We’ve all seen those famous ads “Got Milk.”  New research made milk even more popular when they linked milk consumption to weight loss.  For years, I wondered how this could be true.  So, like any other normal person, I googled it; then it all made sense!  It wasn’t the milk that made your body lose weight; it was the calcium in the milk.  Since, I avoid milk, but consume calcium supplements, this made me a bit relieved. 

New studies indicate that consuming adequate amounts of calcium may do more than strengthen your bones. In fact, calcium helps break down body fat and may prevent fat cells from making fat.

Researchers from Purdue and Creighton universities and the University of Tennessee conducted several studies on calcium intake and weight. Results consistently showed that people who consumed more calcium had a lower body weight or gained less weight than those who consumed lower amounts of calcium.

For the best health benefits, try to consume at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day. Good sources include dairy foods, dark-green leafy vegetables, fish with edible bones and calcium-fortified foods (source).

    If you tend to carry around some extra weight, and have a hard time losing it; then try adding a good quality calcium to your supplement regime.  Calcium also acts in such a way to lower you cortisol levels (stress hormone).  Taking calcium can have a calming affect. If you lead a stressful life then calcium can relieve some of that excess stress. 

Adria Ali

(CES, PES, CPT, BS)

    Sometimes the daily strains on your joints can catch up to you.  In my case, my physically demanding job coupled with my hard workout routines tends to leave my joints aching.  With some persistent pressure from one of my good clients and the echoing of my mom and uncle; I finally tried it!  Now I wonder why I waited so long! 

      After a mere 2 days, my joints felt like new!  The irritation was gone and the inflammation had subsided.  Since, I hate taking pills to ease the pain; taking something natural was more appealing then taking over the counter medicine.  Not to mention; my hair looks better due to the increased omega fats.  My skin also has a different,  more moisturized look. 

   The research surrounding fish oil is pretty outstanding.  Read about the “7 Proven Omega-3 Fish Oil Benefits.”

1. Less Pain and Inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body’s inflammation cycle, which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, cystitis and anything else ending in “itis.”

2. Cardiovascular Health.Omega 3 fatty acids have also been proven to work wonders for your heart and the miles and miles of arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower cholesterol, tryglicerides, LDLs and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol. This adds years to your life expectancy.

3. Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack. When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what’s known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Research shows omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage.

4. Better Brain Function and Higher Intelligence. Pregnant and nursing mothers can have a great impact on the intelligence and happiness of their babies by supplementing with fish oil. For adults, omega 3 improves memory, recall, reasoning and focus. You’ll swear you’re getting younger and smarter.

5. Less Depression and Psychosis. Making you smarter is not all omega 3 does for your brain. Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield, along with many other research studies, found that omega 3 fish oil supplements “alleviate” the symptoms of depression, bipolar and psychosis (Journal of Affective Disorder Vol. 48(2-3);149-55).

6. Lower Incidence of Childhood Disorders.Just to show how fish oil fatty acids leave nobody out, studies show that children (and adults) with ADD and ADHD experience a greatly improved quality of life. And those with dyslexia, dyspraxia and compulsive disorders have gotten a new lease on life thanks to omega 3 oils.

7. Reduction of Breast, Colon and Prostate Cancer.And finally, omega 3 fish oil has been shown to help prevent three of the most common forms of cancer – breast, colon and prostate. Science tells us that omega 3s accomplish this in three ways. They stop the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, inhibiting unwanted cellular growth and causing apoptosis, or cellular death, of cancer cells (source).

    After reading these… how could you NOT take fish oil.  However, “buyer beware,” not just any fish oil will do!   Since fish carry heavy metals, you want to make sure that you get a good quality fish oil. Here’s some things to look for when buying a fish oil…

• The fish should be caught wild not farmer.  This means they have less parasites.
• The fish oil should be filter so that it doesn’t contain heavy metals (that could be toxic to your body over long periods of time).
• It’s best if the fish is caught in extremely COLD waters… again, to avoid parasites. 

    My good friend and nutrition “gurus” Linda and Richard (as well as my mom) recommend the “Carlson’s” brand of fish oil.  This is also the one I am currently taking.  It follows all the best standards for fish oil.  It’s made in a FDA approved lab. 

    You don’t have to live with inflammation or swollen joints.  If you have been suffering from joint pain or you just want to stay sharp; you can never go wrong with adding fish oil to you supplement regime. 

Adria Ali

(CES, PES, CPT, BS)