omega 3 oils: flax seed and cod liver oils

[Guest guest]

Hi to all,

I wanted to post this to the group, some may not know the benefits of

Omega 3 oils. I personally take both cod liver oil, and flax seed

oil, I alternate.

I use Carlsons liquid cod liver oil, lemon flavor,

taste pretty good.

I also use the Barlenes Flax seed oil that doesnt

taste so bad either, this is not in caps, though you

can get these in caps.

It usually cost less in liquid form.

Omega 3 oils..flax seed and cod liver oils...

http://arthritis.about.com/od/flaxseedoil/Flax_Seeds_FlaxSeed_Oil_Flax

_Oil_Uses_Benefits_Side_Effects.htm

Flaxseed (flaxseed oil, flaxoil) is a dietary

supplement. Information on the uses, benefits, and

side effects of flax seed and flaxseed oil. The flax

plant is a good source of essential omega-3 fatty

acids. Studies of flaxseed oils efficacy are

inconclusive, but believed to provide benefits for

arthritis and lupus patients by reducing inflammation

http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/Omega-3-fatty-acids.htm

Description: Flaxseed, Linum usitatissimum, is an

annual plant cultivated in temperate and tropical

regions worldwide traditionally used as a bulk

laxative. Various species of the plant exist and all

are equally useable for the medical purposes listed.

The parts of the plant used include the stem (as a

sterile linen thread), the oil extracted from the

seeds, the dry ripe seeds, the linseed cakes, and the

fresh flowering plant. Flaxseed oil is the richest

plant source of fatty acids (30—45%) with the chief

fatty acids being alpha-linolenic acid (40—70%),

linoleic acid (10—25%), and oleic acid (13—30%).

Flaxseed contains high concentrations of the lignan

precursor secoisolariciresinol-diglycoside and about

25% protein; it also contains soluble and insoluble

fiber. Flaxseed is used orally for chronic

constipation, colon damage due to laxative abuse,

diverticulitis, enteritis, gastritis, irritable colon,

and hypercholesterolemia. Topical flaxseed

preparations are used as poultices for burns, scalds,

and other types of skin irritation. Germany's

Commission E has approved flaxseed as a bulk laxative

and as a topical poultice. In the US, flaxseed is

regulated as an herbal dietary supplement and is not

FDA-approved for any use. Denatured flaxseed or

linseed oil is a component of paints and varnishes and

is toxic to humans

Cod Liver Oil: The Number One Superfood

http://www.newstarget.com/017590.html

Doctor Price was right, as usual. Cod liver oil is

very good for you, more than you ever knew. Research

studies ranging from 1918-2001 give cod liver oil an

A+ rating. This marvelous golden oil contains large

amounts of elongated omega-3 fatty acids, preformed

vitamin A and the sunlight vitamin D, essential

nutrients that are hard to obtain in sufficient

amounts in the modern diet. Samples may also naturally

contain small amounts of the important bone- and

blood-maintainer vitamin K.

There is hardly a disease in the books that does not

respond well to treatment that includes cod liver oil,

and not just infectious diseases but also chronic

modern diseases like heart disease and cancer. Cod

liver oil provides vitamin D that helps build strong

bones in children and helps prevent osteoporosis in

adults. The fatty acids in cod liver oil are also very

important for the development of the brain and nervous

system. " If you want to prevent learning disabilities

in your children, " said Horrobin, distinguished

medical and biochemical researcher, " feed them cod

liver oil. "

Cod liver oil contains more vitamin A and more vitamin

D per unit weight than any other common food. One

hundred grams of regular cod liver oil provides

100,000 IU of vitamin A, almost three times more than

beef liver, the next richest source; and 10,000 IU

vitamin D, almost four times more than lard, the next

richest source. Of course, cod liver oil is only

consumed in small amounts, but even a tablespoon

(about 15 grams) provides well over the recommended

daily allowance for both nutrients.

In addition, cod liver oil contains 7 percent each of

the elongated omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. EPA is

the precursor of important prostaglandins, localized

tissue hormones that help the body deal with

inflammation; and DHA is extremely important for the

development and function of the brain and nervous

system. So it's no surprise that in numerous studies

cod liver oil has proven to be a powerhouse in

fighting disease.

GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU

Cod liver oil greatly improves heart function to

prevent heart disease and to treat it even in advanced

stages, after a heart attack and after heart surgery.

Cod liver oil alters the linings of the arteries in

such a way as to improve healing after damage. This is

attributed to the omega-3 fatty acids but vitamin A, D

and K all have important roles to play in facilitating

mineral absorption, improving muscle function and

supporting elasticity of the blood vessels. The

inflammation-reducing prostaglandins made from EPA

help mediate the inflammatory response in the

arteries. In other studies the heart-protective effect

was associated with changes in the muscle response to

serotonin, increasing the heart's ability to

" relax. " 1-15 In a study with rats, treatment with cod

liver oil actually caused artery-blocking atheromas to

become smaller and blood vessel diameter to enlarge.55

Weston Price noted that heart attack deaths increased

during periods when the vitamin A content of the diet

was low. Cod liver oil can provide vitamin A on a

continuous basis throughout the year.

Many of the conditions addressed by cod liver oil are

considered related under the title Syndrome X. These

include obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance,

adult onset diabetes and stroke. Evidence is

accumulating that these diseases of civilization are

the result of high levels of omega-6 fatty acids and

low levels of omega-3 fatty acids along with

deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins. We may be paying

a very high price for our rejection of parental wisdom

to take our cod liver oil.

In numerous studies, the elongated omega-3 fats found

in cod liver oil have been shown to improve brain

function, memory, stress response, immune response,

allergies, asthma, learning and behavioral disorders,

including bipolar syndrome and manic-depression.

Cod liver oil is most famous for contributing to bone

health, preventing and reversing rickets in children

and osteomalacia in adults. Before the discovery

of cod liver oil as a source of vitamin D, many

children suffered greatly with deformed bones.

Osteoporosis responds to vitamin D and to cod liver

oil. Sufficient elongated omega-3 oils found in cod

liver oil are one of the keys to keeping and

rebuilding bone. In women, higher levels of

vitamin D from cod liver oil improve bone mineral

density.

Two of the symptoms of low levels of vitamin D are

bone pain and muscle pain. This may manifest as pain

in the legs, muscle weakness and difficulty climbing

stairs. Numerous studies have shown improvement in

muscle pain, muscle strength and bone pain scores with

cod liver oil.

Cod liver oil is effective in treating arthritis as

well. Researchers funded by Great Britain's Arthritis

Research Campaign found that the elongated omega-3

fatty acids in cod liver oil reduce both pain and

damage in inflamed joints.

Pregnant women using cod liver oil have infants with a

lower risk for juvenile type 1 diabetes. This effect

was found only in mothers taking cod liver oil, not in

mothers taking multivitamin supplements. Cod liver oil

taken by nursing mothers improves the fatty acid

profile in breast milk to promote optimal brain

development and also increases levels of vitamin A to

prevent infections. Interestingly, cod liver oil does

not provide increased vitamin D in breast milk.

Cod liver oil given to infants after birth and during

the first year had no protective effect against type 1

diabetes but it nevertheless is an important source of

nutrients for optimal infant health. In more than

forty trials, vitamin A has been shown to reduce

morbidity and mortality of children. Cod liver oil

was the supplement of choice in many of these trials.

Books on feeding infants published in the 1930s and

1940s routinely recommended cod liver oil, starting

with 1 teaspoon at the age of three weeks. It was Dr.

Spock who threw this wisdom out the window by

recommending vaccinations instead of the powerful

nutritional support of cod liver oil. Few modern books

on infant care mention the importance of the

fat-soluble nutrients in this wonderful superfood.

As for treating diabetes in adults, cod liver oil has

been used in a number of trials with both

insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes.

In both conditions cod liver oil improved glucose

response and other markers of the disease.

Vitamin A in cod liver oil helps promote healing and

protects the retina, both problem areas in the

diabetic patient.

Cod liver oil has lowered blood pressure induced by

stress-elevated levels of cortisol.Cod liver oil

given to rats reduced intraocular pressure suggesting

a use in prevention and treatment of glaucoma. Vitamin D in cod liver

oil promotes absorption of

calcium and magnesium, thereby lowering blood

pressure.

Colitis responds more effectively to the type of

omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil than to

medication.37-38 Cod liver oil should be the first

protocol for this condition as well as irritable bowel

syndrome and Crohn's disease.

Topically applied, cod liver oil contributes to faster

wound healing and improvement in skin quality. An

excellent treatment for diaper rash and other skin

conditions is cod liver oil mixed with zinc oxide. And

cod liver oil taken orally helps maintain soft skin

and minimize wrinkles.

And what about cancer? All the nutrients in cod liver

oil help prevent cancer. Vitamin A has been part of

every successful alternative cancer therapy so far. In

a study in China, use of cod liver oil was found to be

protective against childhood leukemia. In a study of

Norwegian men and women, consumption of cod liver oil

was found to protect against lung cancer.

http://www.newstarget.com/017590.html

you can read more at the link above