Archive for November 15th, 2009

Green Tea–Drink Amazing Medicine In A Teacup

Green tea has  been consumed by the Chinese for centuries as a result of its medicinal properties and also as a wonderful beverage. There is in fact  strong evidence that this beverage has been in use for over 4000 years in China. Todays  research, from a number of sources, provides very strong evidence in support of the health benefits of drinking green tea.

Research performed by scientists at the University of Purdue  has determined that catechin polyphenol compounds, which are found in green teas, have medicinal  factors which disable the growth of cancer cells in humans and destroy them without  any affect on healthy cells. Research also shows that cholesterol levels are reduced to a great extent  by consuming green tea. The ratio of good HDL cholesterol to bad LDL cholesterol improves. In addition, the formation of  abnormal blood clots is  inhibited. This is very good news  because abnormal blood clots ( which are known as  thrombosis) are a serious factor  in causing strokes and heart attacks.

Studies have determined that catechin polyphenol compounds in green tea have remarkable antibacterial effects, which can  help in the prevention of food poisoning and in the prevention  of dental plaque, by killing the bacteria which promote it. This amazing tea may also have benefits for weight loss. Scientists at the University Of Geneva in Switzerland found that men who received a combination of green tea extract and caffeine burned up many more calories during exercise than a control group of men who were given only caffeine.

The catechin compounds found  in green tea are known to be powerful antioxidants. Because of this they help to slow down the aging process in  human beings who drink considerable quantities of the tea. This delightful  and  very relaxing beverage also contains quantities of vitamin E which is another excellent antioxidant.

In summary green tea is certainly one of the most amazing medicines available. Its health boosting effects are numerous, and it has no detrimental effects except the presence of small levels of caffeine, which might cause insomnia if consumed late in the day. However the quantity of caffeine in a cupful of the tea is a small fraction of that found in coffee.

John Mowatt is a writer who is interested in health and fitness.He also writes on other subjects. See his website at real hair wigs and also at commercial pizza ovens

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/green-teadrink-amazing-medicine-in-a-teacup-1461852.html

 

What is DHA Used For? How Omega 3s Can Revitalize Your Health and Wellbeing

Have you read or heard about DHA recently? Are you asking yourself ‘What is DHA used for?’ Here’s a quick guide to this most important omega 3 fatty acid to help you decide whether you need to include more in your diet.

Good for the brain

What is DHA used for in the brain? Most people don’t realise this but the human brain is made up of 60% fats, and approximately half of that figure is the omega 3 fatty acid, DHA. So it turns out that our brains are designed to run on this fatty acid.

Getting a good supply in the diet can help to reduce depression, anxiety, mood swings and Alzheimer’s disease.

It is particularly necessary for the proper development of the brain in unborn babies.

Good for the heart

What is DHA used for in the heart? It is used for making the platelets in your blood less likely to clump together and cause blockages.

It can also reduce triglycerides (the blood fats related to cholesterol), thereby reducing your your chances of having heart disease.

In fact, the results of many studies showing DHA’s heart benefits have convinced the American Heart Association to suggest that everyone can benefit from taking 100 to 200 mg (1-2 grams) every day as a general preventative against heart problems.

Helps to fight cancer

What is DHA used for in cancer prevention? It can help prevent cancers, such as breast, prostate and testicular cancer, and can slow the progress of cancer if it has already occurred.

Where does it come from?

Omega 3s are found mainly in oily fish. Fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna are all naturally high in omega 3s and there are many recommendations from health authorities that you increase your weekly consumption of fish to increase your intake.

Grass fed beef is another good source of DHA and the other omega 3s. This is because the cattle you eat get the omega 3s through the grass they consume. Grain fed beef has much lower concentrations.

You can also find it in other foods such as walnuts, flaxseed, rapeseed and linseed but the concentration is less.

Unfortunately, our modern diet is usually lacking in DHA. Grain fed beef is often eaten more than grass fed and the Western consumption of oily fish is usually not high enough to get a good dose.

A word of caution

Although it’s a good idea to increase your consumption of fish, you need to be careful about eating too much fish that comes from contaminated waters.

By contaminated, I mean waters that contain high levels of mercury, PCBs and dioxins. These toxic substances become concentrated in the flesh of oily fish and can cause cancers and developmental problems in humans.

This is why fish oil supplements have become popular in recent years. They offer the convenience of a gel capsule, the security of knowing that you are taking the correct dose, and some assurances about the safety and purity of the oil.

But you need to be very careful about the supplements you choose: some are made from fish species caught in contaminated waters and some are less than fresh. You will harm your health, not improve it with such inferior products.

So, now that you know the answer to your question ‘What is DHA used for?’, do yourself a favour and increase your intake for your health’s sake. You’ll look and feel better!

If you would like more answers to the question what is DHA used for, take a look at the research and information on my website. You can also learn how to choose a good supplement and find out which ones I take daily myself.

My name is Therese Samson and I promote natural approaches to health and well-being for the whole family at http://www.my-omega-3.com, where you’ll find out about the many ways omega 3 fish oil can improve heart, brain, skin and immune system health.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/what-is-dha-used-for-how-omega-3s-can-revitalize-your-health-and-wellbeing-1460262.html

 

Simple Lung Repair After Smoking To Finally Get Rid of That Cough

Easy Lung Repair After Smoking Will Finally Eliminate Your Cough

Smoking includes a wide range of negative health effects and can have an effect on just concerning every organ within the body. However, the organs that are most adversely affected are your lungs. Of course, as everybody knows, your lungs help you to breathe. They supply life sustaining oxygen to each and every cell in your body and get rid of toxic carbon dioxide.

Smoking irritates the cells lining the air tubes in your lungs. Responding to this irritation, your body tries to attempt to to perform some lung repair after smoking and produces mucus. This mucus decreases the diameter of the tiny air passages and makes it more difficult to breathe. This results in the development of a smoker’s cough. It is how your body tries to eliminate this mucus.

Healthy lungs have tiny hair-like projections known as cilia. The cilia sway backwards and forwards to remove dirt, debris, and other types of sediment from your lungs. Smoking damages the cilia so they are not functioning well enough to efficiently perform their cleaning function. When this occurs, efficient lung repair after smoking is no longer possible. Dirt, cigarette tar, and other nasty waste starts to accumulate within your lungs.

As this debris builds up, your technique is not able to try and do any kind of lung repair after smoking. When this occurs, you can have difficulty breathing or have other types of difficulties breathing.

In the event that you have problems breathing, shortness of breath, or a constant cough; body is trying to inform you that you have to intercede and do some lung repair after smoking. You can easily do this by cleaning your lungs. There are a number of products that will clean your lungs and eliminate these unpleasant symptoms. By detoxifying your lungs, you can clean you lungs and repair years of damage due to smoking.

There’s an easy lung detox system that can offer you affable clear lungs. This system uses a simple mixture of food supplements and vitamins that rinse the toxins out of your lungs and flush them out of your system. This simple system will clean out your lungs fifteen – 20 times quicker than your body is able to do it naturally. In the event that you have been smoking for some time now, you’ll get rid of that hacking cough and obtain clear lungs. Download the details for this easy process at Lung Repair After Smoking

Get rid of that hacking cough and repair your lungs. Download the details for this easy lung repair system at Lung Repair After Smoking today! Do it now and start feeling better right away!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/simple-lung-repair-after-smoking-to-finally-get-rid-of-that-cough-1461055.html

 

What Is The International Fish Oil Standard – And Should You Worry About It?

Have you heard about the International Fish Oil Standard? If you’re looking for quality omega 3 supplements, you may have come across this organization. But do you need to worry about these so-called standards? What do they mean for you, the consumer?

The International Fish Oil Standard (IFOS) is an organization that rates fish oil products for purity.

Purity is assessed by measuring the levels of heavy metals, PCBs and dioxins. These toxic substances can be bad for your health, causing cancers and developmental problems, so it stands to reason that you need to be certain that the product you buy is free of them.

But despite this official-sounding name, the International Fish Oil Standard is a private organization that charges a fee for testing. If manufacturers pay the fee and meet the guidelines, they can call their products ‘pharmaceutical grade’, which refers to a product that has been highly refined to eliminate impurities and contaminants.

Unfortunately, there’s no globally recognized standard to define what pharmaceutical grade really means. Various organizations, including the IFOS, detail some standards that are really not very high so it’s actually a rather meaningless term.

What does this mean for you, the consumer, when you just want to make sure you get a supplement that’s free of contaminants?

It means that you will need to carefully examine the label of the product you want to buy to make sure the purity levels quoted are good enough. You can’t just rely on a statement that says that the product is ‘pharmaceutical grade’ or meets the International Fish Oil Standard, since we now know this is quite meaningless.

Here’s some hints about what to look for.

A quality supplement should state its purity level on its label in a Certificate of Analysis (COA). This certificate records the actual tested levels of different impurities and toxins.

The amount of impurities should be shown as parts per billion (ppb) and parts per trillion (ppt).

For example, the IFOS, the Council for Responsible Nutrition and the European Pharmacopoeia all allow up to 100 ppb of mercury in a fish oil supplement.

This is actually quite a high figure – it’s possible to find supplements that have less than 10 ppb of mercury.

So you can see that an omega 3 supplement that boasted that it was ‘pharmaceutical grade’ might have as much as 99 ppb of mercury!

Make no mistake about it – some marketers will push the International Fish Oil Standard as a measure of purity but you can easily find supplements that exceed the rather weak standards of this unofficial organization.

If you would like to know more about my research into omega 3, and get some information about supplements that exceed the International Fish Oil Standard, please visit my website today.

My name is Therese Samson and I promote natural approaches to health and well-being for the whole family at http://www.my-omega-3.com, where you’ll find out about the many ways omega 3 fish oil can improve heart, brain, skin and immune system health.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/what-is-the-international-fish-oil-standard-and-should-you-worry-about-it-1460270.html

 

Choosing Foods High in Omega 3 – Top Tips to Help You Make the Best Choices for Your Health

Most people don’t realize this but there are a number of things to eat, both animal and plant, that are foods high in omega 3. But some have more of the important fatty acids, DHA and EPA, than others. Here’s a quick guide to omega 3 foods to help you choose.

Omega 3 fatty acids are vital for the proper functioning of the heart and brain, and can help prevent cancers. But our bodies cannot manufacture them. We must get all the fatty acids we need from our food.

You can get omega 3s by eating oily fish, grass fed beef and eggs from chickens fed on greens.

Plant foods high in omega 3 include walnuts, flaxseed, pecans, hazelnuts and soybeans.

But before you choose foods high in omega 3 from these lists you need to know a little about which types of fatty acids they contain.

The most important fatty acids are EPA and DHA. These have the greatest health benefits and are the ones you need to target in your omega 3 foods. EPA and DHA are mostly found in animal sources, such as fish.

ALA is another important fatty acid. Its benefit is that your body can use it to make EPA and the DHA. ALA is mostly found in plants, such as walnuts and flaxseed.

But our bodies are not very good at converting ALA to EPA. It’s a quite inefficient process – it requires about 11 grams of ALA to create just one gram of DHA.

Depending on what else you eat, the conversion process can get even worse. For example, if you eat a lot of margarine, bakery products or fast foods, you will be eating a lot of transfats, which interfere with the conversion of ALA to EPA.

Your age can be a factor too – the conversion process slows down even further as we get older.

So it seems that the foods high in omega 3 that will deliver the greatest benefits for your health are animal-based products. Fish oil is generally considered the best source as it is particularly high in DHA and EPA.

But it’s not all bad news for vegetarians and vegans. It is possible to find some microalgae products (seaweed) that have been produced in bioreactors to concentrate and increase their natural levels of DHA.

Eating animal foods high in omega 3 such as oily fish is an excellent way of increasing your intake of the crucial fatty acids but people sometimes find it difficult to eat enough fish each week to get a good dose.

It’s not only quantity though – you need to eat the right kind of fish, such as salmon, mackerel and tuna. Unfortunately, these fish are often caught in waters that are contaminated by heavy metals, PCBs and dioxins.

This is why it has become popular in recent times to take fish oil supplements instead. The oil in the capsules can be filtered and treated to remove all traces of impurities and contaminants. You can take as little as one capsule a day and experience great benefits for your heart and general health.

Need to know more about foods high in omega 3? Do you have any questions about fish oil supplements? Visit my website today, where I have more information and research, as well as news about products I use daily myself.

My name is Therese Samson and I promote natural approaches to health and well-being for the whole family at http://www.my-omega-3.com, where you’ll find out about the many ways omega 3 fish oil can improve heart, brain, skin and immune system health.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/choosing-foods-high-in-omega-3-top-tips-to-help-you-make-the-best-choices-for-your-health-1460277.html

 

Fish Oil for Kids – Should Your Child Take Fish Oil Supplements?

Have you been wondering whether fish oil for kids is a good idea? After all, just because it has numerous health benefits for adults doesn’t mean children should take supplements too. But there is good news about fish oil for kids – particularly if they suffer from ADHD.

First of all, recent studies have shown that an increased intake of the omega 3 fatty acids contained in fish oil can be of great benefit to unborn babies and young children. Omega 3s are essential for the growth and development of the brain and eyes in babies.

Taking omega 3s during pregnancy can reduce the risk of having a pre-term baby. Also, the children of mothers who eat the most fish tend to have higher intelligence scores and better communication skills.

So the benefits for mothers and babies are clear but what about fish oil for kids themselves?

It has been known for some time that the most important fatty acid, DHA, helps brains to function and develop properly.

It now seems that children who have low levels of DHA tend to be more likely to suffer from ADHD.

A 2005 Australian study showed that children with diagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who took supplements for 15 weeks had increased attention and reduced hyperactivity, restlessness and impulsivity. The children also performed better on attention tests and improved their vocabulary.

A 2007 US study also showed a marked improvement in ADHD children who took omega 3 supplements. In that study, a psychiatrist reported significant improvements in inattention, hyperactivity, oppositional/defiant behavior and conduct disorder.

So it’s clear that fish oil for kids can be helpful as a treatment for hyperactivity, as well as learning ability and general mood.

What about sources of omega3s?

We can’t make omega 3s in our bodies so we must get them from our diet. Fish remains one of the best sources of omega 3s because it has the two most important of these fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Other sources, such as walnuts and flaxseed, contain another fatty acid, ALA, which must be converted by the body into EPA and DHA. The process is not very efficient though, so fish remains the best source of these important fatty acids.

As with adults, children should not be given supplements if there is any known reaction to fish oil, or if they have a bleeding disorder or are taking anti-coagulants.

So, go ahead and give your child fish oil supplements if you feel they could benefit. Fish oil for kids is safe and effective at the right doses and you could be doing your child’s health and behavior a great favor.

If you would like more information about fish oil supplements, and the products I use daily myself, feel free to visit my website where I publish more research and facts about omega 3 fatty acids.

My name is Therese Samson and I promote natural approaches to health and well-being for the whole family at http://www.my-omega-3.com, where you’ll find out about the many ways omega 3 fish oil can improve heart, brain, skin and immune system health.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/fish-oil-for-kids-should-your-child-take-fish-oil-supplements-1460283.html

 

The Truth About Fish Oil Purity – How to Choose a Pure, Safe Supplement

By the time you finish reading this, you will have a clear understanding about how to choose a fish oil that is safe for you and your family. You’ll know how to find a supplement that will dramatically improve your health, not harm it. So let me give you the simple facts about fish oil purity.

What do we mean by fish oil purity?

Purity usually refers to whether the product contains traces of contaminants or impurities. It can also refer to the freshness of the product.

Let’s look at the impurities first.

The contaminants often found in oily fish are mercury, lead, PCBs and dioxins. PCBs are chemicals that can lead to behavioural and developmental problems in children, as well as cancers. Dioxins can cause cancer too, and heavy metals like lead and mercury can affect the central nervous system and the kidneys or liver.

Most of the oily fish we eat, and that are used to make fish oil supplements, are species such as salmon, mackerel and tuna. These are all excellent sources of the important omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult for manufacturers who use these species to guarantee fish oil purity. This is because these species are the fish most likely to contain contaminants.

This is for two reasons. Firstly, they are often caught in waters such as the North Sea, which can contain these contaminants. Secondly, they are high up the food chain, meaning the contaminants get concentrated in their bodies and oil because the creatures they eat are themselves contaminated.

So the type of fish used to make supplements can have serious implications for the purity and safety of the capsules.

Now let’s look at freshness as an indication of fish oil purity.

If the fish oil you take is not completely fresh, the oil will start to oxidise. When this happens, you increase your intake of free radicals, the molecules that damage cells and help to cause aging, disease and illness.

To test the oxidation level, a supplement should be tested in registered laboratories. What you are looking for is the COA (certificate of analysis), which should be freely available on the manufacturer’s website or promotional material. Two oxidation components should be listed: the anisidine value and the peroxide value. The scores should be as low as possible. A total oxidation score of less than 20 is desirable.

So how do you choose a supplement that can guarantee fish oil purity?

Look for a product made from fish caught in clean waters, such as the New Zealand fish hoki. This is caught in the Southern Ocean, which is largely free of contaminants.

The oil should also be molecularly distilled, not simply filtered. Molecular distillation is a complicated process which removes any tiny trace of contaminant that might find its way into the product.

Next, check out the freshness of the product by examining the manufacturer’s COA. If you can’t find a COA, don’t buy the product! Any good supplier should be prepared to publish the results of tests that prove the purity of their product.

So there’s some food for thought when you are shopping for fish oil supplements. If you would like more information about fish oil purity, please visit my website to see more of my research and to find out about the products I use daily myself.

My name is Therese Samson and I promote natural approaches to health and well-being for the whole family at http://www.my-omega-3.com, where you’ll find out about the many ways omega 3 fish oil can improve heart, brain, skin and immune system health.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/the-truth-about-fish-oil-purity-how-to-choose-a-pure-safe-supplement-1460280.html

 

Fish Oil Quality Is Determined by Several Factors Like Freshness, Purity & Amount of Fatty Acid

Let’s face it, making a decision about fish oil quality gets harder every day, there are hundreds of brands to choose from and they are heavily promoted on the Internet in pharmacies and supermarkets.

However there are only a few key points you need to keep in mind when trying to figure out what makes one line of omega-3 fatty acid capsules better than the others.

Let’s look at these 5 points a little closer:

1 – Obviously the end product is determined by the raw materials used in making it.

Therefore, it makes sense to source top quality oil from the best oily fish caught in clean unpolluted cold deep sea waters, unfortunately there are only a few oceans left that haven’t already been contaminated with petroleum based toxins and other pollutants.

2 – The best oil produces use the molecular distillation method to remove impurities from their catch, this is essential to ensure mercury, PCBs and other toxins are eliminated ensuring consumers get the purest omega 3 product possible.

3 – As with all food we consume freshness is essential so you get all of the possible benefits available from eating it.

Processing the catch quickly and as near as possible to where it’s caught makes good sense so it can’t go off and become rancid. As it happens this is not possible for most of the processors because their plants can be hundreds if not thousands of miles away. This means they have to freeze the fish so it doesn’t go off before they have transferred it to their processing plant.

4 – Providing we have already determined the supplement is fresh and pure, the next criteria we should look at to determine the fish oil quality is the amount of DHA and EPA fatty acid contained in each capsule, which after all is what gives you the health benefits.

Many products on the market have lots of fish oil but little fatty acid; often they have more EPA than DHA, which is not the optimal combination because it’s easier for your body to convert DHA to EPA when it needs it than visa versa.

5 – The final issue is can you afford to buy it, there’s no point in having the best quality product if you can’t afford it.

So when you’re evaluating whether the fish oil supplements you are thinking of buying are good value for money — keep in mind the 4 points mentioned above which should help you make the wisest and best possible decision.

If your interested to understand more about fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids, visit my website below.

Discover the best natural fish oil supplements available today.

John P. Stevens is a long time user; researcher and writer on health issues particularly fish oil and natural supplements. He only recommends natural substances that are extremely effective and 100% safe to use. To learn more about the many benefits of fish oil, Go to ==> http://www.best-fish-oil-supplement.com today.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/fish-oil-quality-is-determined-by-several-factors-like-freshness-purity-amount-of-fatty-acid-1460025.html

 

Positive Effects Of Fish Oil Consumption On Your Health

If you’re anything like me you want to get the most out of life, be healthy and more energetic. You may not realize it but there are many positive effects of fish oil consumption that can benefit your general health.

There have been hundreds of scientific and clinical tests conducted over many years into how omega-3 fatty acids with high levels of DHA and EPA can be of great benefit to your body — particularly in reducing inflammation, helping to prevent clogging of your arteries and boosting your immune system.

It is now understood that boosting our own bodies capacity to prevent these issues can contribute to reducing the two most common killers in Western world societies today — heart attack and cancer.

Medical experts have been trying for years to get us to improve our diets and exercise more so we can reduce the risk of getting these diseases. But the message doesn’t seem to be getting through, as over half the population is overweight or obese.

However one thing we can all do to reduce the possibility of getting these destructive diseases is by supplementing our diet — especially with fish oil containing pure omega-3 fatty acids.

Let’s look a little bit closer at how the effects of fish oil can help reduce the risk of suffering from heart damage and various cancers, particularly the two most prevalent ones being breast and prostate cancer.

Positive effects of fish oil high in omega-3 fatty acids

Inflammation… in simple terms is a biological response of tissues to harmful stimuli. We need it to happen, without inflammation our bodies would never heal. However a problem occurs if it is left unchecked, which can let a whole host of diseases run wild.

Inflammation sneaks up over time, you don’t even know it has happened and it contributes to various health issues, like chronic pain and more serious problems like stroke, aneurisms, brain issues and often death.

Most health professionals and scientists believe that omega-3 fatty acid fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can benefit us in many areas including the immune system, arteries, heart, brain and joints.

Lowers Triglycerides… Omega three fatty acids from flax seed or fish oil can help lower triglyceride levels. You can also reduce them by eating less fats, carbohydrates, drinking less alcohol and doing aerobic exercise.

You will benefit by better balancing your cholesterol level, have clearer arteries and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Improved Immune System… the proper functioning of the immune system depends on an adequate diet and proper nutrition.

Certain foods may positively affect the immune system like fresh fruits and vegetables. It is also understood that certain omega-3 fatty acids contribute to a healthier immune system.

If you believe your diet and food intake is adequate and gives you all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs every day, then you more than likely don’t need to consider any form of supplementation. However if you’re like over half of the people in the Western world who have a poor quality low nutrition diet — “then maybe you do”.
  
If your interested to understand and find out more about the positive effects of fish and omega-3 fatty acid, visit my website below.

Discover the best natural fish oil supplements available today.

John P. Stevens is a long time user; researcher and writer on health issues particularly fish oil and natural supplements. He only recommends natural substances that are extremely effective and 100% safe to use. To learn more about the many benefits of fish oil, Go to ==> http://www.best-fish-oil-supplement.com today.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/positive-effects-of-fish-oil-consumption-on-your-health-1460045.html