Thursday, December 27, 2007

Pharmaceutical Grade Omega 3 Fish Oil
In todays highly refined, white bread, meat and sugar diet, omega-3s have been replaced almost exclusively by omega-6 fats such as corn, safflower and sunflower oils. Although these are good for you as well (and not to be confused with “bad for you” oils like anything that has been hydrogenated or with trans fat, including most margarines), they must be balanced with omega-3s at a ratio of 1:1 for optimal health. Today’s American diet typically contains omega-6s as compared to omega-3s in a ratio of 20:1 and upwards, even, of 50:1, so it is very unfortunately skewed in favor of omega-6s.
Specifically, omega-3 fats, especially concentrated in select fish, have been found to be beneficial to the brain and are therefore irreplaceably important. They also benefit other parts of the body such as the skin and heart.
Fish oil is comprised of two fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). We need both for optimal health. DHA is the most prevalent polyunsaturated fat in the central nervous system and is especially important not just for adults, but for children’s proper neurological development. Pregnant moms especially are advised to ingest omega-3s for optimal fetal brain development especially during the third trimester where the most development takes place.
Lack of DHA has also been associated with everything from depression to schizophrenia to Alzheimer’s disease. It has even been touted in at least one British study to help children suffering from ADD, attention deficit disorder.
The reason behind DHA’s importance in brain health, especially, is that the brain is comprised almost entirely of fat, the most important of which is the omega-3s and improves communication between nerve synapses in the brain. DHA is believed to help increase serotonin levels in the brain; serotonin is a “feel good” hormone that chronically sad or depressed people are often found to be lacking in.
EPA, the other component in fish oil, also helps with depression, and is beneficial to the heart as well as to joint health, skin and more. Taking pharmaceutical grade fish oil can provide optimal supplementation of both fatty acids.

Omegas 3’s are essential fatty acids and can’t be produced by the body and must be supplemented through diet.
If you are a person that doesn’t consume large amounts of fish or doesn’t like fish,
supplementation with fish oil may be a better alternative.
The wild fish taken from lakes, streams, and the ocean may contain high levels of mercury, which is poisonous and should be avoided.
The omega- 3’s in Sealogix pharmaceutical grade fish oil are from fish located in some of the cleanest waters in the world from fisheries that are renewable and fully-sustainable. The fish oil is then molecularly distilled to concentrate and purify the oil, removing the contaminants.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Lori Matthews studies health, nutrition and wellness. She enjoys writing articles on health for both people and pets. Please visit omega 3's from fish oil for more information.


Liver Function Tests: So Mysterious, Yet So Important
The liver is the second largest organ in the human body (only the skin is bigger). The liver is also one of the most important organs, because it performs dozens of tasks that are critical to human health. Since most liver diseases cause only mild symptoms in the early stages, it's vital to detect these diseases early.
Basically, liver function tests, which are also routinely called "LFTs," assess the overall health and the anatomical integrity of liver. LFTs include measurements of albumin, various liver enzymes, bilirubin, cholesterol and total protein. All of these tests can be performed at the same time.
Liver function tests are generally divided into four categories.
1) Tests based on the detoxification and excretory functions. The serum bilirubin test is typical. Bilirubin is an orange-colored substance in bile produced by the breakdown of red blood cells. When bilirubin levels are high, a condition called jaundice occurs. Too much bilirubin is usually due to increased destruction of red blood cells (hemolysis) or because the liver can no longer remove bilirubin in a timely manner.

2) Tests that detect damage to the liver structure. There are a number of enzymes in the liver. Elevated liver enzymes indicate that there is damage to the liver cells, or that there is an obstruction to bile flow.

3) Tests based on bio-synthetic functions. These liver function tests typically include the serum albumin test and the serum globulin test.
Serum albumin is the main protein in blood plasma. A decrease in the serum albumin level may indicate chronic liver disease. Serum albumin can also be decreased in other conditions like kidney disorders and malnutrition.

The serum globulin test measures the three types of globulins (globulins contain most of the antibodies of the blood): alpha, beta and gamma. The liver synthesizes the first two and the cells of the immune system synthesize the gamma globulin. In liver disorders, the alpha and the beta globulin are decreased and the gamma globulin levels are significantly increased. The normal albumin globulin ratio is reversed.

4) Other tests might include ultrasonography and biopsy. Ultrasonography is done as the first test for diagnosing obstructive jaundice. It is also done in cases of gall stone disease and detecting lesions in the liver. Along with Doppler, it is used to assess the condition of the blood vessels.

Biopsy is done through the skin (sometimes with the ultrasonographic guidance) in cases of liver disease of uncertain cause. Biopsy can also uncover suspected cancers, enlarged liver and enlarged spleen.

In summary, liver function tests evaluate a wide range of normal tasks performed by the liver. But a reliable diagnosis also depends on a complete history and complete physical examination in addition to the test themselves.

For more information on the topics covered in this article, click on Liver Function Tests
George McKenzie is a retired TV anchor, medical reporter and radio talk show host.


Does Salt Matter Your Heart Health?
We add salt into our food to make it tasty. Occasionally, we also put salt into our mouth if we have ulcer because it can make the ulcer healed faster. In older time when we do not have refrigerator, salt was used to preserve our food for longer period of time.
Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is a mineral that is needed by our body everyday. Our body requires a certain amount of salt to regulate our blood circulation and balance the tissue fluids which transport oxygen and nutrients to various parts of our body. Salt also helps the electrical charges to move in and out of our cells, allowing our body to control tactile processes like taste and smell. It is also essential for the contraction of muscle, particularly the heart muscle.
It seems that salt is one thing that we cannot live without. However, our body needs only 1 teaspoonful or 6g of salt daily while the amount consumed by most people is well above the minimum required level. The excessive salt will harm our body in the long run.
For example, high intake of salt can cause the body to retain excessive water which will raise the blood volume. This ultimately will lead to hypertension, a risk factor for heart disease. The additional strain on the heart because of a larger volume of fluid passing through it is also likely to increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
Although excessive amount of salt can be removed from the body through kidneys into urine, water retention will actually create problem to kidney later on. Excessive salt intake will increase the amount of calcium excreted in the urine which will bring about osteoporosis and increased risk of fractures. Research also showed that chances of stomach cancer will be higher because excessive salt induces atrophic gastritis which is a symptom of the cancer.
Only fresh and unprocessed food contains little or no sodium at all. 75 percent of our salt consumption is actually hidden in processed food.
In order to assess salt content of groceries, one should look for amount of salt or sodium per 100g. Too much salt is expected if there is more than 1.25g salt per 100g or more than 0.5g sodium per 100g. Food that has between 0.25g and 1.25g of salt (or between 0.1g and 0.5g of sodium) per 100g is acceptable. The best is to get those with labels that read “no salt added”.
However, it may be difficult to know the amount of salt that is added in foods found in cafes, restaurants, eating houses, fast foods stalls, etc. It thus makes sense that one should consider eating more food that is prepared at home where the amount of salt added into the food can be controlled.
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