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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Should You Be Taking ALA Omega 3 Supplements?

One of the most important health discoveries over the last few decades is that most of us are deficient in what is known as the omega 3 essential fatty acids. There are a number of these Omega 3 fats, primarily ALA (alpha linolenic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), though there are others.

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DHA is generally considered to be the most important of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids. This makes up a large proportion of our brain and is essential to good health. EPA is also very important to good health.

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Unfortunately over the last hundred years our diets have changed and we are now eating less and less of the main source of DHA and EPA, namely seafood and in particular oily fish. For this reason it is now generally considered that most of us are deficient in these 2 important nutrients and that this deficiency can lead to a wide range of risks for poor health, and that increasing our intake of both these essential fats can help guard against various health conditions.

But what is ALA Omega 3 fat? DHA and EPA are found in marine sources and in particular oily fish. ALA is an omega 3 fatty acid that is found only in plant based sources. It is not present in fish, and anyone taking fish oil supplements is not getting any ALA in their supplements.

However there are many people taking various vegetarian supplements, primarily amongst them flax seed oil supplements. As flax seed oil supplements contain the plant-based form of Omega 3 fat, namely ALA, are these people therefore getting sufficient quantities of the important essential fatty acids?

Unfortunately no. The reason is that DHA and EPA are by far the most important of the essential fatty acids. ALA can be converted in the body into DHA and EPA, however the rate at which the body converts it is very poor, and varies according to your state of health. Those amongst us who are healthier can convert ALA at a higher rate, those of us less healthy, as well as the elderly, convert it at a slower rate. But in any event the rate at which it is converted to the important essential fatty acids DHA and EPA is very low.

So why would anyone consider taking ALA omega 3 supplements? The answer what we said before. There are many people who are vegetarian who will not be able to eat fish and who will also not be able to consume anything from a fish-based source, namely fish oil supplements. They tend to take vegetarian Omega 3 supplements from such sources as flax seed oil. Unfortunately many of those people are unaware that they are taking a form of omega 3 essential fatty acid which is not particularly beneficial to the health and which does not make up for their low levels of DHA and EPA.

The bottom line is that virtually all of us are deficient in the fish-based Omega 3 fats DHA and EPA. These are what are important to our health and taking an ALA Omega 3 supplement such as a flax seed oil supplement does not address this problem. To find out more about the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA and in particular about where to source high quality fish oil supplements containing these fats visit my website.

Should You Be Taking ALA Omega 3 Supplements?

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Vegetarian Omega-3 Supplements: Echium Oil

Vegetarians may be able to avoid the harmful growth hormones, chemicals, and bad cholesterol sometimes found in meats, but they are also at high risk for omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFAs) deficiencies. These essential fatty acids are critical to cellular health, brain structure, and brain function. Aside from making up 60% of our brain's structure, omega-3 EFAs also contribute to cardiovascular health, joint flexibility, immune system health, balanced moods, and sharp concentration. It is often difficult for vegetarians to obtain omega-3 EFAs because they are usually found in deep-sea fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Although flaxseed oil is one widely-used vegetarian source for EFAs, they only contain one kind of omega-3 fatty acid - alpha linolenic acid (ALA). ALA can be converted into an important long-chain fatty acid called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), but the conversion process can be lengthy and inefficient.

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Recently, however, scientists discovered that the seed of the purple wildflower Echium Plantagineum is a rich source in omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 EFAs. Research shows that echium oil has a rare omega-3 fcalled stearidonic acid (SDA). SDA has a molecular structure similar to EPA, which means it can easily be converted to EPA than ALA. In fact, SDA is known to produce 5 times more EPA than ALA.

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Echium oil also stimulates the production of another long-chain omega-3 fat called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is essential for brain function in adults as well as the visual abilities and nervous system development of infants six months old and younger. DHA is also a structural EFA that makes up part of the brain and retina's physical component.

Aside from these omega-3 fats, echium oil also has an important omega-6 fat called gamma linolenic acid (GLA). Most omega-6 fats actually get in the way of omega-3's health benefits, but GLA actually boosts omega-3's functions. Supplements with GLA are known to improve breast cancer treatment, skin conditions like psoriasis, cardiovascular health, and mental health. Although evening primrose oil is the only other plant source of GLA, nutritionists observe that echium oil contains more GLA per milligram than evening primrose oil.

Finally, echium oil serves as a source of the omega-9 fat oleic acid, a healthy mono-unsaturated fat that promotes antioxidant production, reduces heart disease, and lowers bad cholesterol levels.

The health benefits of echium oil have been studied for several years, and now many health stores carry echium oil supplements. Don't let your dietary choices prevent you from consuming the essential fatty acids you need for good health. Consider making echium oil supplements a part of your diet and lifestyle today.

Vegetarian Omega-3 Supplements: Echium Oil

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Omega 3 Supplements - Good Reasons to Take it Everyday

Did you know omega 3 supplements provide nutrients that were, at one time, present in the food chain, in substantial amounts? Modern farming practices, such as the shift to feeding corn to cattle and poultry, has made them harder to find.

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Plant foods, such as flaxseed and canola oils, contain only one type of the long-chained polyunsaturated fat. It is called alpha-linolenic acid or ALA and is found in olives, walnuts and some other sources. Animal fat may contain ALA, depending on what they eat.

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Some kinds of fish and seafood contain unique polyunsaturated fats called Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA. Regular intake of DHA and EPA has been associated with a variety of health benefits. The same cannot be said of ALA.

Knowing that strict vegans and vegetarians are opposed to the consumption of fish, supplement manufacturers searched for an alternative. They found that some types of marine algae contain DHA, but not EPA.

Some kinds of seaweed or kelp, in particular wakame, contain EPA, but the concentration is very low. So, it would require the consumption large amounts of kelp in order to get a significant amount of EPA through dietary intake, alone.

So, the first thing that you need to be sure of when shopping for omega 3 supplements is the source. If the source is fish oil, then you are getting DHA and EPA. The content varies.

To insure that you are getting enough to experience the health benefits, you will need to read the label. If the milligrams of DHA and EPA are not listed, simply choose another brand. There are dozens to choose from.

If the source is flaxseed, you are only getting ALA. Remember that no health benefits have been associated with increased intake of ALA. If you are a vegan, you can look for omega 3 supplements derived from marine algae, in order to get DHA. Again, it is necessary to read the label. Some marine algae supplements provide different nutrients; still considered good for your health, but not because of the DHA content.

Other important factors to consider when evaluating the brands on the market have to do with purity and freshness. The manufacturers can and should have the oils tested for peroxide and other free radicals that form with the oils become oxidized or spoiled. Once encapsulated, no further spoilage occurs. Consumption of rancid oils will negate any of the health benefits associated with omega 3 supplements.

The benefits noted in scientific studies include a reduced risk of heart disease, a reduced risk of certain kinds of cancer, an improvement in depressive disorders and anxiety issues, better joint function, stronger immune systems and better eye health. There are even some benefits to the reproductive system. Some fertility clinics are recommending supplementation as the first line of treatment for men with low sperm counts or motility.

So, there are plenty of good reasons to take omega 3 supplements every day. We just need to be picky about the ones that we buy.

Omega 3 Supplements - Good Reasons to Take it Everyday

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