There is so much to say about Omega 3’s, I am simply going to devote the next several posts to talking about what they are and why they are important.
Omega 3’s are a type of fatty acid that is unsaturated. For the chemistry buffs out there, this means that they have one or more double bonds. In other words, the double bonds means there is more room for more hydrogen. Thus the term “unsaturated”. They ARE NOT saturated with hydrogen.
The number (as in omega 3) indicates where the first double bond occurs. So with an omega 3, the first double bond is 3 carbons from the end of the fatty acid chain. You have probably heard of other types of fatty acids, like omega 6 or omega 9.
When a fatty acid only has 1 double bond present, it is referred to as a MONO (meaning 1) unsaturated fat. When there are several double bonds, they are referred to as POLY unsaturated fats.
Ok, that’s enough chemistry.
Omega 3 fatty acids have studied for their protective effects on the cardiovascular system. The research goes back to the early 70’s, and the body of research since then has continued to affirm these results. Research has also begun showing positive effects of omega 3’s in brain and retinal development. This is why you will see infant formulas supplemented with DHA and EPA. These are the two types of omega 3 fatty acids associated with these benefits.
Additional research is also looking at the role of omega 3’s in Alzheimer’s Disease, depression disorders, chronic inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. The list goes on, but this gives you an idea of how significant these fatty acids can be.
This is absolutely something you should be supplementing on a regular basis. The Rudog Omega is a concentrated liquid filled CAPSULE with NO aftertaste or burping. Taking it every other day is plenty, unless you just never eat fish. If that’s the case, then simply 1/day is sufficient. Each bottle has 60 capsules, so should last you 2-4 months.
Ladies—do you want healthier hair and skin? This is how you get it. Order some today! Rudog Omega is only $25.
It’s always a good idea to re-evaluate your supplement regimen, or to simply evaluate if there is something you should or need to be taking. Research changes constantly, so it’s a good idea to try to keep up. I’m not an advocate of supplementing lots of stuff, and I rarely “recommend” anything. However, I am a fan of looking into probiotics as a mainstay of the diet. If you are someone who doesn’t eat lots of yogurt or milk based foods, you should consider a probiotic supplement.
Ideally, you should increase these types of foods in your diet, but a supplement is a good second choice. There are different forms of supplementation, but I really like the probiotics from a company called Hyperbiotics. Specifically, Pro15.
Why take probiotics? They not only improve gut health, they also boost the immune system. For individuals whose diets vary drastically, or who are engaged in extremely physical/stressful activity, or who don’t eat a nutritionally balanced diet, probiotics are a great way to add a little “insurance” and help the body keep itself in good health. Check out the different options here.
This is not expensive and it’s not complicated. Give it a try for at least a week and see if you don’t notice a difference in the way you feel.
This article is taken from the Hyperbiotics.com website. They did it so well, I wanted to share!
The holidays are just about here, and as excited as we are to dive into all of the delicious goodness likely to be on our tables this year, there is one aspect that some of us don’t so much look forward to: digestive troubles from a holiday binge.
From meats and cheeses to bread, fruits and baked veggie dishes (don’t forget dessert), sharing the annual meal of gratitude with the ones you love often means that overindulging – and the feelings that follow – are inevitable.
The good news is that probiotics can help. In fact, there are several steps you can take toward proper gut health that can have you saying goodbye to seasonal struggles with your digestive system when your inner foodie comes out to play for the holidays.
Go with Your Gut
The key to feeling great during the gluttony of the holidays is to maintain a healthy gut environment on a consistent basis. Gut health is not only important for experiencing optimal digestion and regularity, but it also affects all other supportive systems, like the nervous and immune systems.
You may even be able to improve your mood and boost overall energy in the days and weeks leading up to the holidays by making simple, healthy choices in favor of your GI tract – like eating probiotic-rich foods or taking a probiotic supplement.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that colonize within your gut, and their presence can help to balance out the microbes that live there – keeping you feeling your best when it comes to foods, drinks, stress, and other holiday elements that can weigh heavily on your digestive system. A probiotic supplement that can effectively deliver good bacteria to your GI tract can help support regularity and even reduce bloating and gas – two of the most common complaints after a jubilant meal.
A high-quality probiotic like Hyperbiotics PRO-15 can pack billions of beneficial, living microbes into a single serving and might just help you enjoy your holiday feast without falling asleep at the dinner table or feeling backed up and uncomfortable in the days that follow. Simply put, a healthy gut environment can help you enjoy the time spent with your loved ones.
Focus on the Right Foods
It’s all about the details (or should I say micronutrients) when it comes to the foods that we eat around the holidays. So, to really curb the digestive distress, focus on foods that provide nourishment to your body vs foods that leave you feeling overly-stuffed and depleted.
For example, did you know that the right carbohydrates like whole grains and healthy complex carbohydratescan help keep glucose levels steady? As well, fibrous compounds from fruits and vegetables also support energy levels throughout the day and provide food and energy for the probiotic colonies in your gut – helping them to colonize and keeping your system supported.
Lean meats are great energy foods because they contain protein, vitamin B12, and essential amino acids like Tyrosine, an important amino acid for regulating hormones released in the gut environment which affects how we feel almost instantly.
Fatty acids like Omega-3 can be found in nuts, leafy greens, and fish and are important for many functions, including mood regulation. Fatty acids also help maintain a healthy gut lining, so they’re relatively gentle on the digestive tract.
Secure a Good Night’s Sleep
The night after a celebratory dinner can be a tricky one to get through, especially if you’ve really indulged in all that the seasonal fare has to offer. Interestingly enough, a December 2014 article called “The Gut Microbiome and the Brain” published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Medicinal Food describes a direct connection between your gut bacteria and your sleep and circadian rhythms. Balancing the bacteria in the gut through probiotic supplementation and conscious food choices can help you bust through a bout of post-feast insomnia.
A gigantic meal of any sort can leave you feeling exhausted, and while a cup of coffee might sound like the perfect digestif, caffeine can disrupt your REM sleep. When you’re not getting enough REM sleep, mental clarity often suffers as a result. Secure a good night’s sleep by choosing tea or hot water with lemon after your meal and increasing your intake of probiotic and prebiotic foods and supplements as the holidays approach.
Get Ahead of Bloat and Digestive Upset
Overeating is the most common cause of bloating, and gas can easily get trapped in your stomach from fatty foods, carbonated beverages, sweeteners, and dairy. Unfortunately, our culture is one adorned with buffets and double cheeseburgers, making overeating not just a holiday tradition, but a common occurrence. By eating slowly, listening to your body, and stopping once you are satisfied (not stuffed), you can start to rise above the temptation to overeat and feel great this season.
As well, when we’re not experiencing “business as usual”, it can be very hard to give thanks or focus on anything else for that matter. Digestive issues are incredibly distracting and no one should be burdened with them when it comes to enjoying a little time off with your family.
One of the best ways to combat digestive distress is to stay hydrated. It seems simple, but water helps keep digestive flow in motion, and you can achieve a healthier system simply by allowing more water to move through your digestive tract and break up anything that might be slowing you down. Try drinking an extra large glass of warm water with fresh squeezed lemon and a dash of pink Himalayan salt first thing in the morning to jumpstart your hydration (and bathroom) routine.
Attitude is Everything
Whatever you do, don’t beat yourself up about a hearty holiday meal. Because the body metabolizes guilt in a multitude of ways, one of the best things you can do is to prepare for your indulgences ahead of time.
Prior to your foodie festivities, plan for a healthy holiday and aim to increase your workouts or stay physically active, eat prebiotic and probiotic foods that can more positively impact digestion, and stick to limited portions so that you can ensure that the bounty you consume in the future is properly processed by the GI tract, and moves through your body quickly and without issue so that you can cherish another year of happy memories with your family. Because let’s face it, there’s not much better than feeling your best while being with the people you love.
Want to try a probiotic that will change your life? Order yours here and get a discount because of Rudog Nutrition.
We’d love to hear from you! What are some of the ways you cope after a holiday meal?
In my last post I talked about what omega 3’s actually are, and introduced several reasons that you should be considering including an omega 3 supplement in your diet.
As mentioned previously, the omega 3 fatty acids are considered to be essential fatty acids. This means that the body must have them. However, the body is not able to make them. They have to come from the diet, either in the food you eat or in a supplement, or both! There are THREE omega 3 fatty acids: ALA, DHA, and EPA.
ALA comes from plant foods. Examples would be flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil, walnuts, and others. ALA must be converted in the body to DHA and EPA for it to be used. Unfortunately, this conversion process is very inefficient. There is also research to suggest that the health benefits associated with omega 3’s is not associated with ALA. There is definitely a debate about fish and sea vegetable (like algae) sources of DHA and EPA VS. vegetarian sources of ALA that are converted to DHA and EPA.
DHA and EPA are found in cold water fish, such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, and halibut.The general recommendation is to eat fish of this type at least twice a week.
It hasn’t been determined that you can get too much omega 3 in the diet, but deficiency symptoms are known. Fatigue, dry skin and hair, poor memory, moodiness, depression, and others.
There are also other types of omega fatty acids, like omega 6’s and omega 9’s, that work in certain ratios with omega 3’s. Omega 6’s should be in a ratio of 1:4 with omega 3’s. The omega 6’s are PRO inflammatory, and omega 3’s are ANTI inflammatory. The body needs both. There are times when inflammation is needed in the body to protect itself or fight disease. Think: swelling and allergies. Both of these are desirable inflammatory responses, you just don’t want to always be in an inflamed state. The American diet is very high in its provision of omega 6’s, perhaps as much as 10-20 times more than omega 3’s. This is out of balance and could be why so many people don’t feel good most of the time.
So, where do omega 6’s come from? Most come from vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are in almost everything, as the American diet has moved away from animal based fats to the presumably more “healthy” vegetable fats over the past 50 years.To be fair, there are some health conditions that are helped by omega 6’s, and we do NEED them. We just don’t need anywhere near as much as we are getting. The readily available omega 6’s compared to the narrower availability of the omega 3’s, is what has so greatly distorted the ratio of the two.
If you are someone who doesn’t eat fish (for whatever reason), you absolutely should incorporate a fish oil supplement in your diet. If you DO eat fish, then supplementing on alternating days is more than likely enough for you.
Looking for ways to put more fish in your diet? Check out these recipes! Fish TacosTuna Tataki
Next post will talk about the different forms and pros and cons of each.
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