Archive for the 'Heart Health' Category

Omega 3 Fish Oil Capsules Are Important For Proper Health

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Omega 3 Fish Oil Capsules have become a very important part of any diet. Also known as Omega 3 Fatty Acids, these are an important supplement to encourage a healthy heart. There are a variety of ways to get the Omega 3s, including fresh fish and and walnuts. Unfortunately, most people just do not eat nearly enough of these foods for the acceptable levels of the Omegas to build up in the system.

People with high triglycerides should be aware that these supplements help lower them. They are also known to help keep heart rhythms regular. People who supplement with Omega 3s have found that the heart attack survival rate is much higher than without the supplements. An additional benefit is the a reduction in stroke risk for those who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Supplementation is necessary to ensure a long and healthy life for those with heart problems.

DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid and EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid are short-chain fatty acids that are contained in the fish oils. Athletes have discovered that these building blocks are necessary for their bone health. An additional benefit is that they help with mood disorders and can be used in people who are suffering from behavior disorders as well. Imagine the benefit to someone who has uncontrolled anger, and what supplementing with this product may do to enhance the quality of life for all those affected by this issue.

The United States Armed Forces are being encouraged to add fish oils to their diets to try to counteract incidents of depression associated with being deployed. There is also evidence that suggest that these are of great importance in lessening the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Athletes who use the fish oil supplements have noticed a marked improvement in their endurance. The supplements seem to increase the lung capacity of athletes. A recent study consisting of 40 wrestlers showed the effectiveness of fish oil supplements. Split into four groups, the one group that had training and the supplements increased their lung functioning by nearly fifty percent. More studies should be done to further explore the benefits of fish oils.

High PCB levels have been found in some brands of fish oil, so doing some investigation to make sure that the supplement is pure and truly good for you will be important. Finding a reputable company at a health food store may be the best bet, rather than purchasing at a grocery store. Supplements outside the United States tend to be better regulated than in the country.

Omega 3 Fish Oil Capsules are a definite must have for proper nutrition. Heart health, athletic performance, bone density and mood swings are all things that can be improved upon by this simple addition to the diet. Searching out the best quality capsules is imperative as well. Certainly, there have been enough studies done showing the importance of adding this supplement to every diet.

Need to buy omega 3 fish oil capsules ? We’ve got the ultimate low down on the best capsules in our complete omega 3 fish oil capsules overview.

Good Blood Pressure For A Healthier Heart

Monday, March 29th, 2010

A person’s blood pressure is one of the vital signs medical doctors and practitioners check to determine the body’s condition. This is measured by wrapping the upper arm with an inflatable cuff, filling the cuff with air effectively cutting off blood circulation temporarily, and allowing blood to slowly flow back. This allows s us to monitor the sound of blood pulsing against the walls of the artery. While the blood pressure of a person changes from time to time, it is advisable to maintain good blood pressure and keep it below 120/80 for people with ages 20 and above.

To a normal person, a BP may merely represent numbers of no real importance. However, if you are keen on maintaining a healthy body, it is imperative that you fully understand what it stands for and why there is a need to monitor it every now and then. Knowing your numbers, so to speak, and knowing what is good blood pressure can prove crucial in preventing possible heart ailments and other health complications brought about by high blood pressure. An abnormal increase in the pressure may be due to the build-up of fatty deposits, forcing the heart to pump harder to supply adequate blood all throughout the body. Over time, the extra work eventually causes the heart muscles to enlarge and weaken, and when left untreated or regulated can lead to heart failure and death.

So how do we make sense of these numbers? A good blood pressure reading is usually given out like a fraction number. The top number refers to the systolic pressure, which basically denotes the pressure inside a person’s blood vessel, while the figure on the bottom is known as the diastolic pressure, which basically measures the blood pressure when the heart is at rest in between heart beats. As mentioned earlier, the good blood pressure is 120/80, and if the range goes up between 120/80 to 139/89, it is then considered as a prehypertension state.

However, don’t freak out if your initial blood pressure result is more than 120/80. You need to know that there are factors affecting one’s blood pressure. Usually, your doctor will regularly check and monitor you blood pressure for a specific period of time to establish an average rate. This is to consider other possibilities that could affect the result of your blood pressure such as physical activities, smoking, sleeping patters, alcohol consumption, etc…

A study shows that heart related conditions are one of the leading causes of death. It has also been known that high blood pressure or hypertension is a silent killer since it doesn’t have any early symptoms. If you diagnosed with an elevated blood pressure, make sure to seek immediate medical assistance so you can regulate and maintain a good blood pressure. There are available treatments that can help regulate high blood pressure. A change of lifestyle, keeping a healthy diet, and regular exercise may also be advised, besides medications, to effectively lower down your blood pressure.

Adults in their 30s and 40s should make sure their blood pressures are checked regularly. As they say, early prevention is always better that cure. This is definitely the case if you look forward to enjoying life to the fullest and maintaining good blood pressure.

Julie Wilkinson is a professional writer who writes about health-related conditions. For further details about blood pressure remedies, visit her website to get relevant information on high blood pressure natural remedies.

DHA And Fish Oil. Breastfeeding Mothers Need More Of Both.

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

There are now clear benefits established of the benefits of DHA, and these extend to health benefits for a fetus or growing baby. Studies have shown that over 90 percent of us are deficient in DHA, (together with EPA), the 2 most essential fatty acids. These are found in fish oil. Breastfeeding mothers and pregnant mothers have powerful reasons to supplement their diet with omega 3 supplements containing DHA and EPA. There are many benefits of breastfeeding, and one of the best breastfeeding tips for nursing mothers is to maintain the levels of DHA in her breast milk.

It is established that the growing fetus has a very high demand for these 2 omega 3 essential fatty acids. But this demand does not decrease when the baby is born. And of course for any fetus, and any baby with a breastfeeding mother, their only source of omega 3 fats is from the mother.

There are studies now that show that breastfeeding mothers who supplement their diet with DHA have babies which, at 30 months, show higher scores on psychomotor development, have better visual development and even improve their scores on IQ assessments.

All of these make for powerful reasons for any mother who is breastfeeding to supplement their diet with supplements containing DHA. Breastfeeding mothers are just like the rest of us and generally have levels of omega 3 essential fatty acids that are too low.

If your intake of seafood products is adequate then this should not be the case, however studies show that for almost all of us our intake of seafoods is not adequate. There are a number of reasons for this. Fish is expensive and it is also generally recognized that most fish is contaminated with toxins such as mercury.

It is possible to get omega 3 fatty acids from plants however this is a different form of Omega3 fat and is not nearly as beneficial to health as DHA and EPA, the 2 essential fatty acids found in fish oil.

The perfect way for a breastfeeding mother to increase the levels of DHA in her milk is to undertake daily omega 3 supplementation with omega 3 capsules based on fish oil. Breastfeeding mothers can do this daily and much more cost effectively than eating fish. And the best fish oil capsules available are completely free of any contamination.

The benefits of DHA for babies of breastfeeding mothers are now established. There are solid reasons for breastfeeding mothers to start omega 3 supplementation right from conception, (or before), right through nursing and then to continue to supplementation thereafter for the health of the mother.

But it’s important to know that not all Omega 3 capsules are the same. You need to know how to compare the different fish oil capsules available on the market to find those that represent the best value and the best effectiveness.

I tell you how to do that on my website.

Want to know more about Fish Oil? Or more about Benefits Of Breastfeeding with DHA supplementation? Visit Peter’s Website Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oil.

What Is The Process Of Choosing The Best Fish Oil Supplements?

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

Now that you’ve spent enough of your time researching you really must get out there and buy those omega 3 supplements that you should be taking every day. But once you start looking you’ll find that there’s so many brands of omega 3 supplements that it’s confusing. How do you decide which are the best omega 3 supplements?

This 4 things you need to think about than trying to decide which are the best fish oil supplements for you.

1. Must compare the supplements by the amount of DHA in each.

DHA and EPA are the 2 essential fatty acids known as Omega 3 fatty acids that result in all the health benefits from taking supplements. DHA is the most important of these 2.

Fish oil is not 100 percent DHA. If you look on the label of any bottles of fish oil supplements it should tell you what percentage of DHA you are getting. If it says nothing about this then you have no idea what you are buying.

Different brands of fish oil supplements have less than 10 percent DHA while the best have almost 30 percent.

2. Compare Omega 3 supplements by value not by price.

It is impossible to compare capsules by price purely because it’s only the DHA that you’re buying and there is widely differing amounts of DHA in different capsules. You cannot compare the price of an 8 percent DHA capsule with a 28 percent DHA capsule. The only way to compare fish oil supplements is on a cost per gram of DHA basis.

3.You must get the capsules with the freshest oil.

Fish oil, like most other things, can go off and does so. If fish oil goes off it becomes rancid and smells bad and if you take fish oil capsules with rancid oil you may well experience that nasty fishy burp sensation. Some manufacturers even use masking fragrances to help mask the smell of rancid oil. It is essential that you use fish oil capsules that use the freshest fish oil.

Rancid fish oil is bad for your health.

4. Compare supplements by cleanliness.

It is well known that fish are contaminated with such toxins as mercury, PCBs, pesticides and heavy metals. The most contaminated fish come from the north Atlantic and the cleanest fish come from the ocean the furthest away from any people, the southern ocean between New Zealand and Antarctica. The best fish oil capsules use oil sourced from fish from the southern ocean and use two separate processes to ensure that there are no detectable levels of contaminants at all. Then they have their oil tested by an independent laboratory and publish the certificate of analysis on their website.

If you compare the available brands of omega 3 supplements using these comparisons you’ll find that there is a fish oil supplement available that has 28 percent DHA, that uses fish sourced from the southern ocean, that has a certificate of analysis available for you to consider, and which uses the very freshest oil that it’s possible to get. It is also the cheapest when doing a cost per gram of DHA basis.

These are the best fish oil supplements that it’s possible to buy. To find out which ones these are visit my website.

Want to know where to find the Best Fish Oil Supplements? Or more about the Best fish Oil? Visit Peter’s Website Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oil.

Is There An ADHD Fish Oil Link?

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Is there someone in your family with ADHD? Fish oil may well provide an answer. Although it has not been conclusively proven it seems that using fish oil for ADHD relief may well be useful.

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is estimated to affect around 7 percent of children in the US. Most are boys and around 70 percent of sufferers will progress to adulthood still suffering from ADHD. Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to be important in the development of the fetal brain and also in reduction of the symptoms of depression and there is now evidence that using fish oil to treat ADHD may be worthwhile.

There are studies on ADHD sufferers that show that they have very low levels of the essential fatty acids known as Omega 3 fatty acids. The 2 most important of these are the Omega 3 fats called DHA and EPA. These are mainly found in fish and fish oil and can also be taken as fish oil supplements.

The Inflammation Research Foundation has recently concluded a study of 3 boys and 6 girls who were all previously diagnosed with ADHD symptoms. The symptoms include an inability to concentrate well on any individual past over a longer period of time and disruptive behaviour such as hyperactivity.

Over 8 weeks these children were given high doses of fish oil supplements containing Omega 3 fatty acids. Over that time the levels of the Omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA were monitored and other factors were also monitors which indicate the degree of their ADHD.

During the 8 weeks their levels of EPA and DHA increased significantly and the indicators of the degree of ADHD will sell. Their hyperactivity score fell to less than half, from 11 to 5. Their inattention school fell from 18 to 10. These are impressive results for sufferers of ADHD. Omega 3 supplementation seems to have worked to reduce their symptoms of ADHD.

It’s too early to say that using fish oil to treat ADHD is an adequate treatment regime, certainly as a stand-alone treatment. However it does seem that there is now clear evidence that using fish oil ADHD relief is well worth considering. There seems to be clearly between levels of Omega 3 and ADHD hyperactivity levels.

It is also not clear what is the appropriate dosage of fish oil supplements for ADHD sufferers. Dosage levels in the trial were quite high, higher than that recommended for the general population.

But it is clear from a massive body of evidence that just about all of this in the US should be taking Omega 3 fish oil supplements for general health, not just sufferers of ADHD. Omega 3 supplements benefit our health in a wide range of different ways including improving our mental state. Adequate levels of DHA and EPA do seem to impact on conditions such as depression and ADHD.

For a wide range of different reasons children with ADHD ought to be increasing their intake of Omega 3 essential fatty acids both to improve their general health and their ADHD.

Remember though that not all fish oil supplements are the same and that some have much higher levels of DHA and EPA than others do, and that therefore some offer much better value than others.

Visit my website to find out how compare the various Omega 3 fish oil supplements available.

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The Truth about Cardiovascular Fitness

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Do you usually have a hard time coping with intense work outs? Have you experienced several instances where your body gets too tired of keeping up with the rigorous routines you have put up for your work outs? The only way to overcome these situations is by way of cardiovascular fitness training. Otherwise known as cardio respiratory endurance, the training is significantly meant to further enhance a person’s muscular endurance. Through this training, the main role of the heart, lungs, and vascular system in providing enough oxygen to the working muscles is greatly improved. With enough oxygen supply, our muscles gain a prolonging performance and endurance. But then, the whole muscular endurance property of the person does not depend only on the said program alone. Other factors like cardiac output, heart rate, stroke volume, and maximal oxygen consumption also deliver significant effects.

A person’s capacity on aerobic and anaerobic exercises determines the effects of cardiovascular fitness. Particularly, there is a notable increase on the repetitions of exercises your muscles are capable of executing before they experience muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue on the other hand refers to the condition where your muscles get incapable of generating the needed force.

To achieve the best results on an individual’s overall fitness, one must consider both endurance and strength capability. These two factors complement each other. But this doesn’t directly mean that you have to pound it hard on the first stages of both trainings. You may start light and work on increasing the intensity of the work outs gradually. This is probably the best way to achieve the desired results on both fitness programs.

The known best way to achieve cardiovascular fitness is by way of aerobic exercises rather than anaerobic ones. Aerobic exercises are those that are categorized as long and low intensity exercises like walking, jogging, and marathons. This is basically due to the fact that aerobic exercises are known to use lipids and oxygen for generating energy. Anaerobic exercises on the other hand glycolisis.

One notable effect of cardiovascular fitness aside from enhancing your muscular endurance is the dramatic decrease of risks of cardiovascular diseases. One popular example of cardiovascular disease is high blood pressure. It is important to bear in mind that through aerobic exercises the heart becomes stronger together with the muscles involved in the exercises.

Another notable benefit of cardiovascular fitness is better blood flow. Through this, great effects are also seen on various mental processes. Through regular exercises, the number of red blood cells in the system is significantly increased. As we all know, red blood cells are very important because they are the vessels that carry oxygen throughout the body. Just like in other fitness programs, the problem takes place in getting started with the program properly. In most cases, a lot of people were more than excited to start with the whole program but have lost the inspiration to continue the whole routine everyday along the way. One basic secret is making it a significant part of your lifestyle. These are only some of the most important fitness video information that you should know of.

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Should You Eat Fish To Get Your Omega3 Fatty Acids?

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Now that’s a good question. We all need more omega3 fatty acids in our diet, but should we eat fish. Fish is contaminated with mercury.

And if eating fish is a bad idea because of the mercury, how else do you get that Omega3 in your diet?

There are other places to find Omega3 fatty acids, like some plant sources, but by far the best place to find the right types of Omega3 is fish.

But there is a problem with eating fish isn’t there? What about mercury contamination? Isn’t fish contaminated with mercury?

The EPA says that there is mercury contamination in all fish.

And it’s not a good idea to get mercury into your body, particularly for children. Your body doesn’t get rid of it.

But notwithstanding, the EPA doesn’t tell us to remove fish from our diet. Fish is ok in small quantities and they do offer some guidelines for how much, and what type, you should eat.

Its ok to eat around 2 serves of fish a week. However for children or pregnant women theres some more things to think about, because mercury is more of a risk to children or developing fetuses.

Pregnant women and children ought to avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish. These fish are high mercury fish.

But dont eliminate all fish from your diet just because youre worried about mercury. If you like fish you can eat it, sensibly and in relatively small quantities.

But there’s another problem before we conclude that we all ought to be eating fish for our Omega3 fatty acids. Fish is scarce and getting scarcer. Have you seen the price of fish lately? It’s really expensive.

And although the EPA says its ok to eat it, if youre eating fish to get your Omega3 then there is a better way. Of course if you just love fish then go for it.

And there is still mercury in fish, albeit in small amounts, and there is a solution to getting your Omega3 that doesnt involve eating fish, that is cheaper than buying fish a couple of times a week, and overcomes the problem with mercury contamination.

Its using Omega3 fatty acid supplements. These contain fish oil, but the very best fish oil supplements source the cleanest fish in the ocean and then put it through an extremely robust molecular distillation process that means that levels of mercury, as well as other common contaminants of fish oil, are undetectable.

But be aware that although many fish oil supplements claim to be contamination free, there are varying standards, none binding, and not all fish oil supplements are truly contamination free.

So if you love to eat fish, and you’re independently wealthy, go for it. But if you’re eating it to get your Omega3 fats, then there’s cheaper better ways, with no risk of eating any mercury.

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Reap the Benefits – Getting an Online CPR Certification

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

CPR is a term we all have heard at one time or another. Some of us may actually be alive today because a friend, family member, or even an unknown bystander performed the life-saving emergency procedure Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation on us. CPR consists of performing alternating chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing. These specific actions will supply a continuous flow of oxygen to the lungs and brain and can help a victim regain consciousness. If a person is not responding right away, CPR needs to be continued until professionally trained medical personnel arrive.

CPR is vital to help those individuals who suddenly stopped breathing. These can be stroke or heart attack patients, or those who unexpectedly have fallen victim to an electrocution accident, a drug or alcohol overdose, or went into a diabetic insulin shock. CPR can also rescue those who are suffocating, drowning, choking, violently reacting to an allergy, or suffered an unusual accident or trauma.

Those individuals interested in learning CPR skills should sign up for an online course. The advantage of taking the course online instead of physically going to a school or organization is that you can conveniently study anywhere you want, even at home on the couch. If your employer would insist you take a CPR course, you could even study while at work.

The American Health Care Academy is a great online institution that makes registering for their courses real simple. Click on the appropriate link at cpraedcourse.com, fill out your personal information and head toward the payment page. Once the affordable payment has been approved, the course lessons will immediately become available to you.

Step-by-step video illustrations and reading material will guide you through the CPR principles. Once you have a good grip on the subject and feel confident, you can take the online Quiz. As soon as you are finished you will know if you passed. If you succeeded, you will instantly receive your wallet size CPR certification, which you can print. Another copy will be mailed to you shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, not everyone passes the test the first time. Do not worry, as the quiz can be retaken, at no additional charge.

CPR is most successful when administered as quickly as possible. It is one of the many facts CPR certification graduates have learned during their course. They will also know how to personally treat unconscious adults, children and infants, or how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) if they have one available. Placing victims into a recovery position and preventing them from chocking will also be one of those lessons well learned.

Time is money, and some people have very little of either. Taking an online CPR course allows you to study at your own pace. Even if you cannot finish the 1 to 3 hour course in one sitting you can always log off and return whenever time permits. From the time of purchase, training materials are available for 60 days.

Because the qualified American Health Care Academy instructors were trained at the American Heart Association and American Red Cross, the institutes CPR certification is as recognized as that of any real-life school. Like all certificates, it will be valid for 2 years from the date of issue.

Many people go through life without knowing CPR. It is not a requirement, yet the knowledge could be quite beneficial in an emergency. Imagine you go hiking in the woods with a friend. You are far away from civilization, when he suddenly slips, bumps his head and stops breathing. How would you feel if you could not revive him? This is just one of the many examples illustrating that a few dollars, a little time and a CPR certification can go a long way.

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Sleep Apnea Increases Your Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Medical researchers from the Mayo Clinic suggests that sleep apnea increases patients risk of sudden death by heart attack. The research highlights the importance of regular CPAP therapy.

In a study of over 10,000 patients, researchers found that sleep apnea was a serious risk factors for sudden death among patients with heart disease. (It was second only to being over 60 years of age.)

When not treated by CPAP therapy, sleep apnea causes nighttime oxygen levels in the blood to drop. Because the blood has less oxygen, the heart is over-stressed in its attempt to get sufficient oxygen to the brain and other vital body organs.

The research shows that these low oxygen levels results in the blood vessels altering in a way that promotes cardiovascular disease. (Other cardiovascular diseases that apnea is also associated with includes hypertension and stroke ” along with the related disease of Alzheimers.)

Essentially, the patients brain and body shut down from suffocation. The lack of oxygen is due to the patients throat restricting airflow during an apnea episode.

The National Apnea Association (NAA) strongly urges apnea patients to regularly use the most widely prescribed form of sleep apnea treatment: CPAP (continuous positive air pressure). Other benefits of regular CPAP use include higher energy levels, less frequent or severe depression and easier weight loss.

Despite the added health benefits and effectiveness of prescribed treatment with CPAP therapy the average compliance for the nation is only 50%. This is because patients on therapy have to establish regular, nightly use of the equipment, which includes a CPAP mask connected to a tiny air compressor.

According to the NAA, there are three proven strategies that will increase your chances of success with CPAP therapy:

1. Only buy doctor-recommended CPAP equipment ” namely these three manufacturers: ResMed, Fisher & Paykel, and Respironics. These three manufacturers invest millions in R&D each year. Unfortunately, many websites unknowingly offer ‘questionable’ CPAP equipment manufactured in China that neither your doctor nor the NAA would recommend.

2. Only buy your CPAP equipment from an authorized dealer. Avoid the many questionable websites that sell grey-market CPAP equipment. By buying from a ResMed Preferred Internet Provider, you can be sure that your equipment is brand new (not used equipment that is refurbished to look like new). Avoiding used equipment is important given that some used equipment has not even been fully sterilized, putting you at risk of respiratory infections.

3. Get the help and support that you deserve to make CPAP easier. The research shows that patients who get CPAP coaching basically double their chances of success: from under 50% to over 90%. An example of a CPAP supplier who provides free coaching is MySleepMask.com, the NAAs 2008 award winner of Online CPAP Supplier of the Year.

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Cardiovascular Disease is Reversible

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

1,000,000 Americans die from Heart Attacks and or Cardiovascular disease. If you have heart disease, heavy metal toxicity, or high blood pressure don’t become one of these statistics. Please try a effective Oral Chelation and see the benefits for yourself!

Its a scary thought to think that 60 million Americans suffer from heart disease every day. They don’t think they have a choice. I want to tell you about a proven supplement called Oral Chelation that may help assist in reversing these conditions.

With all the chemical and heavy metal toxicity existing around us and burdening the body’s detoxification pathways, it is exceedingly difficult to obtain the levels of nutrients and energy necessary for a healthy lifestyle. Pesticides, soil depletion, radiation, mercury from dental amalgam fillings, cadmium from cigarettes, second hand smoke, chemicals in the air, lead from old mines, gasoline, tap water, and lead-based paints are just some of the toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis.

Health problems caused by low level chronic exposure to heavy metals may take years to appear, and are linked to conditions, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, insomnia, and many more. Many of these heavy metals have been scientifically linked to causing free radical damage, leading to: Heart Attacks, Strokes, Cancers, Fatigue, Memory Loss.

There is a link to Heart Disease and Heavy Metal Toxins. It is worth exploring Oral Chelation as something to help cleanse your arterial walls and thereby reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks while at the same time helping remove heavy metal toxins from other areas of the body.

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