Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Omega 3 makes sure your children have it in their diet

The sheer amount of media attention surrounding fish oil for kids has highlighted how important it is for us to make sure our children have it in their diets. So could fish oil really help our kids? And what exactly does it help to achieve?

The Daily Mail was one of many newspapers to cover the results of trials which have been conducted on kids and fish oil. Theses trials showed significantly beneficial results in helping children who suffer from hyperactivity. These new studies, from the University of Adelaide in Australia, have shown significant improvement in children, such as improved concentration, and brainpower.

Half of a group of seven to twelve year olds with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder were given fish oils, while the other half were given placebo pills. There was shown improvement after three months in the children taking the fish oil capsules. They showed improvement in their school work and concentration, as well as reduced restlessness. There was a 30 to 40 percent improvement in children over 15 weeks, and after 30 weeks improvement was noted in up to 50 per cent of the children.

This trial and others have sparked off extensive media coverage on fish oils, and not only on its general health benefits, but also how it can help kids with hyperactivity disorders. Drugs such as Ritalin are quite often prescribed to children suffering from these disorders. These drugs often carry dangerous side effects, such as heart problems and even strokes. The Daily Mail reported that around 330,000 prescriptions for these drugs are written out each year in the UK for children with hyperactivity. This is a staggering amount and is rising each year, so could fish oils be the answer?

Studies that have been conducted so far do seem to suggest that taking supplements of fish oils such as Omega 3 could be an alternative to taking these drugs. The attraction of fish oils is that they carry no known side effects, and are a natural alternative for children. Many parents are more attracted to the hope of fish oils to help their children, as they are much safer with less or no side effects, and could have the same affect on helping to treat symptoms associated with ADHD, and other similar conditions.

Drugs such as Ritalin have caused the deaths of nine British children, and caused strokes, swelling of the brain, and heart attacks in others the Daily Mail reported. This reason alone is why many parents are now willing to try fish oils to help their children, instead of putting their child at risk with drugs such as Ritalin.

Omega 3 is not only beneficial to children with ADHD, but also for every other child. Omega 3 contains two essential fatty acids called EPA and DHA which are important for the body to keep healthy. They help to keep the heart and cardiovascular system healthy but they also help to boost brainpower. They have also shown in trials to help aid concentration, and even help to improve intelligence.

Clinical trials have shown that fish oils are just as important for children as well for adults, to keep healthy. Omega 3’s essential fatty acids EPA and DHA can not be made by the body so have to be obtained through diet or supplementation.

http://www.simplysupplements.co.uk

Omega 3 and its importance within the diet




Everybody knows that Omega 3 fats are important to keep healthy, due to its increasing media coverage in the recent months. But exactly how does it help? And what does it help in particular? We need to first understand what Omega 3 actually is. It is an oil found in cold water fish such as mackerel and salmon. This oil contains two essential fatty acids called EPA and DHA. These two acids are extremely important for the body to stay healthy, but it cannot be produced by the body it has to be obtained through diet.






Unfortunately modern day diets often don’t mean we obtain enough of Omega 3, and therefore many of us can become deficient in this oil. People such as the Eskimos of Greenland had a diet high in Omega 3 fats due to their diet of fish and seal. This effectively showed Omega 3’s effect as the Eskimos suffered far less from cardiovascular diseases compared to the rest of the world.

Unlike most fats which are bad for your health, scientists are now stating that Omega 3 which is a ‘good’ fat is actually needed for good health! Omega 3 is beneficial to almost every part of your body. Its two acids EPA and DHA are the two ingredients which help to keep the body healthy. They are both polyunsaturated fats which contain double bonds, which play an important role in the body’s functions.

So what parts of the body does Omega 3 actually help with, and how?

The Brain

Omega 3 fatty acids have been known to improve brain power, and more recently improve brain power in children. It is believed that the Omega 3 fatty acids make it easier for signals sent from the cells in the brain to pass over to one anther more easily. When these signals are passed over more easily then they are more likely to work efficiently and to their full potential, which then increases brainpower.

Not only can Omega 3 help to increase brain power, but it can also help with treating depression and bipolar disorder. As the brain has many different fatty acids in it, Omega 3 is thought to help maintain some of the acids it needs to stay alert.


The Heart

Omega 3 has long been promoted for its properties to help the cardiovascular system especially the heart. Omega 3 possesses the ability to lower the triglyceride levels in the blood which have been known to cause blockages and stickiness in the blood causing heart disease, strokes, and heart attacks.

The blood flow can be restored to normal which allows essential nutrients that the heart needs to flow freely in to the heart. Omega 3 can help both people with healthy heart to keep staying healthy, and people who are at risk from cardiovascular diseases.


The Lungs

Omega 3 has shown in some clinical trials to also be effective at helping some conditions of the lungs. Results from various trials have suggested that Omega 3 can help to ease Asthma and some allergy symptoms. It has shown to have some anti-inflammatory properties which are mainly the cause of symptoms in Asthma and other allergies.


The Skin

Omega 3 fatty acids can also be beneficial for the skin. These fatty acids don’t only act as a waterproofing layer for the skin working from the inside out, but they can also help to hydrate the skin and to help ease the skin symptoms which are caused by allergies.

Some studies have suggested that Omega 3 could make the skin look more hydrated and less dull and lifeless. There have also been some trials which have suggested that Omega 3 fatty acids can be useful in helping to treat acne in some people.


Fertility

Omega 3 fatty acids have also been linked to healthy pregnancies and babies. This is because in trials with pregnant women taking Omega 3 supplements showed that they carried their babies for longer and also had a reduced risk of problems such as any physical and neurological problems, which are linked to premature births. Fish oil is also very important for a child’s brain development, and when taken through pregnancy can give a baby the best start in life.

Fish oils also have the ability to reduce the risk of two pregnancy conditions called, pregnancy-induced hypertension and gestational diabetes. The EPA and DHA found in Omega 3 can help to keep insulin levels, and ‘bad’ eicosanoids levels correct which cause these two conditions.


The Joints

Omega 3 is probably most noted for its cardiovascular effects and joint effects. Omega 3 has been researched in many clinical trials which have mostly concentrated on its effects in helping to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but it can help other joint problems such as arthritis and osteoarthritis. It helps to improve joint flexibility by lubricating the joints.

The fatty acids in Omega 3 have shown to possess anti-inflammatory qualities, which can help many common joint problems as most of them tend to cause the joints to inflame and become sore. They also help to reduce the enzymes that destroy healthy cartilage in the joints. Omega 3 has also shown to increase calcium levels in the body helping calcium to be absorbed more effectively. This increased absorption of calcium can help to keep the bones strong and healthy.


Circulation

Omega 3’s ability to help relieve the ‘stickiness’ that can be found in the blood, which not only causes cardiovascular problems but also stops the blood from flowing freely around the body, is one of its most researched properties. It can therefore help circulation problems, allowing the blood to flow to the extremities where it can be blocked from sometimes due to the ‘stickiness’.

Omega 3 not only helps circulation problems but also can help people with no circulation conditions to help keep their circulation healthy and flowing properly।

http://www.simplysupplements.co.uk/

Relieve those aches and pains during the colder months with a Rosehip extract

A natural herbal supplement of Rosehip has recently been found to significantly alleviate aches and pains, whether they are seasonal or a result of a strain, minor injury or even arthritis.

Aches and pains are a common ailment and often the reduction in mobility associated with such joint stiffness is topically treated with conventional pain killers. However, whilst over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief, they do not contain any properties which may help to reduce and prevent pain through the repair and maintenance of tendons, muscles and cartilage which are often the root of the problem.

Glucosamine is one of the most widely used natural supplements due to its impressively positive results in preventing and treating joint pain, swelling and immobility. As well as repairing worn cartilage, Glucosamine is renowned for its producing capabilities and for this reason provides outstanding support in rebuilding worn muscles, tendons and cartilage whilst promoting healthy joint function.

Nonetheless, whilst Rosehip has been traditionally known for its high content of Vitamin C and therefore its effectiveness in preventing and treating colds and asthma, recent research has revealed positive results for the anti-inflammatory properties within Rosehip extracts.

The Danish study has suggested that a natural rosehip supplement can noticeably alleviate the joint pains that are typical of Arthritis. The anti-inflammatory properties of rosehip found male and female arthritic hip, knee and hand patients experiencing an 82% reduction in pain after just 3 weeks of taking a rosehip supplement. The study also concluded that individuals who suffer from arthritis need less than half as many traditional painkillers, such as ibuprofen, when taking a natural rosehip supplement.

The results of this new study emphasise the effectiveness of natural dietary supplements and the key role that they can potentially play in the prevention and treatment of aches and pains, which are all too often exacerbated by the colder weather that we experience during the winter months.

So, if you suffer from the constant discomfort of aching joints and the pain caused by muscle tension then perhaps you should try a dietary supplement to naturally alleviate the pain and help to maintain healthy muscles and joints. Super strength Rosehip 2000mg (Buy One Get One Free, 120 tablets for the price of 60, £9.99) and Glucosamine Sulphate 1000mg (Buy One Get One Free, 120 tablets for the price of 60, £3.99) are both available from www.simplysupplements.co.uk to help repair damaged tissues and ease the pain.