Archive for August, 2008
Omega3 Supplement - 9 Different Types Posted By : Corey Rozon
The following is a list of 9 of the most popular Omega3 supplements on the market today:
1. Omega3 Supplements from Hemp Oil
Hemp oil is high in essential fatty acids. In fact 30-35% of the weight of a hemp seed is oil, which contains the essential fatty acids linolenic acid (LA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).
2. Omega3 Supplements from Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil contains high levels of Omega3 fatty acids, especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is beneficial for reducing inflammation and is also required for normal infant development.
3. Omega3 Supplements from Fish Oil
Fish oil contains the Omega3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which help to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Fish oil can be made using a variety of species such as salmon, tuna, sardines and anchovies as well as other types of fish.
4. Omega3 Supplements from Salmon Oil
Much like fish oil, salmon oil contains the Omega3 essential fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The difference being salmon oil supplements are made only using farmed or wild salmon.
5. Omega3 Supplements from Krill Oil
Krill oil is made from krill, a shrimp-like marine animal that is typically eaten by whales and seals. Krill oil contains the Omega3 essential fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
6. Omega3 Supplements from Cod Liver Oil
Cod liver oil contains high levels of Vitamin A and D as well as the Omega3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Although there is a risk of toxins when consuming fish in any form, it must be warned that since the liver acts as a filter, cod liver oil has a higher risk of being contaminated with toxins such as mercury and PCBs.
7. Omega3 Supplements from Shark Liver Oil
Shark liver oil is rich vitamins A and D, and the Omega3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However much like Cod liver oil, there is a higher chance of contamination of toxins such as mercury and PCBs.
8. Omega3 Supplements from Emu Oil
Emu oil has been used for thousands of years as a natural medicine by the Aborigines of Australia. With its high concentration of linolenic acid (LA) and oleic acid (OA), Emu oil can be used internally for its healing Omega3, 6, and 9 properties.
9. Omega3 Supplements from Seal Oil
Omega3 supplements from seal oil are the only type of supplement that contains all three Omega3 essential fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA). All three Omega3s (EPA, DHA and DPA) are present in mothers milk and are essential for growth and development.
Essential Fatty Acids are called so because they are essential to our health, but are something that our bodies cannot make. The most important and overlooked essential fatty acids that are lacking in our modern diets are the Omega3 essential fatty acids EPA, DHA and DPA.
Live Healthier and Longer Posted By : Sandra Prior
Old habits die hard. If youre accustomed to heaping a spoon of sugar into your coffee six times a day, and cant wait to leave the office at lunch time for a toasted sarmie, then youre not going to like this home grown advice that you probably heard from your mom a million times over; eating more fruit and vegetables is good for you. There are very Tangible Benefits for Swapping Fast Foods for Fresh
Everybody is so different that you cant make blanket claims that eating more fruit and vegetables will definitely result in better skin, glossier hair or fewer infections. But we are confident that a healthy diet will affect how bloated you are, and if youre eating foods with a low GI index, you will have more energy. Cutting out caffeine and alcohol, especially if you are caffeine sensitive, is also bound to result in better sleep.
But if thats not enough for you to give up your daily diet of comfort food, the following information might be more convincing.
Fruit and vegetables are the only foods which collectively have been consistently associated with risk reduction in several diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and age related macular degeneration. In addition, some new data is emerging to support a protective role for fruits and vegetables in the prevention of cataract formation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The reason why fruit and vegetables pack such a powerful healing punch has to do with the phytochemicals they contain. Phytochemicals are active compounds in food that prevent disease. Indoles, found in cabbage and Brussels sprouts, have anti cancer properties. Chlorophyll, in green plants, helps to oxygenate the blood and improve energy. Allicin, in garlic and spring onions, boosts the immune system. These are just three of hundreds of the commonly occurring phytochemicals in natures pharmacy.
Although many of these are not classified as essential nutrients, they do impact on the chemistry of the body and on our health as significantly as vitamins and minerals. The superheroes in the fight against disease include; aloe vera, berries, blue-green algae (spirulin), carrots, sweet potatoes, watercress, peas, cruciferous vegetables, essential oils such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, fish, garlic, shiitake and reishi mushrooms, quinoa, seeds and nuts, soya products, watermelon, wheat and barley grass.
The exact mechanism that explains the protective role of fruit and vegetables in cancer is yet to be determined, but is likely to be multi factorial. The results of many studies continue to suggest a more complex role for specific micronutrients and non nutritive substances, an area which is being actively and intensely investigated. Its important to remember that fruit and vegetable consumption may also be an index that reflects differences between individuals who do or do not eat healthily, rather than having an exclusively protective role against cancer.
Not sure what that means? Well, chances are if youre eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, youre also probably the kind of person who doesnt smoke, drink in excess and exercises regularly. So it could mean that your whole lifestyle offers protection against disease, rather than the fruit and vegetables being solely responsible for your good health.
But until we have evidence to the contrary, it seems we should stick to moms advice and eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.
Is Natural Mineral Water Healthy? Discover the True Facts About Mineral Water Posted By : Robert Melkonyan
If water is all we need, why not drink any water? Why do doctors consider mineral water healthy? These are, again, valid questions. But you have to understand that naturally occurring water contains a lot of essential minerals. These minerals are very, very important for our body. The problem with the water filter units today is that most of those units destroy these essential minerals while purifying water. As a result, the water you get is de-mineralized and it's not fit for drinking.
Reverse osmosis and point of use distillation are two such water purification methods which make water completely undrinkable. Both these methods don't give a hundred percent pure water as the former is not capable of removing herbicide traces from water and the latter is not capable of removing organic compounds from water. And to make things worse, both these methods destroy the essential minerals present in water. Completely unaware of this, a lot of people are using RO filter units and distillation units.
Some people are just too smart. They use mineral revitalization systems. This is the perfect way of beating around the bush. These systems work in a peculiar way. They have two units - one for purifying water and the other for re-mineralizing water. The purifying unit usually consists of RO filters or distillation units. They completely destroy the essential minerals present in water. And then the revitalization unit re-mineralizes the water. And then they come up with fancy names like natural mineral water H20 and stuff like that.
The only question you need to ask yourself is - why use such systems which are time consuming and laborious when you have methods like active carbon block filtration which is simply way more effective than any other methods today? The truth is, not many people realize the amazingly simple method in which active carbon filters work.
Active carbon blocks are considered very effective in removing different types of contaminants present in water. In a multi chambered carbon filter, there are more than two of such blocks and water passes through all these blocks. As a result, the water you get is very pure. Most importantly, these blocks don't destroy the essential minerals present in water. So, there you have it. Your quest for the perfect natural mineral water H20 has finally ended.
And don't just take my word for it. Multi chambered carbon filtration is considered the best water purification method and it is recommended by doctors around the world.
The way I see it, people who consider natural mineral water healthy will not ever use a water purification system which destroys the essential minerals present in water. Now, my question to you is - are you one of them? If you are, buy the best product today and don't settle for anything less.
Recipe for Green Tea Cake
Over the years, people have come up with some very interesting cake recipes. For instance, there is chocolate and zucchini cake, Coca Cola cake, and Kaluha cake, all delicious but not necessarily healthy. As you will discover in this article, you have another option in the form of a recipe for green tea cake. With this, you have both flavor and a healthy snack.
Although we have provided you with our favorite recipe for green tea cake, keep in mind that you will find many variations. In addition, you might take the recipe we have and modify it using your own creativity. Regardless, a green tea cake makes a wonderful dessert when entertaining guests or snack for the kids after school. Green tea cakes are light, moist, and offer just the right amount of sweet.
You will even find that with this recipe for green cake tea fills the room with a wonderful, green tea fragrance. This type of cake can be made as a sheet cake, layer cake, or for different types of molds. As far as icing, you could choose whatever you like but we do suggest you consider a cream cheese based icing, which adds just the right touch of flavor to complement the cake’s ingredients. If you want to give this recipe for green tea cake a slight green color, you can add an additional amount of Matcha, which is green tea powder.
RECIPE FOR GREEN TEA CAKE
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 to 5 teaspoons powdered green tea
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
RECIPE FOR ICING
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
2 ½ teaspoons powdered green tea
2 tablespoons butter or margerine, soft
3 ounces cream cheese, soft
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons milk
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch or two, 9-inch cake pans. In a bowl, sift the all-purpose flour with cake flour, baking soda, salt, and green tea powder, mix well and set aside. In another bowl, beat the white sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the yogurt. Mix well and pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. Bake the cake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack for 30 minutes before icing.
For the icing, sift the powdered sugar with the green tea powder in a bowl. In a second bowl, mix the sugar/tea mixture with butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and milk. Beat until smooth with an electric mixer. Spread the icing on the cooled cakes, distributing evenly. To enhance the appearance for this recipe of green tea cake, you could sprinkle a small amount of the green tea powder on top.
Julie Health writes about health benefits of green tea and has provided you with more recipes using green tea.
You may reprint the article above in its entirety provided the resource box and its links remain.
Omega 3 Make You Healthy Posted By : Michael Byrd
Proper nourishment is crucial to each facet of our lives and it is vital to be aware of nutrients other than the usual vitamins and minerals as well as the ways in which they affect our wellbeing. An extremely significant set of nutrients are the omega 3 fatty acids, which serve as essential building components for our neural cells and cerebral tissues. The major source for omega 3 fatty acids is cold water fish like cod, mackerel and salmon. It is also found in fish liver oils, but there is too much vitamin A to use these as a sole source. Fish oils from the fleshy parts of the fish are preferable, having little or no vitamin A.
A delicious way to supplement the diet with beneficial fatty acids is to add salmon to your diet. This is an especially rich source and is very delicious as well. Simply eating three to five servings a week will be sufficient enough and will be very easy to add to a healthy diet. An option for vegetarians is walnuts, although they are not nearly as rich in omega 3 as sources of fish.
Omega 3 fatty acids have a good effect on cholesterol levels. They also can help to maintain cardiovascular health by reducing the level of triglycerides. Whether you take these omega 3 fatty acids as a supplement or eat foods containing these as part of your diet, they are healthy fats in moderation, and are sometimes referred to as "super unsaturated" fats.
One other benefit of omega 3 from fish and salmon or as a nutritional supplement is that it makes the platelets less "sticky" and helps to prevent unwanted clotting of the blood. ( It is recommended that those persons taking blood thinners or any other prescription medications should first check with their doctor before taking any supplements.) Studies have shown that it decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Fish oil capsules are the most common form of supplements for omega 3 fatty acids. The fatty acids are believed to have strong anti inflammatory effects in the body and are now being studied to combat the pain and disability of migraine headaches. Some studies have shown as many as 87% of patients getting migraine relief from these supplements.