Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Did you know there is such a thing as good and bad cholesterol? Lipoproteins transport cholesterol around the body and are a fat and protein complex. There are two types of relevance here, firstly LDL which is low-density lipoprotein and second HDL which is high-density lipoprotein. Basically if your cholesterol is combined with LDL it is more likely to end up on your artery walls whereas if combined with HDL the cholesterol is taken out of the arteries and into the liver so this HDL is the ‘good’ cholesterol whereas the other one is commonly called the bad stuff. One of the effective ways of increasing HDL levels and to lower LDL levels is to eat significant quantities of omega 3 oils which are a rich source of essential fatty acids. These omega 3 oils can be sourced from eating lots of oily fish or by taking a fish oil supplement and levels of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic (both essential fatty acids) are typically three times greater in oils from the flesh of oily fish than in oils extracted from cod liver. Many of us are not eating enough oily fish which is where the importance of supplementation comes in and a wide range of omega 3 essential fatty acid supplements are available.
Although many fish oil supplements are designed to prevent any fishy aftertaste, for some people they prefer to obtain their omega-3 requirements from other sources such as flax, hemp and coconut oil. Top brands include Eskimo Fish Oil, Eye Q and Power Health. See also Higher Natures Essential Fatty Acids range.
Last Modified: Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:02:00 GMT
