Tag Archives: Omega-3 fatty acid

Straight, No Chaser In The News: Omega-3 Supplements Do Not Protect Against Dementia

omega-3
Today’s Straight, No Chaser continues our ongoing conversation about your health not being found in a (supplement) bottle. In the news is new research reaffirming that taking omega-3 supplements do not appear to protect the brain from dementia and other forms of cognitive decline. Meanwhile, data continues to mount challenging the previously held views that omega-3 supplements protect the heart in ways previous thought, and that these supplements do not prevent macular degeneration of the eyes. These most recent findings related to cognitive decline come from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where researchers followed 4,000 at risk individuals over a five-year period.
Omega-3-Essential-Fatty-Acids-for-Eyesight1
Omega-3s are the fatty acids found most abundantly in fish. The original notion that these fatty acids were particularly good for you came from studies noting the superior health status of hunter-gatherer societies that heavily relied on diets including fish. The importance and urgency of these findings are found in the fact that Alzheimer’s disease remains the most common cause of dementia. In the U.S. alone, it affects over 5.1 million Americans age 65 and older. With demographics being what they are, the number of those affected is expected to triple in the next 40 years.
omega3s
It is important to note that these findings speak to supplements, not to intake of foods naturally rich in omega-3s, such as fish and flax seeds. Continue to enjoy the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, which in the example of regularly consuming fish, absolutely includes lower rates of cardiovascular (heart) disease, macular degeneration of the eye and possibly dementia.
omega-3-6-575x262
There are two additional salient points to be made, based on these new studies.

  1. Health is a habit, and you shouldn’t expect to find a cure for what ills you in supplements. The value of what occurs naturally again and again has been shown less able to be transferred into supplements.
  2. Health is a result, and it’s best secured by establishing a lifetime of healthy habits. Over time, you will either benefit or suffer from the way you live your life. Start those healthy habits as soon as you can for maximal benefit.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
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Straight, No Chaser In The News: Omega-3 Supplements Do Not Protect Against Dementia

omega-3

Today’s Straight, No Chaser continues our ongoing conversation about your health not being found in a (supplement) bottle. In the news is new research reaffirming that taking omega-3 supplements do not appear to protect the brain from dementia and other forms of cognitive decline. Meanwhile, data continues to mount challenging the previously held views that omega-3 supplements protect the heart in ways previous thought, and that these supplements do not prevent macular degeneration of the eyes. These most recent findings related to cognitive decline come from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where researchers followed 4,000 at risk individuals over a five-year period.

Omega-3-Essential-Fatty-Acids-for-Eyesight1

Omega-3s are the fatty acids found most abundantly in fish. The original notion that these fatty acids were particularly good for you came from studies noting the superior health status of hunter-gatherer societies that heavily relied on diets including fish. The importance and urgency of these findings are found in the fact that Alzheimer’s disease remains the most common cause of dementia. In the U.S. alone, it affects over 5.1 million Americans age 65 and older. With demographics being what they are, the number of those affected is expected to triple in the next 40 years.

omega3s

It is important to note that these findings speak to supplements, not to intake of foods naturally rich in omega-3s, such as fish and flax seeds. Continue to enjoy the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, which in the example of regularly consuming fish, absolutely includes lower rates of cardiovascular (heart) disease, macular degeneration of the eye and possibly dementia.

omega-3-6-575x262

There are two additional salient points to be made, based on these new studies.

  1. Health is a habit, and you shouldn’t expect to find a cure for what ills you in supplements. The value of what occurs naturally again and again has been shown less able to be transferred into supplements.
  2. Health is a result, and it’s best secured by establishing a lifetime of healthy habits. Over time, you will either benefit or suffer from the way you live your life. Start those healthy habits as soon as you can for maximal benefit.

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, AmazonBarnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright, Sterling Initiatives, LLC. 2013-2015

Straight, No Chaser: The Treatment of Arthritis

arthritisrx

The thing about treating arthritis is you’d better do it. If you’re not lucky enough to have a form that readily responds to treatment or if you didn’t get early treatment, your arthritis will progress and create an incrementally worse situation for you. Given that we’re discussing arthritis, we’re talking loss of mobility somewhere, maybe in your legs or hands, and pain.
The goal of treatment is to reduce pain, improve function, and prevent further joint damage. The underlying cause often cannot be cured.
Treatment considerations for arthritis fall into three general categories: lifestyle changes, medication and surgery. Let’s review each.
Lifestyle
The best time to enact lifestyle changes is before you’re struggling to return to normalcy. Exercise is a lifelong habit that will improve the quality and extend the quantity of your life. For starters, exercise maintains and improves muscle tone. It also strengths your bones and cartilage. This will reduce pain, fatigue and stiffness over the long term.
Exercise should include a tolerable level of aerobic activity, flexibility exercises to sustain your range of motion and strength training to maintain and improve your muscle tone. Physical therapy is another component; massage, heat and ice application, splints and other treatments are important in maintaining blood flow, mobility and positioning as stiffness and deformity increase over time.
Medication
Using medication for arthritis is a very delicate act. Many if not most arthritics are aging and may have other medical issues. Medications in these settings have risks for side effects and drug interactions, including kidney, liver and heart damage, stroke, ulcers and bleeding. Any medications should be coordinated with your physician. Typical over-the-counter (OTC) medical regimens begin with acetaminophen, then move to NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen).
When OTCs don’t work, your doctor may prescribe medicines, including steroids and other medications called biologics, immunosuppressants and DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs). These drugs all are effective in certain patients but can have serious side effects.
Surgery
Surgery is an option if and when other therapies haven’t worked and if the patient is healthy enough to have it. There are two primary options. Arthroplasty rebuilds the joint, and joint replacement starts from scratch.
Let’s start back where I’ll always hope you start: prevention. Here are some lifestyle change tips for holding off the onset of arthritis or slowing down its advance.

  • If you are overweight, do what you can to slim down. Weight loss significantly reduces joint pain in the legs and feet.
  • Eat a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables. Among other things, a rich supply of vitamin E yields benefits you’ll need. Also eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., salmon, mackerel, herring, flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts).
  • Sleeping eight to 10 hours a night and taking naps during the day can help you both prevent and recover from flare-ups more quickly.
  • Avoid staying in one position for too long.
  • Try stress-reducing activities, such as meditation, yoga or tai chi.
  • Avoid positions or movements that place extra stress on your sore joints.
  • Change your home to make activities easier (e.g., grab bars in the shower, the tub, and near the toilet).
  • Consider capsaicin cream over your painful joints. Typically expect improvement after three to seven days if it’s going to help.

If and when you develop arthritis, it’s going to be a tough time. Get ahead of the challenge and take care of yourself in advance. Feel free to ask questions or leave comments.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress. We are also on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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