Good health is one of life’s greatest treasures. You can have all the wealth in the world but when you are not healthy, your wealth would not be enough to provide you a good quality of life. When you are healthy, you would be in a much better position to take care of yourself and your entire family.
To enjoy optimum health, you have to eat a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly. It is also important to have a regular health check-up.
We, Filipinos have this mindset that “if it doesn’t hurt, it’s okay.” Most of us will not mind little aches in the body and will just tolerate the discomfort. A Filipino is a fighter, yes! The only reason most of us visit a doctor is when the discomfort turns into pain that disrupts our way of life.
The axiom “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” still holds true today as it was when Benjamin Franklin said this. Aside from a balanced diet, active lifestyle, and adequate sleep, we should also consider taking adequate vitamins, minerals, and nutrients through dietary supplementation.
Omega-3 is one of the most important nutrients that your body needs. DHA and EPA are the two main omega-3 fatty acids that are clinically studied widely. They are the most studied nutrient in the world. Since the body does not produce omega-3s, it’s important to get them from seafood and fatty fish, foods fortified with omega-3, and omega-3 supplements.
Taking omega-3 supplements has a lot of benefits to your overall health. Omega-3s have shown numerous benefits in improving heart health, eye health, brain development, fighting autoimmune diseases, anxiety, and depression. When you don’t consistently consume seafood and foods fortified with omega-3, you might not be able to get adequate amounts of omega-3s in your diet.
Here are some benefits of omega-3 nutrients.
- May Help Promote the Normal Brain and Eye Development of the Fetus
For pregnant moms, think of omega-3 as your gift to your child. This important nutrient helps largely in the infant’s brain growth and development. Omega-3 supplementation is associated to higher intelligence, fewer behavioral problems, decreased risk of developmental delay, decreased risk of ADHD, autism, and cerebral palsy. It also results in better communication and social skills.
Since you may be taking other necessary medications and vitamins during the course of your pregnancy, remember to consult your doctor about any conflicts that may affect your condition. A regular prenatal checkup is also apparently crucial to see what other nutrients you and your baby needs.
2.May Decrease Risks of Heart Disease
One of the more known health benefits of taking omega-3 is linked to heart conditions. Several studies show that consuming fatty fish and seafood helps maintain a healthy heart or avoid heart problems.
EPA has been studied to lower triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are fats in the blood and are used to give energy to your body. They are also sometimes called “lipids”. When you have a high level of triglyceride in your body, you are said to have a greater chance for heart disease.
Omega-3 supplements help reduce blood pressure levels in people with high blood pressure and also help to lower bad cholesterol levels.
3.May Improve Eye Health
Omega-3 is essential in keeping good eye health. DHA, a type of omega-3, is a large component of the retina of your eye. Adequate amounts of DHA in your body helps reduce the risk of macular degeneration which is the leading cause of severe irreversible vision loss in people over 60.
- May Help Fight Inflammation
When you develop infections and damage in your body, inflammation is the natural response it will get. However, there are cases when inflammation becomes chronic or long-term and this happens even when you don’t have an infection or injury.
Chronic inflammation can increase risks of heart diseases and cancer. Studies show that there is a consistent connection between higher omega-3 intake and reduced inflammation. This is most likely because omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the production of substances that are highly linked to inflammation.
- May Help Fight Auto-Immune Diseases
Auto-immune diseases can impact a lot of parts in your body. Your immune system generally protects you from diseases and infection but when you have an auto-immune disease, your body attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake.
One primary example is Type 1 diabetes wherein your immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. Taking omega-3 supplements can help fight this disease and it may be essential during your early stages of life.
Studies show that enough amounts of omega-3 nutrients in a person’s first year of life is associated with reduced risks of many auto-immune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. This means that it’s crucial for pregnant moms to consider omega-3 nutrients in their diet as well as for parents with toddlers and younger children.
- May Reduce Symptoms of ADHD in Children
Recently, researchers have found that fish oil and omega-3 supplements are one of the most promising treatments for ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a disorder in behavior that makes it difficult for a person to pay attention and control impulsive behaviors. Although it starts in childhood, it can continue up to the adolescent stage and even to adulthood.
Studies have shown that children with ADHD have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids compared to the ones who don’t have ADHD. Omega-3s can help improve inattention and reduce restlessness and aggression.
This also means that it’s really best to start omega-3 supplementation during the early stages of a person’s life.
- May Improve Mental Health
Mental health is one of the most commonly overlooked illnesses and a lot of people easily dismiss the symptoms because they’re tricky to diagnose. Depression and anxiety are the usual complaints of people suffering from mental health issues.
The symptoms of depression commonly include lost of interest in life, extreme sadness, and lethargy or a lack of energy and enthusiasm. Anxiety, on the other hand, is generally defined by having constant worry and nervousness.
Studies show that people with regular consumption of omega-3s are less likely to be depressed and anxious. EPA is the omega-3 that is highly-linked to be the most effective at fighting depression.
Prevent Omega-3 Deficiency
It’s true that your nutritional needs should primarily come from your diet. But for a lot of people, supplements are a great way to obtain nutrients that are lacking in the body such as the omega-3s. Indeed, prevention is better than cure. It is best to be at the top of your health to prevent diseases that will certainly affect your lifestyle.
It is also important for you to find the right omega-3 supplements due to the risk of other supplements with impurities. Supplements that have a high omega-3 ratio such as Ultra Omega and DHA Junior by Neomega are both recommended.
Neomega, an omega-3 supplement with 60% essential fatty acids more than the average fish oil capsule (usually at 30%), made in Germany, can also be ordered online in the Philippines. Ultra Omega has EPA 800mg and DHA 400mg per serving, with a recommended serving of 2 capsules a day.
When taking supplements, it’s best to consult your physicians so that you can be given proper medical advice.
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