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WHAT IS THE ONLY SUPPLEMENT THAT MATTERS?
In an age of hundreds and even thousands of supplements on the market, people always ask which supplements are right for them? Every person is different and there isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to supplements – except for one…
The answer? Fish oil. Why? Because of its unique ability to boosting brain power to preventing heart attacks to migraine headaches and so much more. What about people who can’t digest it easily, or who are vegans, or who hate the very idea of taking fish oil? The taste is awful and people complain that when they burp, they can taste it and it makes their breath often unbearable by their significant other. What about them?
One simple tip that helps so many people is freezing the capsules. What occurs is, the heavier weight forces the capsules to the bottom of your stomach, and since they are frozen, instead of releasing in the stomach, they release later, thus not giving the after taste so many people complain about. And since they are at the bottom of the stomach where there is less acid issues, digestion becomes easier too.
WHO REALLY NEEDS FISH OIL?
Fish oil is packed with omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are essential nutrients that our bodies cannot manufacture on their own. Thus, we must get them from food or supplements. These nutrients are especially important for people who suffer from an inflammation-related disease (including practically all chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and depression) or an autoimmune disorder (such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or ulcerative colitis), because they are likely to have an omega-3 deficiency and would benefit from supplementation.
Other signs that you may be omega-3 deficient are…
MAKING FISH OIL EASIER TO SWALLOW…
Fish oil is the single richest source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) anddocosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the long-form chains of omega-3 fatty acids that are easiest for our bodies to use. But besides not tasting good (even if it comes from good-tasting fish!), fish oil can sometimes bring other unpleasant consequences — specifically, diarrhea and fish burps. To get around these problems besides freezing the capsules, try these:
PLANT SOURCES CAN WORK TOO
For vegans and/or anyone who really doesn’t want to go anywhere near fish, plant sources such as walnuts and flaxseed, canola oil and soybean oil offer apartial solution, in that these contain a different, shorter-chain form of omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA provides some protection against heart attacks but does not help prevent sudden cardiac arrest (the two are different), only fish oil has been shown to have that benefit. Your body can convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but the extent to which it does so varies a great deal from person to person. Recommendations:
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE: SEA VEGETABLES
DHA is found primarily in fish and fish oil, but another alternative for vegetarians or for those who simply don’t like fish oil is to get your DHA from sea vegetables. DHA supplements derived from natural marine algae are widely available online and at health-food stores in capsule form.
There’s a catch: Sea vegetables don’t contain EPA. EPA and DHA have different protective effects in the body, DHA enhances cardiovascular and brain tissue health, but unlike EPA is not helpful for depression.
REDUCE YOUR NEED FOR OMEGA 3
Yet another option is to decrease your need for omega-3 fatty acids by lowering your intake of omega-6 fatty acids.
Research demonstrates that the typical American diet has a high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, which promotes inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. To change your own ratio, you must severely cut back on (and ideally eliminate) red meat (corn fed), egg yolks (unless the chickens laying the eggs are fed flaxseed or some other source of omega-3s), poultry and vegetable oils (except olive). While such a dietary change may be too radical for most people to stick with, any reduction is at least a step in the right direction.
In short, you have plenty of healthful omega-3 alternatives to choose from. Play around with different strategies, products and combinations, and work with your health-care provider to find the formula that works best for you, but do be sure that you are paying attention to your body’s need for this vital nutrient.
Source(s):
Leo Galland, MD, internist, author and internationally recognized leader in integrated medicine based in New York City. Dr. Galland is the director of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine (www.MDHeal.org). For more information about supplements and drugs and free access to Dr. Galland’s Web application visit www.PillAdvised.com). |
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