Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Importance of Fish Oil

One of the most common questions we get asked by clients is what supplements they should be taking, if any. The one at the top of the list hands down is an Essential Fatty Acid supplement (fish oil). Even our BDHQ mascot Remmy gets his daily dose of fish oil. But do you know why?

Essential means a nutrient vital to cell life, and our bodies are unable to produce it; therefore, it must be taken in from a food source. Only plants can produce omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids; animals and humans cannot.

Here are some of the many benefits of EFA's:
  • Reduce inflammation throughout your body
  • Reduce the risk of becoming obese and improve the body's ability to respond to insulin by stimulating the secretion of leptin, a hormone that helps regulate food intake, body weight and metabolism, and is expressed primarily by adipocytes (fat cells)
  • Healthy skin, hair and nails
  • Alleviate the symptoms of PMS
  • Reduce the risk of heart disease
  • Important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function
  • Reduction of blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels
There is a HUGE difference between the fish oils you buy at Thriftys or Safeway and the kind you would get from a nutrition company. Nutritionists will tell you that if you’re buying fish oil from a regular store, “you’d have to take upwards of 26 fish oil pills a day” to see any results.

BDHQ carries the highest quality Essential Fatty Acid supplement on the market, OMEGA OIL, made by Fusion. Remmy and I take it daily. The benefits are just as amazing for your dog too, for all you dog lovers out there.

There are also Essential Fatty Acids in the following foods:

1. Flax oil (contains both omega 3 and omega 6 fats, best balance of omega 6:3)
2. pumpkin seeds
3. walnuts & walnut oil (contains both omega 3 and omega 6 fats, but richer in omega 6)
4. soybeans & soybean oil (contains both omega 3 and omega 6 fats, but richer in omega 6)
5. dark green leafy vegetables like seaweed, broccoli, mustard greens, spinach and kale.
6. salmon

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