Fish Oil and Omega 3 Health Benefits

If you are like most people, you probably do not really enjoy getting your omega 3s. After all, even if you just love fish, it can be hard to choke down even the most delicious salmon day after day – particularly in the volumes that are required for you to get enough omega 3 fatty acids. Fortunately, there are other foods that are high in omega 3s that you can work into your daily diet to increase the volume of omega 3 fatty acids that you take in each day. They are delicious, nutritious, and will provide some variety for you in your quest for healthy eating and living.

One of the trendiest ways to work omega 3 into your diet is to cook with flaxseed oil. This popular vegan alternative to fish oil has been getting a lot of press lately for helping lower cholesterol and a variety of other health benefits. However, you should be aware that some studies indicate that the omega 3s in flaxseed oil are not actually in a form that can be used by your body to derive most of the benefits commonly associated with omega 3 fatty acids. So unless you just like flax, it may behoove you to move on to better sources of omega 3’s.

A variety of nuts contain high levels of omega 3s, which could be a nice alternative to fish and flax. Walnuts, butternuts and almonds all are excellent sources of omega 3. Thanks to omega 3 fatty acids and high antioxidant levels, they are also directly associated with a variety of cosmetic anti-aging benefits, including more resilient, collagen-packed facial skin. However, most sources simply refer to the incorporation of these foods into your diet as “having a handful of nuts.” To really get the proper levels of omega 3 out of this source, you better have multiple handfuls throughout the day, which can get fatty and expensive.

Interestingly, seasonings and spices are a great source of omega 3 as well. Marjoram, basil, grape leaves and cloves are all excellent sources of omega 3, though to get your daily dosage just from these spices, you are going to need to cook up some pretty strong dishes.

If at this point fish is sounding like the simplest option, here are a few more things to consider. You would need to eat 2 pounds of salmon a day to get adequate amounts of omega 3. Furthermore, fish are best for omega 3 when they are raw, so you might want to consider developing a taste for sushi.

Thinking of giving up? Why not simplify the entire process by taking a basic omega 3 salmon oil supplement designed to give you all of the benefits of omega 3 without your having to cram fistfuls of nuts into your mouth or resign yourself to smelling like a fish tank? Sounds pretty good to me. Learn more about healthy, effective omega 3 salmon oil supplements and requirements at http://www.omega-3.us.

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If you have ever gone a few days without showering, then you are probably laughing to yourself right now after reading the title of this post. After all, we all know that greasy, oily, slick hair is not healthy – and it’s not very pretty either. But when is oil good for your hair? We all have heard about mayonnaise conditioners (even if we haven’t tried them), and there are myriad olive oil hair masks and oily leave-in hair conditioners out there tempting us with the promise of long, luxuriant tresses.

Still not convinced that dousing yourself in cooking oil is the way to go? Do not worry. There is a way to get all the “oil” your hair needs – and help your heart and mind at the same time. Sound too good to be true? Probably. But it is. Fish oil is great for your hair, and you do not even have to bathe in it!

Skip the slick bath and the twenty shampoos and rinses to get the oil out; you can help your hair by getting plenty of omega 3 fatty acids in a daily fish oil supplement. Nutritional deficiencies show up first on your head, and since most people do not get nearly enough omega 3 fatty acids, the odds are that dry, brittle or thin hair can be alleviated – if not cured – with a daily dose of fish oil.

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A few years ago, I changed my diet completely. I altered my food intake so dramatically that many of my friends and relatives thought I was joking when I told them how often I was eating fish, how I ate nuts and grapes leaves for snacks, and how my major indulgence was a cup or two of blueberries. As you may have guessed, I changed my diet in order to dramatically increase my natural intake of omega 3 fatty acids.

And there were a lot of benefits. I certainly slimmed down and toned up thanks to the low-fat, high-protein diet I was now eating. And the lack of processed sugars did not hurt anything either. I definitely felt good, and I was sure that I was doing everything I could to insure that my heart, my mind and my general health would remain good far into the foreseeable future.

However, when I went in for my annual physical, I was sorely disappointed. Sure, my doctor was pleased with my improved fitness and energy levels, but it turned out that my cholesterol, never low, was even higher than before. I was furious. I was offended. I suspected a conspiracy. After all, hadn’t I made some seriously difficult changes to my diet to address this type of thing, and wasn’t it omega 3’s job to keep my cholesterol down? Well, I had some disappointing news coming.

It turns out that while you can alter your diet to take in far more omega 3 fatty acids that you used to on a conventional diet, you probably still are not getting enough omega 3 fatty acids to reap the full benefits of this essential nutrient unless you are basically living like an Eskimo and eating fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner – and frankly, that has some drawbacks of its own. My doctor told me (and I did some research to verify what he was saying) that probably the most effective way for me to get adequate daily allowances of omega 3 fatty acids was to start simply taking an omega 3 fatty acid supplement.

He recommended a supplement made from salmon oil, since salmon is generally acknowledged to be the best source of omega 3s, and recommended that I choose one endorsed by the World Health Organization and certified toxin-free, since many fish oil supplements are actually made from fish slightly tainted by mercury or other common aquatic pollutants. I added the supplement to my diet and worked with my doctor to make sure that I was not overdoing anything, and soon my cholesterol took a long-awaited dip. It was the best news I had had in a long time, and I was really proud of my new health.

So yes, omega 3s are definitely worth it, but that does not mean you need to go into things blindly. Work with your physician to find a good omega 3 supplement like this one (http://www.omega-3.us) and to develop a diet plan that will work for you and your health goals.

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