. Most people do not get enough Omega 3 in their diets. This is especially true of Americans, whose diets as a whole tend to be on the heavy side and short of the nutritious food choices that provide Omega 3 fatty acids. The American diet is heavy on the wrong kind of fats and too much fried food, so it fails to provide the right balance of nutrients to achieve maximum health benefits.

Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in fish, with salmon being one of the richest sources of this essential nutrient. Salmon has become a popular staple in many homes and is very affordable if you are a savvy shopper. This means watching for sales and shopping at the big warehouse membership type stores like Costco or Sam’s Club. When cooked correctly, Salmon can rival a nice juicy steak any day and will beat it out hands down in the nutrition arena.

Other types of fish that contain the invaluable Omega 3 fatty acids include sardines and tuna. Of course, you can get too much of a good thing, especially when It comes to tuna. While high in Omega 3, tuna also has a high mercury content thanks to our 20th and 21st century life style. But don’t be afraid to add a little tuna to your diet once or twice a week.

Other natural sources of Omega 3 are healthy oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil and avocado oil. Avocados themselves are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids with the added bonus that they are high in fiber. This combination makes them very desirable to those on a weight loss plan because, when eaten in moderation, the good oil and fiber content cancel out any fatty content avocado may add to your diet.

But we can’t talk about Omega 3 fatty acids without mentioning all the positive health benefits to be had by eating a diet rich in this nutritional gem. It is good for the skin; it’s good for the heart and blood pressure, and it helps with weight loss. So waste no time incorporat

Omega 3 fatty acids have been proven to lower a hormone called Leptin in the body. The lower the Leptin levels, the easier it is to lose weight. In addition, Omega 3 speeds up the metabolism, which means the burning of more calories. But another bonus of a faster (hotter) metabolism is that it helps keep the weight off. Anyone who has ever dieted has probably experienced the frustration of losing weight only to gain it right back again. So, keep eating those Omega 3 fatty acids, folks, and you will keep the weight off!

As was mentioned earlier, Omega 3 in the diet makes for a healthy heart. But Of course there are other well-known benefits to a diet rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, including a healthy and effective way to prevent or fight cancer. So when it comes to including Omega 3 in your diet, weight loss is not the only benefit!

Omega-3 regulates blood clotting, which is one of the reasons we say it promotes a healthy heart. Blot clots contribute to many other undesirable medical conditions such as phlebitis and stroke. Omega 3 fights the free radicals that can cause cancer. It builds up the cell membranes to help build healthy cells.

It is a polyunsaturated fat, which is one of the more heart-healthy fats, made even healthier, of course, if it has a high fiber content. It helps to reduce undesirable triglycerides and lowers the LDL (think bad cholesterol) as opposed to HDL (think H for “healthy” cholesterol) in the body.

Another thing that Omega 3 does for our bodies is curb inflammation. Excessive inflammation is the culprit in many serious diseases, including auto-immune diseases like Lupus. Inflammation causes unspecific pain such as with fibromyalgia that can impact the quality of our lives with its crippling symptoms.

It’s important to know where your food is coming from if you want to optimize the balance in your diet between Omega 3 and Omega 6 (which is also a desirable fatty acid but depending on its source, can increase rather than decrease inflammation). It is best to eat meat that is grass fed in order to reap the benefits of the Omega 3 and Omega 6.

However, in our Western society, it is first necessary to determine if that grass the animals are eating has been exposed to toxins through insecticides and such. I know. It gets complicated. But I wanted to throw the information out there. You can decide how much of a purist you want to be.

How about supplements? Yes. Supplements can help, especially if for some reason you find it difficult to balance all these Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids in your diet. Maybe you are on the run too much or eat out too often. Whatever the reason, if you feel you are not getting the proper amount of Omega 3 in your diet, by all means, take the supplements.

That being said, it is always better to get any of your nutrients, be they vitamins, minerals or Omega 3 or Omega 6, by means of a healthy balanced diet. It is just the most natural way to provide these beneficial fatty acids and nutrients. But a good quality supplement can’t hurt.

Taking care of our bodies and our health should be a number one concern for each and every one of us. Whether we seek the benefits of Omega 3 for purposes of weight loss or to help fight disease, or just for our overall health, it will drastically improve the the way you feel as well as your risk of contracting life-impairing diseases.

Information About Xeomin

Every person is bound to get old with time, which means they will start showing some aging signs through stretch marks on various parts of their bodies. The stretch lines are the early signs that someone is now started to become elderly, which means they are starting to lose the attractive and supple skin they once had. Since no one wants to have aging marks all over his or her body, it would make perfect sense if they tried out some anti aging drugs or creams hence allowing them to keep their beauty for a while longer. Xeomin is now overtaking Botox, which was once the best anti aging product that everyone was proud to use due to different reasons.

Just like Botox, Xeomin contains Botulinum toxin as its active ingredient that is very essential for fighting wrinkles by eliminating the permanent marks left by various muscle movements. Through this active ingredient, people are certain about maintaining the softness and evenness of the skin thus ensuring they keep the youthful look on their face. Xeomin however has an added advantage over Botox in that it does not have additives like the ones used in Botox, which makes it fairly more superior since the user is safer from the side effects of some of Botox’s additives.

There is less likelihood that a patient will develop any resistance when they use Xeomin as an anti aging drug because the Botulinum used is free from any protein, thus often referred to as incobotulinum. This is because the body does not detect the presence of protein additives, which would be treated as foreign material thus prompting the release of antibodies to fight that back. Since Xeomin contains incobutulinum, the body does not detect it hence ensuring the effectiveness of the active ingredient.

One great advantage of Xeomin over Botox is the fact that it does not require refrigeration before use, which means you can use it irrespective of whether you have easy access to a refrigerator or not. This is because it does not contain any protein ingredients that may be damaged under harsh environmental conditions, which ultimately translate to easy distribution and use. The fact that it contains Botulinum type A toxins makes it easy to use without worrying about the body fighting it back through antibodies.

Xeomin takes effect within a short time of injection, within 3 days as opposed to Botox, which may take up to 5 days for its effects to be felt. This may be explained by the fact that Botox has chaperone proteins that diffuse slowly in the body, which explains why Botox’s effect is felt after a longer time since Xeomin does not have such proteins. The injection is also very effective in preventing appearance of wrinkles on the eyebrows, mouth, chin, around the eyes and on the forehead since it stops excessive movement of the muscles that control such body parts thus preventing formation of lines that ultimately develop into wrinkles.

All the aging products should be used with care to avoid having the negative effects of their constituent components. For instance, Xeomin should not be used with any other anti aging product that contains a similar active ingredient. You should also be careful during injection to ensure you do not experience bleeding or excess pain.

Knowing How Exercise Can Help With Sports Injuries Is Important

Knowing how exercise can help with sports injuries is very important, because this knowledge will have a great deal to do with successful rehabilitation and recovery. Injuries from sports activities happen at all ages and the recovery process is similar at all points, except at the higher levels, the stakes can be higher.

The first order of business is to always seek qualified medical help to be sure that the injury is treated properly in order to prevent more damage. The immediate treatment that will be appropriate in 99% of the sports injuries, is to apply an ice pack for 20 minutes at a time. The ice can be removed for 5 minutes or so, and then reapplied. This can go on for the first day or two, unless a cast is applied to the area.

The first thing that happens in any sports injury, or any other injury for that matter, is that the area will swell and become inflamed. The body reacts in this way to simply protect itself and provide a means to carry out inflammation and revitalize the area over time. The ice helps to control the inflammation and the swelling, plus most doctors will tell you to take aspirin or ibuprofen, which are anti-inflammatory agents.

From a mechanical standpoint, the degree and the extent of the injury is going to determine how quickly you will be able to start any exercising and rehabilitation. The injury is going to have be in the healing process to the extent that the inflammation and swelling is down enough for any movement to be initiated. The way that an injury heals is that once the inflammation subsides, scar tissue begins to form and then begins to shrink, in order to bring the tissues together. As it shrinks, this is why a tightness begins to develop.

This is when a mild form of exercise, stretching and rehabilitation needs to happen, to loosen up the scar tissue. The intensity of the exercises is increased gradually until normal function is restored to playing ability. This takes a lot of time and effort and should not be rushed. The key is repetitive movement and stretching, light at first, leading up to more intensive exercise as the process goes forward.

Using an example of an ankle injury, such as a sprained ankle, which is fairly common in running sports such as football, basketball, and baseball where the ankle has undue stress put upon it from and odd angle, causing the sprain. The ankle will usually swell immediately, which causes pain, and must be wrapped, and elevated to cause the swelling to decrease. The application of ice as soon as possible is recommended to help reduce swelling.

The normal course of events will then be to begin to move the ankle and cause some motion as soon as possible after the swelling begins to subside, even though it will be a very slight movement. This will encourage the body to begin to get rid of the material that has gone to the area in the swelling process. As swelling decreases more, then a step-by-step program of rehabilitation can be instituted in order to gain stability and strength in the area.

This is not an instant process, by any means, because it needs to be remembered that many repetitious less strenuous exercises and stretching procedures will lead to more rigorous steps as the process continues.

For example, the initial exercises will consist of slowly moving the ankle up and down, and back and forth on a limited. As flexibility and strength in the ankle area increases, then walking, toe raises and lifting the ankle with weights on the front of the foot can gain more strength for the area.

Actually knowing how exercise can help with sports injuries is actually very helpful in a person’s response and dedication to the end result of how that injury can heal and once again function normally. If a person has a sense of what to expect, it is easier from a commitment standpoint, to be able to follow through and continue with the rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation exercises are not easy. They can be difficult and painful, because of the body’s defense mechanisms keep the area tight and stiff to initially protect the area. But in order for the area to become as functional as before, there has to be more flexibility created than the body wants to give. The scar tissue has to be broken down and muscle tone built back up to its original, or better than original tone.

This is why, in many cases, the use of a physical therapist, or the team trainer, or someone else to whom the injury victim can be accountable to works well in the rehab process. If left on our own, it is a lot easier to loaf a little bit here and there, and not achieve maximum results.

Image credit: Health 365

What Is Satiereal Saffron Extract?

Satiereal Saffron Extract is a dieatary supplement that has taken the weight-loss world by storm. The supplement is made from saffron, a plant that has many medicinal properties. Saffron spice is made from the dried stigmatas of the saffron plant, and it is quite expensive to make. It can take tens of thousands of saffron blossoms to produce just one pound of the spice.

Satiereal Saffron Extract is designed to reduce cravings and feelings of hunger, making it easier for people to stick to their diets. Promoters of the extract make some lofty claims, suggesting that it is possible to lose as much as 1-2lbs per day by taking the supplement. Those claims are most likely greatly exaggerated, or include water weight lost by people who are extremely overweight and who cut down on salt, sugar and processed food at the same time as starting taking the extract.

Satiereal Saffron Extract helps to reducing cravings, and can also help to boost your energy levels. Some people find that taking the extract also helps with cramps and insomnia, and even helps to boost their sex drive. There is some scientific basis to these claims, as the medicinal properties of the saffron plant are well documented.

The Side Effects of Taking Saffron Extract

In general, saffron is considered to be perfectly safe when taken as a food, however there may be some side effects associated with taking saffron extract in high doses. Common side effects include dizziness, a dry mouth, headaches and drowsiness.

It is possible to overdose on saffron, and overdoses can lead to feelings of numbness, vomiting, and bleeding. People who suffer from bipolar disorder may find that taking large doses of saffron makes their disorder worse. In those cases, it is a good idea to seek professional medical advice before starting Satireal Saffron Extract supplementation, or taking any other supplement or herbal remedy.

Buying Saffron Extract

Saffron extract is considered to be a dietary supplement, rather than a drug, so it is widely available in supermarkets and grocery stores as well as health food shops. It is usually sold in tablet form, and a jar of tablets should last approximately two months. When taking saffron extract as a weight loss supplement, you may need to take it for several months, and you should make an effort to adjust your diet at the same time. Saffron extract will work only if the rest of your lifestyle is in check. The supplement can help you to control your appetite, but for long-term weight loss to occur you must build healthy habits that you will be able to stick with for the rest of your life. This means learning to cook food from scratch, exercising portion control, and also learning to cope with the occasional treat. Do not try to starve yourself when taking saffron extract. The appetite suppressing nature of the supplement may make temporary starvation diets possible, but you are likely to binge eat as soon as you cease taking the supplement.

Information About Calamari Oil Versus Fish Oil

There are many differences between calamari and fish oil that many people do not seem to understand. Calamari oil is manufactured from food-grade calamari squid trimmings. Meanwhile, typical fish oils are made with the by-products that are left over in industrial food factories; although, net-caught fish is also used for certain fish oil.

Key differences are also discovered in the levels of DHA from the Omega 3 fatty acids in which the body is able to absorb from calamari oil. Omega 3 fatty acids are comprised of two main components. EPA and DHA; both of these are fatty acids found in marine life, and are key to ideal cardiovascular health, a healthy brain and eyes, and also helps to maintain an overall healthy body and mind.

DHA, one of the components of the Omega 3 fatty acids are the most utilized Omega 3 acid by the body. Cod liver and other similar fish oils are low in DHA Omega 3 acids; however, they’re higher in EPA. The body is capable of converting EPA, as well as ALA nutrients from plant material to create DHA. While the body is capable of doing this, it’s not as efficient as if one were to take the proper levels of DHA.

Calamari squid trimmings can be extracted enough to produce up to 500mg of raw DHA content. In fact, this is equal to 50 percent DHA levels by weight; this is compared to 100 mg of DHA with normal krill and other fish oils. Because calamari is harvested in the manner it is, this is what allows it to retain such high levels of DHA in the Omega 3 fatty acids. When calamari squid are harvested, they’re caught in hookline nets to delicately capture them, without causing damages or producing emissions from means of an industrial type fishing method.

On the other hand, cod and other fish are caught in sometimes violent matters, and can cause harm to the fish. In addition, those industrial factories which utilize fish by-products are also contributing to lower-quality fish oils and minimal DHA content levels. The reason DHA is so important is because it’s utilized by the body to maintain healthy eye and brain tissue. As babies, DHA is extensively used in the development of the brain and eye tissue. When people take calamari oil which is high in DHA, they’re able to maintain their brain and eye tissues at optimal levels. Furthermore, the Omega 3 acids and DHA content are also very valuable in helping to restore and maintain cardiovascular health.

Standard fish oils can also contain toxins if they are harvested from poor sources. Fish that have high levels of mercury, heavy metallic elements, and any other toxins should be avoid in terms of using to make fish oils with. Although, some fish oil manufacturers will use these types of fish to make the oil anyway; this is why it’s crucial that the consumer ensure the oil they’re getting is free of these harmful toxins.

Aside from toxicity, many fish oils contain vitamin A and vitamin D. Many manufacturers will add vitamin D along with the vitamin A, so that they may work in conjunction with each other. The issue with this is that it can sometimes lead to excess levels of vitamin A in the fish oil. Because of this, careful attention needs to be paid to verify that people aren’t taking more vitamin A than they should, as they can end up with vitamin toxicity. With normal fish oil, people can safely take up to a teaspoon per day to supplement with this oil.

When people are looking to find the right fish oil for them that doesn’t contain high levels of vitamin A or other contaminants, they can take some steps to make sure it’s the right oil. First of all, they should ensure the oil hasn’t been purified by way of utilizing hexane or other similar chemicals as this can cause adverse allergies in some. Also, they should take time to understand how the oil was extracted, and what method was used to purify the fish oil.

Because standard fish oils can contain higher levels of vitamin A, those who are taking adequate levels of vitamin A as it is should opt to take calimari oil instead, as it doesn’t contain high levels of vitamin A. When people take too much vitamin A, they can cause bone loss to occur due to the toxicity effects of the vitamin A. This makes it essential that people outweigh their dietary habits with the oils they’re thinking of choosing.

Calamari oil presents the highest levels of DHA in the Omega 3 fatty acids than when compared to standard fish oils like cod liver that contain minimal levels of the DHA supplement. The calamari oil will allow people to obtain the proper levels of omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids along with adequate levels of DHA. In contrast, those who do end up opting for standard fish oils need to understand the dietary statistics for the vitamins they’re taking.

To sum everything up, calimari oil is produced from food-grade squid trimmings in which are delicately captured. This is opposed to the way standard fish varieties are caught in harsh conditions to produce cod liver oil or others. While cod liver oil and other fish oils with added vitamins A and D might benefit those who’re deficient in these vitamins, those who have adequate levels already should abstain from taking excessive levels of these vitamins as they can cause toxicity which leads to bone loss. Lastly, compared to calimari oil with 500mg of DHA content in Omega 3 fatty acids, standard fish oils only have a mere 100mg or less of the DHA needed for a healthy brain, eyes, and heart. Those who are reviewing which type of fish oil they should consume should now understand the risks and benefits associated with each type so they can make a healthy choice.