Essential Oils and their uses

Essential fatty acids are great as carrier oils for essential oils and other skincare products to help nourish and smooth skin.

Essential Fatty Acids

Essential oils are often mixed with carrier oils that help dilute the natural chemicals in the essential oils. Many carrier oils also contain nutrients that complement the essential oils and help nourish and heal the skin. Fatty acids are one category of carrier oils that have many helpful benefits.

We frequently encounter fatty acids as part of our daily diets. Though many people try to avoid certain kinds of fat in their diets, fatty acids can actually improve health. When ingested, fatty acids are a source of energy for our body's cells and can help strengthen the cells. Fatty acids are necessary for healthy organ tissues and for distributing oxygen through the bloodstream. Fatty acids are also responsible for preventing signs of early aging in the skin and clearing cholesterol out of the arteries, which promotes weight loss.

Omega-7 and Omega-9 fatty acids can be produced within our own bodies, so we don't need an external source for them. Other fatty acids, referred to as essential fatty acids, cannot be produced in our body and need to be provided through our diet and other means. Omega-3 and Omega-6 are essential fatty acids that can be found in foods like fish, nuts, seeds, and oils.

These essential fatty acids make excellent carrier oils for use with essential oils and skin care products. There is a very wide selection of carrier oils available that contain essential fatty acids, but it's best to choose one that has other benefits associated with it as well. Here are a few carrier oils that contain Omega-3 and/or Omega-6:

• Coconut Oil. This mild oil is great for healing dry or irritated skin. Its long lasting effects also help the skin to retain moisture. Coconut oil also has a delicious, rich flavor that makes it great for cooking.
• Hazelnut Oil. For those with oily skin, using essential oils or carrier oils topically may not seem like a good idea. But some oils, like hazelnut oil, act as an astringent, decreasing moisture instead of increasing it. You can get all the benefits of using essential oils and essential fatty acids while improving your complexion.
• Wheat Germ Oil. As well as containing essential fatty acids, wheat germ oil is also rich in vitamins E, A, and D. It helps smooth rough skin and reduce wrinkles.

Some other favorites include olive, jojoba, apricot kernel, avocado and rosehip seed oils.

John is a professional blogger and writes interesting articles related to health and beauty, this article was researched and written with the help of Wholesale Cosmetics

Belly Flattening Meals

The idea of a fit body for many people is having a flat belly and this is a goal of both men and women. Even though exercise is important, there are also some foods which can give really good results. It's not an easy task to get a flat stomach area, but with the right diet and proper exercise it is mission possible.

Next time you go grocery shopping, you could shop for these belly flattening foods which will serve as the right catalyst for the change. Try to get rid of the food in your fridge that fattens your stomach and focus on eating and living healthier. The first thing to understand is that you can't get any good results without regular eating. Missing the breakfast or the lunch won't make you lose belly fat, but it can have the opposite effect. You need at least three meals every day - a powerful breakfast, a light lunch and a healthy dinner not later than 7pm. Another thing to put into practice is drinking more water - water intake is actually on top of the list of foods and drinks which can flatten your belly. Here is a list of three types of foods which can help you reach your goal.

Fats

Did you know that monounsaturated fatty acids are quite beneficial for belly flattening? These are found in nuts and seeds, avocado, olives and olive oil and dark chocolate. These foods have plenty of calories, so you need to only have small portions and measure the proteins intake. For instance, in just three slices of avocado there are 50 calories, so don't eat more than 3-4 pieces a day. What's great about this group of foods is that it suits various cravings - for sweet, creamy and salty. Just make sure that you can differentiate between good fats and bad fats - polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are both good for you.

Carbohydrates

In order to flatten your belly, you need to consume carbohydrates that are rich in fiber and other nutrients. Sources of these are Quinoa, Farro, sweet potato and yam. Lighter sources are berries, fruits and vegetables. Eat oranges as they have less sugar than apples and pears, but more vitamin C, beta carotene and fiber. Choose leafy vegetables such as collard greens and spinach. Eat berries for more energy and for antioxidants.

Proteins

The most popular source of protein (especially for breakfast) is the egg. Buy brown eggs which are rich in Omega-3 and eat scrambled or hard-boiled. Reduce the amount of yolk as the best nutrients for your figure are in the white. You can also east oatmeal, fish and chicken - these are perfect belly flattening meat sources. Other good fish is salmon, tilapia and halibut. Eat almonds (full of highly absorbable protein), yogurt (low in sugar) and cottage cheese.

The article has been submitted by: Clapham Removal Options

Stop Taking Fish Oil Supplements Fish oil appears to offer no heart benefits

If this week's headlines have you thinking you can stop taking your fish oil supplements, keep reading. The headlines and news coverage of the study they were based on do not tell the whole story. But as I've said before, it is never a good idea to make a dietary change based on a single news report unless it's for a food recall, and here's why.

The research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association investigated whether people taking fish oil capsules had less risk of heart disease and death than those who did not. While the headlines said they did not, several factors limited the findings. The biggest one being that the subjects were not a healthy population, but people who had already suffered heart attacks and strokes. Since most people with a history of cardiovascular disease are taking multiple medications, it simply may not have been possible to tell what impact their fish oil supplements were having on lowering their risk factors.

Key Take-Away: This study provides no indication of how fish oil supplements benefit healthy people, but plenty of others do.

Why Take Fish Oil Capsules?
Fish oil capsules are a source of essential omega 3 fatty acids. An essential nutrient is required by the body, but cannot be manufactured by the body. That means we must get it from food or supplements.

What Types of Omega 3 Fatty Acids Do We Need?
There is not just one omega 3 fatty acid. The name omega 3 simply indicates that there is a double bond (between two carbon atoms) in a specific location on the fatty acid. For dietary purposes, we are most concerned with the types of omega 3s found in fatty fish, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and the type found in plants called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

What Role Do Omega 3 Fatty Acids Play in the Body?
Omega 3 fatty acids play a role in several metabolic processes, including reducing inflammation, lowering high triglyceride (blood fat) levels, reducing the pain and stiffness of rheumatoid arthritis, improving cognitive function with aging, aiding the treatment of depression, and enhanced brain development in infants. Research also shows omega 3 may reduce the risk of plaque build up in the arteries, inflammatory bowel disease, Attention Deficit Disorder, bone loss, and psychiatric disorders.

How Much Omega 3 Do We Need?
The Institute of Medicine of the U.S. National Academy of Science establishes the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for essential nutrients for both the U.S. and Canada. The DRI are intended to satisfy the nutrient needs of most healthy people in each age group. The Acceptable Intake (AI) of omega 3 fatty acids for males and females aged 40-50 years is 1.6grams/day and 1.1 grams/day respectively.

How Much Omega 3 Do We Consume?
Eating 8 ounces a week of a variety of seafood supplies about 1.7 grams of EPA and DHA, which is enough to meet the DRI for adult men and women noted above. But the mean intake of all types of fish eaten by Americans is 3.5 ounces per week, less than half the amount needed to meet the Acceptable Intake. Plant sources of omega 3, such as seed oils, walnuts, and soybeans, supply 1.3-2.0 grams a day of ALA, but less than 5 percent of it is converted to DHA and EPA.

Do We Need Fish Oil Supplements?
All dietary supplements are meant to help fill in the gaps created when we don't eat all the foods we need in the amounts we need to meet our nutritional needs every day. Fish oil supplement are an excellent way to get essential omega 3 fatty acids if you are not eating 8 ounce/week of seafood, such as salmon, sardines and tuna.

BY: ROBYN FLIPSE