Benefits and Sources of Omega-3

Omega-3 is the fatty acids which are considered very essential for the human health, but our body cannot make them. Omega-3 fattyacids can only be obtained through diet. The three most important types of omega-3 are DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (eicosaoentaenoic acid), and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). The ALA omega fatty acid is found mainly in plants, while DHA and EPA are mainly found in seafood. Omega-3 fatty acids are very effective in preventing and treating heart diseases and also plays a vital role in the brain development and function. Omega-3 fatty acids are also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Benefits of Omega-3

High cholesterol

Intake of omega-3 fatty acids promotes higher HDL (good cholesterol) levels and decreases fat in the blood. People living in the coastal areas tend to have higher HDL due to the consumption of fatty fish. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are an abundant source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Heart Disease

A diet full of polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fats is very helpful in dealing with heart diseases. The DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosaoentaenoic acid) present in omega-3 fatty acids lowers the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease. The omega-3 fatty acids prevent the development of plaque and blood clots, which can block any artery or vein and restricts the normal blood flow to the heart. The antioxidants present in the omega-3 fatty acid aids in the healthy blood flow.

Diabetes

Diabetic patients have high levels of triglyceride and LDL (bad cholesterol) due to high blood sugarlevels. Omega-3 fatty acids lower down the high triglyceride and apoproteins which are the main cause behind the development of diabetes.

Depression and Anxiety

Depression is one of the most common mental problems in the world. Omega-3 fatty acids are loaded with antioxidants. These antioxidants provide the brain with a constant flow of fresh blood. Omega-3 is also essential in combating the signs of nervousness and anxiety.  Omega-3 fatty acids provide several benefits such as better communication skills, higher intelligence, and reduce the risk of cerebral palsy and autism.

Eyes health

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for sharp vision. The DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) found in the omega-3, is a constructional element of the brain nerve, which connects with the eyes. Intake of omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for the health of the retina in the eye and may prevent the macular de-generation, which can lead to vision impairment and blindness.

Sources of Omega-3

Here are some foods, which are very high per omega-3 fatty acids.

1.      Salmon

Omega-3 content: 2260 mg per 100 grams

2.      Mackerel

Omega-3 content: 5134 mg per 100 grams

3.      Cod liver oil

Omega-3 content: 2264 mg per one tablespoon

4.      Oysters

Omega-3 content: 672 mg per 100 grams

5.      Caviar ( fish eggs )

Omega-3 content: 6789 mg per 100 grams

6.      Walnut

Omega-3 content:  2542 mg in one ounce

7.      Soybeans

Omega-3 content: 1443 mg per 100 grams

8.      Flaxseed

Omega-3 content: 2338 mg in one tablespoon

9.      Tuna

Omega-3 content: 5767 mg per 100 grams

World Obesity Day: It’s time we start controlling obesity

Studies reveal that India will be at the helm of diabetes by 2050 if the abdominal and lower limb obesity and metabolic syndrome are not taken care of. Alarmed by the reports, the Health Ministry of India has reduced the cut-off for body mass index (BMI) to 23 kg/m2 to fight the battle against obesity. If your BMI is over 23 kg/m2, then you are considered overweight. The global standard for this is a BMI of 25 kg/m2. So, someone considered healthy by most international standards, might be overweight in India! BMI is the ratio of the body weight in kg versus height in m2. 

The guidelines were released jointly by the Health Ministry, the Diabetes Foundation of India, the All-India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Indian Council of Medical Research, the National Institute of Nutrition and 20 other health organisations - Those with BMI of 25 kg/m2 will be clinically termed obese (as opposed to 30 kg/m2 at the international level) and those with BMI of 32.5 kg/m2 will require bariatric surgery to eliminate excess flab.

Along with the BMI guidelines, they have also released guidelines cut-offs for waist measurement at 90 cm for Indian men (as opposed to 102 cm globally) and 80 cm for Indian women (as opposed to 88 cm at the international level).

The study says one in every three Indians has high triglyceride (bad cholesterol) levels and 30-70 per cent has low levels of HDL (good cholesterol). For every 10 extra kilograms above the stipulated body weight (measured according to height), life expectancy of a person reduces by three years – the report said.

By the new obesity guidelines, every second person in Delhi fulfils the criteria of obesity or has excess abdominal fat and nearly one-fourth of the adolescent population in the capital has metabolic syndrome that heralds the onset of heart diseases and diabetes. So, what are planning to do, to avoid obesity? Here are some ways.

How to control over-eating

Are you tired of your binge eating habit? Do you find yourself giving into temptation to gorge down delicious food and before you can control it’s too late and the damage of consuming excessive calories is already done? Why do we find ourselves making the same mistake over and over again and how can you salvage the situation and control overeating in future?

The need to obsessively over eat is mostly triggered by emotional factors. Either you are too sad, too happy, too tired or simply bored when you get this intense urge to eat. Some studies even blame our ancestors for our compulsive binging behaviour. According to them, our primal ancestors were hunters and gatherers and went without food for long periods, so once they found it they would eat everything they could get their hands on.  The latest research suggests that starving leads to overeating and is also responsible for slowing down of metabolism. This leads to storing of food in our bellies which is linked to heart diseases and acquiring diabetes type 2.

A binging outburst can set you back to a minimum of 1000 calories per meal and above your daily calorie intake. This means that you could be potentially adding up to 1 kg each time you have 2 bags of chips while just chilling in front of the TV!

Knowing your triggers can help you minimise the damage. The logic behind cravings for high carbohydrates or sugar foods is that as they spike insulin levels in the body and release endorphins, also known as the pleasure hormone. This is the actual trigger that causes us to binge over and over again. There is a healthier alternative to this addiction. There are studies that have proved that exercise can also trigger the same happy hormone. Besides the fact exercise is great for health and helps keeping the lifestyle related disorders at bay.

The biggest downside to seeking solace in high sugar/carbohydrate food for emotional need is that over a period of time your body develops a natural resistance towards them. So your body craves more quantities to get the same desired effect. For e.g. If one slice of cake was enough to make you feel good before with time you will need at least two slices to trigger the same feeling.  It’s a tricky situation to get dependent to relieve stress or solve any other emotional conditions. Eventually it’s a mind over matter game. If you can understand your action you can control your behaviour in time and prevent causing damage to your health.

World Heart Day: Scenario of Heart Diseases in India

World Heart Day is celebrated every year on 29^th September with the intent of raising awareness about cardiovascular disease. Every year has a different theme which tackles different aspects of heart disease. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), Cardiac diseases have nearly doubled in India, an alarming fact, considering that it has almost halved in Europe and the USA. Latest data collected from WHO, suggest that by 2010 there would be close to 100 million cardiac patients in India. It is 30 millions now. As per the WHO findings, men, women and children are at risk.

Of the 30 million heart patients in India, 14 million reside in urban areas and 16 million in rural areas. If the current trend continues, by the year 2020, the burden of cardiovascular diseases in India will surpass that of any other country in the world.

The statistical data given by WHO warns that, women will continue to experience disproportionately high mortality from cardiac diseases. By 2040, women in India will represent a higher proportion of cardio vascular disorder deaths than men. Regarding incidence 1 in 3 individuals age 65 or older has suffered from some form of heart disease or stroke. Studies have found that average annual rates of first major cardiac disease event rose from 7 per 1,000 men at ages 35 to 44 to 68 per 1,000 of ages 85 to 94. The comparable rates occur 10 years later for women but the gap between men and women narrows with advancing age. After age 75, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is greater in women than men.

The common accelerators for cardiac diseases are stress, strain, restlessness, work activities and the urbanisation. Nowadays, due to the urbanised cultures people are facing more stress and strain at home as well office. The food habits have changed and the utilisation of vegetables and fruits has been decreased. People are opting fast foods, which may contain some material that harms their heart. The lifestyle of the people is making them sensitive to cardiac diseases leading them towards stress and restlessness. Because of the modern lifestyle, the younger people are also getting heart diseases at a significant rate. Despite age and gender, cardiac diseases are evolving as a major threat for human life.

Heart disease is now the world's leading causes of death, claiming 17.3 million lives each year and India has seen a rapid transition in its heart disease burden over the past couple of decades. However, it's been projected that the load of communicable and non-communicable diseases might get reversed by 2020.

These little secrets can keep your heart healthy

With so many heart diseases on the rise, most health-conscious people strive to find ways to keep their heart healthy.

It is a serious misconception that being in excellent physical condition makes you less vulnerable to heart diseases. It is true that good levels of physical conditioning are a contributing factor in keeping your heart healthy, but it is not the only one. In short, fitness and health may be two different subjects if we look at it with intricacy. It is not an absolute necessity that a bodybuilder is less prone to developing a heart disease than an average man.

Take The Green Initiative

When we speak of the heart, we cannot ignore the importance and benefits of plant-based foods. Vegetables are an excellent source of Glutamic acid. It is a class of amino acids which helps to keep blood pressure at lower levels; safe levels, so to say. What's more? Veggies lack cholesterol, fat and even calories, which otherwise tend to be the common culprits for causing heart diseases. Not to mention, the amount of vitamins and minerals that vegetables provide.

Stay Active

Without the aid of daily exercise, maintaining your health is a daunting task. Exercises not only improve heart function, but also help in lowering blood pressure, and cholesterol levels in the body. A mere 30 minutes daily walk works well for the heart. It is said that sprinting is more beneficial for the heart than jogging.

Minimise the consumption of oil

Although, you cannot avoid oil completely, you can keep its consumption to a minimum. As oils are a storehouse of calories mostly consisting of fat, they have high chances of leading to the development of plaque in the arteries. This gives rise to some nasty heart problems. However, not all types of oil are unhealthy. Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help in preventing cardiovascular diseases and reduce instances of heart attack.

Say no to smoking

If you think you cannot shun the habit of smoking, then you might as well know that you cannot do anything good for your heart. One of the most severe risks of smoking relates to heart diseases in almost every smoker. Quit smoking, and you have done half the job in keeping your heart healthy!

Shed the excessive fat

If your figure is slim, and belly flat, then you may have less things to worry about heart diseases. Being overweight puts extra load on the heart, thus increasing the risk of heart conditions. So, consume less sugary foods and more fibre, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the basic necessities for a healthy heart today.

Add More Fibre

Fibre exists in two major groups; soluble and insoluble. Although both types are beneficial to health, it is the former type that does way better to reduce cholesterol levels in the body. Due to its soluble nature, it binds with the cholesterol in the intestines and keeps it from being absorbed. A healthy person requires a serving of 5 to 10 grams of soluble fibre a day to avail this benefit of low cholesterol. Foods rich in this fibre include apples, peas, prunes, etc.

Beware of Saturated Fats

It is important that you limit the amount of saturated and Trans fats you consume. These spike cholesterol levels in the body, thus increasing the risk of coronary disease. So avoid or limit consumption of food such as red meat, dairy products, coconut oil and palm oil. These are rich in saturated fatty acids. To avoid Trans fats, eat less fast food, bakery products, snacks, crackers, and margarine. Go for foods rich in healthy fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Eat Less Salt

Sodium is good for the body, but in small amounts. High salt intake means high blood pressure, which eventually points out to heart conditions. When sodium starts accumulating in the blood, it attracts water which in turn, increases the blood volume. Now to keep this blood circulating through the blood vessels, the heart has to work harder thus, causing high blood pressure. The recommended amount of sodium in the food per day must be less than 2300 milligrams.

Take the Right Medication

In most cases, heart diseases are also related to the use of drugs. So, it is important that you take medicines as prescribed by the doctor, or get them altered if necessary.

Manage Stress

Stress has also been known to be one of the common culprits of heart problems. Any stressful situation elevates blood pressure and this response takes its toll on the heart. So, keep yourself relaxed by practising meditation, yoga, and other relaxation techniques.

Healthy heart diet for women

Your heart is a machine that is continuously pumping blood. Just as every machine requires servicing; your heart requires a little care and attention too. But obviously, you cannot send your heart to a service station for a regular maintenance. Thus, maintaining a healthy diet is all that you can do, to keep it hale and hearty. Having a right diet, is the only way of preventing your heart from any kind of illnesses. Today, the risk of heart related problems is equal for both men and women. After the age of 40, it is imperative for a woman to take care of her heart's health to lead a healthy life for a healthy family.

Harmful Fats

Cardiologists say that the daily consumption of foods high in nutrition can reduce the risk to your heart by 80%. Thus, it is important to understand how your food affects your heart. Restricting your intake of saturated fats and quitting any form of trans fat is the best way reducing the level of bad cholesterol or LDL. Avoid the butter, cheese, margarine or even white butter on your bread and food to keep away from these fats. Substitute the high fat food such as fried potato with baked potato and cook your meals in healthier oils such as olive oil, safflower, sunflower or canola. Start your day by eating only egg whites and plain toast. This is a better idea as compared to the tasteless oatmeal breakfast. You do not have to make drastic changes in your diet to have a healthy meal. Small changes like adding vegetables, fruits and low fat substitutes to your food will go a long way in making your heart healthy.

Low Cholesterol

Low cholesterol is the biggest culprit for heart related problems. Watching what you eat is the only way of controlling your cholesterol levels. The best way of avoiding HDL or bad cholesterol is by keeping away from fried packaged food. Replacing chips, cookies and fries with fruits, proteins and fibrous food stuffs is the best way of avoiding any form cholesterol intake. Nuts, fish oils, olive oil and food substances that contain sterols, block absorption of cholesterol. Simply avoid packaged food to bring down your cholesterol levels.

No Processed Food

Eating a lot of processed food can be a major risk to your heart. Easy food items such as packaged dinners, processed meats and dairy products are harmful to the heart and must be avoided as much as possible. Replace these by fresh food, fruits, salads, soups and unsalted meats. Eating excessive salt increases your blood pressure, which exposes you to the risk of heart attack. Thus reducing your intake of sodium and avoiding processed food items as much as possible is a great way of staying fit. Instead of salt, try adding spices and herbs to your food to make it tasty.

Besides eating healthy meals, it is also important that you exercise every day. Cardiovascular exercises make your heart strong and improve the blood circulation. Regular exercise builds endurance, improves flexibility and reduces body fat, thereby minimising the risk to your heart. While balancing your exercise and diet, maintain your focus on fibrous food as they are rich in nutrition and a great help in keep the heart fit as a fiddle. They not only mitigate the risk of heart diseases, but also assist weight loss. Go back to eating homemade meals as they are fresh and the ingredients can be monitored. Bake or boil your meals, instead of frying them. A healthy meal and a health conscious mind is the key to a healthy heart for a lifetime!