Include Omega 3 In Your Personal Fitness Plan

Omega 3 and Personal Fitness

People are crazy about keeping fit these days. You see people walking, running, and talking about going to the gym before work. Along with keeping fit, people are using supplements to stay healthy. There are multi-vitamins, protein shakes, and anti-oxidants that benefit the body and overall health. If you are getting in on this fitness craze, don’t forget to include Omega 3 in your personal fitness plan.

Your body needs Omega 3 to help build brain cells, improve circulation, and for overall cardiac health. But an added bonus to Omega 3 is it helps boost your metabolism and increases weight loss. Omega 3 has other benefits including: reducing pain and inflammation and helping lower anxiety and depression. Studies show Omega 3 fatty acids are the basic cells in the brain. It even promotes a healthy immune system, but our diets have long been lacking this essential nutrient. We need to add this fatty acid back into our lives to improve our overall health and fitness!

Take your Omega 3 then Hire your Personal Trainer

It is a good idea to start taking Omega 3 prior to starting an exercise routine. When you start Omega 3 supplementation before exercise, it will help rev up your metabolism and prepare your body for an exercise routine. Omega 3 also helps to reduce inflammation, so you will have healthier joints and muscles for your workout routine.

When you take care of your body prior to beginning your work with a personal trainer, you will be able to withstand the hard workouts he or she puts you through. Omega 3 may increase your sensitivity to insulin, and this will help you build up muscle tissue faster. Body builders benefit from this because it can help them reduce their body fat and get lean faster.

Insulin sensitivity reduces the amount of fat you store and helps you use glucose for energy and the building of muscles. In addition, Omega 3 keeps your blood pressure in a good range and can help you have a more regular heartbeat. This will help your exercise program by preventing you from getting out of breath. It will start helping your cardiovascular health and keep your heart from having to work too hard during workouts. Just remember to check with your physician before starting Omega 3 and a new exercise routine.

Omega 3 Dosage for Workouts

When you start a fitness routine, make sure your body gets the right vitamins and supplements and time them just right. Increase your intake of carbohydrates and protein to give you energy for exercise and feed your muscle. Remember that getting enough nutrients is just as important as the exercise routine itself.

You can get most of the necessary vitamins from a good multi-vitamin supplement containing vitamin A, D, E, K and B, plus minerals. You will want to take a separate supplement of Omega 3. The proper dosage for Omega 3 depends on whether or not you have any underlying health conditions. If you are healthy, the recommended dosage of Omega 3 is 1,000mg to 3,000mg daily.

Experts in the fitness industry state anti-inflammatory benefits usually happen at around 2,000mg a day. An added benefit is relief of sore muscles after a workout. The usual recommended dosage is 600mg daily. In order to get the correct dosage for your health status and fitness program, discuss Omega 3 with your doctor. You can also see a sports practitioner for recommendations. With medical advice, you can come up with a fitness and supplement plan that will benefit your body and health.

Conclusion

If you choose to include Omega 3 in your personal fitness plan, you will benefit your workouts and your total body health. Your body will be able to work at its peak during workouts and recover faster. You will get important nutrients that will help speed up metabolism and build muscle faster.

Omega 3 Benefits

The “Good Fat” Omega-3 Benefits

Omega 3 fatty acids are considered “good fats,” and actually don’t cause you to gain fat. In our diets today we have “good fats” and “not so good fats.” In some ways they work together to help our body, and the “good fats” have a number of benefits all on their own. Let’s take a look at “the good fat” Omega 3 benefits.

Omega 3 fatty acids are made up of 3 different beneficial fatty acids; DHA, EPA, and ALA. We don’t produce these ourselves, so we need to get them from our diet. These essential fatty acids are found in fish and some healthy oils like, flax seed oil.

Getting Omega-3 benefits is tricky in the United States, because we don’t eat a lot of fish. Fish that has high levels of mercury cancels out the benefits of Omega3, and eating too much Omega6 fatty acids can also cancel out the benefits. Omega6 fatty acids are a good fatty acid in moderation. We need to eat more Omega3 fats and less Omega6. There has to be about a 3:1 balance, 3 parts Omega3 to 1 part Omega6. Omega6 fatty acids are found in; chicken, eggs, vegetable oils and cereal.

Eating just the right combination of these fatty acids can benefit our bodies in many ways.

Health Conditions that Benefit from Omega 3

Everyone needs Omega3 fatty acids. Even pregnant women can give their growing babies a boost in life by getting enough Omega 3 during pregnancy. Newborns, babies, children, teenagers, adults, and elderly people all need Omega3. It is a good idea to take a look at the foods you are eating and make sure you are getting enough of this nutrient. If you have a health issue that needs high levels of Omega3, make sure you are eating enough or see your doctor about taking a supplement.

Health issues that benefit from Omega3 fatty acids are:

Cardiac Disease

If you have heart disease, getting enough Omega3 fatty acids can help relieve the inflammation in your blood vessels and circulatory system. It can reduce your blood pressure, keep your blood thin, and even heal damaged cardiac tissues. Cardiac surgeons encourage you to take Omega3 supplements after open heart surgery to help you heal faster and reduce the risk of complications.

Auto-Immune Disease

Omega3 has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. In auto-immune disorders, the body attacks itself like an injury or illness. This results in inflammation and damage to the body’s own tissues.

Omega3 increases the production of “resolvins” that help stop this inflammation and attack. Omega3 can really lower the “flares” people experience with auto-immune disorders.

Eye Disease

Research shows that a diet high in Omega3 can lower the risk of macular degeneration. There is also evidence that it reduces the incidence of all age related eye disorders.

Memory Loss

Omega3 is a building block of healthy brain cells. There are proven results with cognitive function and memory. It can help build infant brain cells and improve memory in people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Healthy brains need Omega3. Studies even show that people with severe brain injury improve with the use of Omega3.

Depression

The neurons in the brain utilize a small amount of Omega3 to function properly. When there is not enough Omega3 present, neurons can become disrupted and nervous system issues like depression and anxiety tend to increase. While Omega3 is not a cure for depression, it may be helpful with symptom relief.

How to Find Omega 3 in Foods

You can find Omega3 fatty acids in fish and shellfish. There is also Omega3 in flax seeds, walnuts, canola oil, and soy products. It is important to increase your intake of these foods which are not very common in the American diet.

Be careful of seafood that contains a high amount of mercury. Mercury can cancel out the healthy benefits of Omega3 fatty acids and is also not good for your health. Pregnant women should not eat any fish containing mercury because of risk of damage to their growing baby.

A good diet that increases Omega3 is the Mediterranean diet. Try to eat more healthy oil and more nuts, while cutting down on red meat. Red meat is higher in Omega6 fatty acids that can cancel out the effects of Omega3. Another good diet is the Japanese diet, which is higher in fish. Fish has the highest amount of Omega3 of all the Omega3 containing foods. Two servings of fish every week is enough to get good amounts of Omega3 into the diet. Try eating these fish; salmon, tilapia and haddock are good fish to eat for Omega3.

Conclusion

Getting enough Omega3 means just making some small dietary changes. When you eat the right amounts of this essential nutrient you are giving your body what it needs for a healthy body and mind. Certain health conditions can also improve with enough of this fatty acid. The right balance of fatty acids can increase Omega3 benefits and improve your health. Make sure you talk to your doctor before using an Omega3 supplement.

The Importance Of Omega 3 And Women’s Health

Omega 3 and Women’s Health

Women lead busy lives today, many with careers outside the home. Even if you are a homemaker, there is often too much going on to cook and eat healthy nutritious meals. The trend in diet has turned to processed and fast foods, and this has caused women’s health to suffer. There are little or no foods containing Omega 3 fatty acids, and we need to understand the importance of Omega 3 and women’s health issues today. Omega 3 is an essential nutrient that helps reduce the risk of heart disease, inflammatory conditions, memory decline, and depression. Omega 3 plays a large role in reducing depression and anxiety in women, yet we are not eating adequate amounts.

Diets have largely turned to mostly processed foods and carbohydrates. This in turn robs the nervous system and brain of needed nutrients to function properly. In addition, too many carbohydrates and the wrong kind of fats can cause us to gain weight. Omega 3 fatty acids is an important nutrient, and increasing the amounts eaten can reverse some health conditions or reduce their symptoms.

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in foods like: cold water wild caught fish, flax and flax products, canola oil, walnuts, and fish oil supplements. Food companies are catching on to the importance of this nutrient and including it in foods such as; orange juice, margarine, yogurt, granola cereals, and breads. With the addition of Omega 3 to these foods, it is easier for women to get what they need.

There is another fatty acid lurking out there, and we are eating far too much of it. Omega 6 is a by-product of grain fed animals and corn. Omega 6 needs to be eaten in lesser amounts than Omega 3 to get the right absorption. At this time, we are eating about 30 parts Omega 6 and 1 part Omega 3. This needs to be reversed. We should be eating 3 parts Omega 3 and 1 part Omega 6 in order to get the proper balance of the two.

Omega 3 Benefits for Women

Omega 3 benefits women’s health and condition by working directly on the cells, nervous system transmissions, and helping the body produce inflammation reducing chemicals. The health conditions Omega 3 benefits are:

Inflammation

Increase in Metabolism

Boosts Memory

Reduction of PMS and Menopause Symptoms

Lower Risk of Female Reproductive Cancer

Increased Fertility With PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)

Lower Rates of Depression/Anxiety

Increased Focus and Attention; reduction of ADHD
(Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

Improved Heart Health, Lower Blood Pressure,
Reduced Blood Clots

Improved Fetal Brain Development During Pregnancy

As you can see, the health benefits from adequate Omega 3 from women are numerous. Getting adequate amounts in the diet or through supplementation improves total body health and reduces the risks of a number of women’s health conditions.

Omega 3 Dosage for Women

Research shows when a certain culture eats large amounts of fish, the evidence of certain diseases are lower. Cultures like: the Japanese, Mediterranean countries, and Eskimos in Alaska eat large amounts of fish. The rate of heart disease, high blood pressure, blood clotting disorders and memory disorders, is much lower in those areas. The American diet is very low in fish, and there are many prevalent health conditions related to low Omega 3.

It is recommended to eat at least 2 servings of wild caught cold water fish every week. Fish should be wild caught with the lowest mercury levels possible. Mercury prevents our body from absorbing Omega 3 properly. Eating too much Omega 6 also reduces the proper absorption of Omega 3. If your diet isn’t quite balanced enough, supplements are a good way to get enough Omega 3. If you choose to use an Omega 3 supplement, The American Heart Association recommends taking 1,000mg to 3,000 mg a day. There are some people that must take more than 3,000 mg of Omega 3 daily. Take such an amount only under the advice of a physician.

There may be mild side-effects from the recommended dosage. These include upset stomach and diarrhea but can be reduced by eating along with the supplement. Major side-effects include low blood pressure and risk of bleeding, but these only occur at higher doses, or if you are on blood thinning medications. This is why it is important to check with your doctor before using Omega 3.

Conclusion

Every woman should know the importance of Omega 3 and women’s health. Awareness of Omega 3 and how to get more in our diets reduces many health conditions that affect women today. Omega 3 reduces the risk of heart disease, mental disorders, and keeps our memory sharp. If you get enough of this every day, you’re doing a great thing for your health!

Omega 3 For Men’s Health

Taking Good Health Into The 21st Century

Heart disease and diabetes are two of the biggest issues in men’s health. When we look at diet and nutrition, we find that men seriously lack some key nutrients that promote good health. Omega 3 for men’s health has become a primary focus in research that’s discovered we are not getting enough of this healthy fatty acid in our diets.

Eating too many processed foods and Omega 6 fatty acids can lead to fat build-up in the arteries. Omega 6 fatty acids, saturated fats and trans-fats tend to overcome the Omega 3 and interfere with absorption. This imbalance lends to the breakdown of the body and circulatory system. The resulting conditions are: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and unhealthy arteries. Diets low in Omega 3 also show a higher risk for cancer.

Omega 3 fatty acids are a very important building block of cells, both in the brain and the body! The only problem is we don’t consume enough of the foods that contain high amounts of Omega 3.

Scientists have found, that when the body has enough Omega 3, there is less incidence of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, dementia, and cognitive (mind) decline. Because of these discoveries, you will find more foods with Omega 3 added in the stores.

Diets High in Omega 3 for Men’s Health

In Japan and Alaska, men tend to have a lower occurrence of heart disease. This is because they eat diets that are high in fish and products made from fish and fish oils. When tested, their blood levels contained very high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids. One startling discovery was that they had high cholesterol, yet a surprising low incidence of heart attacks in their culture. The studies all showed that men between 40 and 55 years of age need to eat a diet with fish that has high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids. If they have a sensitivity to fish, they should be taking at least a supplement that contains Omega 3.

Men who eat a diet rich in Omega 3 have a lower incidence of; dementia, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and even depression. Omega 3 can even help increase the metabolism and boost weight loss efforts. Memory is better and chances of getting Alzheimer’s is lower. Men who have heart surgery heal faster, since it helps the heart muscle repair itself.

What is the Recommended Amount of Omega 3?

Healthy men can safely take Omega 3 in doses from 600 mg to 1000 mg a day. For men that suffer from heart disease, doses usually range from 1000 mg to 4000 mg daily, but normally with a doctor’s supervision and recommendations.

High doses can have serious side-effects and must be performed under a doctor’s care. This is because of its blood thinning effects that can interact with prescription blood thinners.

With normal doses, the side-effects are normally very minimal. You can avoid such side effects by taking Omega 3 with a meal or snack. Side-effects include: stomach upset, diarrhea, stomachache, and nausea. Larger doses can cause the blood to become too thin and can interact with medications like; Lovenox, Coumadin and Heparin.

Conclusion

By using Omega 3, men can reduce the chances of heart attacks, high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes. Research shows that eating more fish each week or taking an Omega 3 supplement increases Omega 3 levels in the body and keeps men in good health.

Grain vs. Grass For Omega 3

Omega 3 from Grain Fed or Grass Fed Sources?

If you are thinking about adding more Omega 3 foods to your diet, understand the difference between Grain versus Grass fed sources for the Omega 3. When we eat an Omega 3 rich food, it must be balanced with Omega 6 fatty acids in just the right amounts.

Our bodies do not produce Omega fatty acids, but they are necessary for good health. We need to get the proper ratio of 3 parts Omega 3 to 1 part Omega 6 fatty acids. Animals that we eat make Omega 3 and 6, but the proper ratio depends on whether they are fed grain or grass.

When beef cows are fed only grains, they tend to produce 20 parts Omega 6 fatty acids and only 1 part Omega 3 fatty acids. As you can see above, this is too much Omega 6 and unhealthy for the human body. When animals graze on grass naturally, the Omega three ratio is 1 part Omega 3 to 1 part Omega 6. Humans also tend to eat more nuts, flax, seeds, and vegetables that contain higher amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Studies now show the human diet has evolved into a mostly Omega 6 type diet, with nearly no Omega 3. Human health is in a downward spiral and the ratio is found to be 25 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3. The key to good health is to try to get the Omega 6 levels lower and raise the intake of Omega 3. This all begins with what the animals we eat are fed when they are raised.

Free Range Chickens are Higher in Omega 3

Chickens used to be a high Omega 3 food because they used to only be “free range” and eat a healthy diet of: insects, nuts, grass, and dried fruits that fell from trees. They never ate grains. Chicken eggs that come from free range chickens have a 1.5 Omega 3 to 1 Omega 6 ratio which is perfect! On commercial chicken farms, they are fed only grains and therefore produce eggs that contain 20 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3.

Be Careful of Omega’s in Fish too

While they say that fish is the best way to get Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet, not all fish is high in Omega 3. This is because fish raised commercially on fish farms are fed pellet diets made of grains. This raises the ratio to 4 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3. When you buy fish, check to see that it is wild caught and cold water fish. These wild caught fish eat “free range” style in the ocean and dine on algae, which is very high in good nutrition and vitamins. When fish is wild caught the Omega 3 is 15 parts and Omega 6 is only 3 parts.

Increasing Omega 3 While Lowering Omega 6

Grass is not a part of the human diet, but we need to eat less meat from animals raised on grains and more from animals that are raised on grass. The key to lowering Omega 6 is to drastically reduce the amount of Omega 6 foods in our diet. While reducing Omega 6, we need to be eating more foods that are high in Omega 3.

This means decreasing Omega 6 foods such as; animals fed on: grain diets, vegetable oils, sunflower seeds, margarine, sesame seeds, shortening and creamy salad dressing. These are all high in unhealthy fats and throw the Omega balance off.

While decreasing Omega 6 foods, increase your intake of Omega 3 foods like: grass fed animals, chicken that is free range, eggs from free range chickens, walnuts, flax products, wild rice (which is a type of grass high in Omega 3), wild fish, canola oil, and flax oil.

Try to eat winter squash such as; pumpkin, butternut squash, and acorn squash. Kidney and black beans are also high in Omega 3.

Conclusion

When it comes to grain versus grass for omega 3, you don’t need to graze on grass. You just need to decrease your intake of grain type foods and meat. Try to buy grass fed meats and lower your intake of Omega 6 foods. This will help you get the most benefits from Omega 3 fatty acids.