The topic of fish oil and ADHD has been often discussed lately in the news, magazines and on the internet.  By the time you finish reading this, you’ll have a better understanding of how the use of fish oil impacted a group of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and also why fish oil and ADHD are so often used together in the same sentence.  From the findings of this research you will be able to draw your own conclusions on whether fish oil is an effective means of treating ADHD and if it is a course of action you would want to take in your own life either with yourself, or a loved one.

ADHD has perplexed many researchers, doctors, behaviorists, therapists and dietitians for decades.  It has received growing attention in recent years as the estimated number of affected children has been estimated to be 3-5%.  Most notably, the condition has reached epidemic proportions with American children.  It is thought that ADHD is caused by low levels of the brain chemical dopamine, and that if levels of this chemical could be restored either by synthetic or natural means, the condition could be reversed or at the very least, controlled.  Ritalin has been the preferred method of treatment for many doctors over the years, and its effectiveness has been attributed to increased dopamine levels the medication causes.

I will refer to something called the AA/EPA ratio in the next few paragraphs.  Essentially what this measures is the ratio of the harmful omega-6 acids to the beneficial omega-3 acids.  The lower this number is for a person, the better.  It has been found that many people with brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, dyslexia, stroke and multiple sclerosis have higher ratios than those that don’t, leading doctors and researchers to believe that omega 3 deficiency and higher levels of omega 6’s in the diet is the cause, or at the very least a contributing factor for many of the brain disorders and chronic conditions we see today.  Such findings are directing many in the medical profession to pay closer attention to the subject of fish oil and ADHD.

Researcher Dr. Barry Sears and colleague Rene Espy engaged in a research experiment where a group of children with ADHD were given high doses of fish oil (10-20 grams) while simultaneously controlling insulin levels in all children for eight weeks.  

The results were astounding.  After a period of only a few weeks, it was noted that “these children’s ability to concentrate increased dramatically” (Sears 145).  It was also noted that there were “positive changes in behavior both in school and at home” (Sears 145).  The children’s blood was measured at the start of the experiment and it was determined that the average AA/EPA ratio was around 22.  It should also be noted that Japanese children have AA/EPA ratios of around 1.5.  Why the comparison to Japanese children?  The reason is because Japanese children have a much higher intake of omega 3’s from fish in their diet than their American counterparts, and the average AA/EPA ratio for them is 1.5.

After the eight week experiment the children’s blood was measured again and it was found that the average AA/EPA ratio was as low as 3, leading the researchers to believe the reduction in ADHD symptoms of lack of concentration and poor focus were directly due to the high levels of fish oil used in the diet.

Dr. Sears also noted that at the end of the eight week experiment, most of the children resorted back to their old eating habits, stopped taking fish oil, and then rapidly deteriorated back to their previous conditions.  

The findings demonstrated that a lower AA/EPA ratio is achieved by reducing omega 6’s in the diet, and increasing omega 3’s via fish oil.  The conclusions to draw from this experiment are that a lower AA/EPA ratio is likely responsible for a reduction in ADHD symptoms and that if the fish oil was to be continuously administered every day, the symptoms of ADHD would either be more manageable or nonexistent.

These results beg the question:  If the children continued on the regimen beyond the eight week trial, would the benefits have persisted?

So, what’s your goal?  Your goal is to determine where you stand on the topic of fish oil and ADHD. Also, to use this information to determine if using fish oil could possibly improve your quality of life or the quality of life of a loved one by reducing or eliminating the effects of ADHD.  Although the experiment is far from conclusive, the results are astounding and shed tremendous light on the miracle of fish oil in the treatment of ADHD.  It should also be noted that there have been many similar experiments conducted with comparable results.

To learn more about the fish oil I use daily to keep my AA/EPA ratio number good, visit my website today!

Ken Corley is an avid supporter of using all natural approaches to every facet of life; from the food we eat, the treatments we use, to the way we exercise. Ken enjoys introducing others to the all natural products and supplements he supports and uses daily at: http://www.fish-oil-supplements-central.com/eza.

Visit his site to learn more about the all natural fish oils, supplements and vitamins that he uses at: http://www.fish-oil-supplements-central.com/eza

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For years when someone would mention that they had found the best fish oil people would just roll their eyes believing that the messenger was simply some kind of health nut pushing another brand of snake oil. But a strange thing happened to this fellow on his way to the natural health funny farm; science started to support his enthusiasm for finding the best fish oil. 

Nevertheless, still omega 3 rich supplements such as fish oil and flax oil are being met with a great deal of skepticism. I know this because just the other day I happened to hear a conservation between a couple in their late 40’s or early 50’s that was quite enlightening. The man who was in somewhat poor health, who had a history of heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis, had paid a visit to his long time doctor for his annual checkup. Expecting a new wiz band medication he was shocked when the doctor asked him if he had considered supplementing his diet with the best fish oil he could find. I don’t know what was said between doctor and patient after that but what I do know is what this man said to his wife. Rather than embracing the new side effect free supplementation ideas he rebelled, and was furious that his physician had suggested something like this after all this time. After all he needed help, not some natural fish oil that couldn’t possibly produce any noticeable results. He then mentioned that the doctor must have found this information on the Internet because he had run out of ideas. 

The truth here is that this gentleman probably has a very good doctor that keeps up with current research trends rather than staying stuck in the past. Many top cardiologist have are embracing omega 3 rich foods and supplements due to their ability to quell general inflammation. 

This benefit found in the best fish oil supplements is thought to be produced by two essential omega 3 fatty acids; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA is essential for the proper functioning of our brains as adults, and for the development of our nervous system and visual abilities during the first six months of life. In addition, omega 3 fatty acids as a part of a healthy diet plan have a positive effect on existing heart disease, help lower triglycerides,  lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of blood clots, improve artery health, and reduce the amount of plaque in the arteries. 

So the doctor was really trying to tell this man what they were doing wasn’t having the desired effect and that perhaps trying the best omega 3 rich fish oil he could find just might improve his overall prognosis. 

What Next? Finding the best fish oil or best fish oils involves both purity and high DHA levels. Generally the best fish oil is considered to be pharmaceutical grade and contains fish body oils from cold water fish such as salmon, herring, hoki, and/or tuna. Also, make sure molecular distillation has been used to separate the toxins (mercury etc…) from the fish oil based on molecular weight fractionation.

Rob Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years
experience in the field of natural health and wellness.
Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at
Purchase Remedies.com

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For centuries, people have been partaking in garlic because they sensed that it was in some way good for them to do so, now modern science is finally catching up and telling us why this “Stinking Rose” is so good for us after all.

While much of the focus has been on the compound allicin, which gives garlic its distinctive pungency and taste some scientists are finding out that this herb is more than just a one trick pony. While allicin does seem to be a potent antioxidant that can help us fight off those nasty cancer causing free radicals, there are other compounds within garlic that also contribute to a healthy heart.

Hydrogen Sulfide

Scientists have lately been looking into the properties of hydrogen sulfide, a substance that forms after garlic is crushed or cut. While probably known more for the stuff that gives rotten eggs their rotten egg smell, Hydrogen sulfide also acts a chemical messenger in the body. It causes blood vessels to relax thus allowing blood to flow more freely through the blood vessels.
According to the study, published in the August 12 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food chemistry, the garlic given to lab rats helped reduce damage from the lack of oxygen to the heart. Good flowing blood is essential to a healthy heart and can be the difference between life and death if a heart attack happens.

The catch

The study was conducted using both processed garlic and raw crushed garlic. According to Dr. Dipak K. Das who led the study, while both helped reduce damage from the lack of oxygen, the rats from the fresh garlic group recovered more quickly from simulated heart attacks and had better blood flow through the aorta and increased pressure in the left ventricle.

This is probably because garlic loses most of its ability to produce hydrogen sulfide when it is cooked or otherwise processed. By crushing and eating garlic raw, you increase the chances of ingesting the compound and thereby helping the blood flow through your heart.

Yulia Berry is an independent health researcher and author of the best selling e-books Aloe – Your Miracle Doctor and ‘Pharmacy in Vegetables’. She distributes a weekly newsletter regarding great home remedies and has written dozens of natural health articles published on hundreds of websites worldwide. Yulia Berry’s new ebook Unlocked Secrets of Curative Garlic to be released soon.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/garlic-freshly-crushed-for-a-healthy-heart-1433258.html

Garlic limits inflammatory compounds

Garlic is great at reducing inflammation because it contains compounds that inhibit lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase which are enzymes that promote inflammatory prostaglandins and thromboxanes. Along with the Vitamin C it contains, these anti-inflammatory compounds in fresh garlic make it especially useful in protecting the body against severe attacks of asthma and can also reduce the pain and inflammation that is caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

NF Kappa B and the common cold

Studies conducted at the University of Munich in Germany have found garlic to significantly reduce the activity of the chemical mediator of inflammation: NF kappa-B. Nuclear transcription factor (NF) kappa-B is a chemical that is activated as part of your immune systems inflammatory response to invading organisms. A surge in NF kappa-B can be triggered by things like allergenic foods, high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, colds, physical trauma and other infections. This NF kappa-B surge promotes the inflammation response and sets up ideal conditions for viruses to replicate. In these German studies, unfertilized garlic caused a 25% drop in NF kappa-B activity in blood samples.

Allicin: the microbe killer

Allicin, the sulfur compound that forms when garlic is chopped or otherwise crushed, not only gives garlic that distinctive pungency, it is also a powerful antiviral and antibacterial agent with the ability to annihilate potentially harmful microbes. Research studies on Allicin show it to be effective against the common cold, flu and stomach viruses. It has also shown the ability to fight off Candida yeast and even defend the body against powerful pathogens such as tuberculosis and botulism.

Peptic ulcers

Garlic cannot prevent a person from getting an infection from Heliobacter pylori, the bacterium which causes peptic ulcers. However, eating garlic may help keep this bacterium from doing too much damage. A study conducted in Turkey compared two groups of people: one group that loved to eat lots of garlic both raw and cooked and another group that avoided it at all costs. Blood samples were collected for 19 months and evaluated for the presence of H.pylori. While both groups did display comparable results when it came to the presence of the bacterium, the garlic loving group did display a much lower H.pylori antibody count within their blood.

Drug resistant Strains of Bacteria

Garlic has also shown the ability to be a potent antibiotic even against strains of drug resistant bacteria. A study published in 2003 by the University of California Irvine Medical School, showed that garlic juice displayed significant antibacterial activity against many antibiotic-resistant strains including staphylococci, enterococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Yulia Berry is an independent health researcher and author of the best selling e-books Aloe – Your Miracle Doctor and ‘Pharmacy in Vegetables’. She distributes a weekly newsletter regarding great home remedies and has written dozens of natural health articles published on hundreds of websites worldwide. Yulia Berry’s new ebook Unlocked Secrets of Curative Garlic to be released soon.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/garlic-the-anti-everything-1433505.html

Not many men are aware that as they get older, their prostate ages as well. The prostate, situated behind the bladder, is part of the male reproductive system. For many men, an aging prostate can lead to severe lifestyle impediments. Simple things which were once taken for granted become a cumbersome activity. An aging prostate can affect your sleep patterns, intimacy and bathroom habits. Many men find themselves defeated and the lifestyle they once enjoyed may seem like its gone down the toilet..

Doctors may prescribe prostate medication for an aging prostate–many of which have side effects. A natural way to take care of prostate health is to begin making healthy lifestyle changes early on in life. Prostate nutrition can help to support prostrate health. Research shows the possibility that poor prostate health may be due to insufficiencies in the diet. More and more doctors now believe that prostate health may be manipulated by supplemented prostate nutrition.

The following tips may help support prostate nutrition. Remember, lifestyle changes made early on in life could help to support prostate health later on in life.

• Up your intake of fruits and vegetables to at least 5 servings a day. Limit your intake of red meat and saturated fats.
• Maintain a fiber-rich diet. Psyllium husk is an FDA-approved dietary fiber. Either include more fiber in your diet or take a dietary fiber supplement containing psyllium.
• Foods that are known to specifically help boost prostate nutrition are whole grains, soybeans, wheatgrass, avocados, Saw palmetto and pumpkin seeds. Tomatoes, too, as they contain a nutrient called lycopene known to support prostate health. Lycopene is more prevalent in processed tomatoes than in fresh ones.
• You may be able to get an uninterrupted night’s sleep if you limit your liquid intake especially after dinner.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants that may keep you awake at night.
• A regular exercise regimen is a must for supporting general health. Harvard studies show that exercise can specifically help support prostate health and intimacy. In addition, ask your doctor about special exercises, called Kegel, which can help protect prostate health. Kegel exercises involve contracting and releasing the pelvic muscles.
• If you are overweight, consult with your doctor on how you can establish a weight management plan that’s right for you. It’s important that you bring your weight down to an optimal weight for your height and age. Overweight men are more likely to suffer from poor prostate health.
• Zinc is found in high concentration in the prostate. It is linked to a healthy prostate as is the mineral, selenium. Vitamin D is also found to help support prostate nutrition.
• Include a daily intake of a dietary prostate supplement that contains beta sitosterol, a plant sterol, known to have properties that can help support healthy prostate functions. Saw palmetto contains beta sitosterol but in a lesser degree. You would need to take hundreds of saw palmetto tablets to equal one tablet that contains 600 mg of pure beta sitosterol. Beta sitosterol is considered to be an important aspect of prostate nutrition.

It is estimated that about two-thirds of men between 40 and 60 suffer from poor prostate health. Regular checkups after the age of forty are recommended. Primary factors that may indicate you would need to take greater preventive measures are:

• family history of poor prostate health
• obesity
• ethnicity (African-American are more prone to poor prostate health)

Prostate nutrition can be supplemented by dietary supplements that contain beta-sitosterol as the primary ingredient. Prostate supplements are becoming increasingly more popular as they have given users satisfactory results with no known side effects. Super Beta Prostate is a scientific blend of beneficial vitamins and minerals along with beta sitosterol. It nutritionally supports healthy prostate functions, bladder and urinary functions.

New Vitality is a health supplements company. It develops supplement products which are carefully formulated under the guidance of an elite panel comprised of renowned doctors, nutritionists, chemists and researchers. Whether you want a prostate health product, pet health supplement, a personal care product or healthy prostate supplements, New Vitality is a one-stop shop for all needs.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/prostate-nutrition-helping-to-restore-a-more-active-lifestyle-1418646.html

Selenium deficiency often goes untreated because it does not create any noticeable symptoms. A certain amount of selenium is needed to protect the body from viruses and to promote healthy thyroid function. Research is being done and shows promise in using selenium to treat HIV and AIDS, allergies, flu, chronic fatigue syndrome, strokes, arthritis and more.

Selenium helps to regulate thyroid hormones and also supports the immune system. It helps to create antioxidants that clear out and protect cells from free radicals. Selenium deficiency is thought to trigger viruses into attacking and reproducing. Studies are being done to test the theory that selenium deficiency is the trigger for the HIV virus (among others) to switch from dormant into active status. It is believed that viruses switch into action when they need to visit more cells in search for more selenium. It is also believed that appropriate selenium levels slow down the HIV virus replication process.

Selenium is critical for thyroid hormone metabolism. It is part of the enzyme necessary for conversion of T4 hormone into the active form T3. Low selenium levels can lead to thyroid damage and hypothyroidism. However, high levels can do the same thing. Therefore, if you have thyroid issues, it is extremely important to monitor your thyroid function along with your dietary intake of selenium. A skilled physician or nutritionist will help you adjust and determine the right dosage of vitamins and supplements required for your thyroid to function at its best level.

We get selenium from whole grains, some seafood, most meats, and nuts. The amount of selenium we get from grains and nuts depends on the selenium content of the soil that they were grown in. The content of selenium in meat depends on the amount present in the plants that the animals fed on. Levels of selenium in soil vary so much from region to region that it is very hard to tell how much we are actually getting.

Brazil nuts have an unusually high amount of selenium, as much as eight hundred times the daily requirement per ounce. If you do eat Brazil nuts, do so in moderation and watch for side effects of having too much selenium in your diet. Hair loss, horizontal white streaking or blotching of the fingernails, garlic breath, gastrointestinal disturbance, fatigue, irritability, and flushing of the face are signs of too much selenium.

The anti-viral, antioxidant and antibiotic properties of selenium make it useful for maintaining a healthy immune system and is thought to help prevent heart disease and certain cancers. Depletions can occur when you have gastrointestinal problems that cause selenium not to be absorbed. Selenium is also destroyed in foods that are processed or refined. This can lead to autoimmune problems and thyroid problems.

Talk with your doctor if you plan on supplementing with selenium before you buy vitamins. A vitamins and supplements regimen should be discussed with a health care professional familiar with your health history and current medications to avoid drug interactions or unwanted side effects.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements. Wholesale Nutrition has the best vitamin C Powder on the market (C-Salts). Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy vitamins or buy supplements of the highest quality.

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It is never too early to begin supplementing calcium and vitamin D for building bone mass.  Osteoporosis is a common problem among the elderly, but is totally preventable and treatable.  Women especially are at risk, because they can lose up to 5% of their bone mass every year for up to seven years after menopause.  With crippling fractures and death from complications of fractures on the rise, we need to be sure that we are letting people know how vitamins and supplements can help them prevent and treat osteoporosis.

Our bodies only build bone for the first 20-30 years of our lives.  After that, we begin to deplete the stores of calcium that we have.  We lose a lot of bone mass in our 30’s and 40’s.  Some people are already losing bone mass in their 20’s and are unaware of it.  Vitamins and supplements, diet and exercise are crucial to retaining calcium stores.

Your body constantly uses calcium to support your muscles, heartbeat, nerve function, and blood coagulation.  This calcium needs to be in your blood, so your body constantly takes it from your bones.  If you are not getting enough calcium in your diet, then your bones are quickly depleted and left brittle and porous.

Some people don’t understand just how serious osteoporosis can be.  You don’t have to fall down or have some sort of accident to break a brittle bone.  Brittle bones are a lot like porcelain lace and do not have the flexibility of healthy bone.  They are lacking the calcium that makes them hard.  They do not have the healthy living cells of normal bone that are responsible for repairing damage.  Bones can break and crumble with something as simple as a sneeze, bending over, or moving a kitchen chair.

Preserving and constantly replacing your bones stores is essential.  A normal person needs as much as five cups of milk every day to keep up with their body’s calcium requirement and you could need even more if you are pregnant, lactating, or in menopause.  Most people cannot keep up with this requirement, plus, most people can’t even absorb all of the calcium in dairy products.  Better sources of calcium include certain greens, beans and broccoli.  Eating enough of these foods every day is not likely to happen, so supplementing is highly recommended by doctors.

In addition to calcium supplements, you need vitamin D to help the calcium be absorbed.  Many people are unaware that they are vitamin D deficient.  Working indoors, using sunscreen, and relying on milk to provide vitamin D all contribute to becoming deficient.  It is extremely difficult to put vitamin D in milk.  Recent studies show that over 70% of milk samples do not contain nearly the amount of vitamin D that is printed on the label.  Since vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption, most doctors urge patients to supplement with vitamin D and calcium together.

Other vitamins and supplements are important, too.  Magnesium is required to convert vitamin D into an active form and is also essential for shuttling calcium into the bones.  Magnesium usually comes from vegetables, but magnesium is depleted from soil over time, so vegetables now have less magnesium than we might have thought.

Talk to your doctor before you buy vitamins.  Taking the right combination of vitamins and supplements on a daily basis can help you to prevent and treat osteoporosis.  Remember that it is never too early to be concerned with your bone health, so talk with your physician today.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements. Wholesale Nutrition has the best vitamin C Powder on the market (C-Salts). Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy vitamins or buy supplements of the highest quality.

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There is nothing in a man’s body that influences him more than Testosterone. It is the hormone that makes men men and gives them their male traits and characteristics.

Increase testosterone production during puberty is what leads to the additional growth of external male genitalia, growth of facial and torso hair etc., Testosterone is the hormone that governs sex drive, sexual and erectile function in men. Not only this, it also regulates your reproductive function by controlling the production of sperm.

Your higher muscle mass and strength factor and aggressive behavior are also a contribution of this male hormone.

I think it is apt to say “Men would not be men without testosterone.”

However, testosterone levels begin declining with age and this leads to a whole lot of changes in the body as well as your behavior.

Reduced sex drive, impotence or erectile disorder, loss of lean muscle, increased fat content and weight gain, mood swings, depression are all effects of low testosterone levels.

However, restoring testosterone levels can help you overcome all the above effects. This is what years of research has revealed.

However, testosterone replacement therapy comes with some serious side effects such as development of male breast, fluid retention, enlargement of prostate, increase in red blood cells resulting in higher chances of heart strokes and diabetes etc.,

However, there are some herbal or natural supplements that can help boost testosterone levels without any side effects.

Natural Testosterone Supplements

There are some natural testosterone supplements that are formulated with finest herbal extracts and other natural ingredients that have been used since ages to enhance testosterone and male libido.

Some of such herbs that can do wonders for your testosterone levels include  Tribulus Terrestris and Tongat Ali or Long Jack.

Tribulus Terrestris is also known as the Puncture Vine. Under the Indian Medicine Syetm of Ayurveda it is called Gokshura and is used to treat various sort of male health problems includes sexual dysfunction and lack of ejaculatory control.

Tribulus Terrestris helps increase the production of Lutenizing hormone that helps stimulate and increase the production of testosterone by the testes.

It is one of the most important ingredients in may herbal male enhancement pills.

Tongat Ali or Long jack is another herb that can boost testosterone levels.

Natural testosterone supplements combine these herbs with other natural herbs and nutrients so that your body not only produces more testosterone but your blood circulation can also be increased. Moreover, they have a therapeutic effect on your mental or emotional state and are likely to reduce stress.

Here it is important to note that stress is one of the major factors that can diminish testosterone production.

Some of the benefits of natural testosterone supplements include:

• improved libido and powerful erections
• increased energy levels
• gain in lean muscle
• reduced fat content and weight loss
• better mood and improved sleep quality
• improved mental alertness and memory etc.,

There is hardly anything ion your body that remains untouched with these supplements.

Though natural supplements are not regulated by FDA it is important that they should be clinically approved. Moreover, they should be manufactured in a cGMP certified or FDA approved lab facility.

High quality supplements are clinically approved and recommended by doctors as well. Moreover, they are free of side effects and come with an iron clad money back guarantee.

Find out more on the best Natural Testosterone Supplements for men that are clinically approved and have helped thousands of men boost their testosterone levels without the side effects of testosterone replacement therapy.

Matt Penn is a leading health expert and has helped many a men get over various health problems with natural supplements and cures. Find out more on the Best Natural Testosterone Booster for men.

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I was concerned when I heard that many doctors are missing the boat by not advising their patient as to the proven benefits associated with fish oils and depression.  It seems as though whenever you visit the doctor for any reason, they are quick to want to prescribe some sort of chemically based drug to you in order to treat the problem.  None of the formulas designed to treat ailments such as depression are without their side effects though.

It seems as though no medical professional is willing to even discuss the findings of thousands of clinical studies that point out that a high level of DHA omega-3 fatty acid is just as effective at treating depression and other mood disorders as the medication currently being prescribed.  The only difference between fatty acids and those prescription medications is that fatty acids do not present any risk.

The connection between fish oils and depression is cemented in the fact that so many studies have proven that the cause of depression and other mood disorder stem from a deficiency in DHA omega-3 fatty acids.  It has been shown that low levels of DHA in the frontal cortex of the brain can cause a lot of things to happen, with depression, aggressive behavior, hostility, and suicidal tendencies topping the list.

Why is it that so many people nowadays suffer from lowered levels of DHA, and omega-3s in general?  A lot of it has to do with what is in our diet.  DHA is an essential fatty acid, and although the body can produce some DHA by deriving it from EPA, it is much more efficient for us to obtain our DHA through the foods that we eat.  This is where we run into problems.

The connection between fish oils and depression may have come to the forefront specifically because of our diets.  We have moved away from the healthy, natural, omega-3 rich foods that we used to eat, and instead now subsist on vast amounts of foods containing soy, corn, palm, and cottonseed oils.  The consumption of soy oil alone has increased a thousand-fold over the last 100 years.

What this has done is totally throw the balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids out of whack.  We are consuming far more omega-6 fatty acids now than omega-3s, and this is very bad.  While we need both types of omega fatty acids and the inflammation that they cause in order to have a strong immune system, omega-6s produce far more inflammation than the body needs, which can be harmful.

Omega-3 fatty acids balance out the harmful effect that can be caused by unchecked levels of omega-6s.  Your levels of omega-3 fatty acids will ideally be higher than those of omega-6 in order to prevent the diseases caused by chronic inflammation.  Low levels of DHA omega-3 fish oils and depression will be remedied once a DHA rich omega-3 dietary supplement is added to your diet.

Make no mistake about it, the connection between fish oils and depression has been made and omega-3 fatty acid fish oil supplements are the answer to all of your problems.

Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily. Visit her site http://www.omega-3-for-health.com to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.

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Did you know that prenatal omega 3 fatty acid intake should be higher than what is recommended for non-pregnant women?  A woman’s needs are also higher when she is breast feeding.  If her dietary needs for DHA are not met, she could experience a variety of health problems.

DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid is an omega-3 that is essential for normal brain development in the fetus and in the infant.  It continues to be important throughout a person’s life.  A lack of it throughout a person’s life could be one of the causes of Alzheimer’s.  Research concerning that is currently ongoing.

DHA is naturally present in human breast milk.  Many infant formulas are now fortified with it, too.  For years, studies had shown that breast fed babies developed cognitive functions faster than formula fed infants.  It was only recently that DHA was isolated as the difference.  It is not present in cow’s milk or soy products.

In fact, the only real dietary source of DHA is fish.  If a woman does not eat fish on a regular basis, her blood levels will be low.  Her body will make sure that the baby gets enough, but her own health could fail.

Some studies indicate that taking prenatal omega 3 supplements could reduce a woman’s risk of post-partum depression.  Low levels of DHA in the bloodstream have long been associated with depressive disorders.  A woman’s blood level of DHA is extremely low right after delivery.  So, it stands to reason that a lack of DHA plays a role in post-partum depression.

There is always concern when a woman that suffers from depression becomes pregnant.  If she is taking anti-depressant drugs, her baby has a greater risk of certain kinds of congenital heart defects.  But, being depressed during pregnancy is dangerous, too.

It is hoped that prenatal omega 3 supplements may help.  Studies indicate that it helps with other things, as well.

Babies born to mothers that got enough omega-3s during pregnancy have a reduced risk of asthma and allergies.  The same is true of breast-fed children.

Other studies have shown that the babies develop their visual acuity faster, when their mom’s got plenty of DHA.  Not only is it found in the brain, it is also found in the back of the eye.  A recent study concluded that high intake of DHA throughout a person’s life decreases their risk of age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in the elderly.

If you do decide to take a prenatal omega 3 supplement, you should check out the manufacturer’s standards for purity and freshness.  You don’t want to be exposed to mercury or other contaminants and a spoiled supplement could make you ill.

You should also follow the manufacturer’s directions concerning dosage, unless your doctor has made a specific recommendation.  More is not better when it comes to dietary supplements.

In conclusion, there are likely other benefits of prenatal omega 3 supplements.  The ones mentioned here are those that have been the subjects of numerous studies.  We’re sure the nutrient is important for you and your baby.

Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily. Visit her site http://www.omega-3-for-health.com to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/discover-the-best-prenatal-omega-3-1398586.html