stroke

6 Reasons Why Fish Oil is Beneficial for Health

by

Fish OilFish Oil supplements are one of the main supplements you will find on the market today. Many people take them simply because “I know it is good for me”, but do not fully understand the benefits to their health. This article is meant to bring to light some of the research on the supplement, and some ins and outs that are important to know for choosing the right supplement. Of course, when in doubt, please consult a naturopathic doctor to determine what supplement would best help you with your specific health needs.

Ratios

If you are a patient of mine, you already know that I think ratios are important when it comes to fish oil. In short, children need more DHA as their brains are developing, and adults need more EPA to sustain it. As a result, the ratio of EPA to DHA needs to be 2:1 or higher depending on your particular health concerns. For example, if EPA is 200mg is a capsule, I would like to see DHA at 100mg or less. Some individuals may want to try to obtain omega 3s through vegan sources such as flax and hemp, but these sources tend to not be able to obtain the same ratio of EPA:DHA that fish oil can.

Sourcing

Ideally smaller fish sources, such as sardines, act as a better source for omega 3’s due to the lower mercury content in these fish. However, all supplements have to meet a standard in regards to mercury content, and so, if you are purchasing a high quality fish oil supplement made in Canada, they need to comply with this standard.

6 Health Benefits

  1. Joint Health

One of the main uses of fish oil is for pain. Specifically, it can be beneficial for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, etc. Fish oil helps to lubricate your joints and decrease inflammation, both leading to decreased pain.

  1. Heart Health

Fish oil can be quite beneficial for overall heart health by firstly improving the function of the heart muscle itself. In addition, fish oil may help to increase HDL (good) cholesterol, decrease triglycerides, decrease blood pressure, decrease atherosclerosis (i.e. plaque build-up), and prevent stroke.

  1. Weight Management

Fish oil may help to improve weight by decreasing central adiposity when taking with exercise. It has also been shown to aid with conversion of muscle to lean muscle mass.

  1. Mental Health

As mentioned above, EPA and DHA both have a role to play in brain development and health. In short, fish oil may be beneficial for the following conditions: depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and dementia.

  1. Skin Health

Fish oil can be beneficial for various skin conditions through its beneficial properties in addressing inflammation. That being said it may provide some relief to those suffering from acne, psoriasis, SLE, and eczema.

  1. Reproductive Health

In general, fish oil can help women who are trying to conceive, have conceived, and women who are not conceiving. In regards to pregnancy, fish oil may help increase chances of conception. Fish oil can also help to decrease inflammation overall which may contribute to premenstrual tension issues such as cramping. In addition, fish oil may prove to be beneficial for men experiencing erectile dysfunction due to is beneficial properties in heart health – specifically related to blood pressure, cholesterol, and atherosclerosis.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Power Food: Apples

by

ApplesIn the western hemisphere there is an old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Though this expression seems old, outdated, and simplistic; there is some truth to it. Apples have quite the diverse set of health benefits and health promoting properties that make it a mean power food!

Components of Apples

Surprisingly, one of the most beneficial components of an apple is its skin. The skin of the apple contains approximately 50% of the insoluble fiber and vitamin C content of an apple. In addition to containing vitamin C and insoluble fiber, apples also contain a healthy dose of antioxidants, quercetin (great for allergies and inflammation), pectin (helps prevent cholesterol from building in blood vessels), and B vitamins.

Therapeutic Potential

Based on the components listed above, apples may have some of the following health benefits (most of which have been researched and proven):

  • Reduced risk of lung cancer by 50% with regular apple consumption
  • Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease by 13-22%
  • Reduced risk of stroke
  • Reduced LDL (Bad) cholesterol by 23% in individuals who ate an apple every day for six months
  • Increased HDL (Good) cholesterol by 4% in individuals who ate an apple every day for six months
  • Reduced risk of asthma
  • Improved lung functioning
  • Reduced risk of type II diabetes
  • Reduced blood glucose levels
  • May inhibit cholera toxin (still being explored)
  • Increased potential to lose weight with consumption of three apples per day (this is due to the insoluble fiber mentioned earlier)

Storing and Processing

With many fruits and vegetables, storing them for any length of time decreases the nutritional impact that it can have. However, apples can be stored for 60 days with little to no impact on their nutritional quality. Research has shown that after 60 days of cold storage, apples had the same antioxidant potential as they did when compared to day 1. This trend is not consistent across different apple types though. For example, a red delicious apple will retain its nutritional quality far longer than a golden delicious apple.

The processing of apples and the impact on their nutritional benefits rests mainly in whether the peal is used. Ultimately, the apples will be more beneficial if the peal is intact. In addition, when the pulp of the apple is disposed of, for example in juicing, much of the potential health benefits are lost. When an apple is juiced, it has only 10% of the antioxidant potential of a whole apple that is eaten. Does this mean that juicing an apple is not good for you? Of course not. Adding an apple to your juice can add a nice flavour, it simply may not provide as much of a health benefit as you would think.

What about pesticides? 

Much like other fruits and vegetables, pesticides are commonly used on apples. Some would argue that this is to a greater extent on apples than other fruits. Ultimately, this does bring up concerns about eating them and how to best clean them. The best way to clean an apple is probably the simplest. All that is necessary is using water and rubbing the skin of the apple. Because there are only low levels of pesticide residue on the surface of the apples, this method of cleaning the apple keeps many beneficial properties of the apple intact while still removing majority of the pesticides from the surface. However, for those more sensitive to chemicals, a more thorough approach may be needed.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

Sources:

http://www.livescience.com/44686-apple-nutrition-facts.html

http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-3-5.pdf%C3%AF%C2%BF%C2%BD%C3%83%C5%93