Healthy Notes » Omega 3 http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog Helpful Hints For Living Well Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:43:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Cod Liver Oil vs. Fish Oil http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/cod-liver-oil-vs-fish-oil/ http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/cod-liver-oil-vs-fish-oil/#comments Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:11:03 +0000 admin http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/?p=104 Fish oil and Cod Liver oil are both great natural sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s are essential fatty acids required by the body in order to fight against many diseases. Usually these fatty acids are not present in most people’s diet because of the under consumption of fish and over consumption of vegetable oils.

The main difference between fish oil and cod liver oil is that cod liver oil is high in vitamin D. The cod liver oil has the advantage of providing vitamin D, which is necessary for most of us in the United States in the cold months of winter, when we don’t get very much sun exposure on our skin in order to make natural vitamin D.

Many people get confused about the difference between fish oil liquid and cod liver oil. You can consider cod liver oil as fish oil+. The two are the same except that cod liver oil contains natural vitamin D and A.

For people who already take a multiple vitamin that supplies Vitamin A and take supplemental Vitamin D I recommend a fish oil. And for those people that don’t take any additional natural supplements I generally recommend cod liver oil.

Either one of these sources of omega 3 fatty acids is one of the best things you can do for your health. The list of benefits is ever growing and truly amazing.

]]> http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/cod-liver-oil-vs-fish-oil/feed/ 0 What Do I Take? http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/what-do-i-take/ http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/what-do-i-take/#comments Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:04:39 +0000 admin http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/?p=94 People ask me often what natural supplements I personally use, keep in mind I am a 45 year old male and the program would need to be adjusted for each individuals own personal needs. I have broken this list into 2 segments, one is supplements I think everyone should or could be taking, this I have labeled the “Base Program”, I think this program is a great start for anyone who is serious about their health. The other, which I have labeled “Health Specific”, is the supplements specific to my own personal health needs. The last entry is a once a week Testosterone Enathate injection that is used for hormone replacement. Look under “Hormone Replacement Therapy” in this blog to see more information on this important subject.

Base Program

Natural Multi-Vitamin (2 a day formula)

Vitamin C ( 2000mgs)

Vitamin E ( 400IU)

Vitamin D (2000IU)

Coenzyme Q10,Ubiquinol (100mgs)

Omega 3, Fish Oil  (1 teaspoon)

Resveratrol (125mgs) super antioxidant

Health Specific

Saw Palmetto (160mg extract) for prostate health

Glucosamine/Chrondroitin  (1500mgs/1200mgs)  for joint health

Niacin (2000mgs) cholesterol reduction

DHEA  (25mgs) hormone replacement

Pregnenolone (25mgs) hormone replacement

Testosterone Enathate (200mgs weekly) hormone replacement

Well, there it is. The goal is not to live forever, but just to feel good for as long as possible. And to this point it is definitely working. I will keep you posted.

]]> http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/what-do-i-take/feed/ 2 Flax or Fish? http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/flax-or-fish/ http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/flax-or-fish/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:03:24 +0000 admin http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/?p=88 Which is a better source of your important omega 3 fatty acids? I am asked this question almost everyday. Let’s explore the main differences between them.

Obviously, fish oil is from an animal source, and flax seed oil is from a vegetable source so if you are a vegetarian I guess the decision is easy. But, for those of us that are not strict vegetarians what do we do?

The beneficial components of all omega 3’s are EPA and DHA. Natural fish oil has both of these components in it naturally occurring. That means that our bodies have to do nothing to make it into a bioavailable nutrient. It is in its usable state naturally and this is a good thing. Flax on the other hand does not have any EPA or DHA in it naturally. Instead, flax must be converted into these fatty acids within our bodies. The studies that I have read do suggest that that conversion does taker place, but my question is in what quantities EPA and DHA are we actually ultimately getting through this biological conversion. I personally don’t see how that can be fully calculated with any accuracy.

I like the fact that when you pick up a bottle of fish oil liquid or soft gels you can look on the label and see exactly how much of these nutrients are contained within. You cannot do the same with flax because it does not contain any natural EPA and DHA. Therefore unless you are a strict vegetarian I favor fish oil over flax oil for your omega 3 source.

]]> http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/flax-or-fish/feed/ 0 Fish Oil Is Magic for Your Childs Brain http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/fish-oil-is-magic-for-your-childs-brain/ http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/fish-oil-is-magic-for-your-childs-brain/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:07:05 +0000 admin http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/?p=73 Fish Oil for kids is the correct answer to ensure your child’s mental development is at maximum potential from the start of pregnancy all the way into adulthood. Maybe you want to improve or prevent ADD/ADHD, bad moods, poor concentration, bad vision, and other disorders. Here is some explanation as to why low omega 3 fatty acids and children’s health are related, the new children’s behaviors we can expect with an adequate fish oil supply, and why pregnant and lactating mothers should supplement with omega 3.

Omega 3 fatty acids and children’s mental health may offer an explanation as to why all these mental disorders are increasing at a fast pace in our society. The human rain is about 60% fat by weight, DHA is one of the two essential fatty acids that form the fish oil omega 3 and is the most abundant natural fat in the brain.

Imagine a child learning at school. The process of learning requires the brain to form new neural connections. DHA is needed in this building process, especially for the delicate neural synapses which are composed entirely of DHA. This child, like the vast majority of U.S. children, eats almost no Omega-3 fatty acids. What does the brain do? Again, it struggles and finally uses other types of fats, which are the wrong type Trans Fats or omega 6.

DHA is particularly important for fetuses and infants; the DHA content of the infant’s brain triples during the first three months of life. Optimal levels of DHA are therefore crucial for pregnant and lactating mothers. Unfortunately, the average DHA content of breast milk in the United States is the lowest in the world, most likely because Americans eat comparatively little fish.

The good news is that if you begin to supply adequate amounts of fish oil for kids, they will react quickly to this improved nutrition. Do your children a great favor and make sure they are getting a good natural omega 3 supplement in their daily diet.

]]> http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/fish-oil-is-magic-for-your-childs-brain/feed/ 3 Omega 3′s-For The Best Bang For The Buck Switch To A Liquid! http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/omega-3s-for-the-best-bang-for-the-buck-switch-to-a-liquid/ http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/omega-3s-for-the-best-bang-for-the-buck-switch-to-a-liquid/#comments Sat, 08 Oct 2011 07:08:41 +0000 admin http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2009/11/omega-3s-for-the-best-bang-for-the-buck-switch-to-a-liquid/ If you take the time to do an accurate analysis of natural omega 3 products you will find that with the liquids you can get the same active ingredients of omegas at less than 40% of the cost of softgel products.

Let’s compare softgels versus liquid in a popular omega product line:

Soft Gel Omega 3 Total Omega 3’s per serving (2 softgels) = 690 mgs
Retail cost per serving= .50

Liquid Omega 3 Total Omega 3’s per serving (1 teaspoon) = 1725 mgs
Retail cost per serving=.50

1725/690=2.5

As you can see from above, with the same cost per serving you will get 2.5 times the Omega 3’s by switching to a liquid form. You would have to take 5 soft gels each day to equal one teaspoon of the liquid.

One other fact about natural omega 3’s-THE MORE THE BETTER! Every piece of research I have ever read involving omega 3’s for treating any kind of preexisting condition has been done on levels much higher than what is recommended on the typical softgel bottle. At the doses recommended on the liquids I have seen great success of natural omega 3’s on arthritic conditions, psoriasis, triglyceride balance, blood pressure, and improvement in cholesterol ratios. The problem is that many people think they are taking enough to help with these conditions when they are not. People just don’t want to take 5 pills each day and the supplement manufactures know it. Plus they will price themselves out of the market. That is why they only recommend 2 each day. SWITCH TO A LIQUID!

]]> http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2011/10/omega-3s-for-the-best-bang-for-the-buck-switch-to-a-liquid/feed/ 2 Omega 3 and Gum Disease http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/11/omega-3-and-gum-disease/ http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/11/omega-3-and-gum-disease/#comments Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:19:24 +0000 admin http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/?p=667 Periodontitis is a common gum disease that is characterized by the gum tissue separating from the tooth, forming an exposed pocket that can lead to both bone and tooth loss.

“To date, the treatment of periodontitis has primarily involved mechanical cleaning and local antibiotic application. Thus, a dietary therapy, if effective, might be a less expensive and safer method for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr Asghar Naqvi from Harvard Medical School.

“Our results also suggest that DHA ([in] doses recommended by the American Heart Association …) may be as or more potent in influencing periodontitis,” they added.

Traditional treatments for periodontitis focus on targeting the initial bacterial infection, however more recent medical strategies have aimed to target the response to the infection, which is thought to play an important role in gum disease.  A study this year in Molecular Oral Microbiology reported the potential anti-bacterial effects of omega 3 fatty acids that extending the benefits beyond inflammation reduction.  Researchers from the University of Kentucky reported that the natural fats EPA, DHA and ALA, as well as their fatty acid ethyl esters could inhibit the growth of oral pathogens at even low doses.

The study is thought to be the first to demonstrate an antibacterial activity of natural omega 3 fatty acids and their esters against oral disease.

]]> http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/11/omega-3-and-gum-disease/feed/ 1 Omega 3 or Omega 3-6-9? http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/08/omega-3-or-omega-3-6-9/ http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/08/omega-3-or-omega-3-6-9/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:00:57 +0000 admin http://www.guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/?p=595 The amounts of omega 6 and 9 that we get in our normal western diets are more than enough. Actually, the problem is that we get too much omega 6 and 9, mainly derived from grains and grain oils that we use in our cooking. This over use of omega 6 and 9 creates an unbalance in the body. We get 20 times more omega 6 and 9 than what we should take. This unbalance makes our bodies prone to all sorts of degenerative diseases, like heart disease, cancer, general inflammation, diabetes, arthritis, and accelerated aging.

Dozens of studies exist on the dangers of the high Omega 6 diets that are high in grains, grain oils, cereals and sugars. In order to prevent many of these life threatening conditions you should take only omega 3, as a supplement. If you take omega 3 with omega 6 and 9 you are adding more unneeded fuel to the fire.

I recommend at least 3 1000 milligram capsules of natural fish oil per day to maintain general well being, more if you already suffer some condition that you need to treat such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides, or arthritis. For the most bang for your omega 3 buck go with a liquid omega 3.

]]> http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/08/omega-3-or-omega-3-6-9/feed/ 8 Lowering Cholesterol http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/06/440/ http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/06/440/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:53:01 +0000 admin http://guaranteedtosleep.com/blog/2010/06/440/ If your total cholesterol is fewer than 200, count yourself as blessed and don’t worry about it.

If your total cholesterol is between 200 and 250 you can probably reduce it to fewer than 200 by dietary changes, and by taking the following dietary supplements each day; one teaspoon of omega three fish oil; one hundred milligrams of coenzyme Q10; at least one thousand milligrams of red yeast rice. The combination of these three natural nutrients has been shown do reduce cholesterol by around 50 points if taken constantly for a couple of months.

If your total cholesterol is between 250 and 300 your doctor will want to put you on a statin drug. You have a choice to make. If you think you can change your diet dramatically and follow the natural recommendations outlined in the second paragraph you may be able to get it under 200 without resorting to a statin.

If your cholesterol is over 300 it probably indicates that you have a genetic predisposition for high cholesterol. It often means that no matter what you try diet wise your own body is producing cholesterol and your overall levels will not go down that much without a statin drug. Try to use the lowest dose of statins that you can get away with and take at least one hundred milligrams of coenzyme Q10 everyday which I explain in the post If You Take A Statin You Need Coenzyme Q10.

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