Monday, October 10, 2011

Omega 3 Supplements For A Psoriasis-Free Life

Living well despite psoriasis involves more than just taking medications for it. It also means taking a more active role in your personal care and transforming bad habits into a healthy lifestyle that can boost your overall well-being. Psoriasis is not just a disease that afflicts your skin or the joints; if not managed properly, it can develop into other conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Start by treating one of the root causes of psoriasis with an omega 3 supplement.

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Current research shows that psoriasis may be partially caused by a problem with how the body metabolizes fatty acids, or a lack of fatty acids in the diet. To counter this, experts discovered that consuming a long-chain omega 3 fatty acid called EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) can minimize many of psoriasis's symptoms. Aside from that, omega 3 fats can improve your brain functions and protect you from heart disease. How does this happen? Every cell in the body needs fat to make up the structure of their membranes. When there are more omega 3 fats than any other fats in the body, cell membranes are more pliant, supple, and adaptable. omega 3 fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory benefits that reduce swelling, pain, and redness in people with psoriasis. However, the average modern diet contains a number of omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils and animal fat. Unlike omega 3 fatty acids, which cool down inflammation and improve the quality of cell membranes, omega-6 fats promote inflammation. When this happens, blood vessels get constricted, cell membranes become stiffer and less responsive, and a number of common diseases get aggravated.

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You can manage your psoriasis by taking omega 3 supplements, but it's important for you to know that not all omega 3 fatty acids are the same. Your supplements should contain EPA and DHA (docosahexenoic acid), another long-chain omega 3 fat with anti-inflammatory benefits. Most people are not aware that there is a third type of omega 3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) from flaxseed oil and other plant sources. ALA is the "mother" of EPA and DHA - that is, the body converts ALA into EPA and DHA. However, this conversion process happens slowly, and many individuals have trouble converting ALA in the first place. This is why your omega 3 supplements should contain EPA and DHA - so you can receive the right amounts of each omega 3 fat without worrying about losing some in the conversion process.

One other natural remedy you can look into is zinc supplements. Our skin contains 1/5th of the body's zinc stores, and research discovered that rats deficient in zinc develop a condition similar to psoriasis. Like omega 3 fatty acids, zinc is highly deficient in the average Western diet. Current studies show that 500mg zinc daily is safe for psoriasis patients, but consult your doctor first before you take any supplements.

Omega 3 Supplements For A Psoriasis-Free Life

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