Posts Tagged ‘diets’

Omega 3 Fish Oils - Fatty Acids

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Omega 3 essential fatty acids, frequently just referred to as omega 3 fish oils are known as essential, because they are very important to our well-being, but our bodies cannot create them in the quantity that we need them. Therefore, we have to eat them. These omega 3 fish oils are mainly found in oily fish like salmon, herring and mackerel.

Omega 3 retains two fatty acids that are very valuable for human beings. These fatty acids are called DHA and EPA. So, the solution is to consume more fish, right? Well, yes and no. For decades, dietitians and doctors recommended eating at least two portions of oily fish per week. However, nowadays fish is polluted with heavy metals particularly mercury.

Mercury is highly toxic to human beings, so that is the dilemma. We should eat more fish, but many individuals believe that fish is now too toxic for us to eat. Scientists have stepped up to the breach and extracted fish oils from fish and then extracted the heavy metals from those oils.

This puts us back on an even keel. Now you can get your essential fatty acids DHA and EPA without poisoning yourself in the procedure . These omega 3 fish oils are normally put into capsules and sold as supplements.

Omega 3 fatty acids have been linked with the prevention and reduction of several very dangerous human diseases like cancer, diabetes, macular degeneration, high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol and atherosclerosis. DHA in particular is very important to the brain where it acts to reduce the rate of memory loss and reduce the likelihood of Alzheimer’s

A low amount of DHA has also been linked with depression and schizophrenia. It is quite clear to doctors and dietitians that these omega 3 fish oils actually are essential to our health.

Despite being able to derive omega 3 from fish oil, fish do not make it themselves either. Rather these fatty acids are present in the foodstuff that they eat such as algae and krill. Krill oil is a relatively recently uncovered source of omega 3. It contains less of the oils, about 63% of that in fish, but the advantageous effects are comparable.

Green-lipped mussels from New Zealand are another rich source of these fish oils. In fact they contain a slightly different blend of omega 3 which looks as if it will greatly help counteract inflammation. Inflammation is a key contributing factor in arthritis.

Other, land-based sources of omega 3, do not contain DHA or EPA, but they are helpful anyway. Some of these sources are walnuts, pecan nuts, butternuts and some seeds particularly flax and hemp.

Grass-fed meat and free-range chickens and their eggs also have omega 3, but again, not the vital DHA and EPA acids.

How much omega 3 should you take? Well, there is no ‘recommended daily amount’ (RDA) as with vitamins, but the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 1.6 grammes/day for men and 1.1 grammes/day for women, but the absolute calorific value ought to be between 0.6 and 1.2% of your daily amount.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a number of topics, and is now concerned with pure omega 3. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Omega 6 9

How To Supplement A Healthy Diet

Friday, August 5th, 2011

We are all more conscious of our health these days, almost certainly because fewer of us work hard physically any more, our diet of junk food has converted us into blobs and the health care industry is continuously warning us how unhealthy we are in order to sell us more treatments. Whatever the reasons, most people are trying more to take care of themselves.

There are different methods to approaching this problem of being unhealthy and some of the reason for this depends on why you are unhealthy and some of it on your personal approach to things. For example, some people will know that they have got into an unhealthy rut and will attempt lifestyle alterations like exercising more and eating more healthily, whereas others will purchase a load of pills and hope that they do the job.

Then there is the middle road. We are busy and we do not all have an hour a day to spend at the gym and some of us could not work out even if we wished to. So, the middle way, might be to exercise as frequently as you can by hiking or practicing yoga at home; eating more healthy food, that is foodstuff that you can eat raw or that you cook yourself and by taking a few supplements.

Which supplements should you choose? Well, that actually depends on your diet. There is not much use in taking calcium tablets if you eat cheese sandwiches for luncheon, a T-bone steak for dinner and drink milk every day, but there might be a decent reason for taking calcium supplements if you are a vegan.

I have a friend who will not eat vegetables and especially greens, but, knowing that his diet lacks roughage amongst other things, he eats porridge for breakfast and snacks on fruit. Another friend hates fish, he cannot even look at it, but he is aware of the value of omega 3 essential fatty acids and so he takes it in the form of capsules. He almost certainly gets more omega 3 than I do and I love fish.

So, the first thing to do is write down everything that you eat for a week or two and then analyze what is lacking in your diet. The analysis may be above you, although it almost certainly is not, but you could take your diary or food to your doctor or nutritionist. It may surprise you a lot to find out precisely what you eat over a week.

As a point of interest, the majority of rural Thais do not eat beef or produce cheese or drink milk, so over the centuries they have added small bones to their diet. In the West if we get a small bone in our mouth, we tend to remove it, but a Thai will crunch it to tiny pieces and swallow it - fish bones, small bird bones, frogs bones. Not only does it replace the missing calcium but it keeps their teeth strong in a country that is only just developing dentistry for the masses.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a number of topics, and is now concerned with pure omega 3. If you want to know more, please go to our web site at Omega 6 9

The Right Slimming Pills For You Are Out There

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

With each day that passes, slimming pills are being snapped up in their thousands by those who are looking to lose weight, and its little surprise, as some of the slimming pills which are available today have produced genuinely superb results. So, whether you want to lose a small or large amount of weight, these supplements could help.

As there are now plenty of different types of diet pills available, you no longer have to settle for second best or worry about throwing your hard earned cash down the drain with diet pills which might not be completely suitable for you. Even a brief look online will confirm that there is an extensive amount of choice.

When you are presented with so much choice though, you could feel a little overwhelmed, especially if this is the first time that you’ve ventured into the slimming pill arena. By taking the time to think through your individual needs, look at different diet pills and do some research though, you can banish any confusion.

The modern slimming pill market now contains products which work differently, and this means that you should consider your personal circumstances. For instance, think about whether you could use a little help with cutting back on carbs, a more vigorous workout regime or getting rid of hunger pangs. Pills which are advantageous in other ways are also available.

Another great thing about so many of the slimming pills which can be purchased today is that they can be purchased really affordably. So, whilst you’re looking for pills which can help you to reach your weight loss goals, you can simultaneously look for pills which are kind to your wallet.

By thinking through a few things, you should be able to sift through the many slimming pills which are available today and settle on a product which is perfect for your needs. And, after you have found the perfect pills, you should then find weight loss that little bit simpler.

Order Weight loss tablets Direct from Atomweightloss.co.uk

What Are Supplements For Building Muscle?

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

Whilst most individuals who diet in the world do so to lose weight, there are also those who diet to gain weight. There are far fewer who would like to put on weight, it is a fact, but the number is still significant.

Who would like to put on weight? The overwhelming majority of those who would like to gain weight have been ill and perhaps for a long time.

However another group of people who want to gain weight are those involved with power sports. They want to ‘bulk up’ their muscles in order to become able to lift heavier weights. There are a great deal of products on the market to help athletes bulk up, but most of them contain protein and/or creatine and a host of vitamins and nutrients.

The fact is that you can make extra muscle without supplements but you will still have to eat more and train more. Dietary supplements of extra protein, nutrients and vitamins only serve to speed up the process.

Protein is the preferred supplement to gain weight among body-builders, field athletes and weight lifters. Protein can be got from numerous sources, but body builders prefer their foremost sources to be whey, soy and eggs.

This is because these sources contain very little or no fat and particularly cholesterol. Most people in training seem to prefer around two grammes of protein per pound of body weight. Protein can be bought as a food additive, tablets, milkshake powder or in the form of a nutrition bar.

Creatine is also a very well-liked source of bulking up muscles but it is more complicated to use. You must be willing to read and obey the directions on the box if you want to try using creatine.

The basic course of action of using creatine is to ‘load’ your body with the supplement with a precise event in mind and then to use it for that event. Some people take this to mean two events a week!

Vitamins and so-called micro-vitamins are also important supplements if you would like to put on weight in a good, healthy way. Every cubic centimetre of your body needs its quota of vitamins, so if you want to gain weight it only makes sense that you will require more vitamins and nutrients as well.

If you bulk up by eating healthy food the extra vitamins are not a difficulty, but if you try to take a short-cut by using bulking agents as described above, you will have to check that you really are eating everything that you require to bulk up those muscles.

Muscle-building supplements do work, but they have to be used sensibly. It is not always vital to go to a physician first, but you ought to talk to someone who has some knowledge on the subject. Not another body-builder, but someone like the coach or trainer at your local fitness centre.

If you are way out of shape or have other problems, the trainer may suggest that you go see a physician first, in which case you would be unwise not to heed his or her advice before attempting to use supplements to build muscle.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of topics, and is now concerned with omega 6 and omega 3. If you want to know more, please go to our site at Omega 6 9

Fighting Atherosclerosis With Good Nutrition (part 2)

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

You will have to make your own mind up on whether cholesterol or omega 6 is to blame for arteriosclerosis. The argument is similar to the dieting difficulty: do you have faith in in the old-style fat-reduction, high carbohydrate diet or the newer, Atkins’ high fat low carbohydrate diet?

It is very confusing for the layman, but that is how specialists sell books. You pay your money and take your choice or you only go along with your GP.

However, both factions of nutritionists agree that fish oil is good for you and in particular is helpful for decreasing LDL cholesterol and omega 6 overdose. Omega 3 is best taken in oily, cold water fish like salmon, herring and mackerel.

They contain relatively high degrees of omega 3 essential fatty acids. Another source of omega 3, but different ones from the fish, is from meat that has been fed on grass.

Garlic is well-known for being an antiseptic but it is also useful for reducing cholesterol. It appears to have a deleterious impact on LDL (bad) cholesterol, but leaves HDL (good) cholesterol alone. One clove a day is said to be adequate to have a beneficial effect.

Fibre and roughage are crucial for good general health. These components are to be found in fruit and vegetables (particularly the leafy green ones); grains, lentils, legumes and nuts. Roughage and fibre will help remove LDL cholesterol and prevent constipation. They also help avoid bowel cancer which is on the rise in the West.

Some dietitians say that LDL is not dangerous, but is just a threat and it becomes dangerous after it has been damaged. One form of damage is oxidization. Therefore, anti-oxidants will reduce the risk from cholesterol and atherosclerosis. The next question ought to be: what are strong anti-oxidants?

There is a colossal array of anti-oxidants ranging from the fun to the boring. I do not know what you find boring, but flavonoids are a good anti-oxidant and they are present in high quantities in red wine. Besides red wine, other anti-oxidants include: Vitamins Ce and E and beta carotene.

These are accessible in peppers, citrus fruit, strawberries, cantaloupe melons, broccoli, white carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, mangoes and green leaf vegetables. Other decent sources are wheat, oats, nuts and seeds.

Mono unsaturated fat is one of the best sources of oil you can find. Mono unsaturated fat comes best from olive oil, which is one of the factors why the so-called Mediterranean Diet is so good for people.

Mono unsaturated fat has another beneficial effect: eating it reduces hunger for a longer time than you would expect for the calories involved. This makes it a good substance for dieters. The same is true of roughage, fibre and eggs.

Mono unsaturated fat is one of your best allies in the fight against atherosclerosis. However, it is not just present in olive oil, it is also in avocados and nuts, especially pecan nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds.

Last but not least is ginger. Ginger has a high quantity of phytochemicals known as gingerol and shogaol which are also antioxidants. Ginger not just lowers LDL cholesterol, but it also helps prevent the oxidization of LDL

If you can just implement a few these alterations to your diet you may be able to ward off arteriosclerosis and avoid having to take drugs like statins for ever.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on several topics, and is now concerned with omega 3 arthritis. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Omega 6 9

Supplements For Calcium

Sunday, May 8th, 2011

Calcium is one of the most vital building blocks that your body has to have. Everyone needs a steady replenishment of calcium, but it is especially important for children in order to help them build healthy teeth and bones.

It is vital for pregnant mothers so that the baby gets all the calcium that it requires without having to steal it from Mum and older people require it to ward off osteoporosis, to which elderly women are particularly prone.

Most people rely on milk to supply their calcium, but there is growing proof that most individuals cannot get calcium from milk. A great deal of children can but not all and very few adults. Some races of human beings are better at acquiring calcium from milk than others. Red meat is a good source of calcium and so is cheese, but this does not benefit vegetarians and vegans.

If you cannot take dairy products or eat meat, then you should be consuming calcium supplements to be certain of the health of your bones and teeth. There are a number of kinds of calcium tablets: some are solid and can be soluble or not and some are chewable.

Whichever sort you choose to take you should eat them before or after a meal but not during and you ought to not take them in conjunction with any other tablets in case they react with them.

As always, you should check with your medical doctor before taking calcium supplements because there are some circumstances that calcium or too much calcium can aggravate. Pregnant women ought to mention that they take calcium tablets too, because the physician might also be prescribing calcium in a general concoction of vitamins.

Too much calcium can become a difficulty for some individuals under certain conditions especially those with some stomach conditions, kidney stones and diarrhea. If you eat meat and cheese, you may not need calcium and if you take supplements and already eat enough that may cause you long term concerns as well.

Indications of taking too much calcium include constipation, vomitting, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth and a loss of appetite. If you experience any of these things you should stop taking calcium supplements and visit your physician.

It is easy for most individuals to acquire enough calcium in their standard diet. Those with the biggest problem in this matter are vegetarians, but calcium tablets are cheap enough. Calcium is often included in general purpose vitamin tablets as well, so acquiring your RDA should never be a problem.

In Asia, people do not consume much dairy produce and many rural Asians eat the bones of fish, small birds and small reptiles in order to ensure that they get enough calcium in their diet. Most Westerners would baulk at eating bones, but it is not unpleasant and helps keep teeth and gums strong too.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, and is now concerned with omega 6 and omega 3. If you want to know more, please go to our site at Omega 6 9

Vegetarian Diets For Your Cat Or Dog

Saturday, May 7th, 2011

Vegetarians like animals too - they just do not eat them. Or perhaps that is why they do not eat them. Whatever! There is a question that troubles some vegetarians that own pets, and it is: do I have to feed them meat or can I provide vegetarian diets for my cat and dog. It is well worth thinking about this dilemma before getting a usually carnivorous pet.

Domestic carnivores such as cats and dogs are omnivores, which means that they will eat pretty much anything If a domestic animal goes ferule (wild) it will revert to its primitive form, which means that it will hunt and scavenge.

Cats and dogs will eat grains and grasses but they prefer them semi-digested, which is why, when they make a kill, they normally rip the stomach open first and eat that and the internal organs. The meat comes last on the list.

You can see by looking at the animals’ teeth that they have fangs for killing and gripping (for ripping) and molars for grinding and crushing. The grinding and crushing is meant for grains and bones.

This means that you may be able to sustain your pets on a vegetarian diet, |but it probably will not be simple. There has been a lot of investigation into the dietary requirements of human beings and so someone on a diet, measures what he consumes against what his body needs and takes supplements to match the deficit.

However do you know exactly what your pets’ needs are and how you can supply them? If you do not, where will you find out? I am certain you can with quite a bit of research, yet do you have that degree of commitment? And do you think that your pet would thank you for making it a vegetarian? It may even turn your pet into a rapacious killer to make up the shortfall or fulfill its desire for meat.

Cats and dogs need a high percentage of protein, so do you think that you will be able to sneak enough nuts and tofu into its diet to supply enough? You might find your pets chasing every bird in your garden trying to catch some meat, instead of watching them lazily from under your seat.

All in all, a vegetarian diet is not a good idea for domestic animals such as cats and dogs, and if you have trouble opening the cans or giving it raw meat, perhaps you could get someone else in the family who is a little less delicate to feed the animals or you could feed them meat less often, say only when you take them to your friend’s or mother’s house, then you can let them do it for you.

The other approach is to get rabbits or gerbils and tropical fish. Cats are not functional animals as dogs are in the sense that a dog will discourage burglars and if you are only thinking of pets as stress-reducers or a manner of introducing your kids to the animal world, a rabbit will do that equally well.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on a number of subjects, but is currently involved with quick vegetarian recipes. If you would like to know more or check out some fantastic offers, please go to our site at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece writes on many subjects, but is at present concerned with vegetarian recipes for kids. If you want to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.

Supplementing Vitamins And Nutrients

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

We all understand that we need to get all the vitamins that our body has to have in order to function correctly, although most of us do not know exactly what they are. We also know that it is better to acquire these vitamins and nutrients from our food rather than from tablets or supplements. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, so sometimes we have to resort to supplements.

Some individuals resort to supplements because the food that contains the vitamins that they are lacking is difficult to get, difficult to cook or is too expensive. This is why the provision of vitamins, nutrients and supplements is such big business, being worth billions of dollars every year.

Supplements come in three different kinds: liquid, tablets and capsules containing liquid or solids. Naturally, it is best to make sure that the supplement dissolves in your system before it passes through you, which is why the liquid form is thought to be the best sort.

However, some people do not like the taste of the liquid, which is where capsules containing liquid come in. They also happen to be the most expensive sort.

Some people have difficulty swallowing tablets and tablets are the form that sometimes do not entirely dissolve. Before you purchase your supplements there are a few items to check.

The first is to find out what the ‘recommended daily amount’ (RDA) of each vitamin and mineral is in your country. I say ‘in your country’ because not each country recommends the same quantities.

Then check the country of origin of the supplements. There are some countries I would not have confidence in, but that is your choice. It is worth being aware of though. It is pointless taking a higher dose than the RDA unless your doctor tells you to.

It is also not actually worth taking a great deal less unless you are truly only supplementing the vitamins in your standard food intake.

Whilst you have determined your requirements you could go down to your local health food store to find the names and prices of manufacturers that can fulfill your needs.

Then go back home and check Amazon and eBay for prices of the same items. Shopping for supplements in this way can save you more than 50% on High Street shop prices.

If you are having difficulty working out which vitamins you should be taking ask your GP as your age, sex, degree of fitness and health can all have an effect on your requirements. One thing you must never do though is attempt to replace food with supplements.

You require both or rather you ought to take your vitamins in your food if at all you can. Vitamin supplements are only that - supplements to food, not replacements for it. Some minerals such as essential fatty acids like Omega 3 do not have an RDA in every country, so you ought to take private advice on these essential fatty acids especially DHA and EPA long chain essential fatty acids from fish oil.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on several subjects, and is now concerned with omega 6 and omega 3. If you want to know more, please visit our site at Omega 6 9

Sports Nutrition Information.

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

Sports nutrition does not only apply to sports men and women. Sports nutrition information is applicable to everyone who wants to be fit and eat good quality food in order to give the body all the goodness it needs to get you through the day.

Nutrition is all encompassing: healthy nutrition means that your body gets energy from good food; that your brain and your nerves have the right nutrients to be able to perform properly and that you eat the correct sort of foods in order to help your blood and internal organs carry out their jobs.

This knowledge is invaluable to sports people because they would like to perform to their utmost capability and often there is a great deal of money at stake, but it is still relevant to all of us who have more modest physical aims.

Running a marathon or lifting large weights requires a great deal of energy and it takes a lot out of the body. Once the task has been carried out, the body has to recover its strength. On a lesser scale we all have to do this at the end of every day, having carried out our daily tasks.

Nutritionists have discovered that certain foods and certain food combinations facilitate the delivery of energy and the recovery afterwards. Therefore, if you eat the correct foods, you ought to feel more alert and more energetic and not get so tired at the end of the day.

It appears that calcium is a major nutrient for general degrees good health. Acquiring your ‘Recommended Daily Amount’ (RDA) of calcium will give you ’staying power’. Furthermore, it will assist you to not feel hungry, so it should also help in any diet meant to make you lose weight.

Another nutrient with a similarly beneficial function is the Omega essential fatty acids group. However, there appears to be a great deal of confusion about the Omegas. There are quite a few of them, but the two main ones that we need are Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Most people consume too much Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3, which some people blame for the increase in the incidence of heart disease, atherosclerosis, arthritis, obesity and lots more ‘contemporary’ diseases. Then there are two types of Omega 3.

Omega 3 short chain molecule fatty acids, which can be obtained from many land-based foods and the Omega 3 long chain molecule fatty acids which are only obtainable from aquatic sources. These are the ones most individuals are lacking and lacking in significant amounts.

So, ensuring a regular provision of merely these two nutrients could go a long way to making you feel more lively, less tired and more probable to bounce back after a difficult day.

The first thing to do is check the RDA of calcium and Omega 3 (DHA AND EPA) from fish oil and / or kelp or seaweed and make sure that you are getting that in your diet.

This is not all the sports nutrition information you should know, but maybe it will inspire you to carry out further research.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, and is now concerned with super omega 3. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Omega 6 9

Sports Nutrition Educational Courses

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

There is such a great deal of money concerned with sport nowadays that sports medicine and sports nutrition have become individual, specialized fields of study all on their own. Specialized nutritional information is used to get athletes into tip-top condition without over-stepping the mark into using illegal drugs.

There are increasing numbers of jobs for those with a sports nutrition education. Football clubs and other team sports clubs all employ experts with a sports nutrition education as do more and more fitness clubs and top sports people. Personal trainers are also taking supplemental courses in sports nutrition education.

Sports nutrition education looks at how the body reacts under the stress of a physical effort and how you can get the last ounce of energy and performance out of a body by giving it the right nutrition. Risk assessment and minimization is also an important role of the sports dietitian.

Students of sports nutrition education learn the role of exercise in healthy lifestyles and the relationship between nutrition and physical performance. This study will take into account aspects such as physiology, hydration, metabolism, weight loss and fuel consumption.

For instance, all activity takes energy but the energy needed to run a marathon is not the same as that needed to bench press 200 pounds. The long distance runner needs a slow-burning energy which will sustain him or her for hours where as the weight lifter requires short bursts of high energy.

This is why the trainer with a sports nutrition education needs to tailor a diet with all the necessary supplements to suit a client’s requirements. One size does not fit all in the arena of sports nutrition education.

A university sports nutrition education might include such topics as the following.

Human Physiology: the student will have to know how the body functions; how it consumes food and nutrients, changes them into energy and uses that energy to supply power.

Anatomy: the student of sports nutrition education will have to know where the internal organs are, what they do and what they require to function at peek effectiveness. The interactivity between the organs is also vital.

This will lead on to lessons in exercise techniques and biomechanics. The sports dietitian will also have to be able to make physical performance judgements by taking tests and correctly interpreting the data.

The postgraduate with a sports nutrition education will generally also be shown methods to seek employment. It is no secret that it is difficult to find a career these days, but sport pays its top performers very well so there is always a requirement for sports nutritionists with the correct qualifications.

Having said that, it may be a decent concept, if you are finding it difficult to obtain effort, to offer your services free or cheap to a local team or your old school so that you can put some practical experience on your CV.

This will greatly enhance your chances of using your sports nutrition education to get a paid place and will be helping the neighbourhood at the same time.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a number of topics, and is now concerned with super omega 3. If you want to know more, please visit our site at Omega 6 9