Beneftis of fish oil

BENEFITS OF FISH OIL

Everyone definitely heard of fish oil. When we mention about fish oil, the keyword that come into our mind is Omega 3. Omega 3 contains 2 important fatty acids, namely; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Regular consumption of these healthy fats (of course with healthy lifestyle) can help to prevent chronic diseases that are link to the body’s inflammatory processes. Both EPA and DHA have shown wonderful anti-inflammatory properties.

Are you taking fish oil right? Are you in the right age to take fish oil?  We have customer who tell us that the reason she is not taking fish oil, is because she has not reach 40+ year old.

Here are 4 reasons why fish oil should be a regular part of your daily diet, even <40 years old:

1.       Protect your heart!

Fish oil has been shown to lower triglycerides (TG) level in your body. TG are a type of fat that acts as energy stores for the body. However, high level of TG in the body has been link to the development of heart disease.

2.       Enhances your brain

When I was young, our parents will tell us to eat more fish so that we can grow up smarter. It is indeed very true! Fish is always known as ‘brain food’, as DHA is the most abundant fatty acid in the brain. Without sufficient DHA, the brain tissue will start to deteriorate. Studies also have shown that diet rich in fish oil help to protect against cognitive decline.

3.       Better eyesight

Ongoing research reveals promising results in the effects of fish oil in delaying the progress of eye diseases such as macular degeneration and glaucoma.  Both of this disease are not curable and can cause blinded. Try to take note of the people surrounding you. Those who consume a lot of fish, might have better eye sight!

4.       Eases menstrual cramps

Research shows that fish oil can help alleviate menstrual cramps, due to its anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, the need for pain medication can be reduced or the dose can be lowered.

5.       Better skin

Fish oil also helps to moisturize your skin naturally. Fish oil also helps to balance up your hormone, which help to make your skin less oily. Fish oil also help to combat acne by reducing redness and puffiness of acne lesions.

  

Omega 7 - The New Good Fat

Many people these days are familiar about the health benefits of Omega 3, 6 and 9. Have you heard of Omega 7 - the new good fat?

Before I proceed to Omega 7, let me make a short summary on Omega 3,6 and 9, so that we can understand omega 7 better.

Where can you find all this omega?

• Omega 3, also known as alpha-linolenic acid is abundant in flaxseed and fish oils.
• Omega 6, also known as linoleic acid can be found in borage and evening primrose oils.
• Omega 9, also known as oleic acid is abundant in olive and avocade oils.

Both Omega 3 and 6 area essential fatty acids that are crucial for the brain, heart, and immune system. They cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be obtained from diet or supplements.

On the other hand, Omega 9 is non-essential fatty acid, which help to lower cholesterol levels and build up the immune system. It can be produced by the body, or obtained from food.

Omega 7 - The New Good Fat

Omega 7 is a non-essential fatty acid found predominantly in sea buckthorn oil and macadamia nuts. Omega 7 is also known as palmitoleic acid. Let me summarizes the main benefits below:

Skin, hair and nails

Omega 7 provides key building blocks for skin, hair and nails. It helps combat wrinkles, dryness, loss of skin elasticity, and other symptoms of malnourished or aging skin. It also helps skin function properly by supporting numerous skin functions, such as boosting collagen production, enhance skin ability to retain moisture, protect against sun damage, toxins, and environmental stress.

Weight management

Taken internally, omega 7 fatty acid signals the body to stop storing fat. This amazing compound also helps the body maintain insulin sensitivity and fight off the imbalances that can result in metabolic syndrome. Insulin sensitivity plays a major role in helping the body convert glucose into energy, rather than storing it as fat. Research shows that omega 7 imitates a hormone in the body that helps regulate systemic metabolic activity.

Cardiovascular health

The increased access to omega 7 will benefit the cardiovascular system. The positive benefits to cardiovascular health includes:

(1) reduce the amount of bad cholesterol traveling through your arteries

(2) help smooth their passage, which in turn helps artery walls stay strong and resistant to tearing.

Gastro-intestinal health

Omega 7 has a soothing and smoothing effect on all the body’s sensitive internal linings. Omega 7 helps to nourish and hydrate internal organs and combat stressors, including excessive stomach acid or chronic inflammation. The body needs this powerful fatty acid to plump up those sensitive linings, just like it uses them to plump thin, stretched skin cells. 

Conclusion

While we await the results of ongoing randomized trials on Omega 7, the data so far is promising. With a potential drug-like effect on our heart, pancreas and liver. Omega 7 have the potential to become a household name, much like Omega 3 were a bit longer than a decade ago.

Clinical References: 

• Effect of dietary supplementation with sea buckthorn seed and pulp oils on the fatty composition of skin glycerophospholipids of patients with Atopic Dermatitis. Yang, B, et al., 2000, Jour Nutr BioChem, Vol. 11, 338-340. 

• Anti-inflammatory activity of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) leaves. Ganju, L et al., 2005, Intr Immunopharm, Vol. 5, 1675-1684. 

• Chronic administration of palmitoleic acid reduces insulin resistance and hepatic lipid accumulation in KK-Ay mice and genetic type 2 diabetes. Yang, et al., Lipids in Health and Disease, 2011, 10:120. 

• Serum Lipid Effects of a High–Monounsaturated Fat Diet Based on Macadamia Nuts. Curb, J. et al., 2000, Arch Intern Med/Vol. 160. 

• Lipoprotein composition and serum cholesterol ester fatty acids in nonwestern Melanesians. Lindeberg, S. et al., 1996, Lipids, Vol. 31, no. 2. 

• Trans-Palmitoleic Acid, Metabolic Risk Factors, and New-Onset Diabetes in U.S. Adults. Mozaffarian, D. et al., Annals Intr Med, 2010, Vol. 153, no. 12. 

• Sea buckthorn oils: Towards healthy mucous membranes. Erkkola, R. & Yang, B., 2003, AGROFood Industry, 53 (3). 

Benefits of carrot

Some facts about carrot:

• Carrot comes from the Greek name 'karoton', which mean carotene?
• Fats help the absorption of carotenoids into the blood by 1000% as carotenoids are fat soluble.
• Carrots are the second most popular vegetables after potatoes.

Here are some of the benefits of carrot:

 

Improved Vision
The main compound is actually beta-carotene, which help for night vision and to protect against macular degeneration.

2.  Cancer Prevention
Studies have shown carrots reduce the risk of lung cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer. Researchers have just discovered falcarinol and falcarindiol which they feel cause the anticancer properties.

Falcarinol is a natural pesticide produced by the carrot that protects its roots from fungal diseases. Carrots are one of the only common sources of this compound. A study showed 1/3 lower cancer risk by carrot-eating mice.

Anti-Aging
The high level of beta-carotene acts as an antioxidant to cell damage done to the body through regular metabolism.

Healthy Glowing Skin (from the inside)

It also contains vitamin A which act as an antioxidant to protect the skin from sun damage. Vitamin A prevents premature wrinkling, acne, dry skin, pigmentation, blemishes, and uneven skin tone. Some people even use it as a facial mask, by combining it with honey.

Powerful Antiseptic
It can be used to prevent infection.

Prevent Heart Disease
High in carotenoids can  help to lower the risk of heart disease.Regular consumption of carrots also reduces cholesterol levels because the soluble fibers in carrots bind with bile acids.

Healthy Teeth and Gums
Marvellous isn't it? Carrots clean your teeth and mouth by scarping off plaque and food particles just like toothbrush or toothpaste. Carrots stimulate gums and trigger a lot of saliva, which being alkaline, which help to prevent cavity-forming bacteria.

An Overview of Honey

I had read a very interesting articles reviewing honey. I wish to share the summary of part of the review article.

 

Honey is a natural substance produced when the nectar and sweet deposits from plants are gathered, modified, and stored in the honeycombs by honeybees. Honey can be classified as floral and non floral honey. Floral honey is made by the nectar collected from flowers. Non floral honey is made by bees that extracts sugars from living tissues of plants or fruits or scavenge the excretions of insects.  Honey’s colour, aroma, flavour, density, and physical and chemical properties depend on the flowers used by bees.

The nutrition values and profiles vary according to the composition of honey. Carbohydrates constitute about 95-97% of the dry weight of honey. Water is quantitatively the second most important component of honey. Only honey with less than 80% water can be stored with little or no risk fermentation.  The protein content is roughly 0.5% of which are mainly enzymes and free amino acids.

Fructose and glucose are the most predominant sugars present in honey. Approximately 18 essential and non essential amino acids are present in honey.  Proline is the primary amino acid and lysine being the second most prevalent. Vitamins and minerals such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and calcium in honey depend on it’s botanical and geographical origin.

Honey is found to be suitable sweetener in fermented milk product without inhibiting the growth of common bacteria like Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbbruekii, and Bifidobacterium bifidum which are important for maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal tract. Honey acts as a prebiotic in probiotic cultures.

Honey’s carbohydrates are easily to be digested and quickly transported into blood and can be utilized for energy requirement by human body. Hence, honey is particularly recommended for children and sportsmen. 

Fish Oil Triglycerides vs Ethyl Esters

From my experience as a retail pharmacist, fish oil is one of the most sought after item. Do you know that the product that you buy might not be of pharmaceutical quality. Although a product label may say “Fish Oil”, the chances are the product is not an oil at all, rather it is an alternate lipid class called a fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) or just EE for short. The authentic fish oil has a chemical structure known as a triglyceride (TG).

This post is to help our reader to differentiate between ethyl ester and triglyceride fish oil.

What are triglycerides (TG)?

The National Academy of Sciences defines fats and oils as “complex organic molecules that are formed by combining three fatty acids with one molecule of glycerol”. Triglycerides contain three fatty acids (i.e. EPA and DHA) esterified (bonded) to a glycerol backbone. TGs are the natural molecular form that make up virtually all fats and oils in both animal and plants species. The omega-3 fats present in fish are almost exclusively TGs. Free fatty acids are rapidly oxidized. Therefore, TG structure offers greater stability to the fatty acids and prevents breakdown and oxidation.

What are ethyl esters (EE)?

Fatty acid ethyl esters are a class of lipids that are derived by reacting free fatty acids with ethanol (alcohol). This process is known as trans-esterification. The industry make of use this EE form, as they can use fractional distilation (molecular distilation) to selectively concentrate EPA and DHA to levels greater than found naturally in fish. 

This EE form of fish oil is wrongly markets as fish oil..

Are all fish oil concentrates ethyl esters?

Majority of fish oil concentrates sold globally are EPA and DHA EE concentrates. A small percentage of fish oil concentrates on the market are natural TGs.

It is possible to convert the fatty acids back to TGs using food grade enzymes, through a process called glycerolysis. However, it will easily add 30-40% to the final product cost.

Is there any difference in the absorption and metabolism of natural triglycerides vs. ethyl esters

To make it simple, just remember that fish oil need to be digested by pancreatic lipase enzyme. EE form will be different, because its fatty acid-ethanol bond is 50 times more resistant to pancreatic lipase enzyme. 

Another thing is EE form need to be reconverted back to TG form before tranported in the blod. TG resynthesis will be delayed without any free glycerol in the body. This delay could cause an increase in free fatty acids and subsequent oxidation of those free fatty acids

There are many studies that favour both TG and EE form, but the overall evidence suggests that TG fish oils are better absorbed in comparison to EE. Natural TG fish oil results in 50 % more plasma EPA and DHA after absorption in comparison to EE oils. One of the factors for the poor bioavailability of EE is a much greater resistance to digestive enzymes.

How about other countries?

Some countries (e.g. Australia) have gone as far as banning the sale of EEs. Other countries such as the US, Canada, and the UK allow the sale of the EE form and furthermore do not require any additionally labeling. These supplements are therefore often incorrectly labeled as “Fish Oil” and pose a risk to those who must avoid ingestion of alcohol.

Calculate How Many Fruits and Vegetables You Need Everyday

I found an interesting tool from Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) to calculate how many cup of fruits and vegetables you need to consumption everyday to meet the recommendation. The calculation is base on your age, gender and physical activity level. Enter the information as I mention above can calculate the amount that;s right for you. Let's have a try through the URL::

 http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/fruitsvegetables/howmany.html

Complementary Feeding: How much to Feed?

Complementary foods need to be appropriate to baby's stage of development. Amount of complementary food to babies at different stages of age are slightly different. Here I share the quantity of complementary food recommended by a Cookbook which was published by Nutrition Society Malaysia.

Why 5 A Day?

Why 5 A DAY?

Base on the advice from WHO, consume a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of health problems such as heart disease, stroke, type  two diabetes, and obesity.  Hence, your five portions of fruit and vegetables will contain different combinations of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for diseases prevention.

What count towards 5 A DAY?

Almost all fruit and vegetables count towards your 5 A DAY.

The following count towards your 5 A DAY:

• Fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Frozen fruit and vegetables.
• Tinned or canned fruit and vegetables without added sugar or salt.
• Dried fruit, such as currants, dates, sultanas and figs. 
• Fruit and vegetables cooked in dishes such as soups, stews or pasta dishes.
• A glass (150ml) of unsweetened pure fruit or vegetable juice. (Juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day, however much you drink. That's mainly because juice contains less fibre than whole fruits and vegetables)
• Smoothies. A smoothie containing all of the edible pulped fruit and/or vegetable may count as more than one portion but this depends on how it's made. Smoothies count as up to a maximum of two portions per day. 
• Beans and pulses. These only count as one portion a day, no matter how many you eat. That's because they contain fewer nutrients than other fruits and vegetables.
• Fruit and vegetables in convenience foods, such as ready meals and shop-bought pasta sauces, soups and puddings. Some ready-made foods are high in salt, sugar and fat, so only have them occasionally or in small amounts. You can find the salt, sugar and fat content of ready-made foods on the label.  

*Sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes and turnips do count toward your 5 A DAY, because they are usually eaten in addition to the starchy food part of the meal.

 *Potatoes and cassava don’t count because they mainly contribute starch to the diet.

Source: www.nhs.uk

Case Study 1

Today my customer Mr Adrian drop by and we had a long chat. His main concern is to reduce visceral fat.

He sent me this image and need some feedback from us. We will use this as a case study, with the permission from Mr Adrian. The picture below show his plan for lunch. Steam fish with lady's finger, tomatoes, ginger, red chillies.

Additional information:
- Mr Adrian is an active swimmer

Colour nutrition feedback:

Similar with weight control, follow a low-calorie and high fiber diet is crucial in visceral fat control. In my opinion, Mr Adrian’s recipe is a good example of low-calorie cooking method which is steam. Besides, this recipe contains 2 food groups which are protein (fish) and fiber (lady’s finger, tomatoes). However, kindly take note to avoid fried onion and the frying oil which is commonly used as taste enhancer in steam fish to reduce the fat content in this recipe. Mr Adrian’s lunch could be balanced after adding starchy food (for example, rice) and a serving of fruit/ fruit juice. Finally, I would like to remind Mr Adrian that exercise regularly is very crucial for visceral fat control. Exercise for at least 30 minutes most of the day in a week is very important in visceral fat control.

It has tomatoes, which provide the RED colour. Below is the nutrition values for tomato:

Tomato contain nutrients such as niacin, folate and vitamin B6. All this have associated with the reduction of heart disease risk. One study found that women who ate 7 to 10 servings of tomato products per week had a 29 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than women who consumed less than a serving and a half of tomato products each week.

Tomato has been shown to protect against thrombosis (blood clots in the blood vessel). Drinking tomato juice can reduce blood levels of TNF-alpha by 34%. TNF-alpha causes inflammation. High levels of TNF-alpha have been found in individuals with most chronic, degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s.

It has lady's finger (or known as OKRA), which provides the GREEN colour.  It’s high in vitamin B6, fiber, calcium, and folic acid.

The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. Okra’s mucilage (sticky sticky) binds cholesterol and bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver.

The okra fiber helps prevent and improve constipation, by absorbing water and ensuring bulk in stools. Okra also helps to support the structure of capillaries.Okra is used for healing ulcers and to keep joints limber. It helps to neutralize acids, being very alkaline, and provides a temporary protective coating for the digestive tract.

MyPlate in Malaysia

In Malaysia, we have healthy eating plate, which is also known as pinggan pemakanan sihat for our toddlers and children. Portions of all food groups were categorized according to age groups, which were 1-3 years old, 3-4 years old and 6 years old and above. The line on the plate may help the mummy to serve balance and adequate amount of food to their children.

The 3 plates shown above might look alike. However, the portion is different for different age group. This is pretty straightforward for parent to just serve according to the portion shown on the plate.

We have this plate at home now and although it may seem not attractive enough, but it does serve its purpose to guide parent to serve their kids with the right portion.

An Introduction to MyPlate

Myplate

MyPlate is the current nutrition guide published by the United States Department of Agriculture, depicting a place setting with a plate and glass divided into five food groups. It replaced the USDA's MyPyramid guide on June 2, 2011, ending 19 years of USDA food pyramid diagrams.¹ MyPlate will be displayed on food packaging and used in nutrition education in the United States.

MyPlate is divided into sections of approximately 30 percent grains, 30 percent vegetables, 20 percent fruits and 20 percent protein, accompanied by a smaller circle representing dairy, such as a glass of low-fat/nonfat milk or a yogurt cup.

MyPlate is supplemented with additional recommendations, such as "Make half your plate fruits and vegetables," "Switch to 1% or skim milk," "Make at least half your grains whole," and "Vary your protein food choices." The guidelines also recommend portion control while still enjoying food, as well as reductions in sodium and sugar intakes.

In unveiling MyPlate, First Lady Michelle Obama said, "Parents don't have the time to measure out exactly three ounces (~85 grams) of chicken or to look up how much rice or broccoli is in a serving. ... But we do have time to take a look at our kids' plates. ... And as long as they're eating proper portions, as long as half of their meal is fruits and vegetables alongside their lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, then we're good. It's as simple as that.”

1.    http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/myplate.htm

Diarrhoea - A Simple Guide

Diarrhoea is defined as an increased in frequency of bowel evacuation, with the passage of abnormally soft or watery faeces.

Below are the common symptoms:

• abdominal cramp
• flatulence (presence of excessive gas in the digestive system)
• weakness
• malaise (feeling of discomfort, illness, uneasiness)
• nausea and vomiting

The following are list of drugs that can cause diarhoea. Keep in mind that all this is very rare, but it might happen.

• Antacid (that contains magnesium salts)
• Antibiotics
• Antihypertension drugs (methyldopa, beta blockers like metoprolol)
• Frusemide
• Iron preparations
• Misoprostol

There are 3 main common treatments available in the market, well summarized by the diagram below:

From my practice in the retail pharmacy, some customer only want to stick to the 'same brand'. I would like to take this opportunity to state that as long as it contain the same active ingredient (what we call as generics), it is fine to purchase the medicine.

Some customer do ask me how much of water to give after each loose stool. Kindly refer to the simple chart below:

The usual advise that I will give to my customer are; no solid and oily food for the next 24 hours, and if possible avoid cow's milk, because lactase is inactivated during diarrhoea. Lactase is an enzyme that breakdown lactose to glucose and galactose. People who do not have enough lactase will get cramps and diarrhoea when they consume milk products.

Note : I try to use as much as possible simple word for your ease of reading. I will put a simple explanation for medical term or any jargon used throughout in this article.

5 A Day - The Colour Way

Nutrition research shows that colourful vegetables and fruits contain essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals that your body needs to promote health and help you feel great.

So what are the 5 colours??

REDS

When you add deep reds or bright pinks to your daily diet, you are also adding powerful antioxidants called lycopene and anthocyanins. Diets rich in these nutrients are being studied for their ability to fight heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s Disease as well as skin, breast and prostate cancers.

GREENS

Not only do green vegetables look great and taste wonderful, they are also rich in the phytochemicals (like lutein, zeaxanthin and indoles) and essential vitamins (folate), minerals and fiber that keep you healthy. These nutrients protect your eyes, and may reduce the risk of cancerous tumors.

YELLOW/ORANGE

The colors of the blazing sun are a must have in your daily diet. Yellow and orange vegetables and fruits contain beta-carotene (which turns into vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E, folate (a B vitamin) and bioflavonoids. Research shows that these nutrients reduce the risk for cancer and heart attacks, boost immunity, help maintain good vision and strong bones/teeth/skin.

BLUES/PURPLES

Blues and purples not only add beautiful shades of tranquility and richness to your plate, they add healthenhancing flavonoids, phytochemicals and antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, vitamin C, folic acid and polyphenols. These nutrients help your body defend against cancer, reduce the risk of age-related memory loss, help control high blood pressure and reduce the risk of diabetes complications and heart attacks.

WHITE

White fruits and vegetables vary from sweet to strong. Vegetables from the onion family, which include garlic, chives, scallions, leeks and any variety of onion, contain the phytonutrient allicin. Research is being conducted on allicin to learn how it may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and increase the body’s ability to fight infections and cancer. Indoles and sulfaforaphanes and phytonutrients in cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower may also inhibit cancer growth.

The above article is adapted from USDA Food and Nutrition Services http://www.fns.usda.gov

Welcome to Colour Nutrition

Welcome to Colour Nutrition!!

Well, what is Colour Nutrition??

According to WHO definition:
Nutrition is the intake of food, considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs. Good nutrition – an adequate, well balanced diet combined with regular physical activity – is a cornerstone of good health. Poor nutrition can lead to reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental development, and reduced productivity.

Why is it colour then??
The TREND now is choosing food by their colour. Doctors and nutritionists are becoming convinced that the pigments in food, also known as phytonutrients, is the key to better health.

USA and Australia is way ahead of us.