Contrary to what many people believe, the human body needs fat. However, they must be the right kind of fats, which are known as essential fatty acids. EFA’s must be supplied through your diet since they cannot be made by the body. Over 80% of Americans are deficient in EFA’s. Proper supplementation of EFA’s can have desirable effects on a number of health disorders such as:

• Depression
• Tumors
• High Blood Pressure
• Arthritis
• Candidas
• Psoriasis
• Skin & Hair Problems
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Impaired Mental Function

All living cells in your body require essential fatty acids. The top recommended sources of EFA’s are fish oils, flax seed oils, and primrose oils.

As with vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional supplements such as EFA’s, there is a tremendous variance in the quality and therefore effectiveness of products. Many are worthless! Purchase a high quality EFA supplement which is processed correctly and add it to your diet. The benefits can be numerous to your health and well-being.

This article is not intended as medical advice but as a source of information and discussion only. Before beginning any new exercise, nutrition, or supplement program it is advisable to check with physician or a nutritionally/homeopathic-oriented doctor.

Natural supplement allergy relief, inflammation and much more!

Quercetin is a flavonoid that has shown in studies to aid basically all allergic and inflammatory conditions (including hay fever, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and asthma), and also in cancer and diabetes. Quercetin inhibits the release and manufacture of histamine and other inflammatory and allergic mediators. Quercetin is a potent antioxidant and spares vitamin C.

Quercetin inhibits aldose reductase, which is the enzyme that converts blood sugar to sorbitol. This compound can lead to the development of numerous diabetic complications. Not only does quercetin inhibit aldose reductase, but it enhances insulin secretion and protects pancreatic beta calls from free radical damage.
Quercetin has consistently shown to inhibit tumor formation. Cancers of the ovaries, breast rectum, brain and colon along with leukemia have all shown to be inhibited by quercetin. Quercetin has also shown to possess significant antiviral activity.

There’s lots of information about omega-3 fatty acids being needed by the body. Those are the healthy fats you hear about in olive oil and other foods. I came across an article today. I found it interesting that omega-3s might affect not only our bodies, but our way of thinking too.

THURSDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) — New research suggests a relationship between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and an increased risk of depression in heart patients.

The study, reported online in the Journal of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, looked at 987 adults with coronary heart disease. Among those with the lowest levels of omega-3 fatty acids, 23 percent suffered from depression. But among those with the highest levels of the fatty acid in their blood, only 13 percent were diagnosed with depressive symptoms.

The findings of this study support the previously reported association between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and depression in non-hospitalized patients with stable coronary heart disease, according to a news release from the journal. The types of omega-3 measured in the study were docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, and the patients’ age, sex and race was factored in, the study authors noted.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in cold water fish, various nuts and other foods, as well as in supplements. Over the years, numerous studies have suggested significant health benefits in consuming omega-3, such as improved cardiac health, reduced cancer risk and improved immune function, according to information from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

In the new study, led by researchers at the University of California San Francisco, each unit decrease or increase in omega-3 was reflected in a corresponding rise or lowering of depressive symptoms.

Though data strongly suggest an association, the researchers noted that they cannot make a definitive link until they study the connection in a larger and more diverse population. In addition, more research needs to be done to determine how a patient’s education and socioeconomic status impacts the link between omega-3 levels and depression, the researchers concluded.

SOURCE: Journal of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, news release, June 2009

It’s one more reason why eating healthfully is so important!

Thanks to Brian at www.biggest-loser.com for this article. Brian has lost 160 lbs. by simply eating correctly and exercising, and he uses products from The Health Shoppe. If you’d like to know more about his story, visit www.biggest-loser.com.