Fight Inflammation

Now that you know how inflammation can effect the body, let's go over what causes this inflammation and what we can do about it. Like so many other things, it all comes back to diet and exercise. Our society is surrounded by inflammatory foods. Processed foods, sugars, soda, white flour (bread, pasta), hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, vegetable oils, etc. These can all have a direct effect on increasing our blood sugar and insulin levels as well as creating free radicals in the system which can damage healthy tissue. If we looked back at our ancestors, we would see the women out gathering fruits and vegetables, while the men were hunting and fishing for the meat. Their diets consisted of fresh fruits and vegetables and meat and fish. Is it a coincidence that the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other diseases has drastically increased over the years with poorer nutrition?

I'm sure you have heard it a hundred times before, but so many health issues can be helped through a better diet and some regular exercise. Well, the same holds true for helping to avoid inflammation in your body. The closer you can eat to how our ancestors once ate, the better off you will be. One of the best ways to combat the inflammatory and free radical damage in your body is through phytonutrients and anti-oxidants which are found primarily in fruits and vegetables. Eat as much fruits and vegetables as you would like throughout the day. Just remember that fruit contains a lot of sugar and vegetables tend to have more beneficial phytonutrients, so try to eat more veggies than fruit. As far as meat, lean meats such as chicken and fish are much better than the pro-inflammatory red meats. The omega-3 fats found in fish are also very anti-inflammatory in nature.

Here are some more anti-inflammatory tips:

• Use herbs such as tumeric (found in curry), ginger, and cayenne pepper
• Use olive oil instead of vegetable or canola oil
• Avoid processed and commercially processed foods which usually contain hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup
• Eat other omega-3 rich foods such as walnuts, flax seeds, almonds, green leafy vegetables
• Get 4-5 days of 30 minutes of cardio exercise each week (easy as taking your dog on a walk)
• Eat fresh food

Live Well.

Healthy Home Tips for Parents...or anyone!

I found a list that was put together by the Environmental Working Group (a non-profit organization that focuses on protecting public health and environment) that I wanted to share with you. Although it says it is for parents, it really is a useful guide for anyone! I have already talked about many of the things on the list in previous posts, but it is a good guide to print out and hang on your fridge. If you have questions about any of the tips, refer back to my previous posts for more information on the topic or just post a response with your question.

Click HERE for the guide!

Have a great week!

Live Well.

That's a little fishy...

Now that I got all that science stuff out of the way on the last post, let's get to the actual fish oil. So, as I said in the last post, fish oil is a great way to get Omega-3 fats in your diet. Because of the anti-inflammatory benefits of the Omega-3 in fish oils, studies have shown to help with many health related issues such as: heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers, Crohn's disease, high cholesterol, depression, and others.

How much should you take daily?

There are two main types of Omega-3 fats in fish oil, EPA and DHA. Most fish oils contain both EPA and DHA and the label should show how much of each and the total of all Omega-3s. I see a lot of recommendations of 400-800 mg daily. However, I believe that would be the minimum dose, but ultimately you should try to get between 1000 and 2000 mg of total Omega-3s each day with slightly more EPA than DHA. On days that you eat fish, you don't have to supplement with fish oil. If you are nursing or pregnant, you should take a fish oil that contains more DHA than EPA. DHA is good for the healthy development of infant brain, eyes, and nervous system. If you suffer from any of the health problems above, you should increase the total Omega-3s to 2000-4000 mg daily. Try to split the dose so that you are taking 2 to 3 smaller doses throughout the day.

How to find a good fish oil

There are a few main things to take into consideration when looking for a good fish oil. It usually comes in a soft gel or liquid form.

1. As stated above, look at the total amounts of EPA, DHA, and total Omega-3s. Total Omega-3s should be between 1000-2000 mg.

2. The label should state something about being molecularly distilled and third party tested. This process helps to purify the fish oil to remove contaminants and mercury.

3. The ingredients should state what type of fish were used for the Omega-3s. Look for sardines, anchovies, salmon, and/or cod. These are deep water fish which contain good Omega-3 fats. * Note: Cod liver oil can contain high levels of Vitamin A and D.

4. Smell Test: After purchasing the fish oil, open and smell the oil. If it smells fishy, it probably is rancid or not good quality and may not be as effective.

5. Taste Test: I'm sure you have heard of the "fish burp" with fish oils. Well, this is exactly what it sounds like. If you get a fish burp taste after taking the fish oil, it is probably rancid or not good quality and may not be as effective.

The brand I use at my office is Nordic Naturals, but there are many good brands that meet all the guidelines above. Most health food stores carry quality fish oils.

* Note: Because omega-3s inhibit blood clotting, avoid taking fish oil supplements two weeks before and one week after surgery. Consult a doctor before taking the supplements if you have a chronic blood disorder or are taking blood thinner or other medications.

I really think fish oil is one of the best things you can supplement to your diet for overall health!

If you have any other questions or concerns about fish oil, post a comment and I'll get back to you!

In my next post, I will talk about probiotics!

Thank you veterans!!

Live Well.

Go Fish!

Happy Election Day! Be sure to Vote!!!

With so many vitamins and supplements available, I get a lot of questions about what they are good for and which ones are most important. First, having a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, and lean meats (chicken and fish) while avoiding white sugar and white flour is the absolute best thing you can do for yourself (see previous posts). However, because not everyone has the perfect diet, there are some things that you can benefit from by supplementing to your diet.

One of the best things I tell people they can supplement to their diet is Essential Fatty Acids better known as Omega Fats especially Omega-3. The reason they are called Essential Fatty Acids is because our body can not make these on its own. Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fats are the Essential Fatty Acids. Omega-9 Fats (found in olive oil) are also important, but not considered an essential fatty acid since our body can produce them on its own.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are probably the most important of the three because of the ability to decrease inflammation. Inflammation can lead to degeneration and disease. Omega 6 tends to increase inflammation. Unfortunately, most of us get too much Omega-6 in our diet through cooking oils like soybean, sunflower, canola, and corn oils (found in most packaged foods). Yet, we don't get enough of the anti-inflammatory Omega-3 found in fatty fish (wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies), walnuts, flax seed, and dark green leafy vegetables.

The point of all this is that you need more Omega-3 Fatty Acids in your diet. Unless you are eating fatty fish 3-4 times per week, a fish oil supplement is a great way to add this anti-inflammatory protection to your body.

Next time, I will talk more about the benefits of fish oil and how you can find good quality fish oil. Not all fish oil is the same!!

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE TODAY!!!!!

Live Well.