While the definition of physical fitness can be a little complex or unclear and the definition of physical fitness can vary, most government health agencies and exercise scientists agree that there are 5 components of physical fitness related to health. These components provide a fairly accurate representation of how fit and healthy the body is as a whole (total or overall fitness). The 5 components are cardiovascular fitness (also referred to as cardio-respiratory endurance or cardiovascular endurance), muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

Let’s take a closer look at these components individually.

1.) Cardiovascular fitness (or cardio-respiratory endurance or cardiovascular endurance)

Of the 5 components, cardiovascular fitness is the cornerstone that creates the pathway to improving your other fitness levels.

Cardiovascular fitness is the efficiency with which the body (the heart and lungs) delivers oxygen and nutrients to the required working muscles and transports waste products from the cells over a sustained period of time. Or to put it another way, it’s the ability of your heart and lungs to work together to provide the necessary oxygen and fuel to your body without quickly reaching a high level of fatigue and tiredness.

In our daily lives, we need cardiovascular fitness to handle the physical tasks and all of the “running around” we do.

A common test of cardiovascular fitness usually involves some type of sustained running. But typical examples of physical activities that relate to cardiovascular fitness are jogging, swimming, cycling, brisk or speed walking and any type of aerobic exercises. Aerobic exercise is the best way to improve cardiovascular fitness.

2.) Muscular strength

Muscular strength is the maximum amount of force (weight or heavy resistance) a muscle or muscle group can generate in a single effort to the point that no more repetitions can be done without rest. Muscular strength is quite the opposite of cardiovascular fitness in regards to the fact that cardiovascular fitness is measured over a certain period of time. While on the other hand, muscular strength is measured in one repetition.

In our daily lives, we need modest levels of strength to be able to perform everyday physical tasks like lifting, moving, carrying, etc.

A common test to measure upper body strength is some type of weightlifting exercise, such as the bench press. Anaerobic weightlifting exercises like the bench press, leg press, shoulder press, or bicep curls are examples of the best ways to improve muscular strength.

3.) Muscular endurance

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to perform repeated movements (or to hold a particular position) with less than maximum force for an extended period of time or until muscular fatigue. Or, to put it simplistically, it’s how long your muscles can do something before getting too exhausted to finish.

Be careful not to confuse muscular endurance with muscular strength. While they can work together, they are definitely not the same. For many athletes, there may be a need to distinguish between muscular strength and muscular endurance. But for everyday people who want to easily perform their daily routines, are trying to stay healthy and fit, and just want to enjoy physical activities like hiking, biking, or just playing in the park with their children, muscular endurance plays a major role in fitness.

Common testing for muscular endurance can be dynamic (the ability to repeat contractions) or static (the ability to sustain a contraction). Dynamic tests would be to see how many push-ups or sit-ups, for example, a person can complete in a designated amount of time (e.g. 30 seconds, a minute, or maybe longer). Or, without being timed, the person could do as many repetitions of the exercise as they could until they couldn’t do anymore. An example of a static test would be the flexed-arm hang whereby the performer hangs on a bar until the designated stopping time or until they become too weak to continue hanging.

Muscular endurance can be improved by both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Some examples would be biking, step machines and elliptical machines.

4.) Flexibility

Flexibility is the ability to move the joints or any group of joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons through their full, normal range of motion without hindrance, discomfort, or pain.

Flexibility is actually more important to physical fitness than people realize. Not only does flexibility play a big role in performing many daily tasks, but maintaining or even increasing your flexibility is critical to protecting your joints and keeping them healthy. In addition, being flexible contributes to improving your lower back health, reducing the appearance and effects of arthritis, and reducing muscle-tendon injuries.

Not everyone has the same flexibility or flexibility requirements. Your flexibility tells you how limber you are. And, when it comes to testing your flexibility fitness level, the sit-and-reach test is most often used.

Stretching is the best way to improve flexibility. And, most fitness experts recommend a daily routine of static stretches for each joint.

5.) Body composition

Body composition is the percentage of fat in your body compared to your lean body mass (muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, organs, etc.).

Body composition is a better indicator of your overall fitness condition than body weight. So understand that your total body weight or what you see on your bathroom scale does not tell you how much fat or lean body mass (muscle) you have.

Body composition is useful in helping to determine health risks. Therefore, knowing your body composition and how it relates to your overall fitness level is essential. An optimal ratio of fat mass to lean mass is a clear indicator of good fitness.

Your body composition is a consequence of the extent that you perform the other components of physical fitness. In other words, when you improve the other four components, it will have a positive impact on body composition resulting in less body fat. Alternatively, when you have a high body fat content ratio, you are considered overweight or possibly obese. And, it negatively affects the other fitness components as well as your daily performance, your appearance, and your overall health.

There are several methods that can be used to calculate body composition. The best method is underwater weighing. But due to the expense, this isn’t practical for the everyday person. Incidentally, if you can go to a university or some other place that is set up to do it, it would be well worth your time to check it out. Therefore, the most common method of determining your body composition is skinfold readings – using skinfold calipers and taking measurements from certain areas of your body.

A regular program involving aerobic exercise and strength training can help you decrease your body fat and increase your muscle mass; and thereby, significantly improving your body composition and general overall health and fitness.

In conclusion, you now know that being fit is not just about being able to bench press a lot of weight, but you also need to know how well you can handle running a mile, for example, and a few other things. The key is that by understanding the 5 components of physical fitness, you’ll be better able to assess your fitness level and determine what specific health and fitness goals you’d like to achieve.

Everyone keeps asking me, “what is the best Acai product?” This was not initially an easy answer, until I started really examining the possibilities. There are a whole bunch of Acai berry products on the market today so it is hard to know which is the best. Well today, I would like to clear up any questions you might have.

I’ve been doing a bunch of research on the subject of Acai berries because I am very interested in healthy food and eating healthy. I feel at this point it will benefit readers if I publish my results.

Why Choose Acai in the First Place?

Health Benefits

Acai berries have far more antioxidants than any other fruit. Even more than blueberries! Besides that, the nutrients in Acai berry supplements help many other diseases and maladies, from diabetes to arthritis to blood clotting. It really is a worthwhile supplement to add to your daily nutrition.

Published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a study showed that extracts from Acai berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested.

“Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries.”

Weight Loss Benefits

The Acai berry can be a great weight loss aid. The berry’s natural concoction of essential fatty acids, fiber, phytosterols and amino acids work together to help your body burn fat more efficiently, process food more quickly and shed the unwanted pounds that you’d like to lose.

Essential Fatty Acids

Our bodies need essential fatty acids to maintain proper health. Our bodies are unable to produce Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. It just so happens that these fatty acids are plentiful in Acai berries. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids help increase your metabolism, which can help you shed those extra pounds.

Fiber

Acai contains a generous amount of fiber, which helps your digestive tract to move food through your body. In this way, excess food is eliminated rather than absorbed and turned into fat. Similar to the fatty acids mentioned above, fiber also helps to satiate hunger.

Amino Acids

The Acai berry is rich with amino acids, which are widely known as the building blocks of protein. Your muscles need these amino acids in order to operate properly, and to regenerate from resistance training trauma or other exercise stress. Since the fatty acids in Acai increase your metabolism and the amino acids build your muscles, we can say that the nutrients in Acai berries help your body burn fat and energy more efficiently, causing you to lose weight.

Phytosterols

These building blocks of cell membranes help fortify your digestive tract, moving waste materials out and absorbing nutrients more efficiently. Acai berries are one possible source of phytosterols.

The Best Solution: Extreme Acai

Firstly, I will tell you straight up that Extreme Acai is the best Acai berry product on the market. This is a 100% Acai berry product that can be taken daily.

Extreme Acai is not gummed up with fillers or additives. It is not loaded with accessory supplements for marketing purposes. This is the real deal Acai berry supplement.

I have found numerous polls around the web that rank Extreme Acai higher than most other Acai berry products. Extreme Acai is always ranked in the top 3 and is often rated #1.

My source for Extreme Acai is a US-only distributor and offers a 14 day free trial for your convenience. I am not a distributor of this product, nor am I involved with any multi-level marketing (MLM) companies. I am promoting Extreme Acai because it works and because we all can use help staying healthy and losing weight.

Acai Juice Products

You can get Acai juice products from various MLM companies. You can go to your local health food store, GNC, Vitamin World, etc… and get an Acai juice product. You can even go to your supermarket and probably find something. So what’s the problem?

Acai berry juice supplements are notoriously full of sugar and are diluted so much that they are not even worth taking for the health benefits. Just use these type of products if you want to suck down a bunch of sugary fruit juice.

Aside from that, they are often overpriced, and many Acai berry juice products have not harvested and process the Acai berries correctly. Acai must be processed immediately or flash frozen once they are picked, otherwise the nutritional benefits degrade over time. Many juice products have to go through lengthy processing before they are consumed.

Acai Cleansing & Detox Products

Based on product reviews I’ve heard and read, Acai berry products that are specifically marketed as cleansing supplements will make you sit on the toilet for extended periods of time. They are also associated with abdominal discomfort and cramping. Detox supplements aren’t much different.

Acai cleansing products should be avoided for the most part, unless you like visiting the bathroom 10 times a day. Aside from that, they too are often overpriced because they are marketing as ‘cleansing’ supplements, which are all the rage right now in some weight loss discussions. I tend not to support cleansing supplements, since you can cleanse yourself by properly eating the healthiest foods.

Acai detox supplements should also be avoided for the same reasons as the cleansing supplements. Cleansing usually refers to your digestive systems, typically the intestinal area, while detox is usually thought to mean the whole body. Excreting toxins through the skin and such… well I’ve got news for you. Acai berries don’t detoxify you in that way.

The best Acai berry products will detoxify you by antioxidant activity alone. I perceive free radicals as possibly the most toxic substance made within your body. By using a good Acai supplement and by eating healthy food, you will be able to ‘detox’ yourself without additional help.

In Conclusion

Don’t fall for the hype. Juice products are the worst of the lot, which cleansing and detox supplements are guilty of milking the currently marketing craze for those type of products. Thanks Hollywood.

By investing in a 100% pure Acai berry product like Extreme Acai, you will get all the antioxidant benefits that your body needs. Prepare yourself for the future by trying and continuing to use the best antioxidant product on the market today, Extreme Acai.

1. Multivitamins- Taking your multivitamins every day is critical! Don’t put it off to tomorrow, to next month or to next year. Start today! Did you know that studies have shown that only about 1% of us get all the nutrients and vitamins we need through the foods that we eat naturally? That means that the rest of us are walking around “nutrient-starved”.

So give yourself the power advantage. When choosing a multivitamin, make sure that it is 100% of the daily value of all the 12 essential vitamins and minerals.

Recommended Daily Dose: Take half in the morning and half at night.

2. Vitamin B12 – Recent studies have shown that this extremely valuable vitamin has been effective in fighting off the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Published in the Oct. 19, 2010 issue of Neurology, researchers found that there is definitely an association between vitamin B12 blood levels and Alzheimer’s risk.

271 elderly Finnish people were monitored over a period of 7 years, during which blood samples were taken regularly. At the start of the study, none of the subjects had dementia – however by the end of the seven year period, 17 people developed Alzheimer’s disease. What researchers found was that the risk of developing Alzheimer’s was significantly higher in people with elevated levels of homo cysteine (an amino acid produced by the body and which increases the risk of heart attacks, vascular disease, and strokes), while the risk was lower in people whose vitamin B12 levels were higher. It was also very interesting to note that the higher levels of vitamin B12 can also lower homo cysteine.

Here’s another reason to make sure to take a B12 vitamin supplement daily – people with Vitamin B12 deficiency display symptoms of depression, confusion, and memory loss. So Don’t Worry – Be Happy! And Take your Vitamin B12.

3. Calcium/Magnesium /Vitamin D – Not only is Calcium responsible for building strong bones and teeth, studies have also shown that taking calcium can help reduce fractures by about 43%. So you need to take your calcium. But not on it’s own.

Be sure to take your calcium with Magnesium, (which will help prevent the constipation that normally occurs with calcium intake) and with Vitamin D (which helps the body absorb the calcium). Taking Calcium with Magnesium also has a very desirable side effect – it promotes restful sleep.

Recommended daily dose: 600mg Calcium, 400 mg Magnesium, 1000 IU Vitamin D.

4. Omega-3 Fish Oil: Omega 3 benefits are absolutely astounding. Taking Omega 3′s on a daily basis can help you:

Prevent pain and inflammation like the effects of arthritis, cystitis and pretty much anything ending in “itis”; Reduce the chances of heart attack and stroke. When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what’s known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Research shows fish oil fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage. Promote better brain function and higher intelligence. It also improves memory, recall, reasoning and focus. Pregnant and nursing mothers can greatly impact the levels of intelligence and general well being of their babies by taking a daily supplement of omega 3 fish oil with DHA. Reduce depression – Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield UK, found that fish oil supplements “alleviated” the symptoms of depression, bipolar and psychosis. [Journal of Affective Disorder Vol. 48(2-3);149-55] Reduce the incidence of breast, colon and prostate cancer. Fish oil has been shown to help prevent three of the most common forms of cancer – breast, colon and prostate. Science tells us that it accomplishes this in three ways – by stopping the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, by inhibiting unwanted cellular growth and by killing off cancer cells.

These “heart healthy” fats can be found in fatty fish (such as salmon), walnuts, canola oil, soybean products, ground flax seed, and flax seed oil.

Recommended daily dose: 600mg DHA Omega-3 supplements with breakfast.

5. Baby Aspirin: Traditionally, baby aspirin has not been regarded as a daily supplement as it is normally used to reduce fever and relieve mild to moderate pain from conditions such as muscle aches, toothaches, common cold, and headaches. However, you may not be aware that this seemingly insignificant product is also one of the most widely prescribed products for preventing strokes and heart attacks, as it is very effective in thinning the blood and preventing blood clots and inflammation in the arteries. It has also been shown to prevent the onset of colon cancer.

The studies also showed that there is also a downside to aspirin intake – an increased tendency for bleeding, particularly from the gastrointestinal tract. It is therefore highly recommended to take the minimum dosage possible. Baby aspirin, with approximately 81 milligrams of aspirin, fits that requirement as it is about a quarter of the 325-milligram dose in an adult aspirin pill.

Recommended daily dose: 2 Baby Aspirin after the age of 40.

The recommended servings of fruits and vegetables for good health according to the latest dietary guidelines is as many as thirteen servings a day. That’s a lot, most people don’t even eat three servings a day and some people eat even less. Part of the reason is people are not taking the time to purchase or prepare vegetables or fruits to get as many servings as needed to be healthy. We have to be focused on eating fruit and vegetable many times a day to get the servings we need.

I have a great solution for you. If you are one of those folks who really does want to maintain their health but finds it very hard to eat so many servings of fruits and vegetables a day then read on. My solution does require a bit of fore thought and a little work. You will have to definitely take the time to buy fruits and vegetables and keep a daily supply available in your kitchen. You will also need a blender or even better if you can afford it a Vita-Mix high speed blender or something like it.

I am going to give you some recipes for different fruit and vegetable drinks that can supply you with all the fruits and vegetable servings you need each day in a couple of pint size glasses. You can drink one in the morning, then put the rest of your mix in the refrigerator, in a jar. Then just shake it up and drink another pint later or at the end of the day. These recipes are for like a quart or more of a fruit and vegetable drink. If you have a place to keep it cold at work take a jar full to work and drink it through out the day.

Recipes – The Super Green Drink

This recipe can be made with the fruits and vegetable you like. Here is a drink mix I drink regularly and it tastes great and is super nutritious.

1 cup of kale or (a hand full).
1 cup of cabbage.
1 sprig of celery.
1 cup or a hand full of Italian parsley.
1 pear with the core and seeds removed.
1 apple with the core and seeds removed (add a second apple or pear if you want it to taste sweeter).
1 wedge of lemon including the peel.
Put 2 cups of almond milk and 1 quart of water into your blender. Put all the vegetables and blend till liquid.
Put the fruit in and blend all the ingredients for a few minutes or until completely liquified.

The Great Red Beet Drink

1 large beet (cleaned).
1 pear (core removed).
1 cup chopped cabbage.
1 cup of frozen berries of choice.
1 quart of water.
Blend until completely liquefied.

The Blueberry Morning Smoothie

Take 1 banana.
2 cups of blueberries.
2 cups of almond milk or (if you are using a Vita Mix or other high speed blender, instead of the store bought almond milk just add a handful of raw almonds).
Add 1 quart of water.
Add a scoop or two of a whole food protein powder or a high nutrition powdered smoothie mix of your choice. Blend everything until totally liquefied. This is a very high antioxidant superfood drink.

There are many versions of nutrition rich fruit and vegetable drinks that will fulfill your full daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Once you get into making these kinds of drinks you can get creative and experiment.

Add in some whole food powder supplements. Use seasonal fruits and vegetables from your local growers. Visit your local out door produce market if there is one available.

A great way to get the seasonally available fruits and vegetables delivered right to your door is to join a local farm that operates a shares program. They are know as a CSA (community sustainable agriculture). Do a Google search for local farms in your area.

Getting the right combination of daily natural plant nutrition is key for creating and maintaining optimum health.For more recipes and to learn more about super food nutrition, visit our website through the link below.

If you know about Zumba, you will understand that it is one of the hottest and most popular dance fitness classes out there. This is an intensive activity that requires individuals to make a series of moves as they dance. It is very important that people have the right shoes. This article will take a look at one brand that is perfect, Puma Zumba Shoes.

Puma has a reputation for making some really excellent athletic shoes. The company has been around for a while, so they have expertise in making shoes that are not only comfortable, but also provide the support that is needed. When someone purchases a Puma sneaker, they are getting quality and this is part of the reason why these sneakers are recommended for people who are interested in doing Zumba.

If you want Puma Zumba shoes, the best bet is to either get one that is designed for a dance aerobics. The Puma dance shoes are the best bet, as they are designed specifically for these types of activities. These sneakers will not only give the support and comfort that is needed, but they will also be able to handle the various terms that are required in the class.

Puma cross trainers are also another good option. The reason behind this is that cross trainers have the flexibility as well as support that is needed in a sneaker for Zumba. Another good thing about this particular shoe is that it does not have too much grip at the bottom. Too much grip or traction can cause injury, especially when doing lateral moves in this dance fitness classes. Just the right grip at the bottom will allow you to move effortlessly, while having some amount of control when doing the moves.

In the end, for people who are looking for some really nice Zumba shoes, then they definitely need to check out what is offered by Puma. These sneakers from this manufacturer are considered to be some of the best available, as they provide comfort, flexibility, traction and support that is needed to do this dance fitness classes. We highly recommend these sneakers, simply because you will be definitely getting a quality product.

Cold Sores First Stage:

The herpes virus lives, becomes active and moves in your nerve fibers to target areas to start its activity. This will be the first attack of the herpes virus. Under opportunistic conditions the virus will get replicate and get ready to shoot the sight. At this movement you will sense symptoms like burning, itching, tingling at the target area.

This stage will last for few hours to 2 days. If you act quickly at this stage and can prevent virus to proceed further. Apply ice at first sign of tingling for 15-20 minutes, repeat frequently through out the day. Apply vitamin E between applications.

Cold Sores Second Stage:

During the second stage, the cold sore symptoms will appear like a pimple or red swollen bumps at target area. These pimples are quite painful to touch. They are filled up with the virus causing the swelling of the area.

Cold Sores Third Stage:

Cold sores open up and fluid filled in is oozing out causing infection at a new site or spreading the infection to the person who comes in contact. At this stage the immune system starts working on the site.

Cold Sores Fourth Stage:

Replacement of the damaged cells begins. At this stage you may continue feeling mild fever, headache, runny nose and painful lymph nodes. These symptoms subside frequently each day by now on.

Cold Sores Fifth Stage:

At this stage the process of healing is at its peak and a scab will fall off revealing new skin. A small pink spots will appear at the site of infection showing the process of healing. The redness must have gone before you are totally clear.

Generally Cold Sore Symptoms lasts for few days to 2 weeks and usually starts heal on their own with in a few days. Any one with cold sore will have the same set of symptoms or slightly differ. The quicker you can heal your cold sore symptoms, and the fewer you get.

Before buying any diet pill or weight loss product, it is important to fully understand and research any weight loss product information it might contain. Arming yourself with the right and objective weight loss product information is one of the keys to attaining a healthy body and lifestyle altogether.

Avoid misleading information

There are tons of internet sites that provide weight loss product information, but there is a great possibility that these sites could be offering incorrect or misleading product information. Many internet sites, especially those of manufacturers, are offering marketing and advertising claims. But the problem with these is that they could either be highly exaggerated or fraudulent. Experts at the Johns Hopkins University have tried searching the internet for sites selling primarily herbal weight-loss products and then evaluated them for medical accuracy.

Of the 32 sites surveyed and analyzed, 13 – or 41 – have failed to reveal the potential adverse or harmful side effects of these supplements and their ingredients. Meanwhile, as much as 17 – or 53% – failed to reveal the recommended dosage for the supplement. Thirty four percent failed to specify correct product information, such as ingredients, which is harmful for consumers.

Is it too good to be true?

If you’ve come across a website that tells of a “miraculous” diet pill that helps you shed the pounds within days, don’t be easily fooled. There is a great possibility that the website is providing highly exaggerated information that can mislead consumers. This marketing ploy has caught the eyes of the US FDA and the FTC, prompting them to crack down on these misleading advertising claims and close down the manufacturer companies.

What is the answer?

To get the accurate and reliable weight loss product information, it is best to consult an expert. Experts can either be doctors or nutritionists, or anyone who has experience and knowledge on diet pills and its corresponding ingredients. Also, don’t view diet pills as a quick fix to all your problems. Analyze and understand its weight loss product information before buying a diet pill for your use.

To be a tough man you have got to train with kettlebells my friend! I have included 2 hard hitting combination exercises here that will be enough of a workout for you to build your body into mountain of muscle and power! Take the time to read over these 2 combination drills to take your workouts up a notch to “Tough Man” status!

1. The Kettlebell Swing And Burpee Combination: For this particular combo you are going to execute a round of 30 double arm kettlebell swings immediately followed by a round of 30 burpees. Now to execute the swings you must begin with the bell at your feet. From here pick it up and execute the hip snap (by flexing and extending at your knees and hips) in order to effectively swing the bell from between your legs up to chest level. As soon as you complete 30 of these swings with a moderately heavy bell then immediately drop to the ground to finish out your 3 count burpees. To execute the 3 count burpee (or 3 step burpee) simply crouch down and place your hands flat on the ground in front of you. Once here simply kick your feet back behind you bringing your body into an upright push up position. Finally, the third and final count involves kicking your feet back up underneath your body the way you started and then stand up. All of this constitutes a single repetition. Perform 30 of these and you will see why your strength training workouts will quickly improve.

2. The Dual Kettlebell Front Squat And Then Press Combination: For this drill you will need the availability of a pair of moderately heavy kettlebells. This muscular strength training drill is not only great for the muscles, but it does wonders for your cardio as well. Set the bells on the ground between your feet. From here properly perform a kettlebell clean lift to rack the bells at your chest. Next, perform 15 squats descending far enough to allow your elbows to touch the insides of your knees. This will ensure that your squats are deep enough. Once you complete the final squat then maintain the bells at the rack position and perform 15 overhead presses. Once you have completed both combination 1 and 2 you will understand why this is called a “Tough Man” workout. Take the time to include kettlebells into your training if you want to dominant fitness and strength program. Remember that anyone can train hard, but only the best train smart!

There is an ongoing misconception surrounding vitamin supplements and how its daily intake could substitute for the prescribed consumption of nutritious food. True, every multivitamin brand manufactured by pharmaceuticals has been formulated to convey traces of vitamin and mineral compounds to the body. But then again, vitamin supplements are intended only to augment dietary imbalances for natural vitamins such as vitamins A, C, E and the rest of the over 20 vitamin compounds found active in the affairs of human nutrition. Besides, there are other vital nutrients that the body cannot synthesize on its own such as fats and dietary minerals, both requiring daily supplementation to aid in proper growth, metabolism and health maintenance. Among the nutrients critical to human nutrition is the essential fatty acid called Omega 3 which can only be derived from the diet or through the food consumed.

Fish oil is deemed as a great source of Omega 3 nutrients in terms of volume. Although the likelihood of chemical impurities contaminating its essence makes it a less preferred supplement for essential fatty acids or EFAs. A viable alternative to fish oil is the top plant resource for Omega 3 which is the flax seed. Omega 3 nutrients may be available in lesser quantities with the flax seed but taking frequent servings of its milled kernels that are distributed over the three main meals of the day, helps fill the gap for this nutrient. A daily intake of at least 4 grams of Omega 3 EFAs is currently recommended by the National Institute for Health for a 2,000 calorie diet. A serving of around 25 grams or 1/4 cup of ground flax seed on the other hand provides over 10 grams of total fat with saturated fats comprising only about 1 gram of the total fat proportion.

Omega 3 nutrients are the precursor of the High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), also known as the good cholesterol. HDL transported to the bloodstream clears the undue buildup of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) or the bad cholesterol narrowing the walls of the arteries-a condition that sets the stage for hypertension, heart disease and other cardiovascular ailments. Apart from that, Omega 3 fatty acids also support a number of physiological functions that involve the regulation of body metabolism and blood sugar levels, the enhancement of immune system defenses and the treatment of neurological disorders like depression and ADHD. Moreover, in every tablespoon of milled flax seed, the body benefits from the dietary fibers abundant with the husk as well as from the health advantages of lignans, vitamins and minerals available with the oil secured inside the husk of the flax seed.

In the end, nothing beats nourishment available from natural sources such as flax seed. Synthetic vitamins and dietary supplements could provide nutrition support but in diminished quantities for that matter with the nutrients artificially isolated from its organic source.

You might have heard about the various benefits of fish oil and how daily intake of omega 3 is crucial for your brain and heart. But how much of all this have you really taken seriously? Daily intake of omega 3 is really important and we will tell you why.

Omega 3 fatty acids are a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids that form an important component of our brain and nerve cell membranes. These fatty acids, unlike the saturated and hydrogenated fats, are good for our health.

Omega 3 also known as the Essential fatty acids comprise of three primary fats – Docosahexaenoic acid, Eicosapentaenoic acid and Alpha-Linolenic acid. While DHA and EPA fats can be instantly absorbed and used by our body, ALA fats need to be broken down into EPA & DHA before they can be utilized by our body.

Though all three of the essential fatty acids are extremely important for our overall health, they cannot be synthesized by our body and for the daily intake of omega 3, we need to solely rely on our diets.

It is estimated that more than 85% of the Western population is deficient in Omega 3 and this is the reason for the increasing numbers of cardiovascular diseases, joint problems and mental disorders.

Before discussing the prescribed daily intake of omega 3, let us look into the dietary sources of these fatty acids. The richest sources of omega 3 are cold-water, oily fishes such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, Hoki and sardines. In addition to these, seafood such as scallops, shrimps and halibut also provide a good amount of omega 3.

Worried that we did not include a single vegetarian omega 3 source? Well the vegan or plant-based sources are green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cabbage, tofu, soybeans and walnuts. Certain vegetable oils especially flaxseed oil, canola oil and sunflower oil are a rich source of ALA fatty acids.

Doctors and researchers throughout the world consider Fish oils as the richest source of omega 3 fatty acids. The reason they suggest Fish oils and not fish directly is because of the increasing pollution levels of the oceans and other water resources.

Growing mercury levels in the oceans waters is a grave environmental issue. Consuming fish daily might actually lead to more health problems rather than treating them. This is the reason why fish oils are considered safer for the daily intake of omega 3.

Before you jump and buy a fish oil bottle for yourself, let us warn you that not all fish oils are created equal.

Fish oils that are molecularly distilled are the ones free of all toxins such as mercury, metals and PCBs. Purchase only pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled fish oils to ensure maximum health benefits.

Recommended Daily Intake of Omega 3

Setting a standard dosage of fish oils for everyone is not possible since the health needs of all individuals vary.

The daily intake of omega 3 fish oils for heart patients and diabetics usually ranges from 600mg to 900mg. Doctors recommend fish oils with higher DHA & EPA levels for patients suffering from depression, schizophrenia and other mental disorders.

One such fish oil that has high DHA and EPA content is the one extracted from the Hoki fish. Hoki is a cold-water species found in the Southern oceans of New Zealand and has naturally high DHA and EPA content.

Children and infants require a higher daily intake of omega 3 since their brain development occurs most rapidly during the first 12 months and then up to the teenage years.

For healthy people, the general daily intake of omega 3 is one gram, while for heart and blood pressure patients, it is 3 grams per day. However, it is imperative that you consult your doctor before starting on any omega 3 supplements.