Tag: essential

Nuts, Seeds and Omega 3

Todays post is about nuts and omega 3.

A friend of ours was recently sharing that she had been craving nuts and seeds quite a lot in the past few weeks. She asked if we were aware of this being a symptom of anything.

We were not sure but thought it could mean that her body was craving Omega 3.

I decided to do some research and as usual am sharing my findings.

The health world has been focusing on Omega-3 fats as they play a major role in heart, brain and overall health.

So what is Omega-3?

Omega-3 is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), a type of healthy fat.

There are actually three main kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, each capable of providing vital health benefits for the body and mind.

The 3 kinds are – Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

ALA is crucial for normal growth and development. It also helps maintain normal blood cholesterol levels.

EPA helps maintain normal blood pressure levels and reduce inflammation. EPA may also reduce the symptoms of depression.

DHA is important for brain development and function. It can also benefit heart health by reducing blood triglycerides (a type of fat found in the blood).

The body can’t produce these essential fatty acids on its own. It is important to make sure you’re getting enough through dietary sources. If you don’t, you could experience the symptoms of omega-3 deficiency.

In addition, there’s currently no standard test to diagnose an omega-3 deficiency, though there are several ways to analyze omega-3 levels.

To date, few studies have investigated the signs and symptoms of omega-3 deficiency. Therefore I was unable to find any studies to suggest that craving nuts or seeds, was an indicator of low levels.

There are however some other recognised symptoms of omega-3 deficiency.

Main symptoms of low omega 3
  • Hair and /or skin is feeling dry – this is because omega-3 fats help retain moisture in the skin, they also help keep your hair healthy.
  • Feeling anxious or depressed – DHA‘s are known to have neuro-protective and anti-inflammatory effects
  • Dry eyes – essential fatty acids play a role in eye health, including maintaining eye moisture.
  • Blood Pressure is higher that normal – Omega-3s are known as the “heart-healthy fats” and are associated with significantly lower blood pressure levels.

It is relatively easy to ensure good levels of these ‘fatty acids’ in your body simply by eating a varied diet.

Main Food Sources of Omega-3s

Plant oils such as flaxseed (linseed), soybean, and canola oils contain ALA.

Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts also contain ALA.

Several types of fish contain omega 3 such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines, anchovies, bass, and cod.

Vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower, are good sources of ALA.

Of course there are several other processed foods and supplements available that are fortified with DHA and other omega-3s.

So, in a nutshell, upping your omega-3 intake helps improve your skin and hair, lower your blood pressure and improve your overall heart health.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – U.S. National Institute of health – Healthline– WebMD –

Aromatherapy – an overview

Today’s post is about Aromatherapy.

I recently read an interesting article in a journal from the Natural Therapists Association about this topic. I thought I would share an overview.

What is Aromatherapy?

Essential oils have been used for therapeutic purposes for approximately 6,000 years. Aromatherapy can be defined as the art and the science of utilising these essential oils to balance, harmonise and promote wellbeing and health.
It is a well-documented, natural therapy that has been practiced throughout the world for centuries. The first methods of essential oil distillations were found in historical Egyptian texts.
The term ‘Aromatherapy’ was first used in the early 1930’s by a French chemist – Rene` Maurice Gattefosse to describe the therapeutic action of the oils.

Aromatherapy is the term applied to the external application of essential oils such as inhalations, baths or massage. Aromatic Medicine is related to the practice of ingestible essential oils.
Today there is a revival of scientific research into the art of aromatherapy and its medical applications.

So what are ‘essential oils’?

Essential oils are one of the purest forms of plant chemistry. These oils are very different to the ones used for cooking or skin care. They are concentrated essences, much lighter than water and highly flammable. They evaporate quickly, so are usually mixed with other ingredients to trap their effectiveness.
Essential oils contain many known and unknown phytochemical elements. It is estimated that an individual essential oil can contain 300 to 400 active constituents. Because they are so concentrated, essential oils are measured in drops.

How does it work?

Considering that the oils are highly concentrated, they need to be treated with care. They should never be applied undiluted, directly to the skin. 

However here are many other ways to benefit from the active constituents of the oils. Most methods do not require specialised equipment.
Essential oils are composed of tiny molecules that are easily dissolved in alcohol and emulsifiers such as beeswax or mixed with other oils. This allows them to penetrate the skin easily.
As the essences evaporate, they are also inhaled. In this way they are absorbed via the cells that line the nasal passages.

Common uses for essential oils are
– Steam inhalation or inhalation using humidifiers or diffusers
– Massage
– Room sprays
– Oil burners/evaporators
– Compress
– Body oils and perfumes

A few of the more common oils and their uses or benefits are
Eucalyptus – an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory
Lavender – calming and also antiseptic
Peppermint – a decongestant and good for digestion
Frankincense – aids concentration

Each individual oil has a distinct chemical composition. This determines its fragrance, colour, volatility and beneficial properties.There are so many essential oils used with aromatherapy that this post would be extremely long. I will instead, occasionally focus on a particular oil to write about in future posts.

Hopefully you also have found this information interesting and you are inspired to consider how aromatherapy can assist you.

Till the next post,
Live clean n Prosper

(Sources – Australian Natural Therapists Assoc., The Encyclopaedia of Aromatherapy)

Alcohol and the body.

Todays post is about how our body, or more specifically the liver, deals with alcohol.

Many of us indulge in an alcoholic beverage on a regular basis. Some people indulge more regularly and in greater quantities than others. Most of us know the basics of what happens in our bodies when we drink alcohol.

Scott has recently covered this subject in his studies and I thought it was interesting. I decided to learn more details and share this information.

How the alcohol is initially absorbed.

Alcohol absorption begins in the stomach. However, it is absorbed much more rapidly in the small intestine due to the larger surface area. So, the longer the alcohol remains in the stomach, the slower the rise in the blood alcohol level. Fatty acids slow down the movement of food through the stomach. Therefore the consumption of foods higher in fats will slow the rise of blood alcohol. This will also give time for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to start breaking down the alcohol.

Alcohol dehydrogenase is our primary defence against alcohol, a toxic molecule that compromises the function of our nervous system. The high levels of alcohol dehydrogenase in our liver and stomach detoxify about one drink (10grams of alcohol) each hour.

Once the alcohol enters the blood stream, it goes directly from the digestive tract to the liver.

The science

In the liver there is more alcohol dehydrogenase to break down ethanol in the blood. The alcohol dehydrogenase breaks alcohol down into another compound, acetaldehyde. Next, another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks it down further into acetate, another metabolite.

This can then be converted to Acetyl coenzyme A, (acetyl-CoA), an important molecule used in metabolic processes. It is primarily used by the body for energy production and is an essential component in balancing carbohydrate and fat metabolism

 What does this mean?

On those occasions when we consume alcoholic beverages while eating pizza and deep fried foods, followed by cake and ice cream, the body deals with the alcohol first.

This is because the liver recognises the alcohol as the most toxic substance in the body at the time.

So while the liver is dealing with the alcohol, the fats and sugars are getting pushed into the blood stream to wait. This also means that the liver will first break down the alcoholic beverage into its main components and then dealing with the alcohol first.

The liver requires certain essential nutrients from the body to do its job. It also works through the toxins in 2 phases. If there are not enough nutrients available for the liver to do its job, this causes the by-products to hang around for a lot longer in between the phases. This can then cause other issues.

 Supporting the liver

It is possible to provide support to the liver so that it can metabolise alcohol more effectively, therefore reducing long-term damage.

The 2 phases of detoxification require different nutrients.

Phase 1 requires B group vitamins, Folic acid, Glutathione, Antioxidants, Carotenoids, vitamins E and vitamin C.

Phase 2 requires Amino Acids (Glutamine, Glycine, Taurine & Cystine) and sulphurated phytochemicals found in garlic and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage & Brussels sprouts)

There are also certain compounds available that may be helpful.

  • Grape seed extract is a well-known antioxidant that assists liver function.
  • Grapefruit seed extract increases gastric protection
  • Vitamin C
  • Zinc
  • Curcumin (found in Turmeric)

Current Australian health guidelines state “For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.” (NHMRC 2009) Sources – Principles of Anatomy & Physiology by Gerard J Totora/Bryan Derrickson, https://en.wikipedia.org, https://pdb101.rcsb.org

With this in mind, a good diet consisting of whole, unprocessed foods goes a long way in supporting the liver. Many of the nutrients essential for optimal liver function are found in fresh fruit and vegetables.

I hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper