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Health Products - Omega 3
By Leanne James
You've probably heard about Omega 3 and realised its something you should know more about, so here are some main points about how this essential fatty acid could help you.
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Skin health
Omega-3 fatty acids are a vital addition to the diet, for helping with both the prevention and treatment of most skin problems. Fatty acids are essential for maintaining healthy cell membranes, which means they have an impact on all aspects of our health. Omega-3 is essential in the regulation of prostaglandins. These are hormone like chemicals which produce a wide range of effects in the body such as inducing inflammation, as with eczema & psoriasis. Omega 3 supplements can be taken internally to help from the inside out, while oils such as rosehip have been applied directly to the skin & are shown to help increase elasticity, rehydrate & rebuild skin tissue.
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Brain Power
Approximately 40% of the human brain is composed of fatty acids & it is highly dependant on a regular supply of these from the diet. Deficiencies have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss & a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Researchers are now linking inadequate intake of omega-3 in pregnant women to premature birth & low birth weight, as well as hyperactivity in children. Taking a supplement which contains Omega 3 fish oil has been shown to be of great benefit for proper eye & brain development & function, which are important factors in our ability to learn to read, write & spell. It's never too late to start taking a supplement high in omega 3 & the benefits are often fast & dramatic.
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Anti Aging
Our body is made up with trillions of cells and it is the health of these cells which determines how our body functions. Without Omega 3, the membranes around the cells in our body would become more fragile, as essential fatty acids levels determine the integrity of the cell wall. When the cell wall weakens, it causes them to "leak" and become permeable. When this happens, reactive substances can then penetrate through the cell wall, making a person more prone to allergies & inflammation. It is thought that inflammation is a key contributor to the premature aging of tissues in the body.
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Joint health
Just like the hinge of a door, if there is not enough oil to lubricate between it, it will become stiff & hard to move freely. The same is with the joints in our body. If we do not have enough essential fatty acids in our diet, our joints can literally seize up, causing pain & inflammation. A number of studies have shown that people taking a daily therapeutic dosage of an omega 3 supplement have been able to dramatically reduce their use of NSAI
drugs, while also obtaining better motility.
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Eye Sight
Age related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of irreversible
blindness. When the macula becomes damaged, visual problems including blindness
are the unfortunate result. However researchers have found that people who
consumed omega 3 fatty acids, as little as 1 to 3 times a month, had about half
the risk of developing this disease than those who did not consume it.
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 Breast health.
There have been many studies done on the benefits of essential fatty acids & breast health. More recently researchers evaluated over 250 patients with breast cancer & analyzed their fat relative to 90 women without breast cancer. It showed that those without breast cancer had much higher levels of omega 3 in their body. A second study reviews new evidence on the biological mechanisms as to how fish oil can protect against breast cancer.
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Dietary sources of omega 3
Include cold-water (oily) fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines &
herring. Or for vegans or those who cannot take fish flaxseed and flaxseed oil, canola oil, soy, soybean oil & nuts - especially
walnuts, broccoli, green leafy vegetables & some beans, hemp, rosehip, blackcurrant, borage & emu
oil.
It's never to late to start obtaining health benefits from taking Omega 3, so why not consider taking some today! Remember the saying, "Prevention is better than cure".
Leanne James is a Professional Herbalist, Health Coach, Chartered Natural Medicine Practitioner and the owner of The Online Natural Pharmacy healthyonline
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